Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128159
AMAIChevy Trucks 250cc U.S. Motocross Series Round 4: MX338 to ride if I wanted to be the champion," explained Reed after the race. "Jeff Spencer put the shoulder back in, but I had a needle and there was no pain - it actually went in quite easily. But coming out was the strongest pain I have ever had. The second moto was the longest race of my life, but I was ready to do whatever it takes to be the champion." The second moto was all Stewart. After starting seventh, he blasted through everyone to take the lead on the third lap, the last rider he passed being Yamaha of Troy's Greg Schnell, who was on a YZ250F for the first time this season. "This track is prob;bly the roughest track I have ever raced on, and it was kind of hard to push," Stewart said. "It's a long series, so I didn't all with the help of trainer Jeff Spencer, Reed got the shoulder back into socket in the Yamaha of Troy truck and decided to suit up for the second moto. It was all very similar to the shoulder injury that befell Langston at Southwick last year in practice, seemingly dashing his title hopes, only to have him come back out the next day and ride the roughest track on the circuit with excruciating pain. "There's been people before me who have done it, so I knew that I had right to pick up five points, everything considered." Reed started out in front of Stewart but was content to just race for as many points as possible. He rode as high as second before surrendering the position to Ernesto Fonseca with four laps to go. Fonseca's second-place finish in the moto gave him second overall. "I've been training with Ricky a lot, and he and his mom [Jeannie] have been really helping me out a lot and it's paying off," Fonseca said. "This is the kind of race I've been waiting for and my Honda was working great. I got some better starts and that's what I needed. The track is the roughest track of the year, so I'm proud that I did so well here." Like Smith and Fonseca ahead of him, Travis Preston's third-place (Left) West Coast 125cc supercross champ Travis Preston took third. (RIght) Series points leader Chad Reed DNF'd the first molo when he dislocated his shoulder, but he stln rode the second molo even more Impressive, he finished third. (Below) James Stewart Jr. (259) suffered his second DNF In as many races, but he came back to win the second moto. overall finish marked the best overall ride of his outdoor National career. (Coincidentally, the previous round at High Point also marked a set of personal bests for the 1-2-3 of Reed, Jesseman and Frenchman Eric Sorby.) "I didn't feel like I was going all that fast out there, but I guess I was doing okay," Preston said. "It's just really hard to get going out there because the bumps are everywhere, and they don't give much, either. But I will certainly take a third here. It's quite honestly better than I thought that I would do." Preston had skipped the previous round of the series with a severely twisted ankle. MotoworldRacing.com Suzuki rider Damon Huffman hammered out a season-best fourth overall with 8-4