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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128164
Had It not been for Ezra Lusk, the Troy podium would've been covered In red. Instead. the Chevy Trucks Kawasaki rider finished third after going 4-3 on the day. A number of riders took some nasty falls on the rough and rutted Kenworthy's circuit. Most notably was SoBe Suzuki's Sean Hamblin, who crashed hard on the first lap of the first 250cc moto. The Califomian apparently went over the bars and took a shot to the ribs, chest and face. "He was coughing up some blood and was pretty banged up, so he took a trip to the hospital for some observation," Suzuki's Cole Gress said. "It's been a rough year for our 250cc team, and this just makes matters worse." Also crashing in the first moto was Yamaha's David Vuillemin and Chevy Trucks/Kawasaki's Stephane Roncada. Both crashed in the same tum but at different times. "I was going into that comer and my footpeg grabbed a rut and threw me over the other way," Roncada said while sporting a bruise on his face. "It happened fast and I just landed on my face." Roncada also crashed in the second moto on the second lap. After being placed on a stretcher, he got up and remounted his bike and rode for several laps with a broken rear fender. Why were there so many crashes? Some riders complained that the track was too rutted due to over-watering on Sunday morning and that the track was never groomed throughout the day on Sunday. Overall, opinions varied. "It was technical and rough," Tortelli said. "It was typically rutted, but I liked the slight change of the track," Lusk said. "The track was tight, but the dirt was good and tacky with many ruts," Ricky CalTYlichael said. "My knees were in my face in the comers," Larry Ward joked. Yamaha's Tim Ferry crashed four times in the first moto and salvaged a ninth, he also fell once in the second moto en-route to a fourth-place finish. "I fell in the first tum, got going and fell three more times. I don't know what my problem was: Travis Preston said, "It sucked. I was going down the Autobahn wide open sitting on my seat with my feet in the air, off the pegs. No fun." Privateer Brian Edwards, from New Mexico, broke his femur on Saturday during practice. ste art is uns oppable· again. By DAVEY COOMBS PHOTOS BY STEVE BRUHN TROY, OH, JULY 14 ames Stewart Jr. landed his fifth overall win of the outdoor series at Kenworthy's, setting a blistering pace all day long aboard the number-259 Chevy Trucks Kawasaki KX125. The 16-and-a-half-year-old took the lead early in each moto and effectively pulled away all the way to the finish. It was Stewart's third consecutive overall win. Stewart's 1-1 day, coupled with another unlucky break for title rival Chad Reed - a front flat tire in the first moto dropped him from third to 23rd, three spots out of the points - gave the Floridian a whopping 55-point lead. Reed recovered for second place the next time out, but the Boost Mobile/Yamaha/Troy Racing rider was no match for Stewart, even though the rookie was suffering from some stomach cramps. '" felt tight and a little sick all day, but you can't let stuff like that slow you down if you want to be the champion," Stewart said. "Once I got around Chad, , think I was holding my breath, and that started to make me a little dizzy. Chad proved that to J Steve Boniface (36) leads Chad Reed (103). Larry Ward (10). Josh Demuth (94). and Branden Jesseman (28) earty in the 125cc NatIonal. Winner James Stewart Jr. Is already long gone. cue' - n _ _ os • JULY 24, 2002 31