Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
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my Own Race: 125cc ~® Branden Jesseman The SeBe Suzuki rider came into the race trailing Chad Reed for second in the series by just four points, and he wanted to take his first national win in front of his homestate fans. But it wound up being a rough day for Jesseman. He twisted his knee in practice, got a terrible start in the fIrst moto, charged all the way back to fIfth, and then got a rear flat and had to soldier on to 12th. In the second moto, he gated better, moved into third and was actually challenging Reed before jamming his knee. "I made a few Iittie mistakes and jammed my knee again," the Suzuki rider said. "I had to take the pain out of my mind, [but] it took the wind out of my sails." Luckily for him, Reed's day was even worse, and Jesseman's perseverance was rewarded when he bested the Aussie for second in the series by one point. 1] 1} 11 Grant Langston Someday, the Red Bull KTM rider may grow to like Steel City, but for now aU of his memories are bad. After losing the National Championship here last year because of a broken rear wheel, an assortment of crashes ruined his '02 version of the race. The South African, competing in just his fourth national of the summer after dealing with a knee injury, carded crash-marred 15·34 fInishes for 20th overall. Langston is stili fast, though. After crashing twice in the second moto, he was lapped by leader James Stewart. Langston then tumed it up and followed Stewart for four laps. "I didn't know what to do," said Langston of following the new champ. "I didn't know if I was allowed to pass him and unlap myself. I was just as quick as him, though. J eventually just pulled off." 'O® Brock Sellards At Steel City, the Red Bull KTM rider had to deal with something he's been fIghting all year - i1iness. "J bad a bunch of guys staying at my house this week riding," he said. "We ate at this Mexican restaurant, and a lot of us got food poisoning really bad. I had to get shots just to calm my stomach." Even with littie strength, Sellards pulled two great starts and held the lead in each moto. Unfortunately, he fell leading moto one and dropped to fourth at the finish. In moto two, his front fork broke, and he had to pull off. His 4-36 score was good for] 2th overall. 1] @® Chad Reed The Australian was riding his Boost Mobile{Yamaha{Troy Racing Yl250F for the last time. (He's moving to a 250cc two-stroke with Team Yamaha next year.) Unfortunately, he did not end the series with a bang. After three fll'st-moto crashes that resuited in a 32nd-place finish, he came back strong and grabbed the moto-two holeshot. Stewart was eventually able to slice by and take the lead and win, but Reed ran strong to hold second. He did, however, lose second in the points standings to Jesseman. "It's been a tough season, but I enjoyed it," said Reed. "I think I tried a Iittie too hard out there. It's been an up-and-down year and an up-and-down day." Trevis Preston (Hon); 11. Trevis Elliott (Hon); 12. Brenden Jessemen (Suz): 13. Rodrig Thein (Vern); 14. Joshue Hansen (Vern): 15. Grant Langston (KTM); 16. Justln Buckelew (Suz); 17. Andrew Short (Suz); 18. Kelly Smith (Yam); 19. Christopher Gosseleer (Hon): 20, Ryan Mills (Hon): 21. Damon Huffmen (Suz): 22. Jeff Northrthop (Kew): 23. Randy Velede (Suz): 24. Troy Adems (Yam): 25. Brien Grey (Suz): 26. Christopher Whitcraft (Yem); 27. Hens Neel (KTM): 28. Tommy Herrison (Suz); 29, Thomes Kelley (Suz); 30. Shene Bess (Suz); 31. Gene Stull (Suz): 32. Chad Reed (Yam): 33. David Glnolfl (Yem); 34. Levi Reed (Yam); 35. Aaron Dey (YlIm): 36. Kyle Gerro (Hon); 37. Turbo Retf (Hon); 38. Jason McConmlck (Suz): 39. Larry Werd (Yam): 40. Eric Sorby (Kaw). 125 MOTO 2: 1. Stewllrt; 2. Reed; 3. Fonsecll; 4. Jessemlln; 5. Walker; 6. Smith: 7. Ward: 8. ®§ Michael Byrne 1] @ Larry Ward "Bymer" has been struggling to get up to pace all summer long after a bad ankle injury suffered at the Indianapolis Supercross. He put in 810 scores at Steel City for seventh, and could have been a contender if not for a few spills. "In the first moto, I was battiing with Danny Smith and I lost the front end and dropped to 10th," said the Amsoil/Dr. Marten's/Journeys/Honda rider. "I managed to pick it up and get some spots back. Then, in the second moto, on the first lap, J came down the hill behind Langston, and he higb-sided in front of me. I hit him and went over the bars. I pretty much had to wait for everyone to go by." The Moto XXX/DGY veteran ran into bike problems before the fIrst moto began. "We tried to get it started before the moto, and it wouldn't start," Ward said. "We tried everything to fix it. The AMA said we could use a practice bike, so we borrowed [Yamaha of Troy technician] Dean Baker's bike and just put the number] 0 on it But they .,nded up blackflagging us because the bike didn't go through tech." In the second moto, Ward got his race bike back and got off the gate well, but the back of his front fender broke off and started dragging on his front wheel. But he held off Red Bull KTM's Billy Laninovicb in the last comer to hold on to a seventh-place finish .. (Top left) Matt Walker (68) made the 125cc podium with a third-place overall finish. (Left) Brock Sellards (18) and Walker had a flerce battle. Laninovich; 9. Preston: 10. Byrne; 11. Bonifece; 12. Short; 13. Huffman; 14, Antunez: 15. Elliott: 16. Gosselaar; 17, Thain; 18. Northrop; 19, Adams; 20. Reif; 21. Sorby; 22. Buckelew; 23. Mills; 24. VlIlede; 25. GrllY; 26. Hansen: 27. Whitcrllft; 28. Kelley: 29. Smith; 30. HlIrrison; 31. McCormick; 32. Stull; 33. Neel: 34. umgston; 35. Garro: 36. Sellards: 37. Bess; 38. Day; 39. Ginolfi; 40. Reid. 125 O/A: 1. StewZlrt: 2. Fonseca; 3. Walker; 4. Smith; 5. Laninovich; 6, Jesseman; 7. Byrne; 8. Bonlfllce; 9. Preston; 10. Reed: 11. Antunez; 12. Sellards: 13. Elliott 14. Ward; 15. Short; 16. Thain; 17. Huffmlln; lB. Gosslallr; 19, Hensen: 20. Lengston; 2 J. Buckelew; 22. Northrup; 23. Smith; 24. Adams; 25. Relf; 26. Mills; 27. Soriby: 28. Valade: 29. cue I _ n Grey; 30. Whitcrllft; 31. Kelley; 32. H~lrrison; 33. McCormick; 34. Stull; 35. Neel; 36. Garro: 37. Bess; 38. DlIY; 39. Ginolfi: 40. Reid. AMA/CHEVY TRUCKS 125cc U.S. MOTOCROSS C'SHIP SERIES FINAL POINTS STANDINGS (Alter 12 of 12 rounds): 1. JlImes Stewart Jr. (529/10 wins); 2. Branden Jesseman (392); 3, Chad Reed (391/1): 4. Emesto Fonseca (385);5. Danny Smith (312/1); 6. Matt Walker (285); 7. Buddy Antunez (244): 8. Brock Sellards (216): 9. Larry Ward (202): 10. Travis Preston (197); 11. Michael Byrne (186); 12. Eric Sorby (181): 13. Damon Huffman (172): 14. Christopher Gosselaar (115): 15. Andrew Short (99); 16. Grant Langston (98) 17. Josh Demuth (98): 18. Paul Currie (96); 19. Michael Brown (89): 20. Justin Buckelew (81): 21. Billy Laninovch (74): 22. Devld Pingree (74): 23. !vlln Tedesco (73); 24. Steve Boniface (67): 25. Kelly Smith (64): 26. Greg Schnell (63); 27. Travis Elliot (61); 28. Casey Johnson (61); 29. Bobby Bonds (61): 30. Joshue Woods (60); 31. Rodrlg Thein (53); 32. Ben Townley (48); 33. Derrick Shee Bentley (34); 34. Troy Adems (19); 35. Jeff Gibson (18); 36. Scott Sheak (13); 37. Randy Valade (11); 38. Michael Treedwell (10): 39. Joshue Hansen (8); 40. Chris Wheeler (7). __ S • SEPTEMBER 11, 2002 21