Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

BRIEFLY••• Blackfoot Honda's Blair Morgan said he plans on riding the entire AMA National Motocross Senes in 2003. if all works out as planned. After he attempts to defend hiS U.S. Open FourStroke title In October, the Canadian will be putting away his motorcycles in order to get ready for the upcoming Snocross season. Mike Metzger (right) was an honorary Kiwi at the World Cup. When New Zealanders Cody Cooper and Shayne King couldn't find a third rider. the "godfather of freestyle" volunteered. Willy Musgrave raced for the Czech Republic team. Greg Albertyn reportedly rode Travis Pastrana's vacant works Suzuki for South Africa. Although he's officially retired, the former World and National Motocross Champion handed out beatings to most of the riders. going 7-5 in the first two motos. 'only for his bike to break in the third moto and cost the South African team its chance at a podium finish. "As soon as he started making mistakes, I gave it everything I had, and I was happy to pass him and win the race." England's James Dobb kept his team's hopes somewhat alive with his third-place finish aboard the KTM 450 SX. Next came Hamblin, who had a horrible start. "I kind of hung back a little bit and just kind of waited for everyone to start making their mistakes late in the race and picked them off one by one," Hamblin said. Then came Costa Rica's Ernesto Fonseca, on the factory Honda CR250. He had his hands full with the South African duo of Grant Langston and "retired" Greg Albertyn, who finished sixth and seventh, respectively, for the South African effort, despite some problems. "I fell," Langston said. "I was trying to pass Jamie Dobb, and I just slid out in a turn. I was trying to get into third, so I went from fourth to ninth. I came back to get sixth." His fall gave the late-charging Hamblin fourth, and he finished just a tick behind the Briton Dobb. MOT02 When the gate fell again, Reed boomed the big YZF into the holeshot, with Fonseca, Hamblin and Langston all chomping at his heals. USA's top moto-one finisher, Ferry, fell before the completion of lap one. "Coming down Mount St. Helens, I got rear-ended by somebody," Ferry said. "I don't know what happened. I was kind of going for the inside, and I think somebody got a little wild and started swapping and couldn't stop and ran into the back of me. I just went end over end and landed on my head, the bike landed on top of me, and it was just a pretty bad crash. It bent my gear shifter, so I couldn't really race - not that I was even feeling up to it." Ferry pulled off, while Hamblin and Langston both dispatched Fonseca. But when Langston tried to go around Hamblin, all hell broke loose. "He did the most ridiculous move I've ever heard of," Langston said of Hamblin. "He just rides wide-open Michael Byrne (18) was the second- bes1 Aussle In two of the three motos" Kyle Lewis (91) had a hard time but finished third In the second moto - the top American. straight into me and took us both out. I could not believe it. I was so mad. It was just absolutely ridiculous. I mean, there's a difference between bumping and being aggressive, but everyone was riding aggressive out there today. Everyone was riding like they were riding for a World Championship. But he just totally cleaned us What did Tim Ferry think about fellow MXoN team members Ricky Carmichael and Mike laRocco skipping the Worid Cup of Motocross? "I don't know if I totally agree with it or disagree with it." he said. -It was just their choice. It was what they wanted to do. They can make up their own mind on what they wanted to do. For me, the right thing to do was to race and get some experience racing against some foreign guys. some guys from the 125cc class riding the 250cc class ... I don't think they should blame them. A lot of the other Europeans didn't come. and it wasn't any of the riders' faults that the des Nations didn't happen. To blame the riders isn't the right thing to do. They need to start blaming the promoters. or the FIM, or Doma. or the AMA - whoever dropped the ball. " After Kyle Lewis (rightJ got to experience all the fans cheering him on in the races, he said of LaRocco's and Carmichael's decision: "I don't know why. They have their own reasons. but I can't believe Carmichael and laRocco didn't want to feel this. This is incredible. The fans here at every corner and every straightaway were just cheering for the USA. It was a great feeling. " Lewis had an interesting story about his invite to the World Cup. "It was kind of a weird deal. I was out riding with Aaron Yates on his 600 out in Pahrump. and Brian Russell from Yoshimura called and said. ·Hey. they want you to ride in the World Cup.' They contacted me Wednesday. but they weren't sure about Mike Brown. so I was like. ·Okay. no big deal. they're going to take Brown.' Then they wanted me to ride. and I was like. ·Okay. but I don't know if I can do it.' My bike was in a box from the last National. and I called my mechanic, and I said. 'What do you think? Do you think we can make this happen?' And my mechanic busted ass. My hat's off to him. He worked about 14 hours on Friday. him and laRocco's old mechanic. They just stepped it up. put it together. and we made it. It was kind of a total last-mInute deal" out." "We got together, and I felt it was kind of both of our faults," Hamblin said. "I'm not going to blame one or the other, and he felt that I was fully to blame. Oh, well." Hamblin got up first, in seventh, while Langston remounted well back in the field after practically burying himself in the chain-link fence that lines the track. So both of the USA's best two moto-one riders hit the dirt in moto two. The crash left Reed, Fonseca and Lewis to battle it out up front, and Fonseca surprised much of the crowd by passing Reed up Shoei Mountain. Fonseca held on for the win, while Reed was all over him but had to settle for second, and Lewis held off Byrne for third. Albertyn and Hamblin rounded out the top six. "I chose a different setting in the front fork, and it just really didn't work," Reed said of the moto-two Kyle Lewis' team. Molo XXX, is expanding next year to include not only hIm and Larry Ward. but Greg Schnell as well. All three will reportedly be riding Honda CRF450Rs in the 250cc Supercross Series. Sean Hamblin would've ridden his practice bike at the World Cup if necessary. "I got a call from Marty Moates Wednesday night, and he asked me if I'd represent the United States." he said. "I wasn't going to say no. so I wanted to ride my practice bike if nothing else. and they [Suzuki] told me no and built me a Full works bike again. I came out and tried to put a whuppin' on these guys. but I had a little bit of bad luck. But I came out and still did fine - I mean. I have no complaints. It was a good day. and hopefully some day I can be the first pick [for the team] instead of the second. But everybody that was involved. I'd really like to give them a lot of thanks for putting this on and actually allowing me to come out and represent my country.• The French team - made up of Eric Sorby. Rodrig Thain, and Sebastien Tortelli (right) - had a bad day at the World Cup. Tortelli' s Suzuki debut lasted only a few corners before he was thrown from his motorcycle coming down Shoei Mountain. He suffered a punctured lung in the incident and was out for the day. Sorby crashed out about halfway through the second moto as well. The Australian team featured two AMA regulars (Byrne and Reed) and a soon-to-be regular. Craig Anderson (Reed's cousin). who will be riding for Yamaha of Troy next year. The Fast Masters class was for riders from 15 winning American Motocross des Nations teams. Chief among them was Jeff Ward. who has been a member of the winning U.S. team a record seven times. Also included in the group were Jeff Emig (3). Ryan Hughes (1). Jim Gibson (1). Chuck Sun (1). Danny laPorte (l) and Donnie Hansen (1). Also in attendance (but not racing) were David Bailey. Jeff Stanton and Rick Johnson. Jeff Ward was on an unusual mount lor him. a Honda CRF450R with his famtliar number three on the plates_ Jeff Emig resorted to his old amateur number. 47. for the day's racing. defeat. "Today was like a test day. Every time I rode the bike, I had something different on it." "I was catching Reed and Fonseca there for a little bit, and then I started making mistakes," Lewis said. "The last four laps, I tightened up - I don't MOT03 fans here._. it was just the most Unfortunately, Hamblin had an irate Langston to deal with. incredible thing, riding for everyone." Langston was reportedly telling people in the pits before the race that second and set out to get Hamblin. Langston immediately moved into The South African got the Suzuki he was going to clean Hamblin out if he had the chance in the last moto. pilot before the completion of the lap. When the gate dropped, it was Hamblin with the holeshot, followed by the problem was, I went down as added five points to Australia's total, while Lewis' third and Hamblin's sixth Reed and Langston. Lewis went down quick. I just stuffed him into a turn, hard in the first turn. added nine to the U.S. 's. After two "I rung my bell, bruised my hip, and his front tire came up and hit me, and I went down with him." motos, the two teams were tied at 15. scraped my shoulder and stuff," "He took me out - he cleaned me The final moto would mean everything. Lewis said. "It wasn't very good. 1 didn't want to ride the rest, but the know why. Maybe just all the nerves I don't know." Reed's first and Byrne's fourth Due I e "I returned the favor to him, but well," Langston said. "But I got up out pretty good " and I think if that wouldn't have happened, the U.S. n e "" S • OCTOBER 9,2002 27

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