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/128195
2003 THQ World Supercross GP/ AMA Supercross Preview Manager: Jim Perry Headquarters: Cypress, CA Riders: 12 David Vuillemin 15 Tim Ferry 22 Chad Reed France Largo, FL Australia VZ250 YZ450F YZ250 Manager: Justin Quinn Headquarters: Vallejo, CA Riders: 27 NickWey Heath Voss 28 Dewitt, Ml Mico, TX YZ250 YZ450F Lowdown: Mach 1 is a shop in Northem California which last year sponsored Craig Decker for the I 25cc Westem Regional SX Series and the 250cc Nationals, and this year they make a return with factory Yamaha backing. It seems Yamaha felt the need to get Nick Wey factory equipment for 2003 after his top' privateer effort in last year's series, and they were able to do so through Mach 1. Wey will be riding a YZ250 indoors just as he did last year, while his new teammate Heath Voss, who's no stranger to factory support himself, will be YZ450F-mounted. They should be threats to break the top five this year. Lowdown: This team has nearly completely dominated the SX GP series so far this year, with David Vuillemin and Chad Reed splitting wins in the two events. Vuillernin finished second at round two to his teammate Reed, and Tim Ferry did the same at round one, finishing second to Vuillemin. The three riders now sit first. second and fourth in the championship. Reed dominated the 2002 125cc Eastem Regional Supercross Series aboard a YZ250F, winning all but one points· paying event, and Vuillemin sat atop the 250cc points standings until an untimely shoulder injury forced him off the pedestal. He still hung on for second last year, and there's only one way to improve on 2002, and that's with a championship in 2003. Ferry has long been a fron· trunner, and he rides his four-stroke indoors like nobody else. This team will be one to reckon with this year. HEATH VOSS CHAD REED U®(f)[JjJiJ fi3®®rJ5[t fliJ®mDO®!l ):l(f)[JjJiJ(f)[JD(f)!llJtJt:§)W [i](f)@D[fiJ@ Manager: Craig Dack Headquarters: Valencia, CA Riders: Brock Sellards 18 52 Ivan Tedesco 93 Josh Hansen 109 Craig Anderson Sherrodsville, OH Temecula, CA Elbert, CO Australia YZ250F YZ125 YZ125 YZ250F Lowdown: Since Australian team manager Craig Dack took over the team, and Australian company Boost Mobile became the title sponsor, it seems the team has made a point of having an Australian rider aboard. Last year, the team introduced now·superstar Chad Reed, with championship results. This year, Reed's cousin Craig Anderson joins the team, riding the same machine. The only layover rider from last year is Ivan Tedesco, who put in quite a few strong rides in 2002. Joining those two are supercross and motocross winner Brock Sellards and newcomer Josh Hansen, the son of 1982 Supercross Champion Donnie Hansen. Hansen is expected to be injured when the season starts, so we'll have to see when he'll rejoin the series. For this team, it seems it's all "relative." IVAN TEDESCO T1@ffJ[Ji]iJ ©!JD®@!Js fYf?&JfJiJDJ05fJiJ g 5J~@@5ffJ{]@~I1il!JD@ !X1ffJ@@f?~ §@J@@ Manager: Jason Aeck Headquarters: Simi Valley, CA Riders: Bobby Bonds 58 Travis Elliott 60 Kuraudo Toda 279 280 Tim Weigand Bakersfield, CA Alvin, TX Japan Chatsworth, CA CRF450R YZ250F CRl25 CR125 Lowdown: With the recent departure of the Canadian Blackfoot Honda and Plano Honda teams, The Racer's Edge inherited some pretty good riders in Bobby Bonds and Travis Elliott. Bonds will be campaigning the 250cc series, while Elliott will again be in the 125cc Westem Region, where he made a dent last year. Tim Weigand will be in the 125cc class as well out West, with new teammate Kurado Toda from Japan. BOBBY BONOS 20 JANUARY 8, 2003' cue I .. n III _ S ~@@® @{J[][j)@[j@!?@~~ @@DD@@){J[]D@~ December 7, 2002 Geneva, Switzerland December 14, 2002 Amhem, Holland January 4 Anaheim, CA (125 West) January 11 Phoenix, AZ (125 West) January 18 Anaheim, CA (125 West) January 25 San Francisco, CA (125 West) February 1 Anaheim, CA (125 West) February 8 San Diego, CA (125 West) February 15 Minneapolis, MN (125 East) February 22 Atlanta, GA (125 East) March 1 Indianapolis, IN (125 East) March 8 Daytona Beach, FL (125 East) March 22 St. Louis, MO (125 East) March 29 Houston, TX (125 East) April 5 Pontiac, MI (125 East) April 12 Dallas, TX (125 West) April 26 Salt Lake City, UT (125 West) May 3 Las Vegas, NV (125 Shootout) ·World Supercross GP round only •• AMA Supercross round only Round 1· Round 2· Rounds 3/1 Rounds 4/2 Rounds 5/3 Rounds 6/4 Rounds 7/5 Rounds 8/6 Rounds 9/7 Rounds 10/8 Rounds 11/9 Round 10·· Rounds 12/11 Rounds 13/12 Rounds 14/13 Rounds 15/14 Rounds 16/15 Rounds 17/16 With the introduction of the THQ World Supercross GP Series, we're now looking at a sort of split supercross schedule. The Switzerland round represented the opening event of the World Series, while Anaheim is again the opener for the AMA Series, as well as round three of the World Series. Confused? Well, it's not as straightforward as in years past, but it's not impossible to understand. All the races in the United States are part of the AMA Supercross Series, so it becomes easier if you keep that in mind. However, all but Daytona are also part of the World Series. In other words, we will have two sets of points standings after every race from Anaheim Ion. Except for Daytona. Another change in this year's schedule mainly concerns the 125cc class. Just like last year, there are eight Westem Regional rounds and seven Eastem Regional rounds, but the division is somewhat different. Both Texas rounds last year were Westem Regional events, but this year they are split between Houston and Irving (Dallas). Also, once the Eastem Regional Series kicks off in mid-February, it will run to its completion without interruption. The Western Region will run six rounds, take an eight·week break, then come back for the last two events. The series will still conclude with the Dave Coombs Sr, 125cc East/West Shootout in Las Vegas. Joe Oehlhof and Jeremy Chaussee will represent AJ·Gomez Racing in the 250cc (east) and 125cc (west) classes, respectively, and Jonathan Shimp and Billy Payne will be supporting the Pro·Grip/Thousand Oaks Kawasaki colors.