Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

opener at Anaheim, where he had failed to make the main event. "Starts I still need to work on," Hamblin said. "Outdoors they were a lot better than on 125s. I'm maybe a little bit more used to the 250, but I'm coming around, I think. I think next weekend is going to prove a lot to me. I'm building up my confidence. Last weekend, a lot of people kind of shot me out and didn't really expect me to do anything, and I got a little discouraged when I got hurt and nobody was backing me, but now that I'm doing good again, everybody's riding on the train. But I feel good. You know what? Next weekend's going to be even better, and so's the rest of the year." eN Bank One Ballpark Phoenix, Arizona Results: January 11, 2003 [Round 2 of 81 HEAT 1 (6 laps, 1·9 transrer): 1. James Stewart Jr. (Kaw); 2. Kevin Johnson (SUl); 3. Steve Mertens (Yam); 4. Matt Walker (Kaw); 5. Akira Narita (Suz); 6. Sean Hamblin (Suz); 7. Josh Hansen (Yam): 8. Billy Laninovich (KTM); 9. Andrew Short (Suz); 10. Tiger Lacey (Yam); 1 I. Ryan Abrigo (Suz): 12. Logan Darien (Yam); 13. Bryan McGavran (Suz); 14. Trllvis Elliott (Yam); 15. Bjorn Anderson (Kaw); 16. Matt Walker (30) grabbed the lead away from Craig Anderson early, and he appeared to be on his way to a podium finish before Preston (1) railed him just before the finish line on lap 10. Tommy Harrison (Suz); 17. Jeremy Chaussee (Yllm); Danny Smith overcame a less-thanstellar start to land his first podium finish of the year, a third, two spots better than at the series opener in Anaheim. Stewart simply picked up the pace. adding to his advantage at every turn by exploiting the clear track. He had 4.5 seconds on the next-closest man by lap eight. Preston later said that he wasn't sur- up from behind. So, if I mess around with Matt too long, then Danny is going to come after me. You have to make something happen right away." Smith more or less followed Preston through the fray. He was seventh off the start, and he had to work to get clear of an early tangle for fifth that included Amsoil/Chaparral Honda's Christopher Gosselaar. Red Bull KTM's Josh Woods, Mertens and Bobby J's Yamaha rider Kevin John- prised by that at all. "Usually, that's how it works," he son. Smith was fourth by lap five and, said. "If you don't get up to the front Walker, inherited third place for good at the same time that Preston took fast, Bubba is just going to pull away. I knew that I had to make something happen quick." Walker remained in second for several laps, but the situation with Preston's aggressive move on over second. "I can't really remember who I was battling, but it was pretty good," Smith said. "I started off behind changed drastically when Preston came calling on lap 1 O. The champ had already disposed of Anderson by Travis [Preston], and we just worked winning a drag race up the start straightaway after the finish-line jump was passing somebody. "Things have been going well for on lap five, and he appeared to be having a tough time finding a place to make a clean pass on Walker over me that last few weeks. I had a pretty good off-season, and I'm happy with the way that everything is going. I just the ensuing laps. So Preston impro- got off to a couple slow starts so far. vised. smacking into Walker in the right-hander just before the finish-line It's killing me when these guys get up front like that. That's definitely where I jump and sending the Kawasaki rider need to be on the first lap. I'm looking forward to the rest of the season." tumbling over the high side. "I was just looking for a place to get by him [Walker]," Preston said. our way through. and it turned out pretty good. But it felt like every lap I With about five laps to go, SoBe Suzuki's Sean Hamblin made his way 18. Michael Sleeter (Yam): 19. Jonathan Shimp (Kaw); 20. Shane Bess (SUl). Race Time: 5 min., 20.591 sec. Margin of Victory: 11.619 sec. HEAT 2 (6 laps, 1-9 transfer): 1. Christopher Gosselaar (Hon); 2. Travis Preston (Hon); 3. Danny Smith (SUI): 4. Pascal Leuret (KTM); 5. Turbo Reir (Yam); 6. Craig Anderson (Yam); 7. Josh Woods (KTM); 8. David Pingree (SUI); 9. Tyler Evans (SUI); 10. Benjamin Coisy (KTM); 11. Jesse Casillas Jr. (Yam): 12. Edgardo Rojas (Yam): 13. Eric Sorby (Kaw): 14. Kuraudo Tada (Hon): 15. Troy Adams (Yam); 16. David Ramsey (Yam); 17. Tim Weigand (Hon); 18. Martin Garcia (SUI): 19. Michael Koch (Yam); 20. Levi Reid (SUI) Race Time: 5 min .• 26.146 sec. Margin of Victory: 3.850 sec. LeQ (4 laps, J -4 transfer): 1. TraVIS ElIioH (Yam): 2. Tiger Lacey (Yam); 3. Tommy Harrison (SUI): 4. Eric Sorby (Kaw): 5. Troy Adams (Yam): 6. Edgardo Rojas (Yam); 7. Kurlludo Toda (Hon): 8. Michael Sleeter (Yam); 9. Jeremy Chaussee (Yam); 10. Logan Darien (Yam); 11. Bryan McGavran (SUI); 12. Jesse Casillas Jr. (Yam); 13. Benjamin Coisy (KTM); 14. Bjom Anderson (Kaw); 15. Ryan Abrigo (SUI): 16. Tim Weigand (Hon); 17. Shane Bess (SUI): 18. David Ramsey (Yam): 19. Levi Reid (SUI): 20. Jonathan Shimp (Kaw); 21. Martin Garcia (Suz); 22. Michael Koch (Yam). Race Time; 3 min., 43.237 sec. Margin of Victory; 2.067 sec. MAIN EVENT (15 laps; 22 riders): 1. James Slewart Jr. (Kaw); 2. Travis Preston (Han); 3 Danny m lJ ®~ Smith (Suz); 4. Sean Hamblin (SUI): 5. Kevin Johnson (Yam): 6. Craig Anderson (Yam); 7. Eric Sorby (Kaw); 8. Steve Mertens (Yam); 9. Andrew Short (Suz); 10. Billy Laninovich (KTM); It. Travis Elliott (Yam); 12. Chris Gosselaar (Hon); 13. Josh Hansen (Yam): 14. Mau WlIlker (Kaw): 15. Turbo Reir (Yam): 16. Tiger LlIcey (YlIm): 17. David Pingree (Suz); 18. Tyler Evans (Suz); 19. Josh Woods (KTM); 20. Akira lIritll (SUI): 21. Pascal Leuret (KTM): 22. Tommy Harrison (Suz). Race TIme: 13 min.. 35.001 sec. Margin of Victory: 8.612 sec. AMA WESTERN REGIONAL S(JPERCROSS SERIES POINTS STANDINGS (After 2 of 8 rounds): I. (TIE) Travis Preston (47/1 win}/James Stewart Jr. (47/1 win); 3. Danny Smith (36): 4. Andrew Short (32); 5. (TIE) Kevin Johnson (27}/Christopher Gosselaar (27)/Craig Anderson (27): 8. Billy Laninovich (26); 9. Matt Walker (21); 10. Sean Hamblin (18): 11 (TIE) Josh Hansen (17)/David Pingree (17); 13. Eric Sorby (14); 14. (TIE) Steve Mertens (13)jTiger Lacey (13)jTurbo Reir (13); 17. (TIE) Travis Elliott (10)/Shane Bess (10); 19. Akira Narita (7): 20. Tyler Evans (5). Upcoming Rounds: Round 3 - Anaheim, California, January 18 Round 4 - San Francisco, Califomia, January 25 Own Race: 125cc Billy Laninovich Red Bull KTM's youngster Laninovich was disappointed with his race. "I just got a bad start, came from last and just got stuck behind a lot of people," he said. "I ended up 10th, and I'm not happy. I definitely had the speed. In my heat race, I had bad luck, too. Someone T-boned me on the first lap, and that just gave me a bad gate position for the main event, and I just couldn't work my way up." @® Joshua Hansen @1; Josh Woods Turbo Reif Boost Mobiletyamaha{Troy Racing's rookie Hansen had a tough time near the end of the main. "I didn't get off to the best start, and I came up through the pack, and I kind of made it up to about eighth or something, and I just tired up at the end," he said. "I don't know, I've got to work harder during the week, I guess." Red Bull KTM's newest addition Woods was happy with his riding, but needs better luck to run up front. "I was riding really good, and I worked my way into fourth," he said. "I was having a good battle with Danny Smith, and he got a little out of control in a rhythm section and landed on a Tuff Block. It came right out in front of me, and I was already in the air and had nowhere to go. I tried to save it, but there was really nothing that I could do. I'm filled with confidence, and I feel really good. Unfortunately, I had a little bad luck this weekend. Hopefully, it will be my turn next week." "He was going good through the into fourth place, ahead of Johnson. whoops. and he was taking all the fast lines and protecting the inside. who had passed Anderson. Team Pro Circuit/Chevy Trucks Kawasaki's Eric @@ He went down, and that's racing. I hope that we can just keep every- Sorby, Mertens, MotoworldRacing.com Suzuki's Andrew Short and Red Bull Reif, who last week rode a CR 125R for TRE, showed up at Phoenix with a brand-new YZ250F sponsored by RAR Sportscenter. "The bike was bone stock, but even so, it's so much more of an advantage to what I was riding," Reif said. "A couple of big mistakes put me back. You can't make mistakes and expect to run up front. I can't wait for Anaheim." Reif did much better than last week, when he didn't make the main, finishing fifth in his heat race, and 15th in the main event. thing on the track and still be cool off it. You have to worry about Bubba getting away. but then you also have to worry about Danny [Smith] coming KTM's Billy Laninovich rounded out the top 10. Hamblin's performance marked a huge turnaround from the series eye I e n e "" s 'JANUARY 22,2003 13

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