Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

(Han); 18. Keith R. Johnson (Yam); 19. ScOll Davis (Yam); 20. Dave Castillo (Yam); 21. Clark Stiles Cannlchael (center:! celebrates his first win of the season flanked by laRocco (right), Tortelli (Ieftl and Heather Voss. (Hon): 22. Bobby Bonds (Hon). Race Time: 6 min.. 4.636 sec. MAIN EVENT (20 laps): I. Ricky Carmichael (Hon): 2. Mike laRocco (Hon): 3. Sebastien Tonelli (Suz): 4. Ezra Lusk (Kaw); 5. Timmy Ferry (Yam); 6. Chad Reed (Yam); 7. Michael Byrne (Hon): 8. David Vuillemin (Yam); 9. Nick Wey (Yam); 10. Mike Brown (Kew): 11. Stephane Ronceda (Suz); 12. Heeth Voss (Yam); 13. Larry Werd (Hon): 14. Damon Huffman (Han); IS. Ted Campbell (Hon); 16 Ivan Tedesco (Yem): 17. Erick Vallejo (Yam); 18. Ryan Clark (Yam); 19. Emesto Fonseca (Hon); 20. Daryl Hurley 4. David Vuillemin (Yam); 5. Nick Wey (Yam); 6. Ryan Clark (Yam); 7. Heath Voss (Yam); 8. Craig Decker (Kaw); 9. Keith R. Johnson (Yam); 10. Michael Blose (Yem); II. Kelly Smith (Yam); 12. Ivan Tedesco (Yam): 13. Daryl Hurley (Suz); 14. Casey Lytle (Yam); 15. James Povolny Jr. (Hon); 16. Mike Corder (Hon); 17. Larry Ward (Hon); 18. Jason Smith (Hen); 19. Brandon Morgan (Hen); 20. Scott Davis (Yam). Race Time: 7 min.. 41.455 sec. Margin of Victory: 0.427 sec. SEMI 1 (6 laps, 1-5 transfer): 1. Mike laRocco (Hon); 2. Mike Brown (Kaw); 3. Stephane Roncadll (Suz); 4. Erick Vallejo (Yam); 5. Damon Huffman (Hon): 6. Paul Carpenter (Hen): 7. Brock Sellards (Yam): 8. Greg Schnell (Yam): 9. Pierrick Paget (Hon): to. Brian Mason (Yam); 11. Jeremias Israel (Hon): 12. Dave Castillo (Yam); 13. Ted Campbell (Hon): 14. Clark Stiles (Hon); 15. Jimmy Wilson (SUl). Race Time: 19 min., 23.957 sec. Margin of Victory: 3.607 sec. THQ WORLD SUPER CROSS GP POINTS STANDINGS (After 5 of 17 rounds): I. Chad Reed (109/2 wins); 2. David Vuillemin (103/1 win): 3. Timmy Ferry (IOI): 4. Sebastien Tonelli (92); 5. Mike laRocco (87); 6. Grant Langston (60); 7. Ryan Clark (59); 8. Damon Huffmlln (51): 9. Keith R. Johnson (47); 10. Heath Voss (43); 11. Enck Vallejo (30): 12. Jeremy McGrath (29): 13. Andrew Short (20); 14. Joaquim Rodrigues (14); 15. Manuel Rivas (II): 16_ Stephan Demartis (8): 17_ (TIE) Kyle Lewis/Jean-Sebastien Roy/James Povolny Jr, (7); (Yam): 16. Bobby Bonds (Hon). 20. (TIE) Jason McCormick/Joe Oehlhof (6). AMA SUPERCROSS SERIES POINTS STANDINGS Race Time: 5 min., 54.059 sec. Margin of Victory: 4.097 sec. SEMI 2 (6 laps. 1-5 transfer): I. Ryan Clark (Yam): 2. Ivan Tedesco (Yam); 3. Heath Voss (Yam): (Arter 3 of 16 rounds): 1. Ricky Carmichael (65/1 win); 2. Chad Reed (6211 win): 3. (TIE) Ezr. Lusk (56/1 win)(Timmy Ferry (56); 5. Sebastien Tortelli 4, Larry Ward (Hon): 5. Nick Wey (Yam): 6. Daryl Edison Internationa' Field Anaheim, California Results: January 18, Z003 [Round 5/31 HEAT I (8 11IpS, 1·4 transfer): I. Sebastien Tortelli (Suz); 2. Ricky Carmichael (Hon); 3. Emesto Fonsece (Hon): 4. Timmy Ferry (Yam): 5. Mike Brown (Kaw): 6. Mike LaRocco (Hon); 7. Brock Sellards (Yam); 8. Erick Vallejo (Yam); 9. Paul Carpenter (Hon): 10. Stephane Roncada (Suz): 1L Greg Schnell (Yam); 12. Ted Campbell (Hon); 13. Damon Huffman (Hon): 14. Jeremias Israel (Hon); 15. Pierrick Paget (Hon): 16. Clark Stiles (Hon): 17. Jimmy Wilson (Yam); 18. Brian Mason (Yam); 19. Dave Castillo (Yam): 20. Bobby Bonds (Hon). Race Time: 7 min., 40.845 sec. Margin of Victory: 3.039 sec. HEAT 2 (8 laps. 1·4 transfer): I. Ezra Lusk (Kaw); 2. Chad Reed (YlIm): 3. Michael Byme (Hon); BRIEFLY••• Just before this Issue went to press on Monday, January 20, we received word from Honda that Ernesto Fonseca IS okay followIng his high-speed get-off dUring the 250cc main event. According to Honda's Greg Wnght. Fonseca is sore - very sore - but didn't suffer any major InJunes - mostly bruises There IS a good chance that Fonseca will nde this week In San FrancIsco After struggling at Anaheim I and Phoenix, Ricky Carmichael made some drastic setup changes to his factory Honda CR250R. Carmichaei hinted following the Phoenix race. where he finished fourth, that he wanted to "de-tune" his bike, giving the Impression that his '03 race bike was too powerful and hard to ride. At Anaheim II, Carmichael showed up With what he said was his" '02 bike." After the race, Carmichael clarified things a bit by saying that he went back to all of his" '02 setlings," which Included cutling the seat down. "I know that my bike last year was proven," he said. "I still think that our bike is levels ahead of any bike that IS out there. I think we just got ahead of ourselves on our 2003 bike. It was a little too powerful: it's cool to have a powerful bike, but when you can't control it. it's not that good. I just toid Honda I would like to go back to what I had last year. And if I can't get the job done on that. I have some problems." Even though James Stewart Jr. 's win 10 the 125cc main might've looked easy, he did have at least one problem - hiS pants. During the 15-lap maIO event. Stewart could be seen pulling up hiS pants over some of the big jumps, and when he was asked about that dUring the post-race press conference, Stewart admitted that in all of the excitement getting ready for the race, he forgot to tighten down his pants. "That was my fault: I didn't buckle my pants all the way," Stewart, who has a good sense of humor, said. "When I sweat. my underwear drops and pulled my pants down." Stewart got everyone really gOing when he finished up by saying, "And thanks for noticing my butt. " The 2003 AMA Supercross Series hasn't gotten off to a good start for the Red Bull KTM 250cc team, which began the year armed with Jeremy McGrath, Grant Langston, Steve Boniface and JoaqUlm Rodrigues. By the start of racing at Anaheim II, all of these riders were spectators. It all started when McGrath announced his retirement. and then Rodrigues got injured at PhoeniX. Langston came to Anaheim II still sore from the crash he had at Phoenix but decided he wasn't ready to race. "I came down hard on my knee [at Phoenixl, and I also broke a bone in my [left] Wrist." Langston said while signing autographs from the Red Bull KTM pits. "I tned riding practice today, but the wrist is just too weak. All I can do is try to ride next week." That left Boniface as the team's sole representative at Anaheim, but he crashed during practice and was taken to the hospital with a possible broken foot. SoBe Suzuki's Travis Pastrana attended Friday's practice but had no intentions of riding Friday or Saturday after announcing that he had injured his shoulder while swimming earlier in the week. He used the opportunity to quell the rumors of his going to the Winter X-Games and to deny some talk going around about not being dedicated to racing. He said, "There's nothing else going on. The day I got hurt, I got offers to announce a show on NBC and also the Winter X-Games, but I'm not. I'm going home, (51): 6. David Vuillemin (47): 7. Mike laRocco (40): Hurley (Suz); 7. Craig Decker (Kaw): 8. Casey Lytle (Yam); 9. James Povolny Jr. (Hon); 10. Keith R. Johnson (Yam): I I. Michael Blose (Yam); 12. Mike Corder (Hon); 13. Jason Smith (Hen); 14. Brandon Morgan (Hon): 15. Scott Davis (Yam): 16. Kelly Smith (Yam). Race Time: 5 min., 59.475 sec. Margin of Victory: 0.388 sec. lCQ (6 laps, 1-2 transfer): I. Daryl Hurley 8. Emesto Fonseca (30): 9. Stephene Roncada (29); 10. Ivan Tedesco (26); II. Michael Byrne (25): 12. Ryan Clark (22): 13. Heath Voss (21); 14. Mike Brown (19); 15. Keith R. Johnson (16); 16. Larry Ward (15): 17. (TIE) Nick Wey/D.mon Huffman (14): 19. Steve Bonif.ce (12); 20. (TIE) Brock Sellards/Travis Pastrllna (II); 22. Dllryl Hurley (7); 23, Ted Campbell (6): 24. Erick Vallejo (4): 25, (SUl): 2. Ted Campbell (Hon): 3. Kelly Smith (Yam): Grant Langston (3). 4. Craig Decker (Kaw); 5. Michael Blose (Yam); 6. Brock Sellards (Yam); 7. Greg Schnell (Yam); 8. Jeremias Israel (Hon): 9. Casey Lytle (Yam); 10. Mike Corder (Hon); 1 I. Brian Mason (Yam); 12. Paul Carpenter (Hon); 13. pjerrick Paget (Hon); 14. Jimmy Wilson (Yam); 15. Jason Smith (Hon); 16. Brandon Morgan (Hon); 17. James Povolny Jr. Upcoming Rounds: Round 6/4 " San Francisco, California, January 25 Round 7/5 - Anaheim, California, February 1 I'm getting healthy, and I'm coming back, and I'm going to kick some butt." Another nder who sat out the main was MotoworldRacing.com Suzuki's David Pingree. Pingree endoed over a rhythm section and augured into the face of a tabietop Jump dunng Saturday afternoon's practice. "He's not gOing to nde tonight: Ed Longacre, Pingree's tuner, said "He hit hiS head pretty good and was dingy. He's got a slight conCUSSion, and he's also got a shoulder Injury The shoulder IS actually what we're concerned about most." Pingree's teammate Ryan Morais was again a no·show at Ana.heim II. MoraiS Injured a muscle In hiS back at Anaheim I. The team's Daryl Hurley, who qualified for the 250cc main event by winning the LCQ, crashed hard on the second lap and called it a night. Hurley rode back to the pits with what appeared to be a broken collarbone, team manager Paul Lindsey said. Hurley went to the hospitai after the race to get checked out. According to Pro CirCUIt's Mitch Payton, team rider Mike Brown will nde Just one more 250cc race before SWitching back to the 125s to start getllng ready for the first round of the Eastem Regional SX Senes, which begins In Minneapolis, Minnesota, on February 15. FYI: Ricky Carmichael IS lust nine wins away from breaking Jeremy McGrath's all-time win record of 89, which includes both AMA Nationals and 250cc Supercrosses. White Brothers Honda's Paul Carpenter showed up at Anaheim II with a slimmer seat on his bike. "fThe thinner seatJ helped me so much," he said. "It's really phenomenal compared to last weekend. Every time I don't think I was out of the top five on the starts, and that really helps. When you start up there, It'S a lot eaSier to stay up there .. The attendance at Anaheim I was a sellout 45,050, but Anaheim II couldn't qUite match that. The official count was 44,732. So what changed In Ezra Lusk? "I showed up at Anaheim With this fire - I wanted to win," Lusk said. "I mean, I had a gnarly off-season. I think I've had the gnarliest off-season I've had Since I've been racing. I did more than what I think I should've done. At Anaheim [I] I had some bike problems that I'd set up that way, and I set it up wrong. I fixed those for Anaheim [Ill, and we're gOing to tinker With it a little bit more for these kind of conditions, so we'll be ready for it next time. I showed up al Anaheim like this for the first race, I Just kind of had to hold It ,n the bottle there and let It out at Phoenix... Bobby J's Yamaha rider Kevin Johnson reportedly suffered a broken clavicle dUring practice on Saturday. He finished fifth in the 125cc main last weekend in PhoeniX. Amsoll/Chaparral Honda's defending 125cc Western Regional Supercross champ Travis Preston was a no-show during Friday practice. "Someone tried to poison me," he said. "It was the Aussies, I went to the Outback Steakhouse and had the prime rib. I got really sick. I went to the hospital yesterday [Friday], and they gave me a shot to stop the vomiting, so I feel a whole lot better today. I can tell you that I definitely will not be eating at Outback Steakhouse for the rest of the year. In fact, I'm going to go ahead and say that I'm not going to eat out before a race anymore. I don't want to take the chance of missing anything." Team ECC Suzuki's Steve Lamson had surgery the Friday before Anaheim II "He got the broken leg rerodded," ECC team manager Mike Craig said "Bone grafts, bigger rod, everything. He plans on being back for outdoors... Craig Decker had hiS KX250 In the Chevy Trucks Kawasaki PitS at Anaheim II "I'm Just kind of going to go In there and do what I can do," Decker said. "I'm only dOing a few, so there's no pressure and no expectations. I'm Just doing It for fun. [My Job IS] solely tesling, thiS IS Just a side deal. basically." He went on to say that he'll likely race three supercrosses and at least two MX Nationals for the team. He rode well but didn't make the ma,n. Ricky Carmichael had a few words to say dunng Saturday night's post-race conference for all the people who think Chad Reed has hiS number - figurativeiy. "Everyone thinks I'm worried about Chad Reed, and I'm not." he said. "I mean, I've got 27 supercross wins. and he's got one AMA Supercross Win, so... I mean, he's a great rider, but it's a long season, and the last two weeks I fell down I haven't really got a chance to race the guy." The Intense action that took place between Ezra Lusk and Chad Reed In the second 250cc heat race was not lost on former AMA Supercross Champion Jeff Emig. who commented that it was one of the best he had seen in a long time. "What was really cool about it was watching two guys that have total control over their bike, and they could do whatever they wanted with it," Emig said. "When you see two guys ride like that, man, it really separates from the rest. I know that feeling. I know what it's like. It's really cool." Team Pro CirCUit/Chevy Trucks Kawasaki'S Justin Buckelew was spotted In the PitS - in a wheelchair. While he was getting into shape for the 125cc Eastern Regional Supercross Senes, Buckelew re-lnJured the knee that he had hurt back In October Any hope of his racing the 125cc East may be gone. "It's not looking good," Buckelew said. "I was riding thiS past Monday. I was all released from my doctors, and I was really lookIOg forward to getting out on my Pro CirCUit KawasakI. and I Just stuck my leg out in a tum, and the bone was a little too weak, and It snapped It. I had surgery Friday They put two screws back 10 there and wired It up, and It'S Just a matter of letting it heal now." One of the best races that nobody saw actually took place after Friday practice. when some 40 minibike nders took to the Anaheim II track for a derby of epic proportions. The event was organized by Rob Bydoz_ Pro Circuit brand manager for Parts Unlimited. Among the field were personalities from both WlthIO and outSide of the sport. Including supercross announcers Terry Boyd and Jamie little, freestyle motocrosser Carey Hart and hiS girlfriend, the pop rocker known to music fans as Pink. Hart went 2-2 in the 50cc class, trailing overall winner Kenny Johnson of Sa no RaCing, while Billy Laninovich's factory KTM Red Bull mechaniC, Alex Ewing, went 1-1 in the KLX Pro class. Boost MobilelYamahalTroy Racing's Craig Anderson failed to qualify for the Anaheim II main event. Anderson was the culprit of a pile-up in turn one of the first 125cc heat. which took down about seven riders. He got up and finished 10th. Then, while running fourth in the LCQ, "It blew the gearbox," Anderson said. "I made the start, and I was in fourth, and then, going through the whoops, It just stopped. " cue Kit Palmer I e n e VII" S JANUARY 29, 2003 11

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