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Paul Carpenter (381 got the holeshot In his first main event just ahead of 5tephane Roncada (211. Michael Byrne (321. Cannichael (4), Mike laRocco (5). Keith R. Johnson (35) and the rest of the pack. jump. Byrne and Roncada couldn't jump the jump, and Vuillemin soared right over the top of them for third. "I was behind Roncada, and, I don't know, he went inside to not jump the finish line, so then I passed him, so I don't know why he went inside," Vuillemin said. Roncada was obviously hurting. "It's going to take a long time to get better, but hopefully I get better and better every week and I can race up front a little longer," he said. He eventually faded to eighth .. Ferry had caught up to sixth by the 12th lap after a horrendous start, and he had AmsoiljChaparral Honda's LaRocco chasing him. At the same time, Lusk was putting in an inspiring ride from behind and had gotten within striking distance of LaRocco before being held up. "There were just a couple guys that were going really, really slow," Lusk said. "I'm not going to say any names, but the guy on the orange bike was just horrible trying to get by him, and I think if it hadn't have been for a couple of those guys, I'd have been able to get up there a bit further. " On the 14th lap, Ferry, Byrne and LaRocco all passed Roncada for fourth, fifth and sixth, respectively. Lusk eventually passed Red Bull KTM's Grant Langston for eighth, then passed Roncada and eventually Byrne for sixth. Carmichael held his lead to the finish, winning by over six seconds, while Reed came home second with a long way between him and thirdplace finisher Vuillemin. Reed actual- Then Carmichael set sail. By the time Carmichael took the lead, Reed had only gotten up to fourth, so Carmichael had some time to stretch out a lead before Reed got behind him. Reed passed fellow Aussie Michael Byrne for third on the ninth goaround, then passed a drastically fading Roncada for second the next time around. From then on, Carmichael stayed steadily between four and five seconds ahead of the Yamaha rider to the finish. Vuillemin was more methodical in his charge through the pack. He sat fifth by lap 10, and then he passed both Byrne and Roncada at the same time on the 12th lap when Roncada accidentally balked Byrne before the finish-line (Belowl David Vulllemin (12) came from even farther behind than did Reed. He got third - his first AMA podium of the year. Roncada (211 eventually finished eighth. (Above) Cannichael (4) finally made the pass for the lead stick on Roncada (2f) on lap six. Roncada is suffering from the dreaded EpsteinBarr virus and began a slow fade from there. (Leftl Chad Reed came from quite a way behind to second, and he kept Cannichael honest throughout the main. He also had the fastest lap of the main event. eye I .. n e _ s ' FEBRUARY 5. 2003 7