Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

LC By "Maybe then, if he does that, he'll have to go there and stay there. You know, if that's more important to him than racing, that's a choice he has to make. If that's what he wants to do, that's fine, but he has to make that choice." Pastrana says he is indeed staying home and healing up. Roger has had to deal with the frustration of Pastrana's personal situation for a while as well. "I think every rider and every racer, they need the help of their parents - a lot of help of their parents or somebody to a point where they can do things on their own, and then usually the best thing is for the parents to take a step back and let the rider, or whatever sport he does, to take a step back and let him make the decisions and become his own person and take some responsibility," DeCoster said. "I think that is what is needed for any sports person. But that transition time is very difficult because the parents have been so used to helping, and now the kid becomes successful and gets a lot of attention. There's a lot of money involved in the contracts and all that, and it's difficult for the parents to realize it's the right time to take that step back, and it's difficult to do. "A lot of parents of riders have struggled with that in the past and will in the future, also, and I think with Travis' parents, especially with his mom, she has had a hard time to take that step back. And that's, I think, hurting us and hurting Travis also. I'm sure that's not what she wants to do, but that's the end result. And I hope that now, this break that Travis will have, hopefully will be put to good use to put everybody back into place where they need to be and take the responsibilities that they need to do." With Pastrana out, at least he's got Stephane Roncada and Sebastien Tortelli, right? Well, yes, but Roncada is somewhat incapacitated as well. He showed a lot of speed in San Francisco, but he could only go five laps or so at speed before the Epstein-Barr virus he's infected with takes its toll. "He won't be able to ride 100 percent, that's for sure," DeCoster said of Roncada. "The Epstein-Barr is not something that you take antibiotics for and get over in a week. It is something that is a slow process and more oger DeCoster has been around motocross for a long, long time probably longer than anyone else who's still in the industry today. He's seen it all and done most of it. He's a true living legend, and he helped pave the way for many of today's superstars in terms of both earnings as DeCoster is reportedly the first rider who could've retired forever on his racing eamings - and dedication. Yet, as a team manager for SoBe Suzuki, it seems he's had nothing but crap luck lately. He's obviously a competitive man, otherwise he'd have never won all the championships he has - both as a rider and a team manager. But lately, it seems that he couldn't buy the kind of results that some of the other teams are achieving right now. Last year, Kevin Windham broke his femur and ended his season way early, and then his superstar Travis Pastrana got sick, took time off, came back and broke his wrist at Hangtown, took more time off, then did the Gravity Games and blew out his knees in the Step-Up competition. This year, his luck could only get better, right? Probably. Well, it hasn't so far. The week before the season began, Pastrana reinjured his knee in a crash over a huge jump at the Castillo Ranch. He showed a lot of speed at Anaheim in spite of the crash, but then he separated his shoulder as he was training in a swimming pool after Phoenix. "I think the biggest thing in Phoenix was there were two places where you needed to seat-bounce, and I think his knee injury prevented him to seat-bounce properly - you know, the way it should be done," DeCoster said during press day for Anaheim II. "He would pass riders on another section of track, and when they got to those points, they'd pass him right back because he couldn't do it right - it would mess up the sequence of the next obstacles. So he ended up racing in 10th to 12th posi· tion, and that is obviously not where we or he wanted to be. And then, on top of that, hurting his shoulder - I think it was the last drop." So Pastrana's out. And what if he goes to the Winter X Games? "I think if he does that, nobody in this industry is going to take him serious anymore," DeCoster said. R gradual. If you do the right things, you can get through it. When I worked with Micky Dymond in the '80s at Honda, he had that problem, and the people that worked with him treated him and helped him through it, and he was able to win championships after. It's not something that is untreatable. You can control it, but he is going to have to be very dedicated, and we are going to have to have more patience with him." The only bright spot for the SoBe Suzuki 250cc squad til is year has been Tortelli. The Frenchman has had three holeshots in the six GP rounds as well as a podium finish at Anaheim II, but even his good fortune ended - even if temporarily • with his 15th-place showing in San Francisco. The finish cost Tortelli his hair in a bet with his trainer Rick Johnson, which Tortelli can't be happy about. Then, Roger's Western 125cc squad - made up of Danny Smith and Sean Hamblin (two very capable riders) - has been having trouble as well. "Danny [Smith]'s now third in the standings behind Bubba and Preston [as of Phoenix], and I feel that our guys, both Danny and Hamblin, at the last race [phoenix], were very close to the same speed as Preston, but they didn't get very good starts," DeCoster said. Well, since their third and fourth in Phoenix, Hamblin has suffered a couple falls, while Smith missed the main in San Francisco while he was at the hospital reportedly getting checked for internal injuries. So there go Roger's hopes for a 125cc championship out West. What does Roger have to do to win races - and championships? He has what seem to be the right riders, and I haven't heard of any of the riders complaining about their equipment, yet he just can't win - of course, Ricky Carmichael and Bubba Stewart each have a hand in that too. It almost seems like a curse. DeCoster had all of those years of success at Honda and even a few championships as a manager at Suzuki, but right now nothing seems to be going right. Here's to hoping that the woeful days of Team SoBe Suzuki are limited. Besides, don't you think it would be cool to see former Bad Boy Rick Johnson bald? Anaheim III Supercross James Stewart Jr. Intentew Travis Preston Interview Hampton Arenacross 88 FEBRUARY 5, 2003' cue I e n81M'S STEVE COX 30 YEARS ABO••• FEBRUARY 13, 1973 Our super· secret moto tester, Steve McQueen, railed the new Honda CR250M through a comer on the cover of Issue 15. The new two-stroke was long·awaited, and we found that it was an extremely capable motocrosser. Plus, in drag races, it outran aU other 25Os, 360s and 400s it raced against· except one 400, which was modified to the hilt... Plerre KarsmIIIers (Yam) showed the Yanks how to race for 90 totlI1 minutes, wlnnlng both motos In Jacksonvme, Florida. Bob GrossI (Hus) used c:onsistency for second over· all .•. We interviewed Brad Lackey's Kawasaki tuner Steve Jolulaon. At 21 yeers oIcI, JoImson was talking about how easy Lackey Is to work Wlth. his upcoming marriage, and what be hopes Is a future promotion at KawllSll1d... Somebody wrate in with a joke: "DesertTider to Powder Puff, ask1ng her to go steady. 'Want to wear my kidney belt?'· We don't get It either. • .,sr,,,,1IB3 ZII rEARS MlIJ... Steve Eklund flew his Can·Am across the cover of Issue 15 on his way to his third Houston 1T victory. Mickey Fay (Hon) and Ricky Graham (Hon) rounded out the top three, while Kenny Roberts (Yam) won his heat, but crashed out of the main event... Terry Poovey (Hon) won the Houston Short Track, ahead of Randy Goss (H-D) and Randy Green (Hon) ... Jeff Ward (Kaw) won both 125cc Pro motos at the CMC Golden State Series in Kettleman City, California. Johnny O'Mara (Hon) and Ron Lechien (Yam) rounded out the top three at the muddy event. Bob Hannah (Hon) won the 250cc Pro class ahead of Broc Glover (Yam). and Donnie Cantaloupi (Yam) beat Jim Holley (Yam) for the 500cc Pro win ... William Surratt (Kaw) won the 80cc Modified Expert class at the Anaheim Amateur Supercross. Eddie Hicks (Yam) won the 80cc Stock Expert class. 10 YEARS ABO••• FEBRUARY 10, '963 Supercross 250cc rookie Jeremy /lIlcGrath (Hon) graced the cover of Issue f5 on his way to the his second win In a row - and of his career • In Seattle,. Washington. Brian Swink (Suz) made a late charge for the lead but had to settle for second. while Mike laRocco (Kaw) came from behind for third. After four rounds, Mc

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