Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

that point, he was well behind Carmichael and Reed, but it was the second straight strong showing for the Yamaha pilot. "I just charged 100 percent," Vuillemin said. "I passed a lot of good guys tonight, which is good for my confidence. It was tough. I didn't ride really good - I was really tight. I need to get a good start and ride with those two guys. It was tough for me - I was kind of scared because I got together with Yogi in the heat race and I crashed really hard, so I was kind of scared. But I tried to charge the whole race. I'm pretty satisfied to be on the podium." Byrne finished an impressive fourth, while Lusk toughed it out for fifth. After strong start, Roncada ended up sixth. eN Edison Intemational Field Anaheim, Califomia Results: February I, 2003 [Ruund 7/5 of 17/1&l HEAT I (8 laps, 1-4 transfer): 1. Chad Reed (Yam); 2. Ivan Tedesco (YlIm); 3. Nick Wey (Yem): 4. Sebastien Tortelli (Suz): 5. Mike LaRocco (Hon); 6. Emesto Fonseca (Hon); 7. Keith R. Johnson (Yam); B. Tim Ferry (Yam): 9. llIrry Ward (Hon); 10. James Povolny Jr. (Hon); 11. Erick Vl'Jllejo (Yem); 12. Joseph Oehlhof (Yam); 13. Craig Decker (Kaw); 14. Paul Carpenter (Hon); 15. Clark Stiles (Hon); 16. Jimmy Wilson (Yam); 17. Kelly Smith (Yam): 18. Scott Davis (Yam); 19. Grant Langston (KTM); 20. Joshua Cavanaugh (Yam). Race Time: 7 min., 59.041 sec. Margin of Victory: 1.382 sec. HEAT 2 (8 laps. 1·4 transfer): 1. Ricky Carmichael (Han); 2. Brock Sellards (Yam); 3. Mickael Pichon (Suz); 4. Stephane Roncada (Suz); 5. Michael Byrne (Han); 6. Ezra Lusk (Kaw); 7. Casey Lytle (Yam); 8. Greg Schnell (Yam); 9. Heath Voss (Vam): 10. Ryan Clark (Vam): II. Bobby Bonds (Han); 12. Pierrick Paget (Han): 13. Damon Huffman (Han); 14. Mike Corder (Hon); 15. Dave Castillo (Yam); 16. Brandon Morgan (Han); 17. David Vuillemin (Yam); 18. Jason McCormick (Han); 19. Chris Barrett (Hon); 20. Ryan Dudek (Yam). Race Time: 7 min., 50.790 sec. Margin of Victory: 4.972 sec. SEMI 1 (6 laps, 1-5 transfer): 1. Mike laRocco (Hon); 2. Ernesto Fonseca (Hon); 3. Keith R. Johnson (Yam): 4. Tim Ferry (Yam); 5. Erick Vallejo BRIEFLY••• Anaheim III featured a unique split start. where there were two first turns - one went to the right. and one went to the left. A couple Df tums later. both sides merged at a common right-hander. The two routes started out surprisingly equal. as far as the amount Df time it took to get from the start Df the split to the finish. but as the night wore on. it became evident that the right line was qUicker after grooves burned in. By the 250cc main event. nearly all of the riders were opting For the right. Riders were Forced to commit to either side on the start line, though, as the riders who chose the right side of the starter's box had tD use the right tum. and the riders on the left DF the box had to use the left turn. The riders' opinions about the split start were. well... split. but Dne thing was clear: There were Far fewer first·turn incidents throughout the evening - perhaps that was because only 10 riders. instead of all 20, were Funneling into the first turns. But. according to Ricky Carmichael. that theory (Han); 2. Chad Reed (Yam); 3. David Vuillemin (Yam); 4. Michael Byrne (Hon); 5. Ezra Lusk (Kaw); 6. Stephene Roncada (Suz); 7. Brock Sellards (Yam); 8. Heath Voss (YlIim): 9. Emesto Fonseclli (Hon): 10. Nick Wey (Yam); II. Keith R. Johnson (Yam); 12. Erick Vallejo (Yam); 13. Larry Ward (Han); 14. ClIisey Lytle (Yam); 15. Sebastien Tortelli (Suz); 16. Tim Ferry (Yam); 17. Mike LaRocco (Han); 18. Ivan Tedesco (Yam); 19. Pierrick Paget (Han); 20. Mickael Pichon (Suz). Race Time: 19 min., 22.575 sec. Margin of Victory: 0.595 sec. (Yern); 6. Larry Ward (Hon); 7. Craig Decker (Kaw); 8. Clark Stiles (Hon); 9. Kelly Smith (Yam): 10, James Povolny Jr. (Han); 11. Joseph Oehlhof (Yam); 12. Paul Carpenter (Hon); 13. Jimmy Wilson (Yam); 14. Scott Davis (Yam); 15. Joshua Cavanaugh (Yam); 16. Grant Langston (KTM), Race Time: 5 min., 51.076 sec. Margin of Victory: 1.954 sec. SEMI 2 (6 laps, 1·5 transfer): I. David Vui1lemin (Vem); 2. Mich.el Byme (Hon); 3. Ezra lusk (Kaw); 4. Heath Voss (Yem); 5. Pierrick Paget (Han); 6. Casey Lytle (Yam); 7. Mike Corder (Han); 8. Dave Castillo (Yam); 9. Brandon Morgan (Han); 10. Damon Huffman (Han); II. Ryan Clark (Yam); 12. Bobby Bonds (Han); 13. Jason McCormick (Hon); 14. Ryan Dudek (Yam); 15. Greg Schnell (Yam); 16. Chris Barrett (Han). Race Time: 5 min .. 50.642 sec. Margin of Victory: 2.451 sec. LCO (6 laps, 1·2 transfer): 1. Casey Lytle (Yam); 2. Lerry Ward (Hon); 3. Daman Huffman (Hon); 4. Craig Decker (Kaw); 5. Scott Davis (Yam); THQ WORLD S(JPERCROSS GP POINTS STANDINGS (After 7 of 17 rounds): 1. Chad Reed (159/2 wins); 2. David Vui1lemin (147); 3. Tim Ferry (135); 4. Sebastien Tortelti (121); 5. Mike laRocco (118); 6. Heath Voss (78): 7. Grant Langston (76); 8. Keith Johnson (75); 9. Ryan Clark (70); 10, Damon Huffmen (64). THQ/AMA S(JPERCROSS SERIES POINTS STANDINGS (After 5 of 16 rounds): 1. Ricky Carmichael (115/3 wins); 2. Chad Reed (106/1 win); 3. (TIE) Ezra Lusk (I win)/David Vui1lemin (87); 5. Tim Ferry (79); 6. Sebastien Tortelli (63); 7. Mike LaRocco (60); 8. (TIE) Michael Byrne/Stephane Roncada (57); 10. (TIE) Ernesto Fonseca/Heath 6. Paul Carpenter (Hon): 7. Kelly Smith (Vam); 8. Joseph Oehlhof (Yam); 9. James Povolny Jr. (Han); 10. Dave Castillo (Yem); 11. Brandon Morgan (Hon); 12. Jason McCormick (Hon); 13. Greg Schnell (Yam); 14. Jimmy Wilson (Yam); 15. Ryllin Dudek (Yam): 16. Mike Corder (Hon); 17. Clark Stiles Voss (43). (Hon); 18. Ryan Clark (Vam): 19. Bobby Bonds (Hon); 20. Joshua Cavanlliugh (Yam); 21. Chris Barrett (Han); 22. Grant Langstan (KTM). Race Time: 6 min., 1.616 sec. M.argin of Victory: 1.399 sec. M.AIN EVENT (20 laps): I. Ricky Carmichael Upcoming Rounds: Round B/6 - San Diego, CaliFornia, February B Round 9/7 - Minneapolis, Minnesota, February t5 action for a while. and James Povolny Jr. quit the team during the week, leaving the sandwich squad without a rider FDr Anaheim III. However, they did come up with a temporary replacement FDr the night· local rider Mike Corder. The team supplied him with a mechanic and a place tD pit. but he reportedly had to use his own CRF450R. As For Povolny. he said that things "just weren't working out" For him there. and he decided to leave the team and buy his own bike - a Honda CR250R. The bike, which he had only ridden twice beFore Anaheim III. had the standard graphics and 10Dked painfully stock. Povolny's replacement on the Subway team is rumored tD be Jason ThDmas. who is hoping to get out of his TufNalvoline Kawasaki contract in the Arenacross Series. During intermission. Jeremy McGrath was presented a World Series Anaheim Angels Championship baseball jersey. The jersey, presented to him by the Angels' Troy Glaus. had McGrath's name on the back as well as the number one. might not hold water. "The corner (first tums] is a lot skinnier. so it doesn't matter." Carmichael said. "'Even though there are only 10 guys. the turn is a lot smaller. so ifs about the same."' James Stewart said that he really enjoyed the split layout. "The track builders did a really good job on the track layout tonight," Stewart said. "'It was cool having those split lanes and stuff. There were a lot of lappers out there. The lappers were taking the one line through the whoop sections, and it was kind of hard. but I ended up winning. I think that the right side was faster. My teammate. Yogi. helped me out with that before the race. He told me that the right side was faster, but I can't tum right worth a crap. I just slowed down and rolled through the comers there. It just worked out to my advantage. I was aFraid that iF I went to the outside. someone was going to pass me... The splir lanes also proVided for a unique double ·hole.hot award. as the>first rider on each side scored the cash. In the 125cc class. Tiger Lacey and Eric Sorby each got a $1000 SXGP.com Holeshot Award. while in the 250cc main. Amsoil/Chaparral Honda teammates Michael Byrne and Mike LaRocco each got a $1500 SXGP.com Holeshot Award. Yamaha's Tim Ferry, who crashed during the week while practicing at the Yamaha test track, did not show up For Friday's practice, but according to the team's manager Jim Perry, Ferry didn't attend Friday's practice because he was ··testing." Perry said on Friday. "Tim is fine; he's just testing today." As it turned out. Ferry was testing - on a YZ250 two-strokeI Ferry showed up on Saturday armed with the VZ250 rather than his usual YZ450F. "He's had this doubt about whether or not he's on the best bike For him." the team's Keith McCarty said. "'He wanted to give the 250 a try. so we said. 'Okay." Our goal is to win races no matter what bike he's on." Ferry had only ridden the two-stroke one time before Saturday. and he understandably looked a little off on the bike. finishing eighth in his heat race and fDurth in the semi. In the main event. Ferry was running eight when he came up a little short over a triple in a rhythm section and went crashing off of the track. He was transported to the hospital with a chest injury but was later released. Tim Ferry and James PDvDlny Jr. weren't the only riders to switch from a Four·stroke to a two-stroke at Anaheim III. Fran~lin Racing/The Racer Edge's Travis Elliott traded his VZ250F For a YZ125 For Anaheim ilL Elliott finished 16th in the 125cc main. Sean Hamblin said that. while he is comfortable and conFident with his SoBe Suzuki ride, he still feels that he has not been accepted as Jegitimate by his Factory-level peers. "I"ve heard a lot of things going arqund, people saying that I got lucky doing the things that f oid in the 250 class last year because not everybody was there." Hamblin said... Maybe not everybody was there. but you know what? I still podiumed a round. and I still beat a lot of the better riders. no malter what. I just feel that I have nothing but improvement to go toward the "Nationals. and maybe I can chase down Bubba For that championship... Hamblin hopes to score a 250 ride for t~e Daytona Supercross. Frustrated with his inability to get good starts due to what he perceives as a weight disadvantage. Travis Preston said that he feels he is simply ready to leave his 125 behind. '"I was haVing gearing problems... my Fat ass on that 125... In the whDops right out of the corner I was struggling when it was slippery. I"m not anxious to leave the class. but I just want to ride a four-stroke. If Honda comes out with that 250. then 1"11 ride that thing all day long. TWD-Fifty. 450. whatever - I need torque. I don't care what class I'm in, just put me on a four-stroke." World 250cc MX Champion Mickael Pichon competed in his first supercross race in three years. and it didn't take long for him tD get back into the rhythm again. Pichon. a former Eastern Regional 125cc Supercross Champion, came out to California to train for the upcoming GP season and pianned on competing in two SX rounds· Anaheim III and San Diego. The Factory Suzuki rider pitted out of the SoBe Suzuki pits and was given a bike to ride. though he brought over many of his own race parts· such as motor and suspension. His mechanic also made the journey. Pichon rode well during Friday's practice and then qualiFied for Saturday's program after finishing secDnd in a prelimi· nary heat. Later that evening. Pichon transferred to the Final with a third-place finish in the second heat race. A First-lap crash in the main event. however, Forced a premature end tD his night. but Pichon said afterward that he had a good time riding supercross again, "'It feels gODd, kind of tough physically and mentally. because in motocross you dDn't have that scary thing that you have in supercross - the big jumps. the landings and stuff." Pichon said at the end of the night. "1 was really nervous going into that race. And to me the track was pretty hard. so I didn't Feel really [comfortableJ. Going into the heat race this afternoon, I was really nervous. and my conFidence was pretty low. I was kind of scared I might crash. But I got through that race. and my confidence came back. I felt pretty good, smooth, maybe not so fast. but my technique was pretty good. The riders are very good - there are many riders who are very fast. .. Red Bull KTM's Grant Langston just can't seem to get over his string of bad luck. At Anaheim III, Langston injured his "good" knee when he twisted it during Friday's practice. At that time, Langston said he wasn't going to race Saturday night. but he ended up suiting up and giving it a try. He made it through the preliminaries, but in his evening's heat race. he was involved in a first-lap pileup and got banged up again. He DFficially called it a night at that point. Langston is scheduled to have an MRI on the knee MDnday. Chevy Trucks/Kawasaki's Ezra Lusk wasn't Feeling well going into Anaheim III. The Phoenix Supercross winner came down with strep throat during the week. which disrupted his midweek training schedule. He only rode once - on Tuesday - before Friday's practice. where he rode only one ses· sion. After practice. Lusk visited the hospital to get an I.V. to rehydrate himself. Lusk rode well Saturday night. but haVing to ride the semi used up valuable energy that he was hoping to save fDr the main event. where he still Finished a creditable fifth. The twD-rider Subway Racing Team has had a rough start to this years supercross series. Last week at the San Francisco Supercross, Ted Campbell suffered a concussion and will be out of When asked about the recent Fine levied against Matt Walker after the San FranciscD round Df the series. Team Pro CirCUit/Kawasaki/Chevy Trucks' Mitch Payton said that there were no hard feelings. although he did seem to indicate that he wasn't satisfied that there should have been a Fine levied against Walker in the first place. "'The AMA is aware now that it was a mistake." Payton said. "They have kind of looked at it. and they're aware that it was a mistake. but ifs already the next week. and there is nothing that they can do about it. It was not anything illegal: it shouldn't have been a fine, and it was a mistake on their part. But we're just going tD look forward. They can't go back on what they did. but they made good on it. .. AMA Pro Racing Motocross Manager Duke Finch didn't necessarily agree with Payton's take, although he did agree that there were no hard feelings between the two organizations. '"There was no mistake, '" Finch said. -The rule says. 'Riding in a manner which endangers another rider." and I thought he [WalkerI was riding in a manner which endangered another rider. Mitch is welcome to his opinion. and I have gDt mine. We're not going to agree every time, but Mitch and I have gDtten it worked out. We lAMA Pro Racingl have to weigh whether or not a guy is intentionally trying tD endanger another rider. Moving over on a guy in midair is potentially a lot worse than a block-pass, but. again. in a perfect block-pass. no contact is made. I have been racing For 31 years myselF. and I know the diFference.Anaheim III took a heavy tDII in terms of injuries. with several 125cc riders being carted to the UCI Medical Center in Irvine throughout the course of the evening. TRE/Franklin & AssDciates HDnda rider Tim Weigand was the First to go, suffering a bruised kidney in a crash befDre the night pro· gram began, Weigand was to be kept overnight for observation. Privateers Marco Reyes and Michael Koch were both transpDrted to UCI after colliding in their qualifier. Reyes was diagnosed with a concussion, while Koch suffered a fractured left Femur. AFter the main event. Team Amsoil/Chaparral Honda's Christopher Gosselaar rode in to have his back X-rayed after having been inadvertently landed on by Shane Bess early in the main. Finally. Matt Walker was sent tD the hospital, complaining of shoulder problems after his fourth-place run in the main. Team Suzuki" s Sebastien Tortelli and Sean Hamblin will have an exciting week between Anaheim III and the San Diego Supercross. The two riders will get the chance tD ride with the U.S. Navy's Blue Angels demonstration team in EI Centro. California. '"I can't wait. '" TDrtelli said. '"I"ve always wanted to do this. It's going to be a lot of fun. '" eye I e n e _ s FEBRUARY 12, 2003 11

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