Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

THQ World Supercross GP SeriesiAMA Supercross Series Round 11/9: RCA Dome m ®® Own Race: 250cc Sean Hamblin 5th Hamblin had his best-ever ride in his second-ever 250cc supercross. "I just got off to a crappy start and kind of weaseled my way in in the first couple tums and started picking guys off one by one," the SoBe Suzuki rider said. "I think the first guy was Heath Voss and then Preston. Me and Short battled for a while, held each other up and let Emesto get away. Then I got by Andrew, who's riding really good - my hat's off to him - and poor Yogi went down in front of me for the second week in a row. 1] 1] It Ezra Lusk 20th Lusk looked fast all night but fell while running a close sixth on the 11 th lap. "I don't know what happened. I just caught a lip or something, and that was all she wrote," said the Chevy Trucks Kawasaki rider. "I just went right over the handlebars slowly, I twisted up my front end and I just couldn't ride it after that. It was just too bent up." ®c:B Travis Preston 1] [§) Timmy Ferry 10th Preston showed lots of speed. "This thing rips starts like no other," said the Amsoil/Chaparral Honda 125cc champ. "I holeshotted every race. I can start on a big bike I guess, just not a 125. But just the whole four-stroke thing - the bike's good, everything's working good, it's just I just need to get used to it. It's such a hard jump from a 125 to this. Every weekend I get better and better. I get a little weird out there because I don't want to ruin Chad's night or anybody else's night, so I start looking back, and it'll be like NASCAR: eight guys will go by me." 8th Ferry got held up twice on the first lap alone, but he soldiered on. "I could've run Larry Ward's head over, but I was being a nice guy," said the Yamaha four-stroke star. "I came into the first turn maybe like seventh or so, and he just washed his front end out, and there was just nowhere for me to go. I had to stop and get back up and go around him and I go into the next tum, and there was another crash. I had to go around that one, and I finally got going and caught up to seventh and slid out in a comer, and Heath got back by me." c:B 1] Andrew Short 6th This was MotoworidRacing.com Suzuki rider Short's best finish in an AMA 250cc main. "I got a good start, and I was up there around Reed, and I guess Lusk was behind me," he said. "The only person I was familiar with was Hamblin, so I tensed up. But I'm proud because I gave it everything I had, and those last four laps were a struggle for me - the last two I was crawling." ®7J Ryan Clark ~® Heath Voss 7th "I was in between Hamblin and Lusk (on the start], and Lusk jumped a second before the gate dropped, and it threw me off, so I didn't come out of the gate too great," said the Answer-backed YZ450F pilot. "I made some mistakes here and there and ended up battiing it out with Ferry for five, six laps towards the end of the race, and I came out on the better end of it." week. It seems like the both of us are struggling out there, so we're going to be working on that this week." Carmichael felt that this was a big win on the way to his possible ninth AMA National Championship (he's tied with McGrath right now for the record, each with eight). "This one was important for me to win and go into my favorite race of year, obviously; Daytona," Carmichael said. "To me, that's the easiest race. A lot of people think it's hard. And last year people are like, 'Man, that race is so hard.' But it might be a mud-bogger this year, so that would change the scenario all around. Cobra [Vuillemin] would be loving it then. He can handle the mud, that's for sure." 10 MARCH 12,2003' (Suz): 6. Andrew Short (Suz); 7. Heath Voss (Yam); B. Timmy Ferry (Yam); 9. Damon Huffmlln (Han); 10. Travis Preston (Hon): 11. Keith R. Johnson (Y.m); 12. Nick Wey (Y.m); 13. Ryan CI.rk (Y.m); 14. Danny Smith (Suz); 15. Paul Carpenter (Han); 16. Tyler Evans (Suz); 17. Larry Ward (Hon); lB. Greg Schnell (Yam); 19. Clark Stiles (Hon); 20. Ezra Lusk (Kaw). Race Time: 15 min., 36.391 sec. Margin of Victory: 3.158 sec. THQ WORLD SUPERCROSS GP POINTS STANDINGS (After 11 or 17 rounds): 1. Chad Reed (25'1/3 wins); 2. David Vulilemin (23B/1 win); 3. Timmy Ferry (216); 4. Heath Voss (143); 5. Mike llIRocco (136); 6. Keith R. Johnson (135); 7. Damon Huffman (124); 8. Ryan Clllrk (123); 9. Sebllstien Tortelli (121); 10. Grant Langston (76). AMA SUPERCROSS SERIES POINTS STANDINGS (After 9 of 16 rounds): 1. Ricky Carmicheel (210/6 wins); 2. Chad Reed (188/2 wins): 3. David Vuillemin (169); 4. TImmy Ferry (143); 5. Ezra Lusk (123fl win); 6. Emesto FanseCll (95); 7. Nick Wey (92); B. He.th Voss (89); 9. Mich.el Byrne (75); 10. Mike laRocco (73); 11. Steph.ne Roncad. (70); 12. Keith R. Johnson (69); 13. Sebastien Tortelli (63); 14. Larry W.rd (62): 15. D.mon Huffm.n (55); 16. Ryan Clark (48); 17.lvlln Tedesco (36): 18. Brock Sellards (32); 19. Andrew Short (31); 20. Se.n H.mblin (30). Upcoming Rounds: Round 10 (AMA) - Daytona Beach, Florida, March 8 Round 12111 • St. Louis, Missouri, March 15 13th "I'm actually really happy with it just because I started riding closer to my potential, and I think being on the road the past three months had kind of caught up to me," said the Team Solitaire boss. "I went home this last week and started getting into my routine, and I think I'm on the up and up now, and I'm finally back to the form that I was in at Anaheim I, so I'm really happy." the 8. Jimmy Wilson (Yam); 9. Scott Di!lvis (Suz); 10. Jamie Brockman (Suz); 11. Kris Papworth (Kaw): 12. Jason Thomas (Han); 13. Austin Squires (Yam); 14. Josh Woods (KTM); 15. Matt Shue (KTM); 16. David Hill (Sul). Race Time: 4 min., 35.803 sec. Margin of Victory: 1.690 sec. SEMI 2 (6 laps. 1-5 transfer): 1. Andrew Short (Suz): 2. Danny Smith (Suz); 3. Keith R. Johnson (Yam); 4. Clark Stiles (Hon); 5. Tyler Evans (Suz); 6. Greg Schnell (Yam); 7. Doug DeHaan (Hon): B, Brian Mason (Yam); 9. Dave Castillo (Yam); 10. Clinton She.ly 111 (Suz); 11. Ry.n Clark (Y.m); 12. Roy Horton Jr. (Suz); 13. Whispern Smith (Hon): 14. Barry C.rsten (Suz); 15. Kyle G.rro (Yam); 16. Eddie R.y Jr. (Hon). Race Time: 4 min., 35.163 sec. Margin of Victory: 1.684 sec. LCQ (6 laps, ]·2 tr.nsfer); I. Ry.n Clark (Yam); 2. Greg Schnell (Y.m); 3. Joe Oehlhof (Hon); 4. Jason Thomas (Hon); 5. Brian Mason (Yam); 6. Doug DeHaan (Han); 7. Scott Davis (Suz); 8. Jimmy Wilson (Yllm); 9. Dave Cllstillo (Yam): 10. Jamie Brockman (Suz); 11. Joaquim Rodrigues (KTM): 12. Kris P.pworth (K.w); 13. M.tt Shue (KTM); 14. Whlspem Smith (Han): 15. Austin Squires (Yam): 16. Clinton Shealy III (Suz): 17. Barry Cllrsten (Suz): '18. Roy Horton Jr. (Suz); 19. Josh Woods (KTM); 20. Kyle G.rro (Yam); 21. Eddie R.y Jr. (Hon); 22. D.vid Hill (Suz). Race Time: 4 min., 37.454 sec. Margin of Victory: 1.112 sec. MAIN EVENT (20 laps): 1. Ricky Carmichael (Hon): 2. DllVid Vuillemin (Yam); 3. Chad Reed (Yam); 4. Emesto Fonseca (Han); 5. Sean Hamblin eN cue. e RCA Dome Indianapolis, Indiana Results: March 1, ZDD3 [Round 11/91 HEAT 1 (8 laps, }·4 transfer): 1. David Vuillemin (Yam); 2. Travis Preston (Hon); 3. Sean Hamblin (Suz); 4. Ernesto Fonseca (Hon); 5. Nick Wey (Yam); 6. Josh Woods (KTM); 7. Larry W.rd (Hon); 8. Paul Carpenter (Hen); 9. O"mon Huffman (Hon); 10. Chad Reed (Yam); 11. Jason Thomlls (Hon); 12. Joe Oehlhof (Hon); 13. Jo.quim Rodrigues (KTM); 14. Jimmy Wilson (Yam); 15. Jllmie Brockman (Suz): 16. Scott Davis (Suz); 17. Austin Squires (Yllm): 18. David Hill (Suz); 19. Matt Shue (KTM); 20. Kris P.pworth (K.w). Race Time: 6 min., 11.425 sec. M.argin of Victory: 0.734 sec. HEAT 2 (8 laps, 1-4 transfer): I. Ricky Carmichael (Hen): 2. Ezra Lusk (Kaw); 3. Timmy Ferry (Yam); 4. Heath Voss (Yam): 5. Danny Smith (Suz); 6. Andrew Shert (Suz); 7. Ryan Clark (Yam): 8. Tyler Evans (Suz); 9. Keith R. Johnson (Yam): 10. Cl11rk Stiles (Hen): 11. Doug DeHaan (Hen); 12. Brilln Mllsen (Yam); 13. Greg Schnell (Yam); 14. Whispem Smith (Han); 15. Dave Castillo (Yam); 16. Roy Horton Jr. (Suz): 17. Barry Carsten (Suz); 18. Kyle Gllrro (Yam); 19. Eddie Ray Jr. (Hen); 20. Clinton Shealy III (Suz). Race Time; 6 min., 4.698 sec. M.argin of Victory: 0.52] sec. SEMI 1 (6 laps, 1-5 transfer): 1. Chad Reed (Yam): 2. Larry Ward (Hon); 3. Damon Huffman (Hon); 4. Nick Wey (Y.m); 5. P.ul C.rpenter (Hon); 6. Jo.quim Rodrigues (KTM); 7. Joe Oehlhof (Hon); n e vv s Qualifying David Vuillemin started off the night with a win in the first heat race over holeshot-artist Travis Preston, Sean Hamblin and Ernesto Fonseca, but the story of the race wasn't Vuillemin's win, as it was no big surprise, but Chad Reed's two falls that kept him from qualifying. '" just have to go out there and put some laps together," Reed said. "' had some pretty good starts, and I was going good, but I had some falls, and it was my own fault. I'll just have to go out in the semi and get some more track time." Heat two was the all-important fastest race of the night, and it turned out to be quite exciting as well. Ricky Carmichael started second but was immediately bumped back to fourth in the aggressive first couple of comers while Ezra Lusk, the 1999 Indy SX winner, passed Heath Voss for the lead before the first lap was out, and Timmy Ferry did likewise to move into second on the second lap. After Carmichael passed Voss, the top three took off. Carmichael got Ferry on the back rhythm section, and then Ferry came right back at him, actually hitting Carmichael from behind at one point, which angered Carmichael some (see Briefly... ). By then, there were only two laps left, and Carmichael quickly chased down Lusk. Coming into the last two comers, Carmichael dived under Lusk as the pair went under the over/under bridge, and the two made slight contact, with Carmichael getting the better of the deal by virtue of his inside line - and the heat win along with it. Then came Lusk, Ferry and Voss. "I was coming inside here, watch my front end slide just a little bit, and' lost controi," Carmichael said. "But it was a clean race. In the beginning everyone was stuffing me and everything - J was riding in the pack for the first couple of laps. It was awesome to battle with Ezra." Larry Ward led the first semi for a couple of laps before Reed made his way around for the win, followed by Ward, Damon Huffman, Nick Weyand Paul Carpenter. Andrew Short won the second semi by a slim margin over Danny Smith, while early leader Clark Stiles, Keith R. Johnson and Tyler Evans made the transfer. Ryan Clark won the LCQ ahead of Greg Schnell, while Subway teammates Joe Oehlhof and Jason Thomas fought over the Racer X Gas Card, which went to Oehlhof.

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