Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128208
THQ World Supercross GP/AMA Supercross Series Round 13/12: Reliant Stadium the points gap on Carmichael to 19 (279-260) with four races remaining. Reed continues to pad his THQ World Supercross GP points lead, now at 63 over the idle David Vuillemin. Unless Yamaha's Tim Ferry returns next week at Pontiac, which isn't likely, Reed may clinch the inaugural THQ World Title there. "For me, it was a good race," the 21-year-old Australian said after winning consecutive 250cc Supercrosses for the first time. "I started pretty much the same as Ricky [Carmichael] - I didn't go down. I think I'm lucky I was a little taller than he is. Everyone was bumping, and then all of a sudden he was on the ground. I was just going down. Somehow J just found some ground to step on." Fonseca was 26 seconds back in third, with Ward giving futile pursuit to the end. Then came Mach 1 Yamaha's Nick By HENNY RAY ABRAMS PHOTOS BY STEVE BRUHN HoaSTON,TX, MAR. 29 R icky Carmichael knows he's developing bad habits, but he hasn't been able to do anything about it. For the second week in a row, Honda's Carmichael fell, Yamaha's Chad Reed won, Honda's Ernesto Fonseca was third, and MotoXXX Honda's Larry Ward was fourth - and it's only because the factory field is as deep as a kiddie pool that Carmichael was able to salvage second. If not for the continuing scarcity of factory riders, Carmichael might well have found himself further down in the field. "I just need to get good starts and stay away from trouble, like I have in the past, and get the ball rolling," Carmichael said after finishing second to Reed for the second week in a Wey. Weyand teammate Heath Voss were both taken down by the firstturn crash, initiated by the overexuberance of AmsoiljChaparral Honda's row, this time at round 12 of the AMA Supercross Series and 13 of the THQ World Supercross GP Series, in the first-ever race before a smallish Travis Preston. Away next to last and last, both moved efficiently through the field - Wey to fifth, Voss to 11 tho crowd of 40,422 inside Houston's cavernous Reliant Stadium. Carmichael never got rolling in Texas. Instead, the two-time, defending Supercross champ got caught up 'Chad Reed took advantage of another early-race fall by series rival Ricky Carmichael to win round 12 of the AMA Supercross Series in Houston's Reliant Stadium. He won by 1.825 seconds. in a maelstrom in the first turn, dropping back to 17th. "I fell down in the first turn, so it made the rest of the night interest- .R eed All About It REED WINS, AND CARMICHAEL FALLS AGAIN ing," Carmichael said. "Coming from Reed came by for good, holding the seconds on the penultimate lap, but Sixth went to Star Racing Yama- behind makes it tough." point as Carmichael chipped away at Reed had enough in reserve to score ha's Keith R. Johnson. Johnson was his lead. It would get down to 1.625 his fourth win of the year and to close closer to the front than he'd ever While Carmichael was dusting himself off, Ward was setting the pace, taking advantage of a rocket start to lead the first eight laps. Then 6 APRIL 9, 2003' cue • EO been, before losing fifth to Nick Wey Carmichael overcame this first-tum fall (below left) to charge up to second place. Once up, he was flying (below right), but he came up just short of catching Reed. He still leads the series by 19 points with four rounds left. ne'lN's near the end. Greg Schnell was sufficiently