AMA/Chevy Trucks 1:::::'5cc U.S. Motocross Championship
Round :::::': Prairie City SVRA
plays on you. It's tough - especially
SACRAMENTO,CA,MAY18
or the second straight week, the
125cc class has provided fans
with arguably the best racing of the
day while delivering a stream of fresh
names across the podium - names
which fans were not necessarily
accustomed to seeing during the
supercross season.
At the 35th Annual Hangtown
Classic on Sunday, fan-favorite Ryan
Hughes fought off a wild secondmota, last-lap attack by Frenchman
Eric Sorby to back up his first-mota
win with a second one - a clean
sweep. Hughes' last win came at the
1995 Unadilla 125cc National - and
he actually won Hangtown that year,
as well. The fans certainly remembered the hard-charging Hughes and
showered him with the most applause
of any rider on the afternoon.
Hughes, a blue-collar racer/family
man, wasn't ashamed to show his
emotion on the podium, at times
fighting away the tears as he thanked
his fans for sticking with him through
his battles with injuries the last couple of years.
"Nobody understands what I've
gone through this year to get to this
point - mentally and physically,"
Hughes said. "j've trained for nine
months to get to where I'm at right
now. I've had a lot of injuries, and it
F
22
MAY 28. 2003'
cue
I
e
estate with a massive go-far-broke
their breath as he rode Hughes' rea'r
remembering how it feels laying in
By PAT SCHUTTE
PHOTOS BY STEVE BRUHN
leap off the downhill double and
knobby through the whoop section
the hospital."
caught up to Hughes' rear tire. The
and last three turns before Hughes
The last lap of the second 125cc
record crowd, some 25,200 strong,
closed him off in a mad rush to the
mota was epic. Coming down the last
were already on their feet, and
finish line.
hill, Sorby made up a gob of real
Sorby's jump caused many to hold
n
e
"" s
"I could hear him [Sorby] behind
