Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

my Own Race: 250cc 1] 1] Ezra Lusk 6th (4-9) "I feel really good," said the Chevy Trucks _ _ ~.,,--, Kawasaki rider. "In the second moto, I came from 20 or 30 seconds behind the 40th-place guy back up to "'ortNl ninth. I felt real strong. It's a big improvement from Red Bud. The last couple of weeks ar.e really the only times I've been able to improve. I really struggled this year with my wrist. Now, it's all good, and I've actually been able to practice a lot during the last month, so, hopefully, I can get some podium finishes before the end of the year." ~® Kyle Lewis 9th (9-10) The Team Moto XXX leader G;;pI....T'- .......-~ ran as high as fifth in the first moto but had to come from behind in moto two. "I'm happy with my result today," Lewis said. "My wrist is getting stronger and stronger. I changed my training some a little bit more cardio. I think I need to step up my weight training, since my wrist can handle a little bit more now. This year's kind of a write-off for me, so I'm just taking it week by week. Hopefully I'll be ready for 2004. Next year, I look to be strong again." Q(O}o ~~ Paul Carpenter 21 st (19-20) Despite being involved in a first-turn crash in moto one, Carpenter ran solidly in the top 20. He also aced both his Saturday and Sunday qualifiers. "I'm not real happy, all in all," Carpenter said. "As for the first moto, I can't say too much. I got in a first-turn wreck and had some problems with my handguard sticking on my clutch, so I had to fiddle with that the whole race. I worked my way up to 19th, so the first moto was decent for me. Considering I was involved in a crash, I was happy with that. Second moto - no excuses, I just rode 20th. I followed Larry Ward, who I thought would move right to the front. It seemed like me and him both just kind of hit a wall and were just riding and racing each other. I never really got close enough to pass him, and he never really pulled away." cD® Damien Plotts losing one overall isn't too bad. I'm not going to get stingy. It was a really fun day today, and this will keep me motivated. Now, I've got something to shoot for next weekend, and I'm Plotts' results don't tell the whole story. He scored top-five starts throughout the day and actually ran second to Windham for several laps in the first moto. "I was pretty excited," he said. "In the first moto, running up in second, I was actually real comfortable. I really never get arm pump, but by the sixth lap my arms were so stiff that the bars were almost coming out of my hands down those long straightaways, so I tried to back it down a little bit. On the next lap, I crashed and got up in about 17th. I reeled myself back to fifteenth. That was all right, and I was happy with it. In the second moto, I was up there and was really hoping for a top 10. On the very last lap, my bike stopped running, and I had to actually run and push my bike across the finish line. That was pretty funny." ®7J Ryan Clark looking forward to it. My hat's off to Kevin; he deserved to win today." Making his fourth podium appearance of the year was Team Yamaha's Tim Ferry. Ferry suffered a poor start in moto one, completing the first lap of the race in 12th before charging aggressively through the pack. By lap four of the sixteen-lap moto, Ferry had closed in on third-place rider Lusk, eventually making the pass just a few laps later. With Windham long 25th (23-24) "I felt like I was riding good, but I made some mistakes and went down in the first moto," said the Team Solitaire captain. "I really picked the pace up for the sec- -~~liii gone and Carmichael riding solidly in second, Ferry was left to finish out the moto alone in third. Ferry's second moto went a bit better. He started about sixth and quickly moved by Crossroad Powers ports/ RRP's Damien Plotts and his Yamaha teammate Chad Reed before closing in on his other Yamaha teammate, David Vuillemin. Just before the halfway point, Ferry made his move on Vuillemin to take over third, where he would once again finish out the race. "It was a good race," Ferry said. "I was beginning to wonder about myself after the last race, where I got end moto. I was in ; the top 20 and moving up strong before I picked up a banner in my rear brake. The banner was pulling it down, and eventually I lost my brake. It wasn't a great day, but I made it through, and I can go to Washougal in one piece, so I'm happy." ~® Heath Voss 16th (17-15) "The day didn't start off too well," Voss said. "I was third-to-Iast pick in my qualifier. I'm not top 20 yet, so we have to draw for start position. I had a bad pick on the gate, and all I could manage was 10th in my qualifier. I think I had like 32nd gate pick in the first moto, and I didn't get such a great start. I got roosted, big time, coming from the back of the pack. In the second moto, I had a great start. I came into the first turn in the top five or six. I ran eighth, I think, for about 20 minutes, but then I hit a hole, bottomed my forks and tweaked my left shoulder. I just did everything I could to ride out the race." cue I e tired, crashed and went 8-6. I was getting nervous there for a second. This weekend I felt strong. coming from behind both motos. although I shouldn't have to be doing that. I felt strong the whole time, so I'm definitely pumped about that. This track's pretty rough." The fourth, of the earlier. aforementioned Vuillemin was matching his best overall finish season from Red Bud a race Vuillemin was a man on a mis- sion in the first moto, completing the first lap in 17th place and working his way into fifth by the end of the moto. n e _ 50 • JULY 30, 2003 7

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