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/128229
AMA/Chevy Trucks 250cc U. S. Motocross Championship Round 9: Spring Creek MX Park Ricky Cannichael returned to his winning ways at one of his favorite tracks, Spring Creek MX Park in Millville, Minnesota. He swept both motos with apparent ease. By KIT PALMER PHOTOS BY STEVE BRUHN MILLVILLE, "'N, AUG. 17 V>U knew it I After taking wouldn't last long. a back seat to Kevin Windham at the last two Nationals (Washougal and Unadilla), it was only a matter of time before Ricky Carmichael got back on the winning track. And that time was today, and the track was the scenic but hot and humid Spring Creek Motocross Park, where Carmichael simply gave everyone - even Windham, believe it or not - a serious trouncing. After stewing about his two recent losses over the two-week break in the series, Carmichael came to Minnesota ready to do battle, but he was so fast today that he didn't get a chance to battle with anyone - at least not for long. He did, however, have to pass his teammate Ernesto Fonseca, and Yamaha's David Vuillemin and Chad Reed early on in the first moto, but it was hardly a fight. He quickly got around Fonseca and Vuillemin and was expecting serious resistance by leader Reed. But on the second lap, Reed made things easy for Carmichael when the Yamaha rider flew off the course through the track's notorious sand-whoop section and handed the lead over to Carmichael. Reed managed to keep second and even give Carmichael something to think about for a short while before Carmichael started distancing himself from the pack. Lap by lap, Carmichael steadily increased his 8 AUGUST 27. 2003' cue I lead until he was so far out in front that it was obvious that no one was going to catch him. In the second moto, Carmichael's seemingly lonely two-stroke Honda beat all of the big four-strokes to the first turn, and he opened up a small lead over Windham, Reed and Tim Ferry. "I nailed the start," Carmichael said. "I was happy about that." With Carmichael's main rivals right behind him, the second moto got off to an interesting start, especially when n e _ s e Reed got around Windham and actually started gaining on Carmichael. But that didn't last long, because Carmichael got down to business and started pulling away again. "Chad and K-Dub were putting it together there at the beginning a bit," Carmichael said. "They were reeling me in a bit the second and third lap, but I just tried to put it down and turn some consistent laps and was able to start stretching it out." Carmichael owned 'a three-second lead o v e r Reed by the fourth lap, which grew to seven seconds by the end of the fourth lap. By the seventh lap, Carmichael's lead had grown to 14 seconds over Windham, who had ridden around Reed on the fifth lap. Even with Windham in second, Carmichael continued to open up his lead, as the large crowd