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/128236
Pro Challenge Swan M otocross Par k o CHALL (Left) Kevin Windham was unstoppable as he rode to a pair holeshots and runaway moto wins for his second straight victory at the Pro Challenge. (Below) Evan Laug h rid g e made a strong showing at Swan Motocross Park, taking top h o n ors in the 12Scc class and p la c i ng second in the first 250cc moto. (B otto m right) Despite a bad start, Josh De muth finish e d a strong second in the second 250cc moto, and his :{ 3-2 tally ear n e d him second overall In Tyler , T exas. S TO RY AND P HOT OS BY B RIA N C OMEA U TYLER, TX,S EPT. 13 ft er a stro ng o utd oo r se as o n in wh ich he finished second , Kevin Wind ham c am e to the Pro Chall enge at Sw an Motoc ross Park lo o ki ng to re p e at h i s p e rform an c e fro m la s t y e a r. T he Hon da /Facto r y Con n ec tio n/ Lee Dung arees-spo nso red rid er na il ed t h e hole shot in b o th 25 0 c c m otos on his way to a pair of winn ing r id e s . In th e 12 5cc c l ass, E v a n Laugh rid ge and J ohnny Marle y sp li t moto w in s, w ith Lau gh ri dge t a k in g th e overall . D esp it e being li ne d up o n th e far ou t sid e, Windham powered his wa y to the f irst -moto hol esh ot , ah e ad o f Lau ghridg e and Sh an e D ought y . Jam es Marshall and J osh D emu th quickl y o ve r t o o k Doughty, w ith Dem uth m oving into thi rd on th e sec ond la p . By th e th ird lap, Marley had moved into f ifth , ah ead o f Thoma s Hahn. Up fron t , W indham w as ru n n ing awa y w it h the m ot o . T he onl y m om e n t o f c onc ern ca me o n th e six th la p . wh en Wi ndha m l ai d th e bike down. stalli ng the Hon da in th e p ro c ess . He rest arted the m ac h ine withou t losing a pos it ion, but Laughridge closed in. From there on , it wa s onl y a m atter o f tim e befo re W ind ham bu ilt up ano ther lea d. M ea n w h i l e , th e b attl e for fou r th am o n g Mars hall , M arley and Hahn w a s h e at i n g up . M ar l ey m ad e his m o v e on th e se ve nth la p, l eav in g Ma rshall to dea l w ith Hahn, wh o pressu red h is Hond a of Ho u st on tea m m at e for two laps befo re fin all y get ting by o n the ninth lap. Up fron t , Windham took th e white flag w ith a comforta bl e 20 -se c ond lea d o ve r La ughridg e a nd D em uth . Marley and Hahn fin ished fo urth and fifth , respectively . W in dh am na il ed another hol eshot in th e second m oto , ah ead of Laugh ridg e an d M a rl ey. D emuth finish ed A 44 O CTOBER 1 5 ,2003 ' cue GE around M cKi d d i e before the end of th e first lap, while Ma rley wa s co ming o n st rong aft e r th e st a r t. M ar le y m oved into th ird o n th e th ird lap . and a la rge gap separat ed hi m fro m both Gra nt and Lau ghridge. F urthe r back. Ha hn wa s putting in a nother st ro ng rid e , ahead of Doughty . Back up fro nt , Marl ey was slow ly closing the gap betw een himself and Grant. Marle y 's eff ort s paid off on the fifth la p , wh en he was able t o p ass the Honda rider and m ov e into sec o nd . Ma rley began t o close th e ga p o n Laug hri dg e, tho ug h not eno ugh to mak e t h i n g s i n te res t i n g. Marle y 's effo rt s still earn ed him sec o nd ov er all , behind La ug hr id g e. F re sh off a long run in th e Am at eu r rank s, Grant tu rn ed in a pair of im p ressive ri de s to p ick up th ird overall, ahead of team m ate Hahn . Th e 6 -6 rid es of McKiddie earned hi m fifth ove ra ll. CN SWI n Mo1oc:l1lSS Parle Tyler, Teu s Resufts:September 13,ZDD3 the fi rst lap in 12th and wa s looking to m ak e up ground . Right away , Windham set a blist er ing pa ce and ope ned up a sizab le ga p over se co nd. Behind the le ad three, Demuth was sti ll working his way fo rward , tryin g to m ake up ground in hop es of a dec en t overall fi ni sh . By th e third lap , h e h ad mov ed i n t o sixth . Demuth began pi ckin g up posi tions q uic k ly , pa ssing Dou ghty on the fifth la p a nd H ahn on th e sixth . A hard cha rg e brought D em uth to t he back fender of third -pl ac ed Ma rl ey , wh om he pa ssed on the sev enth lap . W it h th e o r d e r w e ll es ta b lishe d , W indh am bega n l ay ing down so me amaz ing wh ips , much to the crowd 's delight . Behind him , Lau ghridge was sitt ing co m fo rt ably in third, ahead of D emuth . L au ghr idg e ' s m o t o went f ro m good t o b a d w h e n a tire got ca u g h t in h i s bac k wheel , causing h im to lo se h is c hain ; De muth went by , and La ughr idg e was left with a DN F. Marl ey pi cked up th ird , ahead o f Hahn . D oug ht y ro unded out the top fi ve. J eff Hedd en took the holeshot in th e fi rst 125cc m oto, but Laugh ridge q ui ck ly t o ok t h e po int , and M arl ey m ov ed into second. Cl a y t on Mil l er moved into third o n th e second lap, ahead of Ry an St. Cy r. J oshu a Gran t a n d H a h n w e r e co ming up f a st th roug h the fi el d . B y th e third l ap , Grant had ca ug ht and passed St. Cy r and was beg inning to work on Mill er. Th e two fo ug h t for p os it io n bri efly I e n e vv 50 before Grant got by on the fou rt h lap . Up fr on t , Marl ey slowly beg an to cu t awa y at La ughridge' s lead . Marley m ade h is move fo r t he lea d on t he fifth lap and began to pull aw ay fro m Lau ghrid g e, with Gra nt 20 sec o nd s back . Hahn w as all o ver Miller , and h e fi na l ly m ad e ·t h e p a ss o n th e Ya ma ha rid er o n the eighth lap . By the tim e th e checke rs c ame o ut, Mar ley was in control with a fiv e-second le ad over Laughrid ge . It w as a whole 25 seconds ba ck t o Grant, ahead o f Hahn and Miller, wh o rounded o ut the top five . Laughridge and F ly Raci ng /Smith spo ns o re d Verno n M cK idd ie had a close rac e all the way to the first co rner , with Laugh ridge taking th e early l e ad . G ra nt qu i c k ly found a wa y 125 M.OTO 1: 1. Johnny Marley (Ka w) ; 2. Eva n Lau ghrid ge (Suz); 3 . Jos hua Grant ( Hon ); 4 . Thom as Ha hn ( Ho n) ; 5 . Clay to n Miller (Ya m); 6 . Vernon McK idd ie (Yam) ; 7 . No rberta Debernardi (Yam ) ; 8. Robe rt Loc ke (Ka w); 9 . J .J . Pec sok (Hon); 10. Tay lor Wa tts (Ye m}. 125 MOTO 2 : 1. Ev an Laug hr idge (Suz); 2. Johnny Marl ey ( Kaw) ; 3 . J oshu a Grant (Han ); 4 . Tho mas Hahn (Han) ; 5. Shane Dough ty (Ka w) ; 6. Vernon MeKi ddie (Yam) ; 7. Ry an 51. Cyr (KT M) ; 8. Austin Squires (Yam) ; 9. Norberta Debern ardi (Yam) ; 10. Clayto n Mill er (Yam) . 12 5 C /A : 1. Eva n Laughridge (501); 2. Jo hnny Marl ey ( Kaw ); 3. J o shua Grant (Hon) ; 4 . Th om as Hahn (Hon ); 5. Vernon MeKiddie (Yam) ; 6. Clay ton M i ll er (Ya m) ; 7. No rb ert a De b erna rd i (Ya m ) : 8. Robert Loc ke (Ka w); 9. Blake Kennedy (KTM); 10. J.J . Pecsck (Hon). 250 MOTO 1: 1. Kevin Windham (Hon); 2. Evan Laughridge (Suz); 3. J osh Dem uth (Yam) ; 4. J ohnny Marl ey ( Kaw) : 5. Thom as Hahn (H on) ; 6 . J ames Marshall (Han); 7. Shane Dought y (Kaw); 8. Robbie Sm it h (Yam); 9. Clay to n Mill er (Yam ): 10 . A ustin Squires (Yam) . 250 MOTO 2: I. Kevin Windh am (Hon) ; 2. J osh Demuth (Yam) : 3. Johnn y Marley (Kaw) ; 4. Thomas Hah n (Ha n ); 5 . Shane Do ugh ty (Ka w) ; 6 . Robbie Smith (Yam ); 7 Austin Squi res (Yam) ; 8. J .J . Peesok ( Han ); 9 . Beau Boynt on (KTM); 10. Tay lor Watt s (Ya m). 250 O/A : 1. Kev in Windham ( Ho n); 2 . Jo sh Demu th (Yam ); 3 . J ohnn y Marley (Kaw ); 4 . Thom as Hahn ( Han ); 5 . Shane Dou ghty (Kaw ) ; 6. Robb ie Sm ith (Yam) ; 7. Au sti n Squ ires (Yam) ; 8 . Taylor Wat t s (Yam) ; 9 . J .J . Peesok (Ho n ) ; Charles Cestloo (Suz). to.