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/128306
Briefly··· It was apparent that Factory Connection Honda 450 pilot Kevin Windham didn't ride up to his potential in the main event. After dominatinghis heat race, he had to come from behind in the mainandcouldn pickand 't choose hislines "I was very disappointed with . my reaction time," he said. "It strictly came from nerves being bundled up - just crap that comes from beinghere for the first main event, after my break and stuff I don't want to make . excuses; I justdidn't ride like I needed to ride. and that's allthere is to it. People said the bike didn't look like it was handlingwell, but it never does if you don't ride it smoothly. you know? " CCE signed a new sponsor for this year's holeshot awards: Butterfinger. - The $ 1500 Butterfinger Holeshot Award in the 2S0cc class went to Emesto Fonseca , while the $1000 12Sc Award went c to Ivan Tedesco, It looks like Team Suzuki's Davi Millsaps will running number 188 this year. H e has been runmng I 18 for most of his amateur career, but that nu ber belongs to MotoXXX's Jamey Grosser, Gro sser w as w illing to sell his number to Millsaps - for a reported $6000 . Millsaps, it see !J1s. didn't want his longtime number that badlY. ust made it by Ferry for second when it happened. "The track was so slick and pretty treacherous:' Lusk said . "It was pretty dange rous. actually. in a lot of places. and I don't th ink really anybody went the pace that they could've - I think everybody was be ing a little conscious, but it bit me. I don't know what happened in those big whoops, but I just started swapping a little bit, and it got away from me." Lusk recovered for eighth. From there, Reed ran off to a nearly 20second lead , lapp ing all the way to the rear wheel of Kevin W indham in ninth. His two teammates. Vuillemin and Ferry, battled it out for the runner-up spot, with Vuillemin eventually getting the nod. ''''''ct ually, I think we could've been 1-2-3'" had Ezra not fell:' Ferry said. "These bikes are really strong, and I understand laRocco was catching me there toward the end . 1 could see my mechanic just cheering me on, and I wanted it to be a blue sweep on the podium. "I had four podiums last year on my fourstroke, and I've started off with one already this year. The bike's great, and I didn't even have to test very much - these guys had these things dialed in from last year. There wasn't a lot of changes, so it was actually easy for me. That way, 1 could concentrate on just getting used to the two-stroke again . I don't really ride all that well out here at Anaheim, and to tell you the truth, I was a little nervous switching to two-stroke this year. I just saw how good Chad and David rode last year on those bikes, and I just wanted to give it a shot." Vuillemin had to battle around Ferry a couple of times before securing second. "I got a few bad runs through the whoops, and Timmy passed me, and when I was behind Ezra and Timmy. 1 kind of tried Speaking of Millsaps. he turns 16 on Febru ary 15, which is unfortunately one day after the first round of the AMA Ilscc Eastern Regional Supercross Series, which he will be contesting. The AMAisn't bud~ng on its 16-year-old age minimum, though, 'It 's clear in our rulebook that he's not goingto be old enough on that day.· said Steve Whitelock, newly named AMP; Pro Racing sXlMX manager. "He won't be able to ride Houston, but he will be able to ride Minneapolis. If he were to race and do well, we would open ourselves up to all kinds of protests from the other riders; plus if he were to get hurt, there 's all kindsof insurance issues and such." On the night of the race, Millsaps will be 16 - in Australia. It didn't take long for the lnjury Monster to claim its first Anaheim victim. Team Red Bull KTM 's Josh Woods tumbled in the first practice session and, as a result, was forced to pull out of the 125« Western Regional Series. Woods crashed over a tabletop just before the finish line, injuring his ribs. "It was a little muddy back there," Woods said shortly after the crash. "I stepped onto the tabletop, and then I went to step off. and I kind of blew the approach, I just went over the bars, and my bike kind of pile-drove me into the comer and kind of slammed my chest . I'm gonna try and tough it out. We'll see how the next practice goes." Woods attempted to practice in the second 12scc session but pulled out early. Plans now are for Woods possibly to race some 250cc rounds in the West and then chal- lenge for the 12scc Eastem Region title. AMA rules allow the switch if a rider does not attempt to qualifyin the region that he is switchingfrom. With Woods' departure. Red Bull KTM'stitle hopes rest on the shoulders of Joa'luim Rodrigues and Casey Lytle. Rodrigues himselfis no strangerto injury - recall that he went out with a broken shoulder at round two in Phoenix iast year while contesting the 2sOcc class. Avoiding injuryis a high priority for the Portuguese rider. "I feel I have the speed, but last year I c-ashed a 10"" Rodriguessaid. "I didn't show what I can do. This year, I want to be injury-free and show that I can do it . I have never rode the 125 before , but the first time I tried the bike. Iwas impressed . It's the best 125 I've ever ridden. I'm really happy with it : Rodrigues was sporting the number 108 on his Red Bull KTM 125 SX. He had actuallyearned number 45 from the points he earned last year but chose to keep 108 for familiarity's sake. Red Bull KTM test rider and part-time racer Casey Lytle had an interesting outfit at Anaheim 1.and he will be running it throughout the Western supercrosses and the Nationals www.c yclenews .com CYCLE NEWS • JANUARY 14, 2004 17