Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

com pany in th e 2S 0cc class? "Yo u know , 1 t hin k I' m still yo ung, a nd I haven't rode t he East t racks, so 1 t hought maybe w ith some more t im e o n the bike, I can m ature a little bit more, an d t he n I'll get it o n [in the 25 0 cc class]," Ste wart sa id . Hepler he ld on fo r seco nd , an d Sorby made h is way all the way up to t hird , hol d ing off 12Scc legend Steve Lam son a t the finish . " I t h ink Housto n is a go od city for m e ," So r by sa id. " I t hink I'm going to m o ve ove r here [laughs] because two years ago t hat was my first race , a nd 1 was po d ium . A nd t his ye a r, my first podiu m . I t h ink Lamso n, he come a lo t o f t im e s inside, an d I see his fro nt w he e l a lot of t im es - a lot o f laps. I was a littl e bit sc ared, but now w e can't do anymore block-passes, so I was sca red , b ut no t really." eN My 188 REUANT STADIUM HOUSTON, TEXAS R ESULTS: FEBRUARY (ROUND 1 OF 7) HEAT I (6 laps. 1-9 transfer): I. James Stewart (Kaw); 2. Steve Boniface(Suz); 1.J cM Woods (KTM); 4. Shae Bendey (Suz); S. Ryan CIari< (Yom); 6. Turt><> Rei! (Hen); 7. Man""" 1.>J1o, (Yom); 8. ry.on Hod",/I (Yom); 9. Doug DeHaan (Han) ; IO KevinJoMson (Yam); I I . Jacob Martin (KTM): 12. VInCent . BIai,. (Yam); 13. Davide Esposti (Su z); 14. Robbie Smith (Yarn); IS. Bndley Ripple (Suz); 16. Paul p.,ebi"'" (Yam); 17. Brae i Heper (5oz); 18. Rodrig Thain (5oz); 19. Damien Plotts (Hon); 20. Derek Cost ella (Suz) . fbce Time: 5 min., 36.92 sec . Marg in of Victory: 2.885 sec. HEAT 2 (6 laps. 1·9 transfe r): I. Danny Smith (Y ; am) 2. Eric Sorby ( Kaw) ; J. Michael Blose (Y am): 4. Steve Lamson (Hon): 5. Hans Nee! (Hon); 6. TIger lacey (Hon); 7. Kelly Smith(Yam); 8. Ryan Mills ( Hon); 9. Billy lMtinovich (Ho n); 10 . Brett Metcalfe (KTM); I I. Daniel Blair (Y am); 12. TaylorWatU (Yam); 13. D aryf Hurley (Suz): 14. Ste ve Mert ens (Yam); 15. Shane Lusk (Hon) ; 16. Jeff Gibson (Yarn); 17. Jon Boruff (Hon); 18. Wi lliam Browning (Yam); 19. Bry.m White (Yam); 20 . Trffer Wright(Suz). Race Time: 5 min.• 38.24 sec. H u g in of Vtctory: 1.588 sec. LCQ (4 laps , , .... tran~fer) : I. Brcc HepJer (Suz) ; 2. Brett Metcalfe (KTM); 3. Daryl Hur1ey (Suz); 4. Dan iel Blair (Yom); S. Jeff G'l=n (Yom); 6 . D. vIde (Suz); 7. Jacob Maron (KTM); 8. Bndley Ripple (Suz); 9. Derek Co.,elIa (Suz); 10. Steve Mert ens (Yam); I I. Vincent Blair (Yam); 12. OWN RACE: Davi Millsaps Eapo," Danny Smith DNS 6th O ne of Yamaha of Troy 's two racing Smiths rode well all night. but Danny Smith had to come from behind in the main. " I rode a little t igh t," he said. "Th at's uncharacte rist ic for me , but I do n't know. It' s the first time I've raced in a year, so I think that had a little to do with it. I didn't feel like myse lf, but at times things were good . I've got good speed , It's just been a w hile, and when I go t there , I w as riding a little unnat ural fo r myself. But I've got a big heart, and I'll be back there." 33 Kelly Smith 10th The other Smith in the YoT pits wasn't happy w ith his performance at all. "I pretty much stunk. The elevated start th ing just killed me : ' he said. "In a nutshell , it was the starts . My fault:. No ex cuses. I just sucked at tha t start. It' s no t my normal ro utine, and it threw me o ff, and I should've been able to compensate fo r it, and I d idn't. I w orked my butt off trying to catch back up, and I was passing for fifth o n the last lap, and some clow n [Lallo z] cased something in fro nt of me , and I co uldn't see, and I jum ped ove r and landed on him ." 6 Steve Lamson 4th Hangto wnM X .com/Lamson Racing's Ste ve Lamson sho uldn't have su rprised anybo dy, give n his history, with a top -five in his first ra ce of th e year, but he d id. He ac tually ran into ano th e r rider in the first tum , and his fro nt wheel was knocked ou t o f aJignment, but he rode steady fro m 16th on the first lap to finish fourth . 132 Billy Laninovich H u gin of Victory: 1.7 sec. MAIN ( IS o.p.), I. jame> Stewart ( Kaw); 2. Brae He""" (Suz); 3. Eric Sori>y (Kaw ); • . S,eve Umson (Hon); S. Ryan Clarlt (Yam); 6. Danny Smith (Y am) ; 7. Brett Met calfe (KTM); 8 . Steve Boniface (Suz); 9 . Ryan Mills (Hon); 10. Kelty Smfth (Yam); 11. Billy Llninovich (Hon) ; 12. Michael Blose (Yam); 13. Matthteu laJloz (Y am) ; 14. Ttger Lace y (Hon); 15. Daryl Hu rley (50,); 16. ry.on Hod>ell (Yom); 17. J"'" WOO

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