Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

THQ World Suprcross GP/THO/AMA Supercross Series Reed was not the only happy Yamaha rider at t he e nd of t he eve ning: So was Mach I Yamaha's Heath Voss . Voss and Huffman had been battling for t he THQ World Supercross G P t itle fo r much of the second half of t he year until Huffman go t hurt, and Voss went into the Vegas final only ha ving to qualify for the main e ve nt to clinch the World SX title and the $100,000 pr ize money that goes with it . Voss officially clinched it wh en he w o n the second 250cc semi. In the main e ve nt , Voss could 've backed it off a notch or two but instead gave it his all and finished ou t the series seventh in Las Vegas , seventh in the T H Q AMA Sup ercross Series a nd first in th e THQ World Supercross GP Se ries. It was a big night for the Minnesota native who now calls Mico , Te xas, his home. "T his is awesome," Voss sa id. "I' ve come a lo ng ways in nine years. I me an, at one point, I cou ldn't even make the night p rogram in Supercross . I hav e to give cred it to my dad and my uncle, who are always t here w ith me... my wi fe , my mom, my sister. " I'm just th ankfu l for the way t hings went th is season and than kfu l for all the people th at are behind me. For me to accomplish something like th is just feels great . I just wish [the late] Donny Schmit [who w as also from Minnesota] w as he re today; I think he 'd be proud of me t hat I stuck it out this long ." Voss jo in ed Re ed a nd t he entire Yamaha and Mac h I squads in a len gthy celebration on th e victory podium aft e r the race . eN In a tribute to Damon Bradshaw, who won the I25cc East Coast title in 19B9 by one point over Mike Kiedrowski, james Stewart wore retre Fox gear at Las Vegas. The gear was a replicaof what Bradsha wore 15years ago. w SAM BOYD STADIUM LAs VEGAS, NEVADA 1, 2004 17/16) RESULTS: MAY (ROUNDS 250 MAIN: I . Kevin Windham (Hon); 2. Chad Reed (Yam); 3. Mike laRoc co (Hen ): 4. David Vuillemin (Yam); 5. N ick Wey (Suz); 6. Sea n Hamb lin (Suz); 7. Hea th Voss (Yam); 8. Damon H uffman (Hon) ; 9. Craig Anderson (Hon); 10. Keit h R. Johnson (Yam): II . Michael Bym e (Kaw) ; 12. Ryan Clark (Yam): 13. Isaiah Joh nson (Y am); 14. Tho mas Hofmast er (Yam); 15. Jason Thomas (Hon) ; 16. Jeff Gibs on (Yam); 17. Tyson Hadsell (Yam); 18 . Tyfer Evans (Suz) ; 19. James Povolny (Hon); 20. Travis Pastrana (5uz). THQ AMA SUPERCROSS SERIES FINAL POINTS STANDINGS (Aft e r 16 of 16 ro und s) : I. Chad Reed (355/1 0 wins); 2. Kevin Windham (346/5 wins); 3. Mike laRocco (310/ 1 win); -4 . David Vuillemin (27 1); 5. Nick Wey (204); 6. Michae l Byrne (201); 7. Hea th Voss (19-4); 8. Sean Hamblin ( 170); 9. Damon Huffman ( 158); 10. Tyler Evans ( 114); I I. Grant Langston ( I I I); 12. Ryan Clark (100); 13. Nathan Ramsey (9 1); 14. Keith R. Joh nson (8 3); IS. Ezra l usk (75); 16. Jason Thomas (7 1); 17. Andrew Short (68); 18. IsaiahJohnson (6 1); 19. Erick Valleio (59); 20. Joseph O ehlhof (54). THQ WORLD SUPERCROSS GP FINA L POINTS STANDINGS (Aft er 17 of 17 rounds) : l. Heath Voss (346); 2. Damon Huffman (322); 3. Tyler Evans (276); -4 . Ryan Clark (230); 5. Grant langsto n (228); 6. Keith R. Jo hnson ( 178); 7. Jaso n Thomas ( 160); 8. Isaiah Johnso n ( 142); 9. Andrew Sho rt ( 138); 10. Joseph o"hlhof( 128); II. Craig Anderson (127); 12. Eric Vallejo (110); 13. James Povolny Jr. ( 104); 14. Mike Bro wn (95); IS. Ernesto Fo nseca. (89); 16. Clark Stiles (63); 17. Daryl Hurley (58); 18 . Ted Campbell (52); 19. Jeff Gibson (27); 20. Steve Boniface (25). The AmsoiVChaparraI Honda team had a differentlook at the Las Vegas Supercross. The entire team, includingKevin Windham's bike, was fitted with purple-colored plastic, and the crew wo re purple shirts. The team struck up a sponsorshipdeal with the Hard Rock Cafe and Casino for the Las Vegas race. The bikes also carried the Hard RockCafe logoon the radiator shrouds. Accordingto team managerj.e. Waterhouse, the hotel also receivedone of the team bikesto display inthe lobby of the popular casino/hotel. james Stewart said in Vegas that whenever he did something different on the track, Chad Reed would also try it. It seemed that Reed and Stewart were the only two riders who were really takingdifferent lines and tryingdifferentstrategies around the technically trickyVegas circuit. "I've noticed that Chad iswatchingme and copyingwhat Iam doing," Stewart said. "Iwas doinga rtlythm section, and then Reedcame out and tried it. I'm okay with that; he's watchingthe 12Scc practice and watchingwhat I'm up to." Reed, infact, said that he watches the l25cc champ. "He was doing a tricky rhythm section," Reed said. "Itried it a few times, but it was a risk, and Ididn't need to be takingany risks out there . It was a pityIcouldn'tgo out and do what Iwanted. I had to take it easy; I had a championship on the line." Stephane Roncada said that he islooking forward to the outdoor series, whichgets underway in two weeks. The Frenchman feels the four-stroke will have a nice advantage over the smaller I25cc-displacement machines, like the one Stewart will be riding. "We have an awesome bike," Roncada said. "It's so fast outdoors, it will giveus the advantageto keep up with him." Former Australian Motocross Champion Stephen Gall was in attendance at the Vegas Supercross. Gall was considered for manyyears the greatest motocross rider to come out of Austral ia, havingwon a number of MisterMotocross Championshipsand leadingthe AustralianMotocross des Nations team in Europe in the 19BOs. Gall was happy for hisfellowAustralian, Reed. "How great is it to see an Australian rider winningthe most prestigious series in the world," Gall said. "I am very proud of him." A large tour group of Australians attended the Vegas Supercross, althoughChad Reed's parents, who did attend the Salt Lake City round lastweek, had to retum home before Las Vegas. 1lley did, however, listen to the race on the Internet. We won't be seeing much of Mike I4Rocco thissummer. The AmsoiVChaparral Honda rider will, as of now, onlycommit to one race in the 2004 NationalMX Series. "I'm glad I'm not trying to set up a bike for the outdoor Nationals," he said."I'm glad I'm not jumpinginto that. I'd rather take the time and try to work on what I'velearned and move forward with supercross." LaRocco is planning on ridinghis home Nationalat Red Bud. "I'm thinking about Millville, but I'm not going to make a commitment." /'os far as retirement, laRocco has made no firmplansyet. "Next will be pretty much the decidingyear for that," LaRocco said."If Ican step it up and be where Iwant to be next year, then maybe I'llcontinue. But ifIcan't make the grade, then maybe that's it.We'll just have to see what happens next year." So what is Heath Vossgoingto do with his $100,0001 "Buy an airplane," he said. "Ilove flying." Chad Reed sayshe has not decided ifhe will actually wear the number-one plate next year or not. "Idon't know," he said. "It would be somethingthat would be pretty cool, Ithink. We're goingto have work that out." The movie people used the final round of the supercross series to film manyscenes for the upcoming movie, Supercross - The MoYie. Cameras were seen allday filming the actors and actresses in the pits, on the infield and on the track. Duringa longintermission, a staged race that includedstunt riders David Pingree, Rich Taylor(pictured), DaveyCastillo, Andy Harrington and Dave Barrett. took place in front of the 37,942 fans inattendance. Helmet cams were even used duringsome of the actual racing. Many of the race teams agreed to leave their team haulers in the pits as props for additional filming on Sundayand Monday. 20 MAY 12,2004 • CYCLE NEWS 40th Anniversary

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