Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

My 643 125cc OWN RACE: Ty Conner Briefly... Continu ed from pag e 13 know if we're the loudest," he said. "We have known allalongthat it [noise]isa negativefor the four-strokes." 32nd (28-28) A shooting star came directly out of Texas in the first moto as the BardwelllYamaha YZ2S0F rider was up with the leaders - at least for a while. "It was a good afternoon," Conner said. "My first National of the year. The track was a lot rougher than I expected. I got a second-place start in the first rnoto, but I was so nervous that I got some arm pump around the fourth comer, and it got the better of me . Lot of fun, though ." 188 Davi Millsaps 25th (26-20) The rookie Team Suzuki rider turned some heads with some blazing fast practice times , then backed that up with some qualifier wins. But when it came time to run with the leaders in the main events, Millsaps just wasn't able to put it together. "The weekend started off good ," he said. "I had the fastest lap time in practice, then won a qualifier, won another qualifier after that to get to the main. In the first moto, I crashed at the start, and my bike stalled . I couldn't get it started, so I finished 26th. Second moto I got an all right start, like I usually do, and something went wrong, and I went down again. Nothing was going right, I guess ." 105 Ryan Hughes 5th (6-5) Troy Adams The biggesttire change of the year took place at Southwick. More than 90 percent of Dunlop's racers decided to go with the soft composite Dunlop 773 tire. "We pretty much had to strip everythingoffand run the 773s here, rain or shine," said Dunlop's BrianFleck."Guys run that same tire ifit gets real nasty somewhere else." On Saturday morningprior to practice Roger DeCoster was stationed infront of the TV in the Suzuki hauler,checkingout the opening hours of the famed 24 Hours of Le Mans sports car race. A bigfan of car racing, DeCoster told a story of the time when he got to drive KK Rosberg's Formula One car inJapan: "It was in 1978 at the Mount Fuji course inJapan. It was incredible.Not so much the acceleration, but the braking. I was able to go out for six to eight laps,then came in and went out for another six to eight laps. I figure I have Travis (Pastrana]beat because he onlygot a halfa lap pn a FI car] before the flagged him in." Comingback from a gnarlyanlde injurysuffered around Christmas time, Honda's Jeff Stanton got his hoop game back in top form, pouring in a career-high27 points in an overtime win at a recent men's leaguegame in his hometown of Shervvood, Michigan. "It was definitely the best game of my life," Stanton said. Speaking of basketball,Bubba's bus driver, BrianRehnert, said that Stewart's got some game. Well, sort of. "He [Bubba]loves the sport of hoops," said Rehnert. "But he doesn't take it quite as seriouslyas his racing. He tends to clown around a lot." Rehnert said that Stewart's favorite NBAplay[ames has got an unorthodox shot, but he can make er is TracyMcGradyof the Orlando Magic. " 'em. His range, for a guy his size, ain't that good." Rehnert playedsome college ballat Urbana University inOhio. 14th (30-1 I) The Pro Circuit/O'Neal/Kawasaki rider got in a good week of sand riding and was ready for Southwick, but, "The first moto didn't go as planned, " he said. "I got in a first turn pile-up, then later in the moto I got into it with a lapper and ended up going down. So I just kind of rode that moto out. Second mota, since I'd saved my energy. came out decent - around 20th - and started picking guys off. Worked my way up to I Ith oPretty good considering how the weekend started out, and I'm looking forvvard to racing at Budds [Creek] next weekend ." 59 Clear Channel's Todd Jendro and Dave Prader were on hand at Southwickto handle some upcomingU.S. Open details with the team managers.Jendro, one of the key figuresin Supercross since 1996, willtake over the reinsof the Arenacross Seriesfrom Mike Kidd. Prader will, in tum, take a more active role with Supercross. Bubba's littlebrother Malcolm Stewart took a break from racingand fIShing to show up for his first Nationalof the year. Malcolm had been on the road doingsome racing himselfand, in the process, managed to qualify for Loretta's in the (7-11) 8Scc Stock and Modified classes. Stewart qualified at JeffRussell's track, SundayCreek, inOhio. The KTM team rider was back to his top form of last year, finishing second among the two-strokes in a noisy sea of quarter-grand thumpers. "I didn't have the best times in practice, and these weren't my favorite cond itions, but I was able to ride well. In the first moto, I got a 19th-place start, then kept going and picked people off. I wasn't the fastest guy, but I think I was one of the stronger guys and worked my way up to the front . Second moto lost my clutch halfway through, came up to fifth. It was a good day overall. Those 2S0Fs are a big advantage, so I'm lucky to be on a fast 125." 61 : Danny Smith 6th (7-6) So what's the key to doingwell at Southwick?Honda team manager Erik Kehoe , who is a former Southwickwinner, said, "Hang off the back and let it go! It'sall about the momentum." Rumor Mill: Honda's Nathan Ramseymight be makingthe move to KTM, while his current teammate Emesto Fonseca might joinhis buddy Ricky Carnnichael over at Suzuki. (Also look for current Suzuki truck driver Mark Price to drive RC's rig next year.) FactoryConnectionlHonda's Mike LaRocco might race the 12Sccclassat Red Bud (on a CRF2S0R) and run his old amateur number - 559. With the GPs takinga two-week break during the Unadilla National, a source close to the action said Stefan Everts is about an 80 percent possibility of showing up to race there. NickyHayden might fly back to the States for one day to race the X GameSupermoto . Ezra Lusk (MachOnelYamaha)should be back for Red Bud. The Boost MobilelYamahalTroy Racingteam rider won an emotional race at Southwick two years ago. "I seem to do pretty well here, and I was looking forward to turning it around from the last race [Mount Morris], which was hcrrible ," he said. "I got a sixth and a seventh for sixth overall today and got my confidence moving forvvard again. And I knew Southwick would be a good place for me to do so." The Truth Mill: ''Washougalfor sure," said Doug Henry, who was on hand for the opening ceremonies at Southwickand ran a parade lap on a knobby-less CRF4S0R supennato bike. "I was all ready to race [Southwick], but I hurt my back playing hockey and riding. So I decided to juststick to these [supermoto bikes]for now." Henry said that he's looking forvvard to Washougal, for sure. "I have some great memories from there," he said. "It's the first race Iwon after I hurt my back." 3 Parts Unlimitedrep Ben Asaff (No . 619) qualified for the 2SOcc main event at Southwick. Asaffis a parts rep for the state of Vermont. Saidhis boss, Lou Lopez: "He's qualified here before. I've never ridden with him, but I hear he rips." Mike Brown Popular moto film director Troy Adamitis broke out the Big Dog film camera at Southwick to capture allthe sand-flying action of his movie subject - KevinWindham - insuper slow motion. The camera, worth $100,000, uses $100 worth of film every minute it's rolling. 2nd (3 -2) The former 12Scc National Champion (200 I) had his best race of the year at Southwick , overcoming some poo r starts and charging through the pace to take second overall . "This is probably the roughest I've seen it here. 1kind of started in the back, not really where I wanted to, but was able to mount a charge and make it through the pack. Stewart didn't get the greatest starts either but took a lot of chances and got to the front quick. My problem was that I got there [to the front] too late." Morrison: 25. Kiniry. 26. GosseIaar: 27. Collier, 28. Comer, 29. Ober, 30. CIarl<; 31. Gn Johmon; 35. GraqI<; 36. Re;d; 37. Hep1er, 38. Oweos: 39. Han>en; 40. lmmon. TIme of Race: H min ., 38.n sec. Marg;n 01 Voctooy. 3 l.Hhec. OIk I. J>mes lteWMt (Kaw); 2. Mike Brown (Yom); 3. Nathan Ram>ey (Hon); • . Ivan Jeoescc (Kaw); 5. Ryan Hugt>e. (KTM); 6. Donny Smith(Yam); 7. K.I~ 5mith (Y.un B.""" G""" ); (Hon); 9. Greg 5on (Kaw); 37. ; Bryan Johmon (Y.un) 38. Matt w.Jker (Kaw); 39. """ H"""" ; (Y.un) 40. 5""", Lamson (Hon). ; AMA CHEVROLET MOTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP 125 POINTS STANDINGS (Alter l 01 12 rounds), I. ]"",,, Stewart (125/3 wos): 2. Mike Brown (116); 3. Nathan Ram>ey (95); • . Bnx Hep1er (93); 5. Ryan Hugt>e. (77); 6. Ivan 'ledescc (68); 7. 5teplw>e /loocada (55); B. DonnySmith (5-4); 9. Kel~ Smith(53); 10. Eric 5ori>y( 6); I I. (TIE)]"'" Grnm/Mattw..Jk", 4 (38); 13. Brodt 5eIJaros (37); I• . Steve Lamson (36); 15. (TIE) 8ret Metcalfe/Ryan M,lb (33); 17. [),ryI Hurley (31); lB. Troy Adams(25); 19. Chris G=eWr (H ); 20. Greg Scme11 (23). Don't callthe guys in the Kawasaki hauler a bunch of babies, even though they were seen in the pits drinkingPedialyte. "This stuff's the next best thing to an IY," said PaulCarpenter, who was poachingsome of Michael Byrne's baby drink. "It's the best thingyou can buy." So just how fast was RC at Southwick? Put it this way: Inthe first moto the best battle goingon was between Suzuki teammates NickWey and Sean Hamblin. The two were at each other's throats , with Hamblinmakingup some huge real estate to catch and pass Wey before Wey got Hamblinback with one lap to go. RC, however, then lapped Hamblin before the checkers. Speaking ofWey, hisfather "T-Way talked about his first-moto explosionout of the start that " nearlygot him the holeshot over Carnnichael: "We watched some film of last year's race and looked where the starts were coming from. We took John Dowd's start, then Nick decided at the last second to move down three spots - and it worked ." And just how rough was Southwick? Accordingto localTonyLorusso, it was about as rough as it can get. "I've seen it rough here, like at the end of an NESC race," he said. "The track is lik that e right now - and we haven't even run the first moto!" www.cy cl enews.com CYCLE NEWS • JUNE 23, 2004 17

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