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/128332
AMA Chevrolet National Motocross Championship Mike Brown finally did it. He wan an o verall, something that has e lu ded him sin ce last year. BOUND TO HAPPEN Mike Brown takes Red Bud win; Bubba's streak comes to crashing halt B y PAT SCHUTTE PH OTOS BY S TEVE BR UHN it h far bette r sta r ts co mp le me nt ing his usua l fast an d consist en t atta ck st rategy, Te am Boost Mobil e / Yama ha/Tro y Ra cing's Mike Brown scored his first I25cc-c1ass win of the year at Red Bud and slashed 22 points off first-place James Stewart's overall lead. "I won the overall , but Stewart had a bad day on his second rnoto, and I took advantage of it," Brown said . "That was the main thing. I was there for both motos to take the overall. " Indeed, Stewart had a bad day, although it didn't start off that way. After winning the first moto, Stewart crashed out of the second, ending his moto win streak at 23 (and II overalls) and any chance he had of winning every 125cc moto, something that even Ricky Carmichael has not accomplished . (See sidebar.) While there was a lot of talk about Stewart's steak coming to an end, it was Brown's day. "I had a good day," Brown said. "[The] main thing was getting starts. I haven't been getting starts all year, and I worked on that this week. My starts - I start in first gear now. I feel that gets me a jump off the gate instead of not getting out in front of everybody, getting my arms in front of the guys, and I can get a good start. Before that I was rolling off the gate [in second gear] and taking off but wasn't getting a good jump . 50 that was the main thing for the weekend ," It was also a pretty good day for Suzuki's Davi Millsaps and AMSOILJ Factory Connection/Honda's Josh Grant, both of whom made the podium for the first time in their careers, Grant, in particular, was on it, especial ly in the second moto. At Red Bud he photocopied his amazing Hangtown starts that had put him on the National 125cc radar screen at the season opener, but he had somehow lost from Mount Morris through Budds Creek. After a so-so first moto (and subsequent power nap in the hauler), the just-tumed-18-year-old took the holes hot in the second moto and led for four laps before Brown got him. "I got two good starts today, and that's W After a consistent 4-4 day Davi Millsaps finally got up on the podium. what put me on the podium," Grant said. "Pre tty much a replay of Hangtown, but I didn't crash this time. Rod e smart, rode good and wound up with my first podium ." Millsaps was good, too, going 4-4 for second overall, And though people tend to forget he scored two Supercross podium finishes (Daytona and Pontiac) this year, an incredible weight was Jifted off the highly touted Suzuki rider's shoulders when he finally got on the outdoor podium . "I had all the confidence in the world that 1 could do this ; it just hadn't happened yet ," Millsaps said. "Suzuki's done a great job setting up my bike, and I carried the momentum I had from doing pretty well at Budds Creek to Red Bud this weekend ." The podium should have had an extender on it for the way Millsaps' teammate Broc Hepler rode. Hepler could have easilybeen up with Brown , Millsaps and Grant had he not got forced into the weeds on the start of the first moto and had to come from dead last to 12th overall. Determined and not the least bit wonied, Hepler barreled back in the second moto to take a third ( 12-3 for fifth overall). Behind Hepler in the second moto, but taking advantage of a holeshot in the first moto and a consistent 5-5 day (fourth overall), was Honda's Nathan Ramsey. Honda built t he Tennessee native a rocketship of a bike, and it showed. Ramsey didn't have one of his best days racing but was just one click off the podium in fourth (5-5). Rounding out the top 10 was an army of Kawasaki riders. Factory Kawi rider Ste pha ne Roncada had a quiet but effective Sunda y at Red Bud, going 6-8 for sixth overall. Stewart with a lopsided 1-33 came in seventh. Ivan Tedesco, who tan gled and plummeted to earth alongside Stewart in the second rnoto, finished eighth (3- 19), and KawasakVPro Circuit! O'Neal privateer Troy Adams continued to rip, finishing as the top privateer in ninth overail ( 16-6). The lone OEM left in the top 10 was Michigan's own Kelly Smith (BoostlYamaha/Troy Racing), going 17-7 for 10th overail. eN The Streak End§ The Superman "S" on James Stewart's chest was replaced by marks made Irom a knobby tire in a highly graphic second 12Scc-moto start crash that he was lucky to walkaway Irom. But it would be metal - make that snapped metal - that proved to be the 12Scc-c1ass Superman's kryptonite last Sunday at Red Bud, as a broken clutch arm ended Bubba's run at a perfect season. "See? It won't go back in - past this point," said Stewart's Chevy Trucks Kawasaki mechanic Jeremy Al brecht, as he points at the flywheel and clutch arm in the exposed motor 01 Bubba's bike. Alter thoroughly dominating the first rnoto, Stewart 's number was up, as he tangled with Pro Circuit Kawasaki tea mmate Ivan Tedesco in the start , went down very hard, then got up - only to go down againalter a spirited first-lap charge that saw him make up 13 positions and suller a mechanical-based DNF (his first since Southwick in 2002). "I think Ivan got caught on my bike, [and) a Suzuki rider then cut me oil. I went down and got hit a few times," Stewart said calmly 01 his spectacular start pileup. "Then Ivan was caught on my bike, so I kind 01 sat there and waited until he got 011 it." Shades 01 the second moto at Budds Creek last year? You bet. "When Igot up, there was no doubt in my mind that I'd win that race," said Stewart. But lighting would strike twice as Stewart would go down in a lar less spectacular wreck that would ruin his bike. "I got back gOing, tried to come out 01a rutted comer, and there were two bikes in front 01 me goingso slow, I couldn't really lollow them," Stewart said. "So I tried to pop out 01 the line, and the Iront end washed out, and when Igot up, my rock guard was caught in my clutch lever, and when I took oil, Ilell over again because the bike couldn't go anywhere . The clutch went out, and we all know you can't ride on thistrack without a clutch." www.cyclenews.com CYCLE NEWS • JULY 14,2004 17