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/128344
Leader Schnabel (33) came under heavy pressure 'ram Johnson (14) and Kenny Coolbe th (3 1), with 10 laps to go. Coolbeth would finish third. SIXTH TITLE FOR THE CHAMP, ; THIRD WIN FOR THE KID and Wiles then made contact while battling for the lead off turn four, with Wiles hitting the deck and bringing out the re d flag. "It was my own fault that J.R. was even there," Wiles said. "I got to that corner and came in just a little bit wider than I had bee n, and that was just enough for J.R. He snuck up there on the inside, and I kind of cut it back, and he was right there. I don't know what happene d, ift he handlebars got away fro m me or wha t. I didn't fall on my own, but that's just one of thos e deals. He was right there, and I hit him just right. That was that . I collected some soil." Schnabel also wrote it off as racing. "I was pretty much past him, and he got a little Sideways, and his handlebar just caught me knee , and it took him right down," Schnabel said. "He d idn't have a chance. It was just one of those racing accidents. It wasn 't anything I did wrong, or at least nobody has told me that." Schnabel was on point when the field lined up single fil e for the restart, and he looked set for a fourth season victory as he clicked off laps in the lead. Johnson was able to work his way past Michigan rider Steve Murray to take the second Spot. Murray had looked strong early, but after the restart he appeared to get caught outside, and he lost several positions in the process. "My brakes went out," Murray said. "First my bike started leaking coo lant, then Jake got into me in turn o ne and bumped me up a little bit. I went in hard down the back straightaway, and I was planning on getting him back, but I didn't have any brakes. I just target fixated on Schnabel's back wheel and hoped that I cou ld run around the outside and do something, but it was just brushed off too much." Johnson then reeled in Schnabel, who was drifting higher off the corners with each lap. ':After that restart, I got by Murray going into one, and I knew that I had to get onto J.R. before he got into a rhythm and www.cyclenews.com started getting away. I got onto him and sta rted putting the press ure on , but there wasn't much I could do . I couldn't really get a good run on him or make a good pass early on . I didn't wa nt to do anything too stupid and end up crashing or fall ing back, so I just kind of sat back and waited ." The right moment came on lap 25. Johns on chopped it in underneath Schnabel in turn one and com pleted the pass for the lead whe n Schnabel's machine slewed sideways off turn two. "He would CYCLE NEWS • oaOBER 6,2004 23