Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

- - Briefly••• Sebastian Tortelli looked fast all wee caused him to retire to the pits early. Con';nued from page J7 Team Mota XXX came to Toronto with its 2004 Honda CRF450s. The team has yet to take delivery of their 2005 bikes. Accord ing to the team's newest member, Justin Buckelew, Team Mota XXX, like some of the othe r teams, is waiting for the all-new 2005 Honda CR250. "Tha t's the thing we are waiting on [getting the new bikes)," Buckelew said. "I'm going to ride a 250cc two-stroke, and Honda is coming ou t with an all-new 250 - and we are kind of waiting on that from Honda. So, I'm not really sure when they're going to be here, but hopefully sooner ra the r than later." There were some new four-stroke s out on the track in Toronto. Sebastian Tortelli biggest difference.' Not too far behind laRocco was Team Yamaha's last -minute entry, Tim Ferry. Unl ike the other facto ry riders in attendance, he didn't have the fancy semi bring his bike up from California . Instead, he borrowed a YZ450F fro m Yamaha o f C anada, while his mechanic ha d all of the "t rick" factory hardware shi pp ed up from the factory race shop. Even though it wasn't his personal knew that if I could stay on to p a little lo nge r, I could kind o f ge t up to Vo ss and get by him - and sure enough, I did . Voss was riding good . I w ish I could have rid den the way I did in t he heat race; I felt like I ro de a lot better in the heat [race] ." As for Carmichael, he was happy with the way th ings turn e d out. But he knows that not all o f the top contenders were in Toronto and that th ings will be a lot tougher when the gate drops at Anaheim 12. Ryan Lockhart (Yam) ; 13. Doug De haan (Yam). 1 50 HEAT 2: I. Rkky Carmichael (Suz); 2. Timmy Ferry (Yam); 3. Tyler Evans (Suz): .of . Mike La Rocco (Hon): S. Sebasti an Tortelli (SUI) ; 6. Heath Vou (Yam ); 7. Nick Wey (Hon); 8. Josh H amsen (KTM); 9. Eri k VallejO (Yam) ; 10 . Isaiah Johnson (Yam ); I I. Brian Mason (. ); 12. Keith Johnson (Yam); I ) . S. Homans (-); ' '''. Clark Stiles (Hon); IS. Barry Carsten (SUI) . 25 0 SEMI I : I. Sean Hamblin (Kaw); 2. Joe Oe hlhof (Hon) ; J . Ryan Clark (Yam) ; 4. Justin Buckelew (Hon); S. Doug De haan (Yam ): 6. John Dowd (Su I ); 7. Jimmy Wilson (Hon) ; 8 . Ryan Lockhart (Y am); 9. James Povolny (Hon) ; 10. K.. Gregoire H. 250 SEHI 1: I. Sebastian Tortelli (Suz): 2. Heath voss (Yam) ; 3. Nick Wey (Hon); 4. Ene. VaUejo (Yam); S. lu iah Johnson (Yam); 6. Clark Stiles (Hon); 7. Keith Johns.on (Yam); 8. 8nan Mason (Hon); 9. Josh Hanse n (KTM); 10. Barry Carsten (Suz). "They made me push tonight, and at the end of the day, that's what it's all about." - Ricky Carmichael bike , and he on ly decided to make t he t rip a fe w weeks before the race, Ferry still looke d like his old se lf ou t on the rough Toronto track. In the beginning o f the race, Ferry was involved in an e xcit ing three-way battle fo r thi rd , invo lving himself, defe nding champ Heath Voss and Sebastian Tortelli, on the Mikata RM-Z450 Suzuki. It w as n't until To rt e lli crashed in a rhythm section that Ferry w as finally able to catch Voss and make his move for th ird . "Sebastian [Tortelli] was all over me," Fe r ry said. " He came by me once, I got back by him , he co uldn 't triple a sec t io n, and we had a pretty good little ba ttle . I I on January B, 2005, for the start of t he AMA series. ''I'm happ y: ' Carmichael said. "[But] I wish Chad [Reed] an d Bub ba [James Stewart] were here. I don't want to discredit Timmy [Ferry] o r Mike [laRocco]. They're out here giving it their best and the y made me push tonight, and at the end of the day, that's what it's all about." eN SKYDOME TORONTO, ONTARIO RESULTS: D ECEMBER 4, (ROUND 1 Of 18) 2004 2S 0 HEAT I: I. Jeff Gibson (Hon); 2. Jason Tho mas (Ha n); l . Kyle Lewis (Hon) ; 4 . Dam on Huffma n (Han); 5. [usnn Buckelew (Hon); 6. Ryan Clar k (Yam); 7. Sean Hamblin (Kaw); 8 Joe Oehlhof (Hon) ; 9 . John Dowd (Suz) ; 10. James Povolny (Hon) ; I I. Jimmy W ilson (Ha n); showed off the long-awaited Suzuki RMZ450 in the 250cc class, while Team KTM's Nathan Ramsey did the same with KTM's 250cc four-stroke in the 125cc class. 250 LCQ : I. Josh Hanse n (KTM); 2. Keith Johnson (Yam); 3. James Povol ny (Han); 4 . Brian Mason (Han) ; S. Jimmy Wilson (Ha n); 6 . Clark Stiles (Ha n); 7. B,)r ry Carsten (Suz); 8. Ryan Lockhart (Yam); 9. S. Homans (-) ; 10. K. Gregoire I-I. 250 MAIN : I. Ricky Carmichae l (Suz); 2. Mike laRocco (Han); l . Timmy Ferry (Yam); 4 . Nick Wey (Ho n); 5. Heath Voss (Y am); 6. Tyier Evans (Suz); 7. Keith Johns on (Yam) ; 8 . Jason Tho mas (Hon); 9. Damo n Huffman (Hoe) : 10. Dou g Dehaa n (Yam); I I. Erik Valle jo (Yam); 12. Joe Oehlho f (Hon); 13. Ryan C lark (Yam); 14. Kyle Lewis (Hon); 15. Justin Bucke lew (Ha n); 16. lu iah Johnson (Yam); 17. Jos h Hansen (KTM); 18 . Jeff Gibson (Ha n); 19 . Sebas tian Tonelli (Suz); 20. Sean Hambhn (Kaw l· T HQ WOR LD SUPERC ROS S G RAN D P RIX SE RIES POINTS STAN DINGS (Aher I of 18 rounds): I. Ricky Carmichael (2511 win); 2. Mike laRocco (22); 3. Timmy Ferry (20); 4. Nick Wey (18); S. Heath Voss (16); 6. Tyler Evans ( 15); 7. Keith Johnson ( 1-4); 8 . Jason Tho mas ( Il) ; 9. Damon Huffman ( 12); 10. Doug Dehaan (I I); II . Erik Vallejo ( 10); 12. Joe Qehlhof (9); 13. Ryan Clar k (8); H . Kyie Lewis (1) ; 15. Justin Buckelew (6); 16. Isaiah Jo hnso n (5); 17. Josh Hansen (-4); 18 . Jeff Gibso n (l); 19. Sebastian Ton elli (2); 20. Sean Hamblin ( I ). www.cyclenews.com The visiting American riders domina ted the 125cc Support class. Team KTMlRed Bull's Nathan Ramsey ran away with the first heat race, while Team ECC/Honda's Bobby Kiniry took the win in the second heat race . In the main event, Ramsey and Kiniry stayed close to each other for most of the race . Ramsey got the holeshot, followed by Kiniry, and after that the two riders just checked out. Towar d the end of the race, they wer e well over 20 seconds ahea d of the third-place r ide r. Across the finish line it wa s Ramsey, followed by Kiniry in seco nd and Canadian Ryan Lockhart in third . The track in Toronto was easily one of the biggest that the riders have been on be fore . The dirt that was used also didn't hold up very well over the course of the night. The whoops broke down and ruts formed all ove r. Many riders felt that because of this it added to the challenge and made passing difficult at times . "The track just kind of kept deteriorating more and more," Tim Ferry said. "It was rocky, and it was pretty tough . It was one of the tougher tracks I have ridden on in quite awhile. It reminded me of a track from like '97...really rutty and stuff. That kind of separated everybody; It made it tough ," CYCLE N EWS • DECEMBER 15,2004 19

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