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/128366
What Is pur talc. on pur _ t h u s far? It started out really IQOd - of coune, the mud race I won, and then followed it up with a really strong perfonnance in Phoenix - I felt Uke. And after that It just kind of went downhill. I hit my head in Anaheim II, and I hit my head the Thursday after, practicing at my track, and then fell in San Francis· co with a small little tip-over, and then packed it in really IQOd at [Anaheim III). And now, it's like, lust a few rounds in and It's supposed to be one of the greatest Supercross seasons eller, and now the polnts are all spread out. I'm JUst to a point right now where I'm just like, 'I've got to keep It on two wheels first and foremost' - you kind of go Into a different thought process. Three generations of LaRoccos: Mike Sr. (right), Mike and Ryder. Ryder took part in the opening ceremonies with his dad. Ar. you dealing with any particular Injury from all the crashes you've b ••n having? I'm nursing some ongoing injuries right now, and it's not fun to do a l6-round series with only two weekends oil, when you're nursing a long injury. So it's become a cIifIerem series for me right now· one that I hope to get back and get some more wins under my be/t, but right now, especially here in Indy, I'"" just got to keep the thing on two wheels and definitely not do anything to aggravate my leg or other parts of my body. 50 what exactly happened to you at Anaheim III? I swung a little wide going down a rhythm section and thought I was going to get into a Tuff Block. And, generally speaking, when you land on a Tuff Block you can go ahead and plow right through them, because they are a lot softer than the traditional hay bales. So when I saw that I was going to land on it, I pulled up and I was like, 'I'm not going to be able to do this next double.' Well, when I landed, the bike didn't get interrupted at all. I was like, 'Wow, I didn't hit that Tuff Block,' and when I went to get on the gas to do this little double, I come to find out that the Tuff Block hooked me into a false neutral. And I went to get on the gas and there was nothing there, I packed it in, went over the bars - because of the lack of acceleration, I went over the bars. Obviously, I cased the jump, and then Jell Gibson, who was behind me, hit my bike and me. He said, 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry,' I was like, 'Dude, I was all over the track, I mean, it would ha"" been harder to dodge me than it was to hit me,' so no problem there. I'm just a little sore from it, but just dust 011 the dirt and do what I do best. Do you think that you or Chad Reed can come back and challenge Rkky Carmkhael for the championship? Like I said, at this point I don't think about [it), and to be honest with you, I've never thought about the championship. I mean, there were people talking about the championship two and three rounds into it; it's a 16-round series and this is a prime example of the things that can happen, and generally do, In Supercross at some point in the season. We are definitely at a defiCit; I imagine Chad is probably thinking about it more than me right now. Like I said, my goal is to keep the thing on two wheels, put In a strong performance, but get through this weekend without intensifying any of my injuries, just kind of limp through it. Like I said, It's 16 rounds, I don't know how many are left, maybe I I left, and I've got injuries that I'm nursing along. So it's not time to throw fuel on that fire. I'm here to do the best that I can do, and first and foremost keep it on two wheels. front of defending World Supercross Champion Heath Voss in eighth. Team ECC/Honda's Damon Huffman was ninth, and after getting on the podium for the first time last week, Team Kawasaki's Michael Byrne completed the top 10. eN RCA DOME INDIANAPOLIS, INOIANA FEBRUARY 12, 2005 (AnER 8/6 OF 17/16 ROUNDS) 250 HEAT I (8 laps, 1-4 transfer): I. DaVid Vuillemin (Yam); 2. Chad Reed (Yam); 3. Hearn Voss (Yam); 4. Travis Preston (Hon); 5. HIke laRocco (Hon); 6. Tyter Evans (Suz); 7. Jason Thomas (Hon); 8. Clark Stiles (Hon): 9. Eri<:k Vallejo (Yam): 10 Doug Dehaan (Hon): II. Ryan Poulter (Hon): 12. Derek LeIst (Hon); I J. Bnan Mason (Hon): , .... James Povolny {Hon}: 15. Man $hue ($oz.): 16 Scon Men (KTM); 17. Wilham Browmng (5uz): 18. DaVId Ginolfi (Hon): 19. Nathan Skaggs (Yam): 20. Brad RIpple (Suz). Time: 6 min., 55.91 sec. 250 HEAT 2 (8 laps. 1·4 transfer): I. Ricky Carmichael (5uz): 2. Kevin Windham (Hon); J. MIChael Byrne (Kaw); 4. Emesto Fonseca (Hon); 5. Sebastian Tortelli (Suz): 6. Joe Oehlhof (Hon); 7. Jin DosuJ (Hon); 8. Keith Johnson (Yam); 9. Ryan Clark (Yam): to. Damon Huffman (Hon): II. Antonio Balbi Jr. (Hon); 12. Kyle Lewls (Hon); I J. Sean Hamblin (Kaw); 1-4. MIChael Young (Hon): IS. Jacob Marsack (Hon): 16. Dennis Ewing (Hon): 17. David Hill (Yam); lB. Chris Yv'hitcraft (Yam); 19. Barry Carsten (SUI); 20. Isaiah Johnson (Yam). Time: 6 min., 41.76 sec. 250 SEMI I (6 laps, 1-5 transfer): I. Mike laRocco (Hon): 2. Jason Thomas (Hon): 3. Tyler Evans (SUI); -4. Erick Vallejo (Yam): 5. Doug Dehaan (Hon); 6. Clark Stiles (Hon); 7. James Povolny (Hon); 8. Ryan Poulter (Hon): 9. WIlliam Bro'....rllng (Suz); 10. Derek Leist (Hon); II. Scott Mea. (KTM); 12. Matt Shue (Suz); 13. Brian Mason (Hon): 14. Nathan Skaggs (Yam): '5. David Ginotfi (Hon); 16. Brad R;pple (Su,). Time: 5 min.. 18.66 sec. 250 SEMI 2 (6 laps, 1-5 transfer): I. Sebastian Tortelli (SUI): 2. Damon Huffman (Hon): ]. Isaiah Johnson (Yom); 4. Kenh l0oo.on (Yom); S. Ryan C1arl< (Yom); 6. Joe Oehlhof (Hon); 7. Jln Dostal (Hon): 8. Antonio Balbi Jr. (Hon): 9. Mkhael Young (Hon); 10. Jocob Marsack (Hon): II. Barry Carsten (SUI): 12. David Hill (Yam): 13. Sean Hamblm (Kaw): 14. DennIS Ewing (Hon): IS ChriS Yv'hltcnft (Yam); 16. Kyte LewIS (Hon). Time:5 mIn .• 13.1 see 250 lCQ (6 laps. 1-2 transfer): I.Joe Oehlhof (Hon): 2. Brian Mason (Hon); 3. MIChael Young (Hon): ... Jacob Marsack (Hon); 5. Chns Yv'hitcraft (Yam); 6. Barry Carsten (SUI); 7. William Browning (Suz): 8. Derek Leist (Hon); 9. David Giooln (Hon); 10. Ryan Poulter (Hon): 1I. Scott Met!. (KTM): 12. Matt Shue (SUI): I]. Clark Stiles (Hon): I". David Hill (Yam); 15. James Povolny (Hon); 16. J,ri Dostal (Hon); 17. Sean Hamblin (Kaw): 18. Dennis Ewing (Hon): 19. Nathan Skaggs (Yvn): 20. Antonio Balbi Jr. (Hon); 21. Kyle Lewis (Hon); 22. Brad Ripple (SUI). Time: 5 min., 28.32 sec 250 MAIN (20 laps): I. Ricky Carmichael (Suz): 2. Chad Reed (Yam); 3. Kevin Windham (Hon); -4. Mike laRocco (Hon): 5. David Vuillemin (Yam): 6. Ernesto Fonseca (Hon): 7. Sebastian Tortelli (Suz): 8. Heath Voss (Yam): 9. Damon Huffman (Hon); 10. Michael Byrne (Kaw); II. Travis Preston (Hon): 12. Jason Thomas (Hon): 13. Ryan Clark (Yam): 1-4. Joe Oehlhof (Hon): IS. Keith Johnson (Yom); 16. Tyle' Evam (Su,); 17. Doug Dehaan (Hon); 18. Isaiah Johnson (Yam): 19. Brian Johnson (Yam); 20. Erick Vallejo (Yom). Time: I 7 min., I 7.85 sec.. Margin of Victory: 7.587 sec. THQ AHA 250cc SUPERCROSS SERIES POINTS STANDINGS (After 6 of 16 rounds): I. Ricky Cannichael (I~SI5 w;m); 2. Chad Reed (113); 3. Kevon Wtndnam (100); 4. Mike laRocco (99); S. Emesto Fonseca (89): 6. Davtd Vudlemtn (83): 7. Sebasoan Tortelh (79): 8. Michael Byrne (75): 9. NICk Wey (73); 10. Heath Voss (68): II. Damon Huffman (-47); 12. Tyter Evans (-47): 13. Jeff Gibson (34): 14.Jeremy McGrath (31): IS. Ryan Clark (27); 16. Erick Vallefo (26): 17. Jason Thomas (2-4): 18. Travis Preston (23): 19. Joe Oehlhof (2]); 20. Kyle Lewis (20). THQ WORLD SUPERCRDSS GRAND PRIX POINTS STANDINGS (After 8 of 17 rounds): I. Ricky Carmichael (197/7 wins): 2. Mike laRocco (165/1 win); 3. Mlck Wey (136); 4. Heath Voss (1l0); S. Tyler Evans (109): 6. Sebastian Tonelli (108); 7. Damon Huffman (104): 8. Erick Vallejo (75); 9. Jason Thomas (6B): 10. Kyle Lew. (65); II. Jeff Glbron (63); 12. Joe Dehlhof (61): I]. Tim Ferry (54): 14. Ryan Clark (51); 15. Keith Johnson (34): 16. Sean Hamblin (34); 17. Isaiah Johnson (32): 18. Justln 8ucke4ew (25): 19. James Povolny (23); 20. Doug Dehaan (21). CYCLE NEWS • FEBRUARY 23, 2005 17