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/128370
February 26-27, 2005 OFF-ROAD __ 25th Annual Adelanto Grand Prix Ty Davis won all three classes he entered on Saturday, then hopped on a plane to Texas for round three of the WORes series. very year, thousands of riders and spectators flock to the tiny desert town of Melanto, Califomia, to see some of the nation's top off-road riders compete on, arguably, one of the fastest courses of the year. This year was no different. The Desert Vipers received 2900 entries, with an estimated 50,000 people in attendance. As for the course, riders easily reached triple-digit speeds. Montclair Yamaha's Ty Davis has always made it a point to race the Adelanto Grand Prix. Over the years, he has become known as one of the most successful riders at the venue, racking up win after win every year. For Davis, 2005 was much the same - and he only raced one of the two days. Come Saturday night, he was on a plane flying to Texas for round three of the World Off-Road Championship Series in Texas. It was a plan that would make most give up from exhaustion just thinking about it. For Davis, though, it was just another challenge, and one that he took in full stride. "It was a long day," Davis said. "I started out by getting up at 5:30 or 6:00 in the moming for Melanto. I rode three classes then left, got a quick bite to eat and was home by 10 [p.m.]. I flew in the next day and arrived around 8 [a.m.), got to the track by 8:30, did a track walk and then raced. Saturday and Sunday were like one long day and seemed like they never happened." But they did happen. Davis had success on E 58 MARCH 23, 2005 • both days of racing. On Sawrday, Davis won all three classes he raced, and on Sunday, he finished third at the two-hour-Iong muddy Pro race. In Melanto, one of his three class wins came in the $15,000 Pro race at the end of Sawrday. Davis didn't get a good start; in fact, he was last off the line, but he still was in the lead after the first lap. "I got a bad start," Davis said. "I brainfaded and forgot to pull my hot-start in, so everyone was gone." Lucky for Davis, though, the notoriously rough and fast course was proving to be a formidable challenge for many of the racers. "On that first lap, a couple of guys were going berserk like it was a one-lap sprint race," Davis said. "So, there were a couple of pileups that I went by, and then I passed everyone in the back section, and from there it was pretty much smooth sailing." A few of the riders that were out after the first lap were KTM rider Joey Lanza and Honda rider Mark Tilly. Lanza went down hard on the famous triple jump, breaking his femur. Tilly crashed in the back, but he was far luckier than Lanza. He only suffered a concussion and a few bumps and bruises. By the halfway mark, Davis had a hefty lead and was cruising - no one could touch him. Behind him, however, the race qUickly tumed into one of attrition. "Starting off, things were getting pretty CYCLE NEWS Riders from all over turn out to try their hands at the popular race. . -. I.