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/128371
Suzuki's Davi Mil/saps takes his second win of the season By DAVE DERINGER PHOTOS BY STEVE BRUHN akita Suzuki's Davi Millsaps came into the I25cc East series as a title contender and won the opening round, but he has had a string of unfortunate luck and bad starts that have hampered his results until Orlando. The nearby Georgia native won his earlier heat race that was some four seconds faster than that of heat two, and he took a commanding main-event win after passing Butterfinger Crisp holeshot-award winner Josh Hansen and his latest nemesis, Grant Langston, on lap two in the whoops. The win marked Millsaps' second career win, second of the season, and with two rounds remaining, it moves him into third in the points standings - seven points behind Langston and Hansen. Millsaps took the win in stride, and he did so in front of many nearby family and friends that came out to watch. His upbeat yet goofy personality is different than those of most champions, yet on the track, he seems to have found his zone as he consistently sets the fastest times and easily hits the whoops harder than anyone in the class. After the event, Millsaps commented, "I was actually riding a little tight and I pumped up a bit. This sure is better than second [in St. Louis], and it couldn't get much worse than 18th [at Daytona]. My whole family was here tonight, and I'm real excited." Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Langston finished second in the final but not before he crashed Violently in the heat race. Langston had to go to the LCQ, which he won, and had an outside pick on the gate that somehow resulted in a third-place start. With twO solid wins coming into Orlando and a disastrous result (15th) in Daytona a week earlier, Langston was looking for a third win to catapult himself into the points lead. M Langston gave the crowd a good show, though, as he battled with Hansen for some time, then started to catch Millsaps halfway through the race. A few small bobbies and a lap per or two did not help Langston's cause, as it slowed him just enough for Millsaps to pull away in the end. "I had a rock stuck between my shift lever, and it was stuck in second gear for a while before it fell out," Langston said. "I guess it's better than being on the ground like last week." Rounding out the podium was Red Bull KTM's Josh Hansen. Coming off a big win a week earlier in Daytona, Hansen once again had his Sights set on a victory as he came into Orlando leading the championship chase. The California resident earned the $1000 Butterfinger Crisp holeshot award and led for a complete lap before being overtaken by Millsaps. A small battle with Langston a few laps later sent him back to third, and that would be as far as he would go before the finish. Now tied with Langston for the points lead,