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/128374
Aaron and Ie Riche Split National Trials Opener eoff Aaron and South African Bruce Ie Riche each claimed a win at rounds one and two of the AMNNATC U.S. National Trials Series, held at Red River Motorcycle Park near Muenster, Texas, April 9-10. Aaron, riding a Gas Gas, won the opening round on Saturday over Ie Riche, although the defending and eight-time National champ looked a little shaky during the early going. The Shercomounted Ie Riche shadowed Aaron throughout the event, finishing nve points down at the nnish, 17-22. Colorado's Keith Wineland, on a Gas Gas, took his nrst-ever podium after carding 3S points for the day. On Sunday, Ie Riche posted a strong nrst lap, then maintained a steady pace to hold off Aaron for his nrst-ever U.S. National win. Aaron rounded the nrst lap of 12 sections with 12 points lost, while Ie Riche needed only a single dab to complete the lap. However, Aaron turned it up a notch on the nnaltwo laps, cleaning all 24 of the G Briefly.•. Team Makita Suzuki rider Broc Hepler is expected to return to Supercross at the Seattle round of the THQ AMA Supercross Series on April 16. Hepler was injured at the San Francisco event when he crashed in his heat race and broke his arm. Hepler has been riding again for the past four weeks, and he feels that he is ready to compete and win again. "I've been down at Carmichael's house for the past couple of weeks, and he is one of the most fit riders out there, so it is good to be around him," Hepler said. "I have learned a lot over the past couple of weeks, and I'm really looking forward to my nrst Seattle Supercross race." To mark Hepler's return to racing, BrocHepler.com is announcing a contest to win the HJC helmet that he was wearing at the San Francisco event. To find out how to enter and win Hepler's helmet, visit his website at www.BrocHepler.com. Cagiva USA, the importer of Husqvarna, MV Agusta and Cagiva motorcycles, has reached an agreement with GP Husqvarna of San Diego, California, to run Husqvarna's USA Supermoto team for 200S. GP Husqvarna has re-signed ex-World Superbike rider Leonardo Bagnis, who will compete in the AHA Supermoto Series and several West Coast Supermoto series. For more information, visit www.CagivaUSA.com. remaining sections, while Ie Riche took seven more points and the win. Gas Gas-mounted Chris Florin claimed Sunday's show position. South Africon Bruce Ie Riche topped Sunday's round of the National Trials Series opener in Texas. Buckmaster Tests at Barber, Fontana The birth of his second son (see Etc.) on April B was in keeping with an eventful several weeks for Team Yamaha's Damon Buckmaster. While competing in a Formula USA race at Daytona International Speedway at the beginning of March, Buckmaster fractured his shoulder, suffered lung damage and had various other injuries after being involved in a single-bike acci- dent. Unable to fly due to lung complications, Buckmaster and his mechanic took 2 1/2 days to drive back to California in a minivan, leaving Daytona on the Friday before the 200. Once home, however, his recovery was surprisingly fast. "The lung took less than a week to be I00 percent," Buckmaster said. "1 dennitely handled it a little more seriously than a broken bone." The recovery was so swift that he was able to take part in a two-day test at Barber Motorsports Park last week and a one-day test at California Speedway last week. "The only real risk was injuring the shoulder," Buckmaster said. "1 was pretty fatigued at the test. Obviously, I wasn't I00 percent. "It was a good test," Buckmaster said of Barber. "I'm glad I went. I didn't sit at home." Buckmaster added that the test also revealed that his hip needs more attention. The Fontana test was more physically demanding, especially wrestling the Graves Motorsports Yamaha RI around the tight, stop-and-go track. Next is a return to Barber for the second round of the AMA Superbike Championship, April 22-24. Henny Ray Abrams Bubba Goes 51 The April I I issue of Sports Illustrated magazine features a full-page article on Team Kawasaki's James "Bubba" Stewart. Penned by Yi-Wyn Yen, this is the second story about Stewart to appear in the venerable sports magazine in recent months, proving how the mainstream media is providing more coverage of motorcycle racing. The story highlights Stewart's rise through the ranks of AMA racing, including his victory last weekend at the Dallas Supercross - his first in the 250cc class. The story also predicts how Stewart is "destined to change the face of Supercross." A sidebar to the story sizes up Stewart's primary competition, including Ricky Carmichael, Chad Reed, Kevin Windham, Jeremy McGrath and Travis Pastrana. Motorcycle fantasy league game provider Fantasy Racer recently announced the launch of its 200S leagues. FRC continues to build on its original game with the 2005 Fantasy Motocross League. This will be the eighth year that FRC has offered the league to coincide with the AMA Motocross Series. In addition, the Fantasy MotoGP League is a brand new league for Fantasy Racer and is free to every partidpant. This will also be the first league offered on FantasyRacer.com that involves a series based overseas. Fantasy Racer leagues allow you to become a team manager of riders that you pick throughout season. Each rider is given a Fantasy salary, and a budget is provided to each tearn to hire a group of riders. Team managers score points based on actual finishes of the riders that are on his/her tearn, and points are accumulated throughout the season. Fantasy Racer currently has a total of seven fantasy leagues running. Sweet Speed will present AMA-sanctioned professional weekly speedway motorcycle racing for all divisions at the Grand Arena in City of Industry. California. Sweet Speed has 23 confirmed dates for 2005, including its season-opening Spring Classic on April 20 and round two of the AMA National Championship Speedway Series, which is scheduled for September 3. Weekly racing is scheduled to run every Wednesday from May through September and will include additional features, such as sidecars, freestyle motocross jumping and flat track racing. The Grand's hilltop location provides for dramatic views of the entire surrounding valley and is a worldclass, state-of-the-art facility. The $10 million covered arena with seating capacity for over Sooo spectators is the largest and best-equipped facility of it's kind in USA. Amenities include a snack bar, quad Continued on poge , I CYCLE NEWS. APRIL 20, 2005 9