Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Briefly.•. With only one round remaining in the 2005 Supercross season, rumors are in full swing. One rumor floating around: Chad Reed is looking into having his own team in 2006 riding Yamahas of course. Kicker car stereos had quite an impressive display setup in the pits in Houston. It rivaled the Makita setup that has been follOWing the circuit since a few rounds in. Finally, there is a tentative release date for Supercrou: The Movie. The date is going to be August 17, and word is it's going to be a big Hollywood-style premiere. In the KTM Jr. Supercross Challenge, youngster Cade Moore jumped through one of the difficult rhythm sections and doubled both triples. Moore was seven seconds faster than the rest of the field in practice and won the exhibition race by over 30 seconds. Supercross Grand Prix wins), more than any other rider, including defending champion Team Yamaha's Chad Reed. Going into Houston, all Carmichael had to do was finish third or better. He did just that. "I don't think anybody thought that I could do it except for the people that are with me every weekend and all week," Carmichael said. "It's awesome to show the nonbelievers that I can still do it. I don't care how many races I've won or what I've gotten the last five races, and this and that. What I know is I've got the number-one plate. It's just allover with." In front of a visibly sparse crowd inside the confines of Reliant Stadium, the stage was set for the 24-year-old Carmichael to defy all odds on his way to a dream season. Reed, however, was prepared to put up his best fight, while Team Kawasaki's James Stewart just wanted another win. In the end, Florida native Stewart won, while Reed did his best, finishing a close second, just 1.685 seconds behind. For Stewart the rookie, it was his second win in a row and third of the season. Even more impressive is the fact that his three wins have come in the last five races. Stewart had a rough night, though. He suffered a nasty get-off in the first whoop section that saw his bike cartwheel violently while he bailed off, landing just far enough away to avoid the flipping Kawasaki. The crash could have rattled anyone's nerves, but Stewart remained calm. In his semi, Stewart seemed to be slightly tentative, but he won it easily. Once in the main event, however, Stewart rode his own race, up front and relatively unchallenged the entire time. When it was all over, Stewart said a little motherly pep talk made all the difference for him. "I think the biggest thing that changed my night around is that this is the first race that my mom has been to since Phoenix," Stewart said. "We had a really serious talk between the heat race and the semi. I think that changed a lot of things for me. She doesn't really speak up about anything, and she spoke her mind that time. So it was really different. She was just saying like, 'Son, I just want you to go out there and have fun. I didn't come to watch you get hurt. If you get 20th that's fine with me, but when you come off the track, have a smile on your face.''' As for the crash in his heat, "I went down pretty hard," Stewart said. "I actually kind of got lucky the way I fell. We went back to the pits. I've got to give it up to my mechanic Ueremy Albrecht]. We changed pretty much that whole bike, from the subfranne to the front end, and I've got to give it up to the guys from Kawasaki. It was tough. I was really struggling in the semi and stuff. I got a good start in the main. Kyle Lewis was - he about took me out a few times - really going for it. But I got around him and kind of just rode my own pace." Team Moto XXX's Lewis was up front after grabbing the $1500 Butterfinger Crisp Holeshot award. Reed enjoyed the fresh face at the front for a few laps. "At the beginning of the race, it was kind of fun," Reed said. "Because [there were] the three of us [Reed, Stewart and Carmichael]... then Lewis was in front, and he was kind of battling like he was going to win the race, and it was... I was kind of sitting back, kind of laughing at that. It was kind of fun to have someone up there that maybe couldn't win the race but [was] battling like he could. It was kind of cool." It didn't last long, though. On the third So why does it seem that James Stewart is crashing regularly aboard his Kawasaki 2501 He says it's not the power. "If it was power,l think I should be looping out," Stewart said. "I should be going the opposite way. I've been endoing." After wrapping up the title a round early, Ricky Carmichael says the gloves are coming off next week in Las Vegas. "I don't think I am the same rider that I was [at the beginningJ," Carmichael said. "My riding style [now) is different... I'm hesitant. Next week. I don't have anything to lose. I'm not going to go out there and ride dirty or anything, butI'm definitely not going to think twice about what the repercussions of it could be." Participation in the 125cc class was sparse. There were only 38 riders entered in the class. Daytime qualifiers were not run for the 12Scc class. There were, however, qualifiers run for the 250cc class. Total entries in that class numbered 68. At the postrace press conference, AMA Pro Racing Series manager Steve Whitlock chimed in. "I have to congratulate you guys for riding so clean and riding so good," Whitlock told the riders. "There were times In this whole season when it could have gotten nasty, and you guys were all above that. I really have to congratulate you guys for doing that." The dirt in Houston was soft in some places yet hard in others, making tire choice a difficult one. Team Motoworldracing.com mechanics were grooving the rear tires for team riders. It was said to increase traction on the hard-packed sections. It was, however, mostly for the starts. Continued on page 2' CYCLE NEWS. MAY 11,2005 19

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