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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128377
THO AMA SUPErcross 5erles/THO World SUPErcross Grand Prix Series
Carmichael gets a hug from hll wife Unula after clinching his
hard fought championship.
Kevin Windham won hll heat race but had an uneventful race.
After moving Inta fourth on the third lap, he ltayed there.
lap, Stewart, Reed, Carmichael and Team
AmsoiVChaparrallHonda's Kevin Windham
made quick work of the veteran. After that,
all four set sail, pulling out to roughly a 15second lead over fifth place before the end
of the race.
For a few laps Carmichael and Reed
engaged in a battle before Carmichael,
knowing he only needed third, relented,
allowing Reed to speed off after
Stewart. At that point, Stewart had a
3.27a-second lead.
"I snuck in there behind Chad,"
Carmichael said. "He was trying to make
this outside turn work before the second
set of whoops, and it really wasn't working for him. Everybody else was kind of
sneaking in on the inside. I pulled up
along side of him a couple times there. If
I had got by him I knew he would square
up and try to get me back. I believe if I
could have made it stick, I could have
ended up beating him tonight. But once I
saw it was cat and mouse, I was just like,
'Go ahead.' Then I followed him for a
20
while and just said the hell with it, and
took my third."
With that, Reed attempted to reel in
Stewart, laying down the fastest lap of
the race (49.593 seconds) in the process.
At around lap IS, Stewart, Reed and
company began to get into lappers,
allowing Reed to close the gap further on
Stewart. The Yamaha rider, however, had
troubles of his own with the slower riders.
"Bubba [Stewart) got away, and I kind
of had to play catch up from there," Reed
said. "I think the lappers were kind of
playing a big deal in it. I was just trying to
put good laps together and try to shorten
up the distance. Lappers kind of just...
they didn't really do anything. I got in
around them and got stuck on them, no
big deal."
Stewart got stuck on them also, allowing Reed to close to just over two seconds. Meanwhile, Carmichael was alone
in third, focused on the championship.
Behind him Windham rode around in
MAY 11,2005 • CYCLE NEWS
Thil wal all any_ saw of Stewart in the main. Reed couldn't cia..
the gap quick enough ta make a pall.
fourth with a comfortable lead over
Reed's teammate, David Vuillemin.
By the time the white flag came out,
Reed had Stewart in his sights. It was too
little too late, though, and Stewart had
the win in the bag. When Carmichael
crossed the line, just over 15 seconds
behind Reed, the stadium erupted into
applause. Carmichael had done it. He had
won the title in what many were touting
as the most competitive season ever in
Supercross.
"I'm really happy," Carmichael said.
"I've had a great career, and it's going to
be hard for someone to top what I've
done. I'm just super, super pumped. I've
bettered myself, and that was a huge goal
for me."
Windham finished fourth, followed by
Vuillemin in fifth. Team Honda's Ernesto
Fonseca crossed the line sixth. Right
behind him, Team Subway/CocaCola/Honda's Jason Thomas had the best
ride of his career with a seventh. In
eighth was Team Yamaha's Timmy Ferry.
Ninth went to holeshot artist Kyle Lewis,
and completing the top 10 was Team
Solitaire's Ryan Clark, aboard his Honda
CRF450.
eN
REUANT STADIUM
HOUSTON, TEXAS
RESULTS: APRIL 30, 2005
(ROUNDS 15/16 Of 16/17)
HEAT I (8 laps, 1-4 transfer): I. Kevin Windham
(Han): 2. Chad Reed (Yam): 3. 50""'_ Tortelll (Suz): <.
Timmy Ferry (Yam); 5. T~vis Preston (Hen); 6. Kyle Lewis
(Han): 7. jason Thomas (Han): B. Joe Oehlhof (Han): 9.
Isaiah johnson (Yam); 10. Tommy Hofmaster(Suz): II. Keith
Johnson (Yam); 12. Emesto Fonseca (Hon); 13. Clark Stiles
(Suz): 1<. Brian Ma.on (Han): 15. De,ek Leist (Han): 16.
Chris Barrett (Hon); 17. Michael Sleeter (Han); 18. James
Povolny (Suz); '9. Forrest Buder (Hon): 20. James Stewan
(Kaw).
Time: 6 min., 32.450 sec.
HEAT 2 (B bps, 1-4 'roo""eo): I. RKky Cannkhael
(Suz); 2. DavKl Vuillemln (Yam): 3. Heath V"" (Yam): <. Ryan
CIarl< (Han): 5. Erick VaJIejo (Yam): 6. Keith john>on (Yam):
7. Pedro GonzaJez (Yam): B. Juron Buckelew (Han): 9. Man
Shoe (Suz): 10. W."", Browning (Suz): I I. jln Dosal
(Han): 12. Damon Huffman (Han): 13. Ted Campbell (Han):
1<. Doug Dehaan (Han): 15. Denn;s Ewmg (Han): 16. RKky
Junda (Han): 17. lYle' Evans (Suz): lB. Claytan Mite.(Yam): 19. Tayloo Waw (Yam): 20. Mike URoc