Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
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Round 1 SUPERMOTO the championship for sure. No problem." That might have been all there is to say, except that the GP Husqvarna riders appeared to have some game, as Herfoss steered clear of a great battle between HMC Supermoto's Darryl Atkins and GP's Leonardo Bagnis, "It was good," Herfoss said. "I did better than I expected, but I made a couple mistakes early, or I feel I could have matched Baffeleuf's pace. I wasn't worried about the guys behind me. I knew that he would be the one to beat. There's always next time." The battle between Atkins and Bagnis was the best Unlimited race on the track. Bagnis had to work his way past Cole Walsdorf, Micky Dymond and Luke Terlinden just to reel in Atkins with five laps to go. He then pressured Atkins, making a pass for second in the turntwo/three esses on lap 10, when Atkins overshot the corner and opened the door. "That was a really good race," Bagnis of Argentina said. "I struggled with setup, but it worked in the rain. I got a really bad start and had to work very hard to catch him. He overshot that corner a couple times, and I tried to get close in case he did it again. It was perfect. I am very happy with our Unlimited bike. It's still green because we don't have much but a pipe and an ignition on it, and it is very competitive. " Terlinden and Josh Chisum rounded out the top five. SUPERMOTO LITE The new class on the AMA Supermoto Championship block, the 2S0cc Supermoto lite class showed its potential for great brand diversity if not great racing thanks to the wet conditions. Graves Motorsports Yamaha's Mark Burkhart pulled the holes hot in the 14-lap main event, leading a trio of Kawasakis that included Team CurrielTroy Lee Kawasaki's Casey Currie, Two Brothers Kawasaki's Joel Albrecht and Currie's teammate and brother, Brandon Currie. Unfortunately for the green gang, both Brandon Currie and Albrecht crashed while chasing Burkhart. That paved the way for Scotty's Speed Shop Honda's Matt Pursley and local rider Scott Diedrich on the H&S Distributors Honda to move forward, Diedrich moving into second when Albrecht went down on lap five. Pursley then dogged Casey Currie relentlessly, pulling off a pass on the last corner to slip into third place just before the stripe. None of them could match the pace of Burkhart, the former 4S0 rider doing what he came to do and giving Graves Motorsports Yamaha the first win in the new class and also its first win as a team. "I got out to a good start and just stayed out of trouble in the first turn," Burkhart said. "I was worried about the first turn because it was slick, and I didn't 36 JUNE 15,2005 • June 4. 2005 ~ AMA Supermoto Championship Continued from poge 35 races, landing on the podium in the Supermoto Unlimited final and on his face after a clash with Kurt Nicoll over the big urban jump in Supermoto race two. Herfoss was favoring a badly bruised right hand afterward but should be okay for the next round. KTM's David Baffeleuf took the Unlimited Supermoto victory. want anybody plowing and taking a bunch of us out. That was the first time I had ridden in the rain on rain tires. I just took it easy and watched where everyone was. I had fun learning the limits of the tires. This [team] is a good deal, and we're going to have fun and win a lot of races." Casey Currie finished fourth, while Brandon Currie put in a hard charge to work his way back to fifth. eN BRIGGS & STRATTON MOTORPLEX ELKHART LAKE, WISCONSIN RESULTS: JUNE 4, 2005 (ROUND I OF 6) SUPERMOTO RACE I (14 laps): I. Thierry van den Bosch (KTM); 2. Benny Carlson (KTM); 3. Jurgen Kunzel (KTM); 4. Jeff Ward (Han); 5. David Baffeleuf (KTM); 6. Alex Thiebault (Hon): 7. Troy Herloss (Hus); 8. Leonardo Bagnis (Hus); 9. Kurt Nicoll (Hus); 10. Doug Henry (Yam); II. Gary Trachy (Han); 12. Steve Drew (Suz): 13. Nick Daniels (Han); 14. Cassidy Anderson (KTM); 15. Man Burton (Yam): 16. Josh Chisum (Han): 17. Clay Hoenshell (Han); IB. Curtis Cooksey (Han); 19. Daniel Janette (Suz): 20. Chris Fillmore (Han); 21. Justin Ross (KTM): 22. Henry Wiles (Hon): 23. jason Baldwin (Hon): 24. Sam Halbert (Han). Time: 12 min., 48.460 sec. Margin of victory: 6.602 sec. SUPERMOTO RACE 2 (16 laps): I. Doug Henry (Yam): 2. Thierry van den Bosch (KTM); 3. Jurgen Kunzel (KTM); 4. jeff Ward (Han); 5. Alex Thiebault (Han): 6. Benny Carlson (KTM); 7. Chris Fillmore (Han); 8. David Baffeleuf (KTM); 9. Cassidy Anderson (KTM); 10. Gary Trachy (Han); II. Josh Chisum (Han); 12. Matt Burton (Yam); 13. Leonardo Bagnis (Hus): 14. Justin Ross (KTM); 15. Steve Drew (Suz); 16. Jason Baldwin (Han): 17. Kurt Nicoll (KTM); lB. Nick Daniels (Han): 19. Clay Hoenshell (Han); 20. Sam Halbert (Han); 21. Daniel Jannette (Suz); 22. Curtis Cooksey (Han): 23. Troy Herfoss (Hus). Time: 13 min.• 58.955 sec. Margin of victory: .601 sec. SUPERMOTO UNLIMITED: I. David Baffeleuf (KTM); 2. Troy Herfoss (Hus); 3. Leonardo Bagnis (Hus); 4. Darryl Atkins (KTM); 5. Luke Terlinden (KTM); 6. Josh Chisum (KTM); 7. Robert Loire (KTM); B. Micky Dymond (KTM); 9. Cole Walsdorf (KTM); 10. Travis Marks (KTM); I I. jeff Grace (KTM); 12. Alex McElyea (KTM); 13. Mike Bergman (KTM); 14. Chris Tucker (KTM); 15. Steven Ayler (KTM); 16. Joel Tarquin (KTM); 17. Justin Ross (KTM); 18. Donald Wanat (KTM); 19. Paul Nahiger (KTM); 20. Monte Frank (KTM); 2 I. Tim Bobin (KTM); 22. Casey Yarrow (KTM); 23. Rick Pearce (Han); 24. Kevin Ruopp (KTM). Time: 12 min., 46.341 sec. Margin of victory: 9.B26 sec. SUPERMOTO LITE: I. Mark Burkhart (Yam); 2. Scan Diedrich (Han); 3. Matt Pursley (Han): 4. Casey Currie (Kaw); 5. Brandon Currie (Kaw); 6. Eric Wedameyer (Hon): 7. Derrik Dippel (Han); 8. Dalton Dimick (Han): 9. Don Hart (Suz); 10. David Arnold (Hen); I I. Roger Hensley (Han); I 2. Joel Albrecht (Kaw); 13. Donald Wanat (Suz); 14. C. Howell (Han); 15. Ronald Zastrow (Yam); 16. Zachry Lee (Han); 17. Daniel Stookesberry (Yam); lB. Troy Lee (Han); 19. Chase Guthrie (Han): 20. Blair Uvely (Han): 21. Andy Fenwick (Yam); 22. Casey Yarrow (Yam). Time: 13 min.• 28.20 I sec. Margin of victory: 19.688 sec. AHA SUPERMOTO CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES POINTS STANDINGS (After I of 6 rounds): SUPERMOTO: I. Thierry van den Bosch (47/1 win); 2. Jurgen Kunzel (45); 3. (TIE) Doug Henry (36/1 win)/Benny Carlson (36); 5. Jeff Ward (J5): 6. Alex Thiebault (JI); 7. David Baffeleuf (JI); B. (TIE) leonardo Bagnis (2l}/Gary Trachy (21); 10. Cassidy Anderson (19); II. Kurt Nicoll (16); 12. (TIE) Chris Fillmore (15)/josh Chisum (15}/Matt Burton (15}/Steve Drew (IS); 16. Troy Herfoss (14); 17. Nick Daniels (II); 18. Justin Ross (7); 19. CYCLE NEWS Like Mark Burkhart, Matt Pursley has also stepped down to the Supermoto Lite class, the former Supermoto contender putting together a deal with Scotty's Speed Shop to field Hondas. "This is good for me, because I'm just a lazy country boy," Pursley joked before the race. "Everything is different this year. The team is from Oklahoma, and we're getting Michelin tires, and Marzocchi gave us a front end... Testing has gone great. I think what we have is good for a top-three." It was. The rainy Road America weather certainly threw its fair share of challenges at new AMA Supermoto Manager Todd Eagan, although he appeared to be taking them in stride. "There have been a few bumps in the road, but we're dealing with them and going forward strongly." Eagan said, adding that he was looking forward to the challenges of the new job. "These opportunities don't come along very often. I'm proud to be here, and I think it's going to get very strong, very quick." Eagan said that one of his main priorities is to increase the quantity of venues. "We've got five rounds this year, and I expect to double that next year," he said. After qualifying was completed, reigning AMA Supermoto Unlimited Champion Kurt Nicoll said that he was excited to be stepping full time into the 450cc class, with its increased competition. Of course, being KTM's World racing manager, there wasn't anyone on his team who was going to tell him that he couldn't make the switch. "I'm ready to go," the 40-year-old Brit said. "It's really tight in this class. Another .2 of a second would have put me in the top four or fIVe. [Nicoll qualified ninth) I feel really good." Despite losing one of his aces, Doug Henry, to a rival team, Troy Lee Designs Honda team owner Troy Lee said that it's all good. "It would have been harder if Doug would have gone to an existing team, but Yamaha has come in, and they're going to help grow this sport," Lee said before the racing commenced. "Obviously, we want to come out of here with the wins, but Yamaha is here now, and we've got Kawasakis out on the track and Suzukis out on the track, and when people are flying from halfway around the world to race events here, that means Supermoto is growing, and that's what we Clay Hoenshell (6); 20. jason Baldwin (5). SUPERMOTO UNLIMITED: I. David Baffeleuf (25/1 win); 2. Troy Herfoss (22): 3. Leonardo Bagnis (20); 4. Darryl Atkins (18); 5. Luke Terlinden (16); 6. Josh Chisum (IS); 7. Robert Loire (14); B. Micky Dymond (13); 9. Cole Walsdorf (12); 10. Travis Marks (I I); I I. Jeff Grace (I O): 12. Alex McElyea (9): 13. Mike Bergman (B); 14. Chris Tucker (7); 15. Steven Ayler (6); 16. Joel Tarquin (5); 17. Justin Ross (4); lB. Donald Wanat (3); 19. Paul Nafziger (2); 20. Monte Fcank (I). SUPERMOTO LITE: I. Mark Burkhart (25/1 win); 2. Scott Diedrich (22); 3. Man Pursley (20); 4. Casey Currie want to see happen. I really believe in this sport, man. It's like urban Supercross." Speaking of Troy Lee Designs Honda riders, Michigander Craig Fillmore told Cycle News that he is moving to California for the 200S season. "It's going to be quite a change, but it should be a benefit to my racing," Fillmore said. "It's a big change - I just graduated high school - but it will be good to be closer to the mechanics and stuff, so if my bike breaks, I won't have to wait a week to get the parts and miss all that riding. I'll be able to train and ride with Jeff [Ward). I think I'm going to learn a lot." Red Bull KTM's Jurgen Kunzel was hopeful that he could improve on his runner-up finish in the 2004 AMA Supermoto Championship by taking the whole shebang this year. "We'll see," said the German, who thinks that he is more mentally prepared this year. "But all of the teams have made a step. and I think it will be harder this year, but if I get a good start and have a good feeling on the racetrack. I can make a good place." Kunzel backed it up with two third-place finishes in Supermoto. Doug Henry got off on the right foot when he won Superpole just prior to the start of Supermoto race one, earning the pole for both races. Henry followed Kunzel in the four-rider lineup, beating Kunzel's I-minute, 8.S-second flying lap with a I:08.4. Jeff Ward could only muster a I:09.2, and Thierry van den Bosch crashed in the dirt section, sealing the deal for Henry. Even with the rain forcing AMA officials to alter the course, Henry said that his time still meant something. "It means I have the fastest lap," he said. "That's good. That always means something. I could have done a few things better, but I was taking it a little bit easy out there." Doug Henry echoed the sentiments of many of the Supermoto-c1ass riders regarding the new two-race format. "I love it," he said. "Last year, the guys who ran both classes got so much more track time, and it was really a benefit. They were becoming better riders. Otherwise, we get one 10-minute practice, and that's not much practice at aiL" Travis Frassetto won the Honda Red Riders Junior Supermoto Challenge. J.D. Beach was second, and Nicholas Hansen was third. The race called after seven laps when Natasha Wascheck crashed in the turntwo/three area and required medical assistance. Initial indications were that Wascheck suffered a broken collarbone in the crash. (IB); 5. Brandon Currie (16); 6. Eric Wedameyer (15); 7. Derrik Dippel (14): B. Dalton Dimick (13): 9. Don Hart (12); 10. David Arnold (II); I I. Roger Hensley (I O); 12. joel Albrecht (9); 13. Donald Wanat (8); 14. C. Howell (7); 15. Ronald Zastrow (6); 16. Zachry Lee (5); 17. Daniel Stookesberry (4); 18. Troy Lee (3); 19. Chase Guthrie (2); 20. Blair Lively (I). UPCOMING ROUNDS Round 2: Shawano, Wisconsin, July 30 Round 3: Copper Mounlain, Colorado, Augusl20