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/128383
t is all over. Ricky Carmichael's record-setting moto win streak has come to an end. At the rough and picturesque MX338 circuit in Southwick, Massachusetts, Carmichael saw his amazing moto wi n streak that dates back to the 2003 season come to an end at 31 wins. In the first moto, Carmichael was in a good position to perhaps reel off his 32nd victory, but a crash while running first effectively put an end to the streak. The ricIer who topped Carmichael for the first time since August 24, 2003, at Binghamton, New York, was Team Yamaha's Chad Reed. The 23-year-old Australian capitalized on Carmichael's over-the-bars crash to open up a sizable I lead that Carmichael could not dent. The second rnoto was an entirely different story. Carmichael carne back and ran away with it, easily securing the overall victory and extending his overall win streak to 17. The last rider to beat Carmichael in the overall results was Kevin Windham, who won the Washougal, Washington, round july 27, 2003. The win at Southwick was Carmichael's third of the young season, and it was also Carmichael's record-setting second consecutive win at the sandy venue, and his 100th consecutive National start. For Suzuki it was its first win at Southwick since Kent Howerton did it 24 years ago. Carmichael said that having the streak come to an end will not change his outlook 22 JUNE 22, 2005 • CYCLE NEWS on the season. "It's so early in the season," Carmichael said. "If you worry about it now - mentally, it is just going to tear you down. That's last year [perfect season] what I did, and this is a new year. With the competition the way it is this year it's getting harder and harder. I would expect that the percentage rate of me being able to do it is a lot less." As for Reed, he was happy to get that elusive first win out of the way. "I think for the last three years, I have been Dying to get up there and battle, and try to get a race win," Reed said. '" have aJways been shut out. I have been given an opportunity a thousand times before with Ricky crashing but never was able to take advantage of it." In miserable SO-percent humidity and heat, the 250cc class lined up and blasted off of the newly renovated Southwick starting gate in the first moto. Rounding the first turn in the lead was Team Amsoil/ Chaparral/Honda's Kevin Windham, followed closely by Southwick specialist john Dowd, Reed, Carmichael and Team Kawasaki's james Stewart. Things changed quickly, as both Reed and Carmichael slipped past both Dowd and Windham to take the first two positions. Shortly thereafter, Kawasaki's James Stewart put his KX250 two-stroke into third. That is when things got interesting. After cresting one or the many hills that litter the MX338 track, Carmichael hit a massive braking bump that launched him