Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Briefly... Team Yamaha of Troy's Bret Metcalfe, one of the last 125cc holdouts, made his debut on the VZ250F, but his dream ride was more of a nightmare. The "Omega Man" eartwheeled on the second lap of the first moto, stalled the motor and couldn't get it started for two laps. He had to settle for 34th. In celebration of its 50th annivenary, Yamaha decked out its entire team in retro yellow and black colors. "To be running the bike yellow was pretty exciting," Reed said. "One of my first bikes was a Yamaha, and it was black and yellow. So 20 years later, I get to ride it again; it was pretty cool. For them to change, it is a big deal for Yamaha." There was a new semi in the pits at Unadilla. The Butler Brothers Racing team just acquired a new rig. When asked about the truck, Brandon Butler said, "We just got it this week, loaded it up and came here. We still don't know where to put everything in it yet." Privateer Cole Seibler recently signed with the team. After crashing with Carmichael, a disappointed Stewart was hauled oH to the track's medical center. Carmichael said. "I tried to get out of the bumps, just got a little over the edge there and lost my front end." Stewart inherited the lead and began to open up a gap on Team Yamaha's David Vuillemin in second. Meanwhile, Carmichael was charging. By the seventh lap, he was already in second and rapidly closing the gap on Stewart. Six more laps and he was on the rear fender of Stewart's. Shortly thereafter and with two laps to go, Carmichael rode past the Kawasaki rider. "I got up and was just working, working and caught up to him [Stewart]," Carmichael said. "I think he was pretty tired at that point, because he was sitting down a lot and making a lot of mistakes. So I just kind of waited. I followed him for, I think, like three laps, and I got by him - a clean pass - and kind of snuck on the inside there." After passing Stewart, Carmichael got a surprise when Stewart landed square on his back over a jump. "We went down the hill," Carmichael said. "I just didn't feel real comfortable on that section the whole time. I was completely past him, and I just kind of came down there and then just banzaied it - he was behind me, and I don't know what happened. Only thing I know is I got landed on. I don't know what happened - like I said, he was behind me. It's not fun to race like that. I don't know what happened or what he was thinking. I guess he said I jumped into his line, but I don't want to jump in front of anybody if I know they are going to land on me. I don't know, I'm sure there are two sides to the story, and all I know is that I was in the lead and I got landed on. Sometimes you have to think ahead instead of in the Team Yamaha's Timmy Ferry was a noshow at Unadilla. According to team manager Jim Perry, Ferry injured his knee and was having it checked out. There is no word yet on when, or if, the Floridian will be back before the season is over. A couple of women tried to qualify for the Unadilla National. Stefy Bau and jessica Patterson both tried their luck against the boys. Patterson crashed during Saturday's practice, and Bau failed to qualify. There was some crew-swapping going on before Unadilla. Mark johnson left OMS to become the team manager for the Motosport Outlet/Honda team, former Yamaha of Troy mechanic Chad Sanner moved over to Team MDK to wrench for Nick Wey, and Kawasaki Team Manager Bruce Stjemstrom moved to a marketing position at Kawasaki, handing the team reins over to Mike Fisher, a former National and Supercross racer and longtime test rider for Kawasaki. Ricky Carmichael was understandably upset aIbout james Stewart landing on him in the first moto. "Oh yeah, I was yelling [at him) for sure," Carmichael said of the incident. "Hopefully, the TV crew's camera doesn't have a microphone." The next round of the series is heading to a new track in Colorado, one that Ricky Continued on page 19 CYCLE NEWS. JULY 27,2005 15

• Cover