Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Briefly... Team Yamaha's Chad Reed did not make the trip to Washougal after crashing Thursday while practicing at Glen Helen Raceway in California. Reed sustained a concussion and did not get the okay from his doctor to race at Washougal. James Stewart was also out. He did not get the doctor's okay to ride yet fol- By BRENDAN LUTES PHOTOS BY STEVE BRUHN Ricky Carmichael has little trouble nabbing his 23rd straight overall win und eight of the AMA National Motocross Series at Washougal was Team Makita Suzuki's Ricky Carmichael's ce to lose. After all, two of some of his fiercest rivals, Team Yamaha's Chad Reed and Team Kawasaki's James Stewart, were resting at home with injuries. But the defending champ could not rest completely, as he still had Team Amsoil/Chaparral/Honda's Kevin Windham to worry about. He would, however, end up doing very little of that. After laying down laps times dUring practice that were nearly two seconds faster than everyone else's, Carmichael owned IO-second leads after just a few laps in both motos, and he would go on to win each time out with relative ease. The win at Washougal marked his astonishing 23rd consecutive overall victory and his eighth of the season. It was also his fourth 250cc National win at Washougal. The Washougal race marked a full two years since Carmichael last lost an overall - which took place at Washougal, when he was beaten by Windham. "I take it one race at a time," Carmichael said. "Racing Kevin [Windham], Chad [Reed], Bubba Dames Stewart] and all those guys, they keep me preoccupied, so I really don't think about [records]. I take each year as it goes and set my goals. I'm just trying to get as many wins as I can and as many titles before this train ride is over." Carmichael again had winning on his mind as he lined up for both motos on his Mike Gosselaar-tuned RM-Z450, as he was out front early and simply rode off to victory. The first moto saw Carmichael take the holeshot, followed by Team Honda's Ernesto Fonseca and Team Motoworldracing.com/Suzuki's Matt R Ricky Carmichael swept both motos in canvincint::i:hlon. After only a few laps in motos, the Suzuki rider had alreacly amassed nearly lO-second leads. lowing the concussion he suffered at Unadilla. He is. however, expected to retum at the next round in two weeks at Spring Creek. Goerke. Windham was buried back in the pack, in I Itho "I was sleeping on the start gate - like big-time," Windham said. "The gate dropped, everybody went, and I was still sitting there. So I kind of stacked the cards against me. I really wanted to get up there and run with Ricky a little bit." Windham, however, acted quickly after his horrible start. He was into second by the fourth lap. By that time, though, Carmichael was long gone. The 25-year-old champ had roughly a IS-second lead, and it continued to grow as the race progressed - something Windham is growing tired of. "It's just so funny," Windham said. '" look at the lap times and he'll be 2:26 and I'll be 2:27, and then the next lap he drops to 2:27, I drop to 2:28. So, I mean, it's just one of those things where I am just constantly a second behind." After Windham took over second, he stayed there the entire race. Meanwhile, in third, Fonseca began to feel pressure from Team Yamaha's David Vuillemin. On lap six, Vuillemin took over the final podium position. The two riders stayed close for a few laps, but ultimately Vuillemin pulled away. "Vuillemin had a little more than me the first moto and he beat me," Fonseca said at the end of the day. "I tried my hardest to stay with him, but with, like, three laps to go or something, he started pulling away from me and I had nothing. I got a little tired." When the checkered nag new, Carmichael crossed the line well in front of Windham, while Vuillemin completed the podium. Fonseca finished fourth. When the riders thundered into the first turn in the second moto, the roles were reversed. This time Carmichael got a poor start and Windham found himself out front. Even though Carmichael claimed his bike was running weird at the start, he still managed to move into the lead on only the second lap. "I have no idea [what it was]," Carmichael said of his bike. "I must have had something in the carburetor, because Washington's own Lance Smail tumed out for the Washougal motocross and did quite well. Riding in the highly competitive I 25cc class, motocrosser-tumedoff-road racer quaJified for the National aboard a Kawasaki KX2S0F. There is still no confirmation from Kawasaki if it will race the KX450F before the year is out. Kawasaki is reportedly waiting for 400 units to make their way into the United States before allOWing any team rider to ride one. If the company does not wait, the team would be forced to use the one-year works exemption rule. Team Green Kawasaki's Ryan Villopoto will be riding the finaJ round of the NationaJs at Glen Helen Raceway in September. When he does, many are expecting him to ride out of the Team Monster/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki pits. Ricky Carmichael is going to be sponsoring John Dowd at the next round in MillVille, Minnesota. Since this is [;)owd's farewell tour, he has been looking for sponsors for each round. Carmichael was happy to oblige. "He's looking for sponsors here and there," Carmichael said. "It's kind of his farewell tour; not many people know. The guy definitely deserves some respect; he's out there kicking butt. I just think it would be a nice gesture. I like him, I like his family, and he deserved it." Kevin Windham had some dirt clods get stuck in the back of his throat during the first moto. "I had a dod of dirt beelined straight from someone's rear wheel," Windham said. "I mean, it didn't even hit anything until it hit the back of my throat. I rode the whole race with a lump in my throat, and [afterward] I kind of had to take a pit stop over there and lost my lunch." Nike brought its shoe technology to the motocross track at Washougal. Reportedly worn at a couple of races already by Chad Reed, the Nike Co2 air vest is set up to lower a rider's body temperature just prior to the stan of a mota. Still in the experimental stages in motocross, the vest is reportedly being used by a number of NFL players. For its moto application, the NASA-like vest has 3.n injection tube just behind the rider's neck, and it hooked up to two Co2 tanks carried by the mechanic. The vest is charged with a now Continued on page 28 CYCLE NEWS • AUGUST 10,2005 25

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