Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Briefly... It appears that the Boost Moblle/Yamaha of Troy team will see many new faces on the squad next year. Word has it that only one of its current four riders will return next year. Although it's not official yet, it looks as though Brett Metcalfe will be back on the team next year and, if the rumors hold true, he'll be joined by New Zealand's Andrew McFarlane, who is currently leading the MX2 (125cc) class in the World Championship Series in Europe. Kevin Walker has reportedly signed a letter of intent with Yo1; leaving one spot open on the team. The rider who many believe has the best chance to get it is Jeff Alessi, who has reportedly been entertaining offers from several other teams as well. Bubba [Stewart] behind him, and they were riding really good and were making a charge there," Carmichael said. "I just tried putting my head down and riding some good laps. I surprised myself, really. I didn't do much this week, and my times were just great, so I was happy." Despite getting trounced by Carmichael, Windham had reasons to be pleased with his ride, as he simply outperformed Kawasaki's James Stewart, who settled in right behind Windham off the start. Even with Stewart breathing down his back, Windham kept his cool and slowly pulled away from the young superstar, who looked none the worse for wear for someone having just sat out the last four rounds with injuries. Windham eventually stretched out his lead over Stewart to about five seconds, where it would pretty much stay throughout the race and across the finish line. "It was nice having Stewart back. He kept me honest there," Windham said. "Ricky obviously had his way and ran off with the deal." Finishing a distant fourth was Stewart's teammate, Michael Byrne, making it two of just a few two-strokes in the race to finish in the top five. Finishing fifth was Honda's Travis Preston, who was desperately trying to get on the podium at Binghamton after having gotten ousted off the Millville podium last week on the last lap. The second moto got off to a thrilling start with Stewart pulling a surprising holeshot on the 250cc two-stroke in spite of the horsepower-robbing soggy and muddy start chute. Carmichael, who got pinched off a bit entering the first turn, settled into second, with Windham right behind him. "Bubba got the hoieshot - he had it cut and dry - and I kind of screwed me and Kevin [who lined up next to Carmichael], because I wheelied, which allowed Bubba to get by both of us, and he closed the door. I would've done the same thing," Carmichael said. "If I had kept the front wheel down, I could've gone to the outside a little more, and for sure Kevin would've been right behind me. But I messed it up, Danny Smith will see his contract with Yamaha of Troy run out at the end of the season, at which time he'll be 100IOng for a new ride. Smith says he has offers on the plate but hasn't cinched anything down yet. Rumors have it that he is talking a lot with the Motosport Outlet team as are numerous other riders. Team Yamaha will undoubtedly have a new look for 2006, as well. We do know that Chad Reed will be back with Yamaha in one form or another and that David Vuillemin will not. Vuillemin announced earlier in the week that he signed with Michael Holigan's BooKoo Energy/Honda team for '06. And then there's the oft-injured Tim Ferry, but his situation with the team is still a mystery. Either way, Yamaha is 100IOng for a new rider, and many are predicting that the rider will be Emesto Fonseca, who is expected to leave Team Honda at the end of the season. Team Makita Suzuki's team manager Roger DeCoster said they will most likely employ two 250cc-class riders and at least one I25cc rider next year. With Sebastien Tortelli announcing that he's going back to Europe with KTM, Suzuki will rely on its defending Champion Ricky Carmichael and newcomer, 12Scc West Coast Supercross Champion Ivan Tedesco in the 2S0cc class. DeCoster says he plans on having Broc Hepler back again in the 125cc class. There was some talk in the pits that Ricky Cannichael might ride the RM-Z4S0 fourstroke in Supercross next year, but team and Bubba was in front of me." Stewart was looking like his usual fast self on the now much drier Broome-Tioga track, though big ruts and massive braking bumps were still leftover from the earlier muck. After the long first lap, Stewart was still on the gas and leading Carmichael, and he looked determined to put an end to Carmichael's win streak. "I was loving it," Carmichael said of chasing Stewart. "It was like, 'Get behind ya' and do some racin'.' That's what the fans want to see. I was happy that he got the holeshot." But before the second lap was over, everything had changed. Halfway into the lap, Carmichael surprised the large crowd by emerging from the trees on the top section of the track in the lead. manager Roger DeCoster says that he'll most likely again ride the RM2S0 twostroke. DeCoster said that the four-strokes do have their advantages at few of the rounds in Supercross, but, right now, the two-stroke still has the overall advantage over the four-stroke in Supercross. He said, however, that this will mostly likely change in the future as four-stroke development continues to move forward. "I feel bad for the guy," Ricky Carmichael said of James Stewart and the Kawasaki rider's crash in the second 2S0cc moto at Binghamton, "because I know it can't be fun Continued on page 22 CYCLE NEWS • AUGUST 31, 2005 21

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