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/128398
(Supermoto turn two) to run backward on the eighth-mile short track before turning right into a short dirt section that featured a kicker jump that led over a tabletop with a roller jump behind it. The track then transitioned back onto pavement as the racers made a right-hander that led over the two Urbancross jumps, with the riders making one last I 80-degree left-hand turn after the Urbancross tabletop to bring them back onto the front straightaway. As for the crowd, a final number was not released, but it was clear that unlike last year's event, the main grandstands were far from empty. They weren't packed either, but nevertheless, Music City Motorplex general manager Jack Deery said after the race that he was encouraged by what he saw. "The racing was great, and the track layout was much better than what we had last year," Deery said. "We're still counting tickets to come up with a final crowd count now, which is a good thing. Last year we were all done counting before the national anthem." SUPERMOTO Kunzel was qUick off the truck, leading the first round of qualifying with a fast lap time of 58.249 seconds in the first of the two timed qualifying sessions. Troy Lee Designs Honda-backed Ward was right behind him with 58.667, but in session two, Ward lowered the fast time by dipping into the 575, with a 57.983. Pacifico GP Husqvanna's Herfoss also went faster than Kunzel, clocking a 58.056. Kunzel improved his time if not his position, running a 58.066, while his Red Bull KTM teammate, Kurt Nicoll was the fourth quickest, with a time of 58.284 that was actually garnered in the first session. Thus, Nicoll was the final Superpole entrant. Nicoll went out first in Superpole, setting a time of I:00.561 on a track that was slickened by moisture after the sun went down. Kunzel went next, displacing Nicoll with a 59.623. Herfoss was qUicker still, cutting a 58.676-second lap. With that, all eyes were on Ward, but a bobble by the champ as he came out of the dirt section cost him his shot at the pole. He clocked a 59.532 for second, which gave Herfoss his first career Superpole victory. "I just want to prove that I can run with these guys in the race now," Herfoss said. Herfoss made good on his word. After Nicoll grabbed the holeshot, Herfoss ripped by the KTM boss down the back straightaway to take the lead, dropping Nicoll to second, ahead of Kunzel and Ward, who had been forced to race on his backup machine after struggling aboard his primary bike. "I don't know how the hell he passed me so fast there," Nicoll said later. Herfoss was clearly on a mission, and it appeared as though he might escape, building a lead that was up to 3.6 seconds on Nicoll, who was clearly holding up Kunzel, while Ward struggled aboard his backup machine in fourth. Kunzel finally ducked underneath Nicoll on the brakes in NASCAR two on lap five and attempted to run down Herfoss. Kunzel immediately took a second out of Herfoss' advantage, but it took another nine laps before Kunzel was able to latch onto Herfoss' rear wheel. Kunzel then went into stalk mode before shooting past Herfoss down the long back straightaway on lap 12. Herfoss stayed close and tried to retaliate, but he lost the front end in the flat, paved, left-handed turn three and crashed. Herfoss remounted and tried to rejoin the race, but he eventually pulled off. "I just got off the line and into the dust a little bit," Herfoss said. "I knew I could follow him, because it's always easier to follow someone than to lead a race, but I just had some bad luck." Herfoss' exit left Kunzel with a huge advantage over a second-place battle between Nicoll and Ward. Kunzel was able to actually stretch his lead in the last five laps, the German crossing the line with 7.226 seconds in hand. "My start was okay, but I had really good speed over the complete distance of the race, and it was my race," Kunzel said. "I was really confident. In the infield, I was faster than Herfoss, but on the straightaway, he was faster than me. But my run was perfect. I thought Wardy [Ward] was right behind me, but then I passed some lappers and I looked back, and I see that one of them was in blue and white like what Wardy has on. I was on the gas, gas, gas, and then I looked back and see that nobody was behind me." Ward managed to pass Nicoll as they headed onto the banking of the speedway half mile's turn one on lap 18. "That [backup] bike just wasn't working, and I was just making a lot of mistakes," Ward said. "I finally got a good drive on Kurt [Nicoll] down the front straightaway and onto the banking, and I just went by him. I had a good run on him a bunch of other times too, but I just never felt like doing it right then. That time I was a lot closer." Nicoll finished third, another 2.2 seconds ahead of JST Racing/Motostrano.com Honda's Massimo Gazzarata, the Italian running with the front four at the very start of the race before falling off the lead pace. Troy Lee Designs Honda's Chris Fillmore was a solid and solitary sixth, followed by CHM Exhaust Honda's Alexandre Thiebault, who apparendy got over his pre-race jitters (see Briefly) to pass Baffeleuf late in the race for seventh place. Thiebault's teammate Cassidy Anderson was eighth, followed by privateer rider Josh Chisum (see Briefly) and newly crowned AMA Superstock Champion Aaron Yates (see Briefly). Ward was much more effective aboard his repaired lead motorcycle in race two. He pulled the holeshot from the numberthree starting spot on row one and simply never looked back. Herfoss ran second CYCLE NEWS • OCTOBER 5,2005 31