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/128409
do, so it feels good to come in and know that my program is working, get these two victories, [now it's time) to go back home and work harder. I know my dad is going to be all over me [as far) training hard and trying to get ready." In Vancouver, however, Stewart already looked ready, posting top lap times over the course of the weekend, easily winning his heat race over Reed, and flat-out dominating the main event on his Jeremy Albrecht-tuned Kawasaki. As for defending AHA and World GP Supercross Champion Carmichael, and former Supercross champ Reed, they never really had a chance in the main event. Neither rider got a very good jump off the line, which left them mired in the pack as the 20-rider field squeezed through the first turn, while Stewart got away cleanly and took full advantage of the situation. Unbound Energy/Moto XXX's Kyle Lewis actually got the holeshot, but Stewart qUickly flew past him and immediately developed a comfortable lead, even before completing the first lap. Reed and Carmichael, meanwhile, were just lucky enough to make it through the first turn without crashing, as there was a lot of bumping and elboWing going on - not to mention falling - from the moment the gate dropped all the way through the first turn, and then some. "The race was kind of a little hectic there at the beginning," Reed said. "Me and Ricky were kind of banging bars, and I almost landed on him one time; felt like riding in the 125 class again. The straightaway, I think it was Ivan [Tedesco), he kind of jumped on the back of me a little bit," Reed said. "I felt [him) kind of push me off to the left, and then, when I turned and came back the other way, there were a bunch people on the ground. I didn't know if he was involved in that or what, it was kind of mayhem. I was lucky to get out of there and stay up." Carmichael didn't have it any better. "I got a good jump, and it seems like when I get over the gate, I wheelie a little bit," Carmichael said of the start. "I went in there, Reedy and Ivan kind of squeezed us all out - I thought I was going down. I saw Chad slide a little bit, and then I saw Ivan really slide. I kind of went around them, and we kind of got all balled up [in the turn), and I made it through. Luckily, I made it through pretty good - middle of the pack, I guess - definitely where I didn't want to be. I think everybody just kind of slid sideways." And that was pretty much the race, though Reed and Carmichael provided some excitement for a brief time during the first couple of laps as they came up through the pack together, with Reed leading Carmichael. Both riders made quick work of the riders that were between them and the fleeing Stewart, and then Carmichael made a nice pass on Reed and David Vuillemin in quick succession on the second lap. Not long after that, Reed cut to the inside of Vuillemin, who appeared to have simply moved over for him, and, before long, Carmichael and CYCLE NEWS • JANUARY 4,2006 17