Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Phoenix. AZ • "'enuery 29. 2CJOO AM,A,/EA Sports Supercross Series Round 4: Bank One Ballpark LaRocco certainly didn't need the bad start he got after already getting nicked up in an earlier heat-race crash. "I was actually scared going into the main," LaRocco admitted. "When I went down in the heat, I hurt my shoulder and ankle, and I couldn't even hardly ride my semi, but the adrenaline got going and I forgot about it. I was nervous; I thought I was going to have a bad night." LaRocco made his last pass of the night on Ferry on the last lap. "That was the first time I've ever led a 250cc main," Ferry said of his race. "I was fine for the first 10 laps, but I got really nervous when Jeremy started catching me. I shouldn't have been worried about him - I kept looking over my shoulders, and that's the worst thing to do. Once I started to do that, I started to go backwards. Then my arms were so pumped up I couldn't even hardly feel the throttle. I almost crashed on the last lap. My hands came off the handlebars and that's when LaRocco got by me. "My pace was good," Ferry added. "I finally realize that I can run with these guys. Next time, hopefully, I won't be so nervous." Finishing out the race in sixth, just ahead of Tortelli, was A1bertyn. "That was the best ride I've had this year," Albertyn said. "It was a good ride tonight, solid, but the pace was just incredible out there - so fast. Guys were just banging bars. I think I bumped at least five or six guys out there pretty hard in the race. Nobody's giving an inch." Windham, who continues to ride well in the )leat races but tenses up in the main, finished a disappointing eighth after running as high as third. Huffman finished right behind Windham in ninth, followed by Roncada, FMF/Honda's Brock Sellards, Dowd, Demarini's Tyler Evans, Moto XXX's Kyle Lewis and KTM's Kelly Smith on the thumper. Kawasaki's Larry Ward, who was riding with a cracked rib suffered in a crash at the previous round, finished 16th after crashing on the second lap while running fourth. Motoworld of EI Cajon's Mike Craig finished 17th, followed by Shayne King on the four-stroke KTM, Planet Honda's Jean-Sebastien Roy and Plano Honda's Grayson Goodman. CN "nk One IIlIIIp.lrk Phoenil, ArizIIM Results: January Z9, ZOOU (Haund 4 of 161 ,. ..t:... ~ ~ Frenette (Yam); 16. Jason Wood (Suz); 17. Jason Dubin (Suz): 18. Adam Land (Hon); 19. Mall Karlsen (Yam); 20. Dustin Nelson (Yom). Ttme: 7 min., 47.960 sec. 250 SEMI 1 (6 laps, )·5 transfer to main): 1. John Dowd (Kow): 2. Jeon·Sebastien Roy (Hon): 3. Kelly Smith (KTM): 4. Mike LoRocco (Han): 5. Shayne King (KTM): 6. Kyle Lewis (Sut); 7. Mike Crllig (Yam); 8. Heath Voss (Hon): 9. Erik Anderson (Hon); 10. Jeremy Chaussee (Vern); 11. Ted Compbell (Sut): 12. Todd Downs (Han): 13. Zeb Downs (Han); 13. Dennis Umphres (Yam); 14. Adam Land (Han); 15. Matt Karlsen (Yam); 16. Dustin Nelson (Vam): 17. Jason Wood (502): 18. Ty Carson (KTM): 19. Ted Compbell (502): 20. Erik Anderson (Hon); 21. Jeremy Chaussee (Yam); 22. Billy Binckley (Vom). TIme: 6 min.. 10.J40 sec. 250 MAIN: 1. David Vuillemin (Yam); 2. Jeremy McGI'llth (Vom): 3. Ricky Cormichaei (Kaw): 4. Mike LaRocco (Han); 5. Tim Ferry (Vam): 6. Greg A1bertyn (Suz); 7. Sebastien Tortelli (Hon); 8. Kevin Windham (Han); 9. Damon Huffman (Suz); 10. Stephane Roncada (Yam); 11. Brock Sellards (Hon); 3. 12. John Dowd (Kow): 13. Tyler Evons (Sut): 14. Kyle Lewis (502): 15. Kelly Smith (KTM); 16. Larry Word (Kow): 17. Mike Cl'll19 (Yam): 18. Shoyne Kin9 (KTM): 19. Jean·Sebastien Roy (Han); 20. GI'llyson Goodman (Han). TIme:19 min., 58.420 sec. 5. Margin 7. 9. AMAlEA SPORTS S<1PERCROSS SERIES POINT Armstrong (Yam); 14. Dennis Umphres (Yam); 15. Ty Corson (KTM): 16. Billy Binckley (Vom). Time: 6 min., 2.820 sec. 250 SEMI 2 (6 laps, 1·5 transfer to moln): 1. Brock Sellards (Hon); 2. Demon Huffman (Suz); Sebastien Tortelli (Hon); 4. Tyler Evans (Suz); Grayson Goodman (Han); 6. Cory Beuder (Yam); James Povolny (Han); 8. Jason Frenette (Yam); Armstrong (Yam): 11. Joson Dubin (Suz); 12. Todd Ty Kody (SUt): 10. MOll Korlsen (Vam): 10. Joson Thomos (Vom): 11. Joseph Oehlhor (KTM): 12. or victory: 3.001 sec. STANDINGS (After 4 of 16 rounds): 1. Jeremy McGrath (90/2 wins): 2. David Vuillemin (88/2 wins): 3. Mike laRocco (82): 4. Kevin Windhom (66): 5. Jason Thomos (Vam): 7. Joseph Oehlhof (KTM): 8. (33): 14. Jimmy Bullon (29): 15. Tyler Evons (24): 16. Heath Voss (19): 17. Nick Wey (17): 18. JeanSebastien Roy (12): 19. Kyle Lewis (11): 20. (TIE) (Yam); 14. Jeremy Chaussee (Yam); 15. Todd Jason Frenette (Yam); 9. Ty Kady (Suz); 10. Zeb Grayson Goodman/Phlll.awrence (Yam). Ouch I AMA crew member Janene Welch. (left) who has been with the AMA for 10 years, suffered a broken wrist at the Phoenix Supercrosss, when an errant motorcycle flew off the track dUring a 125cc practice session and struck her. The wrist was broken badly enough to require surgery, but she says she'll be back in action as soon as possible. . cUe: Joseph Oehlhof (KTM): 12. Cory Bauder (Vom): 13. Joson Thomas (Vom): 14. Ty Kody (502): 15. Joson James Povolny (Han); 5. Cory BlIuder (Yam); '6. Faces in the crowd: Arizona Diamondbacks' baseball pitcher FEBRUARY 9,2000' Jeremy McGrath (Yam): 2. Kevin Windhem (Hon); 3. Tim Ferry (Vern); 4. Greg Albertyn (Suz); 5. Sebastien TorteUi (Hon); 6. Damon Huffmen (Suz); 7. Brock Sellards (Hon); 8. Tyler Evens (Suz); 9. James Povolny (Hon); 10. Grayson Goodman (Hon); 11. Heoth Voss (Han): 8. Kelly Smith (KTM): 9. Mike Croi9 (Vom): 10. Kyle Lewis (SUt); 11. John Dowd (Kow): 12. Shoyne Kin9 (KTM): 13. Zeb Armstron9 There was another scary inci· dent during the 125cc last chance qualifier that involved two Honda riders. Factory Connection's Chris Gosselaar and Westwood Intemational's Kuraudo Toda got together over a double jump and both riders went down in a heap, and they had to be carried off the track via stretchers. Reports have it that Gos· selaar was just shaken up and suffered no serious injuries, and that Tada suffered a broken arm and a broken shoulder. 12 12th. 250 HEAT 2 (8 laps, 1·4 tl'llnsrer to main): I. Jason Wood (Suz); 13. Dustin Nelson (Yam); 14. Adam l....and (Han); 15. Jason Dubin (Suz). TIme; 5 min.. 59.120 sec. 250 lCQ (1-2 transfer to main): 1. Mike Craig This year's Phoenix Supercross also marked the beginning of the three·round Vans Triple Crown of Supercross. With Vuillemin winning in Arizona. if he can win the other two rounds in Minneapolis, on March 25. and in Las Vegas, on May 6, he will pocket 5500,000. If Vuillemin doesn't win all three rounds, then the top·placing rider of all three races will still take home $25,000. Last year, Ezra Lusk was the top rider of the Vans Tnple Crown, which made him $25.000 richer. . Time: 7 min., 54.420 sec. John Dowd (16) got cleaned out In the first tum, but he got back up to finish 250 HEAT 1 (8 laps, 1-4 transrer to main): I. Ricky Cennichael (K8W): 2. David Vuillemin (Vern): 3. l..811)' Ward (Kaw); 4. Stephane Ronceda (Yam): 5. Jean-Sebastien Roy (Hon); 6. Heeth Voss (Hon); 7. I e n e (Vam): 2. Kyle Lewis (SUt): 3. Heoth Voss (Han); 4. Randy Johnson stopped by the Ballbark to check things out. John· son's son apparently wanted to meet Ricky Carmichael, which he did during the day. Johnson, however. was unable to hang out for the evening's program. BRIEFLY••• ~ Downs (Hon); 16. Erik Anderson (Hon); 17. Dennis Umphres (Vom): 18. Mike LaRocco (Han): 19. Ty Corson (KTM): 20. Ted Campbell (502). Planet Honda's Jason McCormick (left) suf· fered a hard get·off dUring the 125cc main event and had to be stretchered off the track, but according to McCormick's team man· ager Paul Lindsey, McCormick will be okay. "He was K.O.ed there for about three minutes,· Lindsey said. McCormick took a shot to the head and was taken to the hospital for precaution. McCormick, who was sixth in points going into the Phoenix race, will sit out the next to Supercross rounds in Houston and Indi· anapolis, and will probably return to action on a 250 at the first Pontiac Supercross round on February 19. According to Team Yama· ha's Keith McCarty, Jimmy Button is slowly Improving from the neck injury he sustained at the San Diego Supercross. McCarty says that Button is gradually gaining some control of his legs and ..... 55 Ricky Cemnichael (62); 6. Sebastien Tortelli (59); 7. John Dowd (47); 8. TIm Ferry (46): 9. (TIE) Doman Huffman/Greg Albertyn (43); 11. Brock Sellards (36): 12. Stephane Roncodo (34): 13. Lorry Word arms, and that he is regaining some feeling, as well. Button is also in goad spirits and can't wait to get back on a bike again. At the Phoenix Supercross, stickers and buttons were passed out with the number 12 (Button's rac· ing number) on them in his honor. Jeremy McGrath wore a number·12 sticker on his visor (right). Also, a ben· efit auction to help offset Bulton's hospitals bills is. reportedly, currently in the works. This week recipients of the Va hooSports!. com Holeshot Awards went to Ricky Carmichael (right) in the 250cc main, and Travis Preston in the 125cc main. Carmichael gladly accepted the $1000 for his accomplishment. and Preston $500 for his. Nick Wey, of the SplitFire/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team, sat out the Phoenix Supercross with a thumb injury. According to team owner Mitch Payton, Wey bent his thumb back while practicing during the week and chose not to compete. The injury isn't con· sidered to be serious. Team Kawasaki's Larry Ward decided to compete at Phoenix despite having a cracked rib suffered at the previous round at San Diego. Despite the painful injury, Ward quali· fied for the main event in his first heat race. In the main. Ward was running up front off the start when he fell.

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