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/128601
AMA,rEA Sports Eastern Regional 1 2Scc Supercross Series Round 1 : RCA Dome (Above) After riding the first few rounds in the 250cc class, Brock Sellards, also on an FMFlThor Honda, swung his leg back over a 125 and took runner-up honors. (Left) FMFlThor Honda's Michael Brandes opened the Eastern Regional 125cc series with an impressive win. By DAVE DERINGER PHOTOS BY KINNEY JONES T he anticipation for the first round of 125cc Eastern Regional Supercross has been high, and with the depth of talent coming into the race, it was anybody's guess on who could possibly win. With names like Ernesto Fonseca (last year's Eastern champion) and Nathan Ramsey (last year's Western champ) among several others, and the debut of amateur sensation Travis Pastrana all lining up next to each other, it was sure to be a thriller. The fans were not disappointed. The 125cc East riders picked up where the 125cc Western regional riders left off last week in Houston and put on an incredible show for their first round of racing in 2000. Team FMFjThor/Honda's Michael Brandes took his first Supercross victory in front of 52,102 fans at Indianapolis' RCA Dome in what will go down as one unforgettable race. Brandes, who is new to the 909/Dunlop-sponsored team this year, won his heat race earlier in the night, showing that he was ready. When the gate fell for the main event, Brandes grabbed the holeshot and $500 from Yahoo! Sports and never looked back. With the numerous battles and crashes going on behind him, he was never challenged for the lead and he took a commanding win on the thing I heard was a death-rev coming from the inside," Sellards explained. "To be honest, I thought it was Tyler Evans, but I should have known it was Travis (Pastrana). He clipped my arm and took us both out and took Roncada off the track. It left me with a monkey-bubble on my arm, and that gave me serious arm-pump later in the race." Sellards remounted only to get block-passed by Pastrana several laps later, and then took advantage of a Yamaha of Troy incident in which teammates Fonseca and Stephane Roncada were left picking themselves off the ground. Pastrana would also go down again before the finish, and Sellards, who won a main event last year, crossed the finish line some nine seconds behind the winner Brandes. "I fought through it and just finished the race," Sellards said of the happenings. "I was pretty whipped after picking up my bike and all of that crazy stuff going on. This is going to be an interesting series. All the riders expected to be up front weren't, and the guys they didn't expect finished one, two, three." And what are Sellards, thoughts on Pastrana's riding style? "That block pass that he made on me after that crash was good. That would never make me mad. Those are the type of passes that you need to make out there. That was a legitimate pass, unlike the other one. I like the kid, but he's making some risky moves this early in the series." Speaking of unexpected riders on the podium, third place went to Tyler Evans of Team Demarini. The Pro Caliber/Troy Lee Designs/ Bill's Pipesbacked rider gated well and ended the first lap in fifth. Evans was consistent and just rode his own race, taking advantage of all the carnage en-route to his respectable finish_ "Travis is so fast but also out of control. and I just held my pace while everyone was wadding it up," said Evans, who ironically finished third at Indy last year as a true privateer. "This place is good to me. r really just want to finish top-five every weekend and win one." In his first ever Pace Supercross event. Team Suzuki/No Fear-sponsored Travis Pastrana finished fourth. The highly publicized teenager from AnnapoliS, Maryland, had the attention of nearly everyone inside the stadium throughout the night, and when he tried to execute a Superman seat- slightly rutted track. He was also oblivious to the action that was going on behind him. "This was kind of unexpected for me to win this week," the 24 year-old Brandes said. "I've had some personal problems going on during the last few weeks and the wrist injury earlier in the year, and this is great. Without my trainer Alan Goerke and Dr. Alexander, I wouldn't have even been here tonight." "I haven't ridden in two weeks," Brandes continued, "and for me to come here and do this is unbelievable. This is going to be a tough series, and there are a lot of good riders out there so it's cool." Currently residing in Lake Elsinore, California, Brandes rode the Western region for the last few years but was switched to the East for Y2K. "I would have loved for my parents to be here tonight, but they're back in California and so are all of my good friends who ride the West coast races, but my team and mechanic and trainer are here so it's good." Amazingly, finishing second was Brandes' teammate Brock Sellards. Aboard an identicaJly prepared, FMF-modified Honda CR125, Sellards put in one heck of a ride after being involved in a crowdpleasing tangle with Pastrana early in the race. "Things were looking good at the start for me and Mike (Brandes) because we were running oneand-two, but I made a mistake through a rhythm section because I tried a different line, and the next cue I e n e _ S • FEBRUARY 23, 2000 9