Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

AMA/EA Sports Supercross Series Round 7: Silverdome Welch (Suz); 14. Michael Koch (Suz); 15. Barry Carsten (Suz); 16. James Povolny Jr. (Hon). Time: 5 min., 57.680 sec. 250 SEMJ 2 (6 laps., ]·5 transfer to main): 1. Damon Huffman (Suz); 2. Kyle lewis (Suz): 3. Michael Craig (Yam): 4. Isaiah Johnson (Hon); 5. Jason Frenette (Yam); 6. Vincent Kamow (Suz): 7. Jason Fink (Vam); 8. Todd Do",ns (Hen); 9. Zeb Armstrong (Vam); 10. Justin Blake (Ka",); 11. Ron Boyas (Su,); 12. Donald Baker (Hon); 13. Nick Walsh (Suz); 14. James Evans (Yam); 15. Jim Neese (Yam); 16. Davey Vezek Jr. (Suz). Time: 5 min.• 57.490 sec. 250 LAST-CHANCE QOAUFIER (6 laps, 1·2 transfer to main): 1. Greg Schnell (Yam); 2. Ryan Terlecki (tITM); 3. Shayne King (KTM); 4. Marco Dube (Suz); 5. Barry Carsten (Su,); 6. Jason Fink (Vam); 7. Zeb Armstrong (Vam); 8. Tom Welch (Suz); 9. Todd Downs (Hon); 10. Vincent Karnow (Suz); 11. Ron Boyas (Suz); 12. Justin Blake (Kaw); 13. Brian Mason (Ka",); 14, M;chael Koch (Vam); IS, Nick Walsh (Su,); 16. Donald Baker (Hon); 17. Matt Karlsen (Yam); 18. Dustin Nelson (Yam): 19. James Evans (Yam); 20. Jim Neese (Yam); 21. Davey Yezek Jr. (Suz): 22. James Povolny Jr. (Han). Time: 6 min., 3.310 sec. 250 MAIN (20 laps): 1. Jeremy McGrath (Vam); 2. Sebastien Tortelli (Han); 3. Damon Huffman (Suz); 4. Greg Albertyn (Suz); 5. Kevin Windham (Han); 6. David Vuillemin (Yam); 7. Mike LaRocco (Han); 8. Larry Ward (Kaw); 9. John Dowd (Kaw); 10. Ricky Carmichael (Kaw); 11. Greg Schnell (Yam); 12. Timmy Ferry (Yam); 13. Heath Voss (Han); 14. JeanSebastien Roy (Hon); 15. Jason Thomas (Yam); 16. Kyle lewis (Suz); 17. Ryan Terlecki (KTM); 18. Michael Craig (Yam); 19. Isaiah Johnson (Yam): 20. Jason Frenette (Yam). Time: 19 min.• 27.800 sec. Winner's Average Lap: 58.390 sec. Margin of Victory: 6.008 sec. 250cc AMA/EA SPORTS SOPERCROSS SERIES POINT STANDINGS (After 7 of 16 rounds): 1. Jeremy McGrath (165/5 wins); 2. David Vuillemin (143/2 ",ins); 3. Mike LaRocco (134); 4. Ricky (Left) Though he's probably embarrassed by this photo, Ricky Cannichael should be proud. Look closely, and you'll see that in addition to his visor, he's missing his brake lever, yet he soldiered from last to a 10th-place finish. (Above) Things will be tougher for David Vuillemin after his sixth-place finish In Pontiac. He now trails McGrath by 22 points. BRIEFLY••• A snowstorm blew into town on Friday, and the cold temperatures Forced the major teams to work inside their semis all weekend, (A bam-like building was provided For the privateers,) "It's a little crowded, but not too bad," said Team Honda tuner Alley Semar. "Beats being out in the cold." Despite sub-Freezing temperatures and not much to see (no awnings were out. and semi doors were shut to hold in the heat), die-hard spectators roamed the pits in hopes of a glimpse at a top rider, Riders who got a little hot in Friday's practice could thank the snow - say what? To keep the white stuff from sticking to the outside of the dome's rooF (which is held up by air pressure), technicians raised the temperature inside. History lesson: The Silverdome has hosted 16 double-headers (two races on the same weekend), with the last one coming in 1993. This year marks the First time since then that there will be two Silverdome rounds in the same season, though the next one isn't until April 1 (no fooling). Some people expected low attendance since Pontiac Fans are accustomed to their race being in April, but a respectable turnout of 50,224 Fans showed up to watch the action. There wene 62,698 on hand For last year's event. While Jeremy McGrath's win streak is only at three Cthus Far), Yamaha has won all seven rounds this year. This ties Varna· ha's best for consecutive 250cc Supercross wins in one season (the other time was in '78 with Bob Hannah and Mike BellJ. Honda has the record with 13 (in '96. all with McGrath), and has twice notched eight wins (once in '86 with Rick Johnson and David Bailey, and again in '89 with Johnson and Jeff Stanton). Suzuki has matched Yamaha's current total of seven (in '81 with Kent Howerton, Darrel Schultz and Mark BarnettJ, and Kawasaki's best streak is four (once in '87 with Jeff Ward and Ron Lechien, and again in '89 with the same duo). Ricky Carmichael had trouble keeping it on two wheels in Pontiac, He crashed once in Friday's practice, again in his heat race. and Finally in the main event. The practice crash came on a tricky jump before the finish line, and resulted in a bruised spleen that was diagnosed at the local hospital. Carmichael jammed his hand slightly in the main-event Fall. Team Honda rider coach Jeff Stanton reported that Ezra Lusk, injured at round one in Anaheim, will be getting on a bike in the next week or so, though he doesn't plan to race for some time after that. 10 MARCH 1. 2000' cue • e n • _ When it was announced that Team Yamaha's Jimmy Button injured seriously in San Diego - had taken six steps with the aid of a walker earlier in the week, the crowd gave a big cheer of support. Button was also able to "pretty much help himself up - out of bed, according to team manager Keith McCarty, and he could stand up For 12 minutes at a time. The first 125cc heat was easily the best race of the night (if not the year), with Team Suzuki's Travis Pastrana taking his firstever AMAlEA Sports win after a race-long battle with Yamaha of Troy's Ernesto Fonseca, FMF/Honda's Michael Brandes and SplitFire/Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Nick Wey. The race was nearly seven seconds Faster than the First heat. The 125cc LCQ was also good, with Branden Jessemen passing Tyler Evans up the Face of the finish-line jump to score the win, A trio of small jumps beFore a huge triple inspired creativity in some of the riders. Most simply doubled in and singled out, but doing so landed them just beFore the Following triple. Pastrana doubled the first two jumps but landed only his rear wheelan the downside of the second jump, then carried his front wheel over the third bump in a BMX-style manual wheelie (he was later immitated by Brock Sellards, David Vuillemin and others). Ricky Carmichael was one of the Few riders able to actually triple the first three jumps. As usual, the Pontiac track climbed into the stands, made a turn, and came back down, but this year that section was just after the start straight. Said start straight ran the entire length of the stadium Floor, so speeds were high by the time riders hit tum one, which funneled them into the narrow uphill. The turn at the top was a hairpin, so riders were qUickly spread out, making a strong start even more important than usual. Spreading them out even Further was a cool chasm jump at the bottom of the downhill: the latter halF of the pack could rarely double that obstacle on lap one. The uphill will reportedly be eliminated For the next Pontiac round in April, though an over-under bridge will be added. In case you were wondering why Michael Brandes was not included in the points standings Following his win last week in Indianapolis, don't worry. The FMF/Honda winner had originally signed up to ride the Western Region, and the AMA didn't have him in its computer as an Eastern rider. The oversight has been rectified, and Following his sixth-place finish in Pontiac, Brandes is second in the points chase. With McGrath's absolute dominance of Supercross over the past several years. there haven't been many wins to go around for the other riders. For example, other than McGrath, eight riders in Pontiac's main event had ever scored a 250cc SX victory in their ~areer (for a total of 22 wins between s Carmichael (113): 5. Kevin Windham (liD); 6. Sebostien Tortelli (105); 7, (TIE) Greg Albertyn/Damon Huffmon (92); 9. Timmy Ferry (81); 10. John Do"'d (77); 11, Larry Ward (70); 12. Brock Sellards (44); 13. Heath Voss (40); 14. (TIE) Kyle lewis/Stephane Roncada (34); 16. Jimmy Button (29); 17. Jean-Sebastien Roy (28); 18. Tyler Evans (24); 19. (TIE) M;chael Cra;g/Greg Schnell (20). Upcoming Rounds: Round 8 - Atlanta, Georgia, Febnuary 26 Round g - Daytona, Florida, March 11 them, compared to McGrath's 65). Mike LaRocco has the most at eight (two of which came B.M. - or before McGrath entered the 250cc class), Kevin Windham has Five, Larry Ward has three (one of which is B.M.J, David Vuillemin has two (both this year), and Sebastien Tortelli, Damon Huffman, Greg Albertyn and John Dowd all have one apiece. These Figures are slightly skewed by the injury-induced absences of Jeff Emig and Ezra Lusk, Kevin Windham is planning to spend the week FollOWing Pontiac training with Michigan resident and Honda rider coach Jeff Stanton, "No riding this week," said Windham. "We're going to be snow-mobiling and having Fun. I think that's what I need at this point... Though he still had a cough, McGrath was Feeling better than at Indy, prior to which he had spent the entire week in bed. This week he was able to ride, but not train, and he pianned to do some light training after Pontiac. "I'm really anxious to get back in training because I want to whip ass at Daytona, which is coming soon, - said McGrath. This week it was Travis Pastrana who caught a fever on Thursday and only regained his voice on race day. He was only able to ride half of Friday's first practice (and none of the second), but he returned on Saturday to pass deFending champion Emesto Fonseca For the heat-one win. He also charged hard For the first half of the main, but ran out of energy and had to just hold on For Fourth (he vomited after the race). Pastrana is also wearing a small plaster cast on his right wrist (for a thumb injury incurred pre-season), but he claims it doesn't affect his riding much. "It's just like a brace," said Pastrana. "Nathan Ramsey is riding with a brace that's actually worse than the cast I have on, because his wrist doesn't move as much. My wrist has pretty much full motion," Michigan resident Brian Swink was on hand to spectate at Pontiac, but is trying to put a deal together to race a Kawasaki in the 125cc Chevy Tnucks National MX Series. "It's with Pro-Am Powersports. that [MichaelJ Craig rode For last year," said Swink. "Probably a month from now the weather will break, and give me some time to get in shape. " After making his return to action the previous week in Indianapolis, Team Suzuki"s Robbie Reynard was again sitting out Pontiac. Reynard suffered nerve damage to his shoulder at the U.S. Open in the off-season, and team manager Roger DeCoster said that while the nerves are now working, the muscle has atrophied and is only at about 50 percent. "I didn't think that he was ready to ride last week, but he talked me into it. - said DeCoster. "He'll probably take about Four more weeks off, and we'll re-evaluate him after Daytona."

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