Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

tr an a a lap l a t e r for the sec ond p o sit i on , and Skagg s pass ed Pastrana so o n there aft er. Roncada w as n ow up to sixth place , and Smith was pressuring Walker for the l ead . Sm it h ev en tuall y passed Walker , wh ose bik e was now sp ew ing coo la nt, a nd gapp ed so m e d i st a nc e , whi le Ron c ad a was now up to fo urth and putt ing p ressur e on Sk agg s. Sm ith ca me ac ro ss f o r t he fi n a l lap , but whe n it w as W alk er 's turn to come around , th e G e o r g i an just n e v er ca me by . Instea d , Pastran a wa s now i n second and Ronca d a was in third after p assing Skaggs. Walker's bik e h ad blown up, once ag ain , b u t he took it all i n IAbove) Nick Wey earned runner-up honors i n the 125cc c la s s , making It a 1-2 sweep f o r the " M i c h lgia n Mafia." (Right) Tallon Vo h la nd fi n i shed t hird overall. MOT01 Skaggs pulled t h e hol esh ot and was award ed $500 from T HQ for h is efforts , wh ile Pastrana , Sp litF ire /Pro Circu i t 's Nath an Ramsey and Wey followe d in tow. Pastra na t o ok o ver the l e a d b e f or e th e f irst la p w as ha lfway over and began to pull awa y from the field . Pastrana would be the fi rst rider to co m e acro ss the f ini sh lin e f or the c ompletio n of la p o ne to tak e the green flag, and the thril led teenager pulled o ff a heel-cli cke r o v e r the plateau j u m p . Lamson had moved into second at the end of the firs t lap, with S ka g g s , Horton and Vohland chasing . Planet Honda/Answer/HJC's Matt Walker was charging towa rds the front, as well as Smith , Weyand Currie . Championship contender Ronca da started around 18th and was up to ninth several laps later. Walker and Smit h looked to be th e two fastest riders on the t rac k as the y have shown before that th ey are both good m ud rid ers . B y th e f our t h la p , Wal ker a n d Sm ith w ere up to seco nd and th ird behi nd Pastran a and we re ree li ng h im in . Two laps lat er , Wa lk er had tak en o ve r th e lead a nd w as in a fa m il i ar posit ion. (W alke r led earl y in th e mud at Budds Cre ek in 199 9 also , but was fo rce d out of the rac e when his bik e q u it. ) Sm ith c aug ht and p assed Pas- self. " I' m real h appy an d I want to thank KTM. I've always done good in the mud and I'm going to clean up and get ready for the second moto and tr y to do it again ." " I got a b ad sta rt a nd was way back ," Roncada said . "I passed a lot of people who were stuck in a huge rut and just kept charging ." " Gu y s were falli ng eve rywhe re ," third -place finis her Skaggs sa id . " I go t a great start and that helped a lot too . Thi s is coo l fo r m e and I' m happy for our Hus k y team, too." And what h a p p ene d to Past ra n a who wo u ld ev ent ua lly c ross in 13 th b u t was cre di te d wit h 16th? " M y spark pl ug cap c ame off way in th e back o n the final lap ," Pastran a said. " A fan w as help ing m e pu sh it and he said, 'hey your sp ark plu g cap is off.' We put it back o n and I finished, but I was docke d for outsid e assista nce ." "I rode by Pastra na while he w as stuck and he waved at me," Vohland said. " I couldn 't beli eve it !" MOT0 2 The heaviest ra in of the day c am e m inutes before the second moto. T he track was now full of m in i rivers and lakes . Vohland grabbed the start as the ent ire fi eld g ot covered w ith mud leaving the gate. Lamson, Pastrana and Horton fo ll ow ed Vohland going into turn two. Pa st r a n a quickly passed Vohl a nd fo r the l e a d se v e r a l t u rns l a t e r bu t a hu ge puddl e of wa ter s lowed his pro g r e s s and Vo hla n d go t bac k by . Wey sta rted in about seventh, w hile Kelly S m it h w a s aro und 2 0t h . Ron c ad a was even farther back. Vo hland led fo r q uite some time, but Pastrana held down the second p o siti o n and ke pt him hon est . Lamson went off str id e. "It blew up going up a hill ," he sa id . " T h is is the second time th at this ha s happened to me wh ile run ning up front. I have nothi ng but bad luck ." Sm ith crossed a lap later for hi s fi rst -ev er moto win , but when the sec o nd -p la ce ri der c am e ac ross, it was Roncada, no t Pastra na . Skaggs ca me ac ross next fo r thi rd, givi ng Husqv ar na it s best eve r 125cc Am erican fi nis h . L am so n , We y , Curri e , Vo h l an d and FM F/H o nd a 's Dann y Smith fo l lowed. In th e w in ner s' ci rcl e, Smith was happ y bu t h e remained h is m e ll o w the track on the begin ning of the third l ap but only lost a few positions . Many riders pulled out of the race early or were seen pushing or getting towed back to the pits . Wey moved into third a few laps later, as Smith was now up to six th . Pastrana passed Vohland for the lea d on th e se ven th la p, a n d L a m s on ' s b ik e w a s n o w sputte ring and po p pin g as he acc eler ate d around th e track . Vohl and fell aga in but di d not los e any po siti o ns; st ill , Wey w ould pass h i m sh ortl y t here afte r for sec on d . Smith wa s now o n a tea r reali zing cue I 0 that he may have a shot at the win , and he passed La m so n with only a few laps remaining for fourt h . Pastrana waved to the fans around the track on the final lap and then crossed the fi nish line with another hee l-clicker for his first ever National moto win . Wey was a distant second, with Vohla nd edgi ng out Smith for third. Lamson , Cur rie , Horton a n d D anny Smith crossed next. Roncada an d FMF/H o n d a ' s Bro ck Sell ar d s rounded o ut th e to p 10. "T h at fi rst moto wa s depress ing , but th is was fun ," Pastrana sai d in the win ners' circle. " I like th e m ud . I re ally w i sh th at first m o t o wo ul d h av e tu rn ed o ut d ifferentl y th ou g h." "I passed a lot of g uys bu t never really k new what positi on I was in ," Sm ith recalled . " I took off my goggles around halfway an d it got ha rd to see. All in all, it was a good day. I'm g lad my parents were here to see it." High Point Raceway Mount Morris, Pennsyivania Results: May 28, 2000 (Round 3 of 121 125 MOTO 1 (30 minutes plus 2 laps): 1. Kell y Smith (KTM ); 2. Stephene Rcncede (Yarn} ; 3. Robb ie Skaggs (Hus) ; 4 . Steve Lamson (Ho n ) ; 5. Nick Wey ( Ka w) ; 6 . Paul Curr ie ( Hon ); 7 . Tallon Vo h la n d ( Ka w ); 8 . Danny Sm ith ( Ho n) ; 9 . Robbie Horton ( S u z); 10 . Nathoo Ram s ey ( Ka w) ; 11 . Casey John son (Yam) ; 12. Trav is Preston (502); 13. Rodrig Tha in (KTM ) ; 14 . B arry C ars ten (S uz ); 15 . Jaso n McCorm ick ( Hon ); 16 . Travis Pastran a (Suz) ; 17. Casey Ly tl e (H an ) ; 18 . Chri s Wheel er (KTM ) ; 19. Bro c k Sell ard s (Han) ; 20 . Justin Buck elew (Yam ); 2 1. Bran den Je ssema n (Suz); 22 . J im m y Wilson ( Yam) ; 23 . David Pin gr ee (Suz); 2 4. David Oertel (Han) ; 25 . Em esto Fonseca (Yam ); 26. Tom Welch (Su z) ; 27 . An thon y A m arad io ( Ya m ) ; 28 . Gre g Schnell ( Yam ); 29 . Keith J ohns on (KTM) ; 30 . Lev i Reid (Han) ; 3 1. Matt Walke r (Han); 32 . Duane Evans (Yam ) ; 3 3 . Ja son Wat ers (Suz) ; 3 4 . Ryan Cl ark (Suz); 35. Paul Justu s (Suz) ; 36 . Paul Carpen te r (Hu s); 37 . Mark Wundrack (Yam); 38 . Billy Payne (Kaw) ; 39. David Hill (Suz); 40 . Derek Rose (Han ). 125 MOTO 2 (30 minutes plus 2 laps): I. Travis Pa st ran a (Suz ); 2 . N i ck We)' ( Kaw); 3. Ta llon Vo hland (Kaw ) ; 4 . Kell y Sm it h (K TM) ; 5 . Steve L am son ( Han ); 6 . Pau l Currie (H a n) ; 7 . Robbie Hort on (Suz) ; 8 . Danny Sm ith (H on ) ; 9 . Step hene Ronce de (Yam); 10. Brock Sellard s (Han ); 11. Justin Bucke lew (Yam); 12. Radrig Thain (KTM) ; 13. Mau Walke r (Ho n ) ; 14. Brande n J essem an (Suz) ; 15 . Ca sey Ly tl e ( Han ) ; 16. Barry Carsten (S UI) ; 17 . Nathan Ram sey (Kaw); 18. Casey J ohn son (Yam) ; 19. Greg Schnell ( Yam) ; 20 . Ryan Clark (Sua): 21. Tom Welc h (SUl); 22 . Mark Wundrack (Yam ); 23 . Keith Joh nson (KTM); 24. Travis Preston (Suz); 25 . Bi lly Payne (Kaw ); 26. David Oertel ( Ho n) ; 27 . Emesto Fonseca ( Yam ) ; 28 . Robb ie Skaggs (Hus) ; 29. Jimmy Wilson (Yam ); 30. David Hill ( SUl ); 31. Paul J ustu s (SUl ) ; 32 . Paul Carpe nter ( Hus) ; 33 . Derek Rase (Han ); 34 . Anthony A mer edic (Yam) ; 35 . Dav id Pingree ( Suz); 36 . Duane Evans ( Yam ); 37 . Chris Wheele r (KTM); 38 . Jason McCormick (Han) ; 39 . Lev i Reid (Hon); 40. J ason WlIlers (Suz). 125 O / A : 1. Kell y Sm ith (KTM) ; 2 . N;ck Wey (Kaw) ; 3 . Ta llon Voh land (Kaw) ; 4. Steve Lamson ( Han ) ; 5 . St eph an e Ron ce de ( Yam ); 6 . T r av i s Pastrana (SUI) ; 7 . Paul Currie ( Han) ; 8 . Robbie Hort on (Suz) ; 9 . Danny Sm ith ( Han ) ; 10. Robbie Sk agg s (Hus); 1 1. ROOM Thain (KTM); 12. Netben g Ramsey (Kaw ); 13. Brock Sellard s (Han); 14. Casey Jo hnson (Yam); 15. Barry Carsten (So2); 16. Ju stin Buc kelew ( Yam ); 17. Casey Lytle (Han) ; 16. Travis Preston (SUl); 19. Matt Walker (Han); 20 . Brenden Jesseman (Suz) ; 21. Jason McCormick (Han); 22 . Chri s Wheeler (KTM ); 23 . Greg Schnell ( Yam); 24 . Ryan Clark (Suz). A MA /CH EVY TRUCKS 125 c c U.S . MX CHAMPIONSHI P SERIE S POI NT STA NDIN GS ( A ft er 3 of 12 rou nd s) : I. Stev e Lamson ( 117/1 w i n) ; 2 . St ephane Ron c e d e ( 1 14 /1 ) ; 3 . T all o n Voh tand ( 111); 4. Travis Pastrana (90 ); 5. Nick Wey (62); 6. Danny Sm ith (72); 7. Nath an Ram sey (66); 8 . Rodrig Tha in (67 ); 9 . Casey J ahns on (66 ); 10 . (TIE) Paul Curr;e(6 3) / Kelly Smith (63 / 1); 12. Brock Sellards (60 ); 13. Greg Schn ell (49 ); 14. Robbie Horton (38 ); 15. Ju stin Bucke lew (37) ; 16. Branden Je sse man ( 3 2 ) ; 17 . E rn es tc Fon seca ( 29 ); 18 . Robbie Skag gs (24); 19. (TIE) Tra vis Preston/ Casey Lytl e (2 1). Upc om ing Rounds: Round 4 - Southwick, MA, June 11 Round 5 - Budds Creek, MD, June 18 n e _ S • JUN E 7 , 2000 17

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