Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

(Left) Tallon Vohland rode well at Washougal and finis hed third ove ra ll. (Right) Pastrana collect ed his second 125cc first-place trophy. Thai n ( 193): 8. Nicholas Wey ( Kaw); 9 . Danny Sm ith (176); 10. (TI E) Paul Currie/Emesto Fonseca ( 167); 12. Nathan Ramsey ( 16 13. Greg Schnell (141): 6); 14. Branden J esseman (135) ; 15. Kelly Smith ( 15/1 win ); 16. Justin Buck elew (76) ; 17. Michael Brandes (67); 16. David Pingree (66): 19 Billy Payne (52); . 20 . Trav is Preston (49 ). Upcom ing Rounds Round 10 - Millville, Minnesota, August 13 Round 11 - Binghamton, New York. August 27 jump, and Travis wen t next to m e and howeve r , and Pastrana - aft er a lost h is b al an c e and lea ned o ver on he el-c lic ker off the d own h ill ski m e ," Ronc ad a said . " I h it Pa ul Currie j ump - w heelie d do w n th e wh o o p on m y left si de, an d he cau sed a b ig straig ht an d acros s the li n e for his c rash, a nd I h ad to brake rea ll y h ard seco n d career N a ti onal win. no t to r u n o ver Casey J o h n s on ' s "I love th is tra c k , " Pa str an a said . "It ran k s right up there with Red Bud head." "Ste p ha ne kind of got o ff t o a bad kind of d isappointed , so in the second N ot o nly was Travis Pastrana a succes sful racer and auc tio nee r at W ashougal , but he wa s also a c o mpetent bidder. The Team Suzuki rider stuck around after Ihe second 125cc mota to help encourage the bidding for an MX des Nations fund-raising auction of top riders' gear. and his $200 offer was the top bid for the jersey of teammate Greg Albertyn. P hil La w re nce made his return 1 racing at Washougal after missing the first eight rounds of 0 the o utdoor series with a seriously injured shoulder. The best Lawrence could manage was 2224 mota finishe s. but it was good to see him and the Strategic 3 truck back in the pits. Trac k ' n' Tra il. In th e f irst m oto I w a s start , " Pastrana said. " I kind of BRIEFLY• •• b um p ed h im in the beginning - sorry , moto I was just determined . I wanted St ep h an e ." to g et the le ad so I could w h eelie all Lamson was al so in the back of the pack , hav ing gone down early . " I the way across th e whoops on th e last lap. T hat was my goa l. " sh o u l d ' v e had holeshot, " he sa id . " I Vohland was second , with Ronca - p u ll ed o ut so clean . Going u p there, da 's charge end ing at t h i rd . " I wa s I' m a ll , 'Yeah , cool ,' and all of a s ud- m issing two more la p s to t ry to g et a d en somebody just cleaned me out. pass on Ta llon , " Ro nca da sa id . So m ebody drilled m e , a nd I w ent in t o "T ra v is ro d e a grea t ra c e , and we had t h a t hay bail. I hit the thing wide o pen . " fun today, so that' s wh at counts ." The t o p three h a d a good b a t tl e la nd said . " I h ad to expend a lo t o f energy out there that firs t m o to to g o t b y Pastrana (who w as p erio d ic a l - rec o v er - I h a d a ve ry b ad start , and T r a v i s was extremely fast t h e r e i n Tha in then wh eeli ed too h igh in th o se t h e wh o ops. H e ' d get me a se cond same wh o ops , a nd Voh la n d ca p ita l- a h alf t here every la p . Catc hi ng u p ized to close and ta ke o ver th e lead on t h e oth e r p arts was j ust b ea t i n g me up. " on lap six. Pastrana went by Tha in on t h e sa me lap , then started hamme r - Ramse y w as fo urth over Sella rds , ing at th e leading Voh land . The tw o T h a in , K elly Smith an d F o n sec a . with the top 10 fill ed o ut b y S chn e ll and were h o o t i n g and holl ering at each oth er a s the y circulated th e tra ck , and eventua lly , Pastrana out-dragged Vohland th rou gh t he w h oops t o take o v er the lead . "I wa s yelling in every comer, a nd h e sta r ted h o ll e r in g b ac k ," Pastrana sa id . " It w a s a lo t of fu n ." " M e an d Tra vis were y ell ing a t eac h oth er out th e r e a n d ha vin g a g ood tim e ," Vohl and said . Th e batt l e for t he lea d h ad c a r r ied Pa st rana an d Vohla n d w ell clear o f th e p ac k , b u t ano ther goo d battle had dev el oped b ehind them. Thain , Ram se y , F on s e c a , S e ll a rds and Ro n c ad a we re all goin g at it h am m e r and to ng , t o t he p o i n t that e ve ry t im e th e y e merge d fro m t h e m any tre e pa t ch e s t ha t o b s c u r e th e tra ck , it se e med th at p o sitions had c hanged again . A l o t was h a pp en i n g , b ut th e main resu lt of a ll th e si f t ing w a s that T hain went ba ck w a rd and Ro ncada w ent fo rwa rd . B y th e ) 3th of 15 la ps , Ron - Ron was in t h ird , followed by F o n seca , Ramse y , D anny Sm ith . Last year s 250cc class winner at Washougal was .Jimmy Button . and the injured Yamaha teamster was on hand to spectale this year. B utt on' s situation has improved markedly in the past few months. and he was quite mobile under his own power. - IBefore], it was such a task to do anything. but now. I'm pretty slow. but I'm okay.- Bult on says he " should be back on a bike by the first of the year. and race Glen Helen and the Nationals next year." Wa shougal boa sted a new start a rea this year. The new start varies from the N ation al-circui t norm in that it doesn't feature a co ncrete gate . The sho rt sta rt straight now ends in a tight left· hand bowl turn around a tree instead of the old right -hander. The old start was still utilized for the " O b v io u s ly, I'd like to win ," Voh - g o in g , and o n the third la p, Vohland ly whee ly ing t h e whoo p s e c t i o n ) . Speaking of Strategic 3. .Jeff Emig was also on hand at Washougal. though just as a spectator. Emig broke his leg and back just before round one at Glen Helen. The two-time National Chernplon said thai his recovery has been challenging. but he looked good and was upbeat. He Is expected to retire this year. but the decision can't be an easy one, as revealed by Emig 's rnut lered words as he watched his firs t National of the year: "I'd give anything to be out there with those guys.- amateur racing. Lasl year. Sebastien Tortelli was a contender for the title until injuring himself with ~ve rounds remaining. so he didn't get to rid e the tra c ks in Troy. Ohio: Washougal. Washington; Millville. Minnesota: Binghamton. New York; or Delmont. Pennsylvania. This year. the Frenchman lost his points lead at Troy. and he increased his defi cit at Washougal. How anxiou s are people to experience Ya maha' s new YZ250F four·stroke? On e was on dis play at Washougal. and when it was announced that the bike would be started. a huge crowd of spectators gathered around just to hear it run. Roger DeCoster confirmed that Ryan Hughes will be on the U.S. squad for Ihe MX des Nations. " He says his w ris t feels good. so we're going to take a chance," DeCosler said. -At least he wants to ride." Hughes was spotted practicing at Sou thern California's Elsinore MX track the Wednesday before Washougal. and although his hands developed blisters. he looked fast. Hughes will definitely be In good company. as his two teammales - Ricky Carmichael and Travi s Pas trana - each w ere ov erall win ner s at W ashougal. eN Wash ougal MolDcross Pa rle Wash ougal, Washington Res ults : July 3D, 2000 [Round 9 ., 121 125 MOT O t ( 30 min ut e s . plus 2 la p s) : 1. Stepha ne Ron cad a (Yam); 2. Casey Jo hnson ( Yam) ; 3. Travis Pastrana (Suz): 4. Tallon Vohland (Kaw) ; 5. Rodrig Th ain ( KT M ) ; 6 . B rande n Jessema n (Suz) ; 7 . Brock Sellar ds (Hon) ; 8. Nath an Ram sey (Kaw); 9. Steve Lam son (Hon) ; 10. Greg Schnell (Yam) : 11. Paul Currie ( Hon ) ; 12. Michael Craig ( Hon ) ; 13. Kell y Smith (KTM) ; 14. Ern e st o F on sec a (Yam) ; 15 . Michael Brand es (Hon): 16. Lance Smail (Suz) ; 17. Chris Gosselear (Hon ); 18. Nic holas Wey (Kaw) ; 19. Chris Wheeler (KTM) ; 20 . Travis El liott (Hon) . 125 MOTO 2 ( 3 0 minu tes . plu s 2 laps ): 1. Ezra Lusk didn't make his return for Washougal. as had been expected. though Alley Semar did say he is riding. Honda hopes Lusk will be ready for the next National in Millville. two weeks after W asho ugal. There we re more Japanese names on th e entry list than is typical fo r a Na tional. In addition 10 the Yamaha-mounted Asians normally assisted by Jim Holley. a couple of riders from Kawasaki' s Japanese tea m were on hand . During practice and qualifying on Saturday. the the rmometer under the Suzuki awning read 102 degrees . Making an appearance al Washougal in his first -eve r National was 17·year·old Todd Gosselaar. brother to Team Amsoil/Fac tory Connection /Competition Accessories/Jack in the Box rider Chris G o sselaar . and son to Team Ho nda mechanic M ike G osselaar. Todd tum ed pro in Trav is Pestrane (Suz); 2. Tallon vobland (Ka w); 3. Stephene Ronca da (Yam) ; 4. Nathan Ram sey (Kew }; June. and decided to debut at Washougal. the same track where Chris rode his first national two years ago. He made it through Sa turday' s pre -qua lifiers, but not Sunday"s qualifiers. Kell y Smi th ( KTM) ; 8. Em esto Fon sec a (Ya m); 9 . Greg Schn ell (Ya m) ; 10. Danny Sm ith ( Hon) ; t 1. Chr is Gossel aer (Hon); 12. Michael Brand es (Hon) ; 13. Casey J ohnson (Yam) ; 14. lven Tedesco (Hon) ; 15. Nicholas Wey ( Kaw ); 16. Bra nden .Jessernen (Suz); 17. Steve Lam son ( Hon) ; 18. David Pingree ( S UI ); 19. Chris Wheeler (KTM): 20. Anthony Amaradio (Yam) . 125 O/A: 1. Travi s Pastrana (Suz); 2. Stephene Ronceda (Yam): 3 . Tallon Vohland (Kaw): 4. Nathan Ramsey ( Ka w) ; 5. Rodri g Th ain ( KTM ); 6 . Broc k Sella rds ( Hon ); 7 . Casey J ohn son (Ya m); 8. Greg Schne ll ( Yam) ; 9. Kelly Smi th (K TM ); 10 . Em esto Fon sec a (Yam); 11. Bra nden Je ssem an (Suz): 12. Steve Lam son (Hon); 13. Mic hael Brandes (Hon) ; 14. Chris Gosselear (Hon) ; 15. Danny Smi th (Hon): 16. Paul Currie ( Ho n} : 17 . Ni c ho las Wey ( Ka w); 18 . Mi chae l Craig (Hon) ; 19. Iv an Tedesco (Hon ); 20. La nc e Smail (Suz) ; 2 1. Ch ris Wheeler (K TM); 22 . David Pingree (Suz); 23. A nthony Am arad io (Yam); 24 . Travis El liott (Hon) . Sebastien T ortelli was doing his best to downplay his injured ankle on Saturday practice (he stretched tendons lasl week at Troy). but it was apparent from his pronounced limp and from the fac t thai he was experimenling with a foam pad on his frame that he was in pain. - II mainly hurts when I pu t it down in righl·hand turns: said Tortelli. Unfortunately. there are no less than 10 right-hand turns at Washougal. 5. Broc Sell rds (Hon); 6. Rodrig Thain (KTM); 7. k a iIMAICHEVY TRUCKS 125cc NATIONAL C'SHIP /I\X SERIES POINTS STANDINGS (After 9 of 12 S e ll ard s an d Th ain . T he to p t w o ro un ds) : 1. Stepha ne Ronce de (369 / 4 w in s) ; 2 . Tra vis Pastran a (334 /2 win s) ;- 3 . Stev e L am son w e r e t o o far gone by this point, Tho ugh Honda is st ill working on an official announceme nt, it' s fairly Widely known that Team FMF/Honda will be no more for nexl season. The exacl plans for Honda' s 125cc sate llite leam haven 't ye t been finalized , but o ne o ptio n bei ng co nsi dered is running it thr ough Factory C onnec- tion. FMF hopes to have top riders running its equipment. but it Will concentrate on making and seiling pipes. Most National riders" front number plates feature a small C he vy logo with the AMA lett ers in the middle. but Tim Ferry's has the arms cut off of the logo. The presumed reason? His Chaperral team is sponsored by Mazda. Team SplitFire/ Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Billy Payne sat out the National motos after crashing in the first tum of his qualifier and cracking a bon e in his thumb. Sellards (258); 6. Casey J ohnson (217 ) ; 7. Rodr ig (304/1 win); 4. Tallon Vohland (299); 5. Brock The Huffman family. which owns Washougal Motocross Park. puts up an extra $500 to the top rider from the Northwest. cu e I n e vv s A UGUST 9 .2000 19

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