Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Chore Field Phoenix, Az SUPERCROSS Round 2 Jonuory t4, 2006 Ampd Mobil€ AMA SX Lit€s Wcst€rn Rcgional sup€Pcross s€ri€s behind me. That's what happened tonight - Iwas worr/ing a little too much about the riders cominS up through the pack. Next time I have to focus on racing the track, and things will turn out a little better- "l didn't get tired one bit, no arm pump, nothinS. l'm in Sood shape; ljust gotta get the mental edge, so to speak - stronger in the head. I was worried about what was behind me, and that's what beat me tonight. A lot of guys got me on the last lap, so I screwed up. I was thinking podium, 'great, great,' then l settled in too much. l shouldve went after Ramsey, but I got a little too comfortable, and then those guys start- ed catching me. I iusr started freaking out. Once one of them 8ot me, it iust kind of snowballed. I went from second to sixth in one lap, which definitely isn't acceptable-" Gll CHAsr FrrlD PHoENx. ARtzoNA nEsurrr3 JaNuarY 14, 2006 (RouND 2 oF 8) l need to be on the podium,"' Langston said. "l was right behind him a.ound the turn by the whoops and he kind of squared it going to the on-off, and he went up high, and I was on the inside and iust kind of went underneath him. I think because he was kind of skiddinS the rear end around, he kind of turned down, and lwa5 there, and we kind of bumped. I believe Villopoto got by as well." Ramsey held on for the win, followed by Laninovich, Langston, Villopoto, Short and Collier, all ,inishing within just a few seconds of each other Offlcially, Ramsey took the win iust Ll9l seconds ahead of Laninovich. "lt was pretty interesting in the first turns," Ramsey said of the race. "There was some bumping going on and I ended up coming out halfway decent. The tirst few laps [were] pretty chaotic and you're iust trying to be smart. I saw Grant stall his bike, and I saw Andrew and Villopoto wad up in that corner, and I'm goin8, 'Okay, it's your turn.' "Last weekend didn't go too good, and it's a tough class, and there's a lot of fast guys and anything can happen," Ramsey continued. "So llust put my head down and tried to be as smooth as I could. The trdck had more of a rhythm to it than last week and, one thing about it, it was real- ly hard to push on, because you couldn't push your bike as hard as you wanted to, because the ground was inconsistent." After flnishing third last week and now second, Laninovich moved into the points lead, though he'r iust one point ahead of Short and two ahead of Mllopoto. "That was probably one of the tough- est races I have ever done," Laninovich said. "Those guys were all over me, but halfway through the race. I got kind of comfortable and just relaxed and lust rode my race. "l got a bad start, and when you are back there, it is like you a.e ridinS with a bunch of beginners," Laninovich added. "You are in the back and there is a 8q/ that iust barely made the main, and he is trling ta take yau out. Nathan got a good start and he checked out. He rode a really good race." "You had to be pretty aSSressive because of the track," Langston said, 'you know, scrub a iump, be real close to a guy, then sneak up the inside and, basicalty, have to take his line away." Villopoto proved once a8'ain that he's a serious threat for the title. "lt was pretq/ gnarly," he said. "ln the middle of the race, I kind of fell ofl a lit- tle bit and I was, like, 'l've got to stay close, something is going to happen.' And something happened on the last lap in the last turn. Grant put the move on lshort] and then I made the move too and it worked out. lt was gnarly because the first six guys were right there at the end of the moto; we were all, like, within two seconds and anything could've hap- pened." Despite going from second to sixlh in less than two laps, a happy but somewhat frustrated Collier was satisfied with his performance. "l'm a little disappoihted in the last couple of laps," he said. "l should've been on the podium. You live and learn and take the good with the bad. I'll bring it to next week, and hopefully I can be up there. "l felt a liftle out of place fleading], but I felt real good about it," Collier said. "l want to get the Yamaha on the podium next week and not worry about who's SX LITES HEAT I (6 lap., l-9 .o m.in): l. Eri< Sorb/ (Hon)r 2. S.an coll.€r (Yam)i 3. le$e ceillE (Hon)r r. Phll carpenter (Hon): s. lake weimer (Hon); 6. lustln Keney iHon): 7. Billy Laninovid (Hon)i 8. Hichael Sleeter (KTM)| 9. Fon Lrwren.. (suz); 10. Rr& vallopoto (Kaw): I l. Ryan Sipe! (Suz): 12. Andrcw t'lcF lanE Crffi); l3- O.niel Sani (Hon)r 14. Eric Nye (Ym): 15. Iyron laylor (K!w): 16. Vernin l'l.Kddie (suz); 17. Billy swapp (Kaw)j 18. Lorao Darie. (Ho.)i 19. jimmy Had(Hon): 20. r.dam Chatlield (Suz). Sx LITGS HEAT 2 (6 l.pr, l-9 to main): L AndrewShon (Hon)r 2. Nathan RiNey (KTM)|3. Darcy L:nse (K ): ,1. GEnt L:nsston (Kzw)r 5. Justin Bdyton (Yffi): 6. lelt DEment (suz)i 7. l'1ike Alersi (KIH)r 8. Rodn8 Thrn (Kd); 9. Kyle %nrid$ (Yam)i l0 R/an Abriso (Hon)j ll. Brell l'letcarie (Yam): 12. Jcremy Chaurse (Y.m): ll. Leq Re,d (Hon): 1,1. Ben Coisy (Ho.): 15. Colton tacciori (kw): 16. Daryl Ecklu.d (Y.m): 17. Tyson Burmeister (Hon)i 18. Jimmy Nelson (Ho.): lr. Richie Owen! (Yam): 20. Ty r'lorrow (Hon). Sx LITES LcQ (,1 lapr, l-4 to fr.in): l. Ryn vtllogoto (xaw)i 2. Br€ft r'let all€ (Y.m)i I Andrew Mcr lane Cl!h):4. Billy swapp (Kaw): S. Daniel Sani (Hon); 6. Adam Ch.dield (Su.)r 7. l.remy ch.Esee Crm)i 8. RF" Abr€o (Hoo):9. Tyson Tay'or (K:w): I0. Lev. Reid (Hon): ll. Vernon M.Kddie isuz): ll. Jimmy Nelson (Hon)i 13. Hazel(Hon)r l,l- Ben Coisy(Hon): 15. Cohon Fac.iotti (Kaw): 16. Tysn Burmeirter (Hon): l/. RFn Sipes (suz): 18. Daryl Ecklund (Y.m); 19. Eric Nye (Y ): 20- Lo8.n o.ri€n (Hon). SX LITES HAIN (15 laps)r L Nathan Ramsey (KTl'l)r 2. Billl Laninovich (Hon)i 3. G.ant Lan$ton (Ho.):4. Ryah villopoto (Kaw)t 5. Andrew Snon (Ho.): 6. s6an Collier (Yam):7. Paul carpenter (Hon);8. Dar.y L:nge (Kaw): t Bred M.tolre (YM): 10. M,ke AlBr (KTr4): I 1 - ,ake weimer (Hon); I 2. JesrE Csilla (Hon): ll. Eric sorb, (Hon); l,+. Kyle Partridse (Y!m): 15. Jeff Dem€nt (Suz); 16. Ni.nael Sleeter (KTta)i 17. Billy swapp (K!w): ls.lustin Keeney (Hon)r 19. RodrirThah (K.w): ?0. l6on Lawreme (su): 2l lustin Bra)ton (Yah): 22. andrew tl.Farlane C/am). AI{P'O I'IOBILE IYEST€RN REGIONAI SX LITES SERIES PoINTS STANDINGS (Aft.r I of I roundr: L Billy La.inovi? Slor Rocing's Seqn Collier loo&r bork ond rcer Billy Loninovi

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