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/1542341
,Vtemphis, TN =t AR€1{ACRO55 Round 9 Februory 3-4, 2006 a @E -r ffi --- -ii.I I I finol I Brock Se rds ond chtd'lohhson set ihe siogC foi -round show wn Bv Par Scxurr: rock Sellards came into the penultimate round oI the Toy- ota AMA National Arenacross Series with one obiective - to erase the seven-point gap the stage for a final-round showdown for all the marbles in Denver next week. Sellards, on the Team Thor/Hondy'Iuff Racing CRF450R, and Johnson, on the Denver decider tied with 375 poinB, and Sellards hopes his late-season momentum swing will hold out for one more round. ''l think I rode pretty well at Memphis: well enough to make up some points at least," Sellards said. "We've got one weekend left, Denver And l'm hoping it's Soing to be my best race of the year." Sellards, who trailed lohnson by as much as 34 pointr early in the searon, got some help from Team Faith/ Yamaha's Kevin Johnson and his Kevin Johnson, meanwhile, had taken control of the lead, with Northrop in sec- ond. Sellards, on the other hand. was busy making his way back up throuSh the pack, minus a front brake, which was damaged in the collision with Chad Johnson. "lt bent my Front-brake caliper, and I had to ride the last 18 laps with no front brake - in tralfic and on the gas the entire time," Sellards raid. Despite the lack of stoppinS power. Sellards eventually 8ot into foufth and then reeled in Chad Johnson, who got bottled up by a downed Travis Hodges and dropped back a number of positions. Sellards, now in third, continued to advance, getting around Northrop and then starting to work on the leader, Kevrn Johnson. The two riders dueled to the fin- ish, with Kevin .lohnson barely holdinS on for the win. Northrop held on for third. finishinS ahead of Ro€kstar Suzuki's Greg Schnell and Suzuki rider Zach Ames. Chad .lohnson iust couldn't get untracked and ended up sixth and saw his small lead shrink even further. Kevin Johnson again got a good stan Saturday night, pulling the Weekend between him and series leader Chad Johnson. After two nights of racing in Memphis at the FedEx t 0rr Yamaha-backed Y2250, head into next weekend's Forum, Sellards accomplished his 8oal, setting J I I I * teammate Jeff Northrop, each coming away with main-event wins over the weekend. Northrop got the ball rollinS Friday niSht by taking the Weekend Warrior Holeshot ahead of Kevin Johnson and Sellards- Chad Johnson didn't get off to a great jump and was mired in the pack. By the second lap, Chad Johnson had his Yamaha in fourth and was knocking on =L: -B I * Ar L+t=? i[r' -.: eg fa ,1e4 Sellards' back door. Once he got close, Johnson rammed Sellards after the v'rhoops sec on, puttlflg Sellards to the ground. Sellards got up quickly but not before loring a few positiom, I t |it, .N, P" '!t I I r I - / I I [[. 'lt I Brock Sellords rhqved off the loil .cven poinB thot he needed to <6kh Chod Johnson dt the Memphis AMA Areno(ro5s. 40 FEBRUARY 22.2006 CYCLE NEWS Togota National Ar€nacross S€rics a I i8 7 \ I l-- \ @ ) ,TI l ED ,! -t, i tt I Kevin Johnson won the Arenocross moin Fridoy night, while ,im Neere won bolh Liles moins.