Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

but we would've made contact, so I hir the brakes real hard and stalled it." While Stewart and Carmichael worked their way up through the pack together, Honda rider Robbie Reynard found him- self leading the way, but Reed would get him on the second lap. Reed, however, was not immune from making a lirst-lap mistake. While chasing Reynard, Reed went sailing off the track at the bottom of a big dowohill and nearly threw every- thinS away- He went over the huge berm but managed to keep from going down- He re-entered the track and quickly reeled in and passed Reynard. From there, Reed steadily pulled away and soon enjoyed a huge lead, while Reynard dropped back. lYeanwhile, Stewart and Carmichael were working their way up to the front. By the fourth lap, the two were right behind the new second-placed ridet David Vuillemin. Stewaft eventually got around the Yamaha rider. and Carmichael nearly passed both Vuillemin and Stewart in one swoop, but he couldn't make the pass on Stewar_t stick. Now Stewart and Carmichael started battling over second place. Carmichael watched Stewart's lines for a while and then tried making a move. The two rivals traded positions three or four times on one lap before Carmichael had to retreat, his goggles now filled with mud thrown up by Stewart's rear wheel. Carmichael was forced to toss his gog- gles, which pretty much sealed his fate, as he watched Stewart start to pull away, albeit slightly. "l was riding behind [Stewart], but I should've tried to make a pass way before l did," Carmichael said. "l iust wasted my goggles when lwas behind him. lt was tough to get by him - he was ridinS good. But at the same time, the lines, it was really hard to get by, and I was iust kind of waiting for a mistake, I think I waited too long," Stewart said that he wanted to stay in front of Carmichael at any cost, iust so that he could see. "l didn't want to be behind him and run out of tear-offs," Stewart said. And that's exactly what happened to Carmichael. "l followed him for a couple of more laps and then had to chuck my goggles," Carmichaelsaid. Stewart and Carmichael's duel had carried them up to the leader, Reed, whose once-comfortable lead had dwin- dled to about five seconds with a few laps to 8o. Once Stewan had Reed in his sights, the Yamaha rider was in trouble, as Stewart latched on and didn't let go, which also benefited Carmichael- "l could see that [Stewart had] seen Reed, so he was tryinS to catch him, [and] I was just latching on to him," Carmichael said. On the last lap, Stewart was breathing down Reed's neck and looking for a way past, Halfway around, Stewan made his move as they navigated around a pack of lapped riders. Stewan held on to take the win by less than two seconds over Reed. "l felt awesome," Stewart said. "l put 35 strong minutes in, and me and Ricky had a good battle. I was able to start closing in on Chad and went for it the last few laps." Reed - who, like Carmichael, had pulled off his goggles - ended up a frus- trated second, ''l felt good and was just putting consis- tent laps in,'' Reed said. "l could see them battling and was just kind of staying the same. They would kind of catch me; then l'd pull it out again. Then, about the mid- dle ofthe race, I iust started missing all my lines, and they jusr gobbled me up. I couldn't really see; I ran out of tear-offs and took my goggles off-.. I put my head down and iust tried to go the last two laps- .James just kind of put kind of a Supercross move on me on the inside of the berm there: there wasn't much I could do there. I tried turning back underneath, but it was too late." Carmichael finished a close third, while Vuillemin held on to fourth - though well behind the lead trio. There was little drama in the second moto. Carmichael seemed to have a point to prove and, once again, he shot into the lead, this time staying upright and quickly openinS up a comfortable lead. Neither Stewart nor Reed got particularly great starts, but Stewart did get into second by the second lap, and Reed moved into third by the sixth lap. Reed said that he ran off the track on the first lap. "Me and James got terrible starts; we were trying to weave through the c.owd, there were rocks flying, and aguy crashed up on top," Reed said. "l had nowhere to go but off the track, so that was that. After that, it was iust try to get to third and get on the podium-" By the time Stewan had passed Vuillemin for second. Carmichael had already checked out- By the midway point, Carmichael had stretched out his lead to about 12 seconds, and when the white flag came out, his lead had grown to about 44 second over Stewart. who said that he simply chose to let Carmichaelgo, knovr'ing that he had the overall win in the bag - as long as Stewart sayed where he was. And since the track had deteriorated so badly because of rhe steady rain, Stewan did not want to push it and take any chances in the mud and deep ruts. He did admit, however, that had he been a lit- tle closel; he would've made a run at Carmichael- "l 8ot kind of a bad start, and once lgor into second, I kind of sat there." Stewart said, "l knew with second I would get the overall, and I didn't want to throw it away trying to catch Ricky - he already had a good gap. All I had to do was try and stay up; I had fun out there. For the tirst time in a long time in the outdoors, I actually had fun on the racetrack.'' "The second moto wirs uneventful," Carmichael said. "We changed some things, and I felt really good the second moto. When I saw james get into second, I just wanted to put in some good laps. I felt Eood and was just pulling, pulling and pullinS. I think we both kind of settled in and did our deal." As far as seeing his overall win streak come to an end, Carmichael said that he wasn't too disappointed. "l didn't even think ofthe streak. to be honest with /ou,'' Carmichael said. "lt never even crossed my mind one time. I just came here to try and win the race; we won one moto - it would have been nice to have gotten around Reedy. Oh, Reed finished a distant third, followed by Honda's Travis Preston and, right behind him, Vuillemin. CItl PiarRrE CnY OHV Paf,x SacRA aNro, CauEoRNtA REsuLrs: MaY 2l , 2006 (RouNo I oF 12) MX MOTO l: l.lffi* steMn (Kaw); 2. Chad Reed C/am):1. Ricky Camicha€l (Sur); 4. Dzvldvuillemh (Yam)i 5. Kevin Windham (Hon)i 6. Travis P.es!@ (Hon)r 7_ Nick \ey Uon): 8. Robbi€ Re),n!rd {Hon): 9. Dav' I\.liltsrps (Hon); l0-RFnM ls(suz): I L lefi oemenr (suz): 12.lch Summey (Hon)j ll. Kyle Pdtuidse (Hon): r,l. lu$ La.ns@ (Hon): I 5. l&n Thom8 (Hon)r I 6. tlichael l! F€la {suzl: 17. R),an Cldk {Hon); l€. shaun Skhner (Suz)i 19.lunin Buckelew (Hon)i 20. oou8 oeHan (Hon); 21. losh Dehuth {Hon)i 22. stere L,mson (Suz)r 23. Turbo F€d (Yam)i 2a.l@ Oehlhol (Suz)r 2s. c ey Clark (Hon): 26. Cole SiEblEr (Hon)r 27. Derek r'lahonet (Hon)i 28. Jeif Giben (Hon); 29. l.cob Maecli fYamli 30. vernon l'lcKddie (SE)i 31. Clark Sril4 (Yam): :12. chns Sarren (Hon); 13. Jacob saylor (Hon): 34. T.avi, Bannister (Hon); 3s. Gres CErer (Hon); 16. Anttrio lorye B.rbi lr (Hon)l 17. Heath vo$ ciam)i 38. s4n Hambtin (s!u)i t9. Eri. Sorby (Suz): 40. Tommy l-iormster C/.m) Rrce Tim:36 min.,215.25 ee. H.rain oa vi.rory: I .59o se.. ilx l.lOTO 2: L Ricky Cam,ch&l (su)i 2 lams stsin (K:w)r 3. Chad R€ed (Ym)i a. TEvis Pret6n (Hon)i5. David \4rillemin (Yam)i6. Ni.kwey (Hoi):7.reff D€ment (5!2): 8. Kevin windham (Hon): t. Jorh Demurh (Hon): 10. Oe MillsapE (Hd)i ll. Ciark Stils (Yam)i 12. losh Slmmey (Hon)i I3. Shaun Skinner(suz)i 14. R an l4itls (su!): 15. Jen rnoma (Hon): 16. C6er cldk (Hor): t7_ Steve Lams (su2); 18. Anronb Joree Balbil. (Hon): le. Cole siebler (Hon): 20. Ryan Ciak (Hon); 2r. lusin Su(kelew (Hon); 22. leil Gikon (Hon)i 21. Hearh Vcs (Y ): 21. fli.hlel La Pa8lia (suz): 25. verrcn flcKiddie (S@); 26. sd Hffiblin (sur)i 27. Turbo Reif (Yam); 28. lacob l'1a6.k (m); 2e. oerek flahoney (Hon): l0 Eric sol6y (S!z)i I l. J@ Oehlhof (5u2)r 32. Gres cater (Ho): ll. Ky'e rt .trd8E (Hon); l{. Chris Baaett (Hon)r15. Do{B DeHe (Hon)r15.l!r5 Lds@ (Hon):17. Robbe Reynard (Hon); 38. TEvs Boiister (Hon)r 19. Tomm/ Hormsrer fiam);a0. racob s.ylor (Hon). Fac Time 36 min., 26.24 s*. M.r8in of frtorrr ,1,1.67 sec, MX OyERALL: r.lfts Sr€wart (Knw): ?. Ricky Carmkl-fl (Su4. l. cq,d Reed (Yam, 4 D.vid vu'tremin (Yn):5 Tivtr Preiton (Hon/.6. Nickwey (Hon).7 K@m Windhffi (Hon): e. leff Oehenr (Suz)r 9. Davi l'lilkaps (Ho.); 10. jorh Summe), (Hon)j ll. RFn Flirts 6!2); t2. BobbiE R.yErn {Hon)i 13.l6h Demurh (Hon)i 14.J6on Thoma (Hon)i 15. Sh&. Skinner (suz)i 16 Ciark Srles Cram): l7 K/le Pinndge(Hon); lB.Jss Lenss (Hon)j le. Cse/ Cl&k (Hon): 20- RFn Clark (Hd)i 2l Hi.hael Lr Fatlh (5u2)r 22 Srrye LamM (Sur); 21. Antono Jorge B.lbiJr (Hor)i 24. cole Siebler (Ho.): 25. Juslin Bocketew (Hon)r26. DouB oeHen (Hon): 27. Jer cjb6on (Hon):28. HBh Vci fYDf 29 vernon M(x'ddie \suz/, J0. S€,n Hamblin (suz)i 3l- Turbo FEiI (Yam)r 3?.la.ob tlffiack (vam)i 31. Deret l\'lahoney (Hon)j 34. Eri. 5016), (suz)i 15. 1@Oehlhol(Suuli 16. Gr.s Crater (Hon)i I7. Chri5 Bars (Hon): 18. Tdvs Bannister (Hon); 19. Thoma Hofmsrer (Yam)i ,4{. lacob saylor (Hon). 2006 TOYOTA AHA UOTOCROSS CHAMPI. ONSHIP SERIES POINTS SIAI{DINGS (After I o{ 12 rcuf,di): l. lm6 SteEn (47)i 2. Ricky C{michet (,{5)i 3 Chad Reed (42); a. David vuillemln (lr): 5. T€vis Pre'ron (13):6. fnE) Ni.k Wey/Kryin Wndham (29):8.lert Dement (24)i e. Davi flilLaps (llli l0 (IlE) losh sumney/Rl r.1,lis (18): ll. Robbie Rerard (ll); l3.CrtE) l6h Oemuth4&n Thoh6 (rl)i 15- shaun Skinner (ll) 16. Cla* 5til6 {10)i 17. Kyl€ Paftndge (8)i l8.Jus! bans6 (4: 19. OIE) Clsey Chn

• Cover