Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

A - - {E-- - t ffi\ \\ I I .l> - , !I E I E Chod Reed followed Cqrmichoel ocross fic finish line in both motos. .r{LS &,.- .:r ' I Briefly... ''lt felt good to get out front in that second moto and battle with Ricky a little, but he came by and put some solid laps together," Reed said. "This week lfelt really Eood on the bike, and I look for- ward to the weekend off so I can keep trying to work on some things. I want to get up there and have some fun. lt looks like fun baftling with these guys and I want to be a part of it.'' By the halfway point of the second moto, Davi Millsaps had looked like a sure bet to take the final podium position at Budds Creek, especially after finishing a solid third in the flrst moto. Team Honda rider, however, crashed on lap l0 of the final moto and was carted to the pits on the back of a four-wheeler. Millsaps admitted that the heat might have been a factor. "l was a little fatiSued and wheelied off the face of this step-up iump," he said. "l hit a rock and endoed, and I don't remember anything after that." Millsap's incident opened the door for Kevin Windham and the SoBe/Samsung/Mobile/Honda-sponsored rider responded by turning come-from- behind 5-3 moto finishes into a third overall - his best linish of the year. "lt feels good to be up on the podium today, although it was a little bit due to the mislortune of Millsaps, but lthink I could have got it." Windham said. "lt was pretty hot today, but I think I handled it pretty well. lt was just a matter of getting out there and havin8 intensity ali the way through," With the temperature approaching the mid-gos, moto one got under way with 4o-something Barry Carsten grabbing the holeshot. Subway Honda's Jeff Gibson led at the end of the first l+, but Carmichael moved to the front during lap two and immediately gapped the field. Reed took over second on that lap as well. One lap later, Millsaps passed Free Nissan,com's Robbie Reynard for third and then all was right with the universe- From that point on in the moto, there would be no changes among the rop three posi(ions. However, back in the pack it was quite a different story Windham, who had fall- en rn turn one and saarted the race in dead last, was carvinS his way through traffic toward the front. Gibson was now in a duel with MDK/Motospot/Honda's Nick Wey and Travis Preston over fourth. while Gibson's teammate, jason Thomas, was up into seventh after linishing the first lap in l2th. By lap four, Windham had passed 30 riders and was into ninth. By lap seven, he was into sixth and was gainin8 on Preston, who was pushang Wey for fourth. At this point, Windham was turning lap times that were about three seconds a lap faster than Preston's, so it was iust a matter of time before Windham caught and passed the Team Honda rider. He did so, lust before the nvoJap board came out, to finish lifth, while Wey held on for founh. lam€s Stewart elected to sit o{Jt Budds Cr€€k in order to let his sor€ kne€ heal, per doctor's recommendatron. Stewart ini'rred the knee in a spectacular crash while leading the High Point round of the series three week eaiier. and then funher complicated matters when he tried to ride on it at South- wick last week. This willgive the Tearn Kawasaki rider anodrer two week to recov- er before the next round at Rrd Bud, where he hop€s to retum to action. 'James has shown amazinS determination and we +preciate that." said Kawasaki racing team manager, l'4ike Fisher. "Howeven we also know that if he continues to ride on an injured knee, he may likely be riding in pain all seison and ultimately needs more time to recuPerirte. " Kyle Partridge was airlilted from the tiack with breathing difficultiE after crashinS Sunday moming. PartridSe's brother reported on his website f4onday morning: "Kyle did not break any bones, but [doc- tors] iaid that he impacted the ground so hard that he tore a small hol€ in his lung, coll+sing the lung and causint rhe breath- in8 problem he was having at the track. He is doing much b€tter now and is restinS comfortabty. [He] should be relealed tomorrow if the lunt looks okay." The Team lGw"asaki rig wasn't even at Budds Creek, since Mi.hael Byine is still out with an injury The rvord is on Byme is rhat he may make his return at Red Bud or Urudilla. Broc H€pler returned to action at Budds Creek after spendingthe last six months Kevin Windhom gor on rhe podium with 5-3 moto linirh.t. lF{l- -!rrr a*-' CYCLE NEWS . JUNE 28,2006 35 t ,. F r ';iF\ ,: J-- a -_ =9 E I tl recoraering from a broken left foot erftered while practicing for the Anaheim lll Supercrc. "My foot's njll not I 00 perc.nq but I feel pret- q/ Sood on dl€ bike," H?ler said. "l feel com- foraHe and dut is wfry I deci&d to com€ race again." The Team l''lakita Srauki rider tumed ttE nin$ Panest tir€ of all fte seeded rilers (450 and 250) during Saturday's p.a.tke ses. sions, won his qualiller and tllen \,vefit on to fin- bh second overall. Hepler elaborated on the iniury: "lt w6 *c navicular bone in rny rooE ard it's just a bad blood s{rppty, so it doesn t hea!," he ejd. "l couldnt PUt w€iglt on it for I 5 week. I've been doing moto6 for about t\ao \\aeek now lt's tough, especially in the heat; it hasnt been thd ho( at horne. You can do as rnany moto6 as you pGibly can ar home ard still not have dle speed- This wEekend I got to see it and no/v I hdve tlvo week to work on it. L.okirE at Bfan's Mllopotol times, I think h€ was two seconds fartei a hp. On a three-minute l+ time, two seconds bn t r€aly tlat much. I o

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