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/1545842
ments you have to contend with. Number one is the ele\Etion - obviously, that takes a toll on both you and the bike - and obviously, fitness is a fac- tor." The win was number l4l in Al4A competition for Carmichael, and with it, he moves into a veD/ comfortable 69-point lead in the series standings, with five rounds remaining. making his quest for a seventh-consecutive Motocross Championship all the more likely. Meanwhile, Davi l,lillsaps continued his strinS of great stars and great finishes. ln the first moto, he grabbed his third-straight holeshor of the series (he claimed both holeshots at Unadilla the week before). ln the second moto, Millsaps didn't get the holeshot, but he did gate second and was into the lead by the midway point of the openinS lap. The Team Honda rider also claimed his best-ever Motocross-class flnish, by logging a 3-2 moto per- formance for second overall, his founh podium of the season. "l just kept my own pace all the way and I was trying not the hit the wall," Millsaps said. "l iust found a good groove and ligured if I stayed in that groove all race I wouldn't get tired. My lap times were about 2:20s all race and that was a Sood pace for me." Finishing out the podium in Colorado was James Stewan who was makinS his retum to action alter missing the Unadilla round due to a practice crash. The Team Kawasaki rider rode to 2-5 moto finishes, but was not nearly the Stewart ofold - the Stewart that pushed Carmichaelto the limit during the Supercross Series - and certainly not the Stewart who became the first pe6on in nearly three years to defeat Carmichael at an out- door race, doing so at the opener in Northern California. Stewart charged from midpack in the flrst moto to claim second. passing \Mndham and then Millsaps on consecutive laps at the midway point ofthe race. However, in the second moto, his lack of track time showed as he faded during the clos- in8 laps and was in danger of losing fifth place when he crossed the checkers. He was so tired that he elected not to aftend the post-event press conference- The series has becqme much more predictable since Stewart suffered a knee iniury durinS a first- moto crash at round rwo of the series in Pennsylvania. Windham proved that his second overall at Unadilla the week before was no fluke by going 4- 4 for fourth overall. Windham put his SoBe./Samsung Mobile/Honda CRF450R into sec- ond behind I'lillsaps during the opening laps of moto one, but could never find his way around the Motocross-class rookie, despite making reveral aftempts. "lthink I really should have 8ot around Millsaps, but I just got lackadaisical," Windham said. "l iust need to be more agSressive - that was my whole weekend in a nutshell. RiSht now in this sport, you have to give everything you got on every lap, and I am kind of disappointed in myself that I didn't do that in the first moto. I was right there on Davi and lwould catch up, then fall back, then catch up and fall back. I never could get the pass made. I knew I would be stronS in the end, but he stayed strong, too." ln the second moto, Windham passed Stewart for fourth, and then rode a strong race to the lin- ish, He was happy with the fact that he is gening After suffering DNFS at the last four eventg in the Lites division, former l25cc Al4A National Champion Michael Brown switched to the 450 clars in Colorado. The Team Rocktar Suzuki-backed rider insisted that it was finally time for a change, "lt feels good to have some power now and not have to worry about who has the fastest bike," Brown said after Saturday's practice. "l don't have to ride over rny head to go fast on the bigger bike, aI|d I feel like a kid with a hew toy: this is a new challenSe for me since l've never ridden the 450 before. My siza was a bi8 disadvantate for me in the Lites class, and we iust kept havint motor problems beaause I was rewing the bike so hard. I hadn't finished in four races so we iust decided to go with a 450 and I think it will be a good change for me." Emesto Fonseca was on hand at Col- orado and signed autographs, visited with friefids and watched the races. Fonseca is currently undergoint rehab for his spinal- \ cord iniury at Cl-aig Hospital in nearby Englewood, and he also attended last week's Dew Action Sports Tour, which took plaae in the Denver area. Fonseca is scheduled fo. release from the hospital on luy X7th. The promoter ofthe Colorado National, Dayid Clabaugh, got together with local lbyota dealers to help make ttre Lakewood went a litde more spectator friendb/. Three enorrnous Jumbotron televisions were set up at different locations around the track, which televised live coverage of the races, including up-to-the-minute scoring. The Toyota dealers also had an area set up next to the track where spectators could take tert drives in Toyota 4x4 vehicles over an off-road course. All year long, Toyota has sponsored the Toyota Zone, lvhere priva- teer riders could go for food and refresh- ments and watch monitors that provide a live feed ofthe action on the track. With an elevation of over 5200 fe€t, the rnechanics had to deal the problems associ- ated with hlgh-altltude events, such as loss of power ahd overheting. Maklta Suzuki factory mechanic Tohy Berluti said that jetting, Eearing and engine compres- sion were Slzuki's main ways of dealing with the altitude. "Obviously iefting and Conrinued on page 45 CYCLE NE!,r'S . AUGUSI 2, 2006 43 Briefly... to Rocky Mountain * I I I T I T 4^t ) , t!, II o = z T v> o o o I o- \ I \ I \ \ - :\. \-\ \ Ritky Cornichoel podded his poinrs le<1d with onother l-I ot the Thu-rlder Volley lratk, \ .\ t a J _- .J {t f. ( {. T q ,. .&: ry-- rt ,l