This was the race everyone had been waiting for all year, Reed vs. Carmichael, head to head for 20 laps. Only it didn’t go 20 laps, it went a little over five laps. Then Honda’s Carmichael landed on a hay bale after a triple jump and the race was, effectively, over.
Yamaha’s Chad Reed, who was leading at the time, took his cue and sped away from the rider who took over second place, Team SoBe Suzuki’s Danny Smith, opening up over a 10 second lead en route to his third victory of the year, this one coming in the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis, Missouri, round 11 of the AMA Supercross Series.
Ricky Carmichael re-mounted in fifth place, moving into second by the ninth of 20 laps, but unable to appreciably close on the Australian Reed, his nearest championship rival. At the end, Reed had 6.266 seconds in hand, plus a slightly smaller championship deficit.
With five races to go, Carmichael leads Reed 257 to 235. Yamaha’s David Vuillemin, still in France recovering from a fractured vertebrae suffered in the Daytona Supercross, is third with 169 points.
Third on the night went to Honda’s Ernesto Fonseca, his first podium of the year after a season of bad luck and bad starts.
“I’m glad that I got the podium,” he said. “It’s been a long time. Hopefully I can keep it going from now on.”
They were three of the four factory riders present. The fourth, Team Chevy Trucks Kawasaki’s Ezra Lusk, started badly and soon fell, his bent levers slowing him for the duration. He finished 11th.
Fourth on the night went to MotoXXX Honda’s Larry Ward. Ward explained that, during the week, the team had found more compatible settings on the Yoshimura-powered Honda CR-450F which allowed him to ride with more confidence.
Fifth went to Mach 1 Yamaha’s Nick Wey, the Michigan rider digging himself into an early hole with a subpar start.
Next were the Team SoBe Suzuki replacement riders, Danny Smith and Sean Hamblin. Smith was second for three laps early in the race, then lost strength in the final five laps to fall to sixth. Hamblin said that he’d finish the season off on 250’s when the 125cc regional series heads west.
Team Solitaire Yamaha’s Ryan Clark was ninth with Mach 1 Yamaha’s Heath Voss 10th. Voss ran in fourth for the first four laps before being passed by Ward and Fonseca. Not long after, his Yamaha YZ-450F cut out in mid-flight, causing him to case hard on a triple jump, numbing his hands and blunting his drive.
Team SoBe Suzuki’s Branden Jesseman strengthened his grip on the 125cc Eastern Regional Supercross Championship with a come from behind win in a race full of crashes.
“I’d really like to dedicate this race to all the women and men who are fighting for our country overseas,” Jesseman said of the American troops fighting in Iraq after extending his championship points lead with his third win of the season. “I came away with another win and I want to keep the ball rolling in the last two rounds.”
The 125cc race was chaotic, with a number of the front-runners, including Pro Circuit/Chevy Trucks Kawasaki’s Michael Brown, Boost Mobile Yamaha’s Brock Sellards, and Team Racerhouse.com Yamaha’s Kelly Smith, crashing in the early going.
Jesseman avoided the early carnage to take the lead from Red Bull KTM’s Steve Boniface on the ninth of 15 laps. From there he edged way, winning by 10.091 seconds.
Boniface, who’d taken the holeshot, hung perilously on to second, with both Michael Brown and Kelly Smith hard on his rear. The pair chased Boniface in tandem, but the Frenchman hung on for his best finish of the year, edging out Brown by a little under a second, with Smith half a second back in fourth.
“I’m so happy with this podium and especially with the holeshot,” Boniface said. “Around lap 10 I start to make some mistakes but I say, ‘No I can’t give up now.’”
With two rounds remaining, Jesseman leads Brown by 10 points, 117 to 107.
Edward Jones Dome
St. Louis, Missouri
Results: March 22, 2003 (Round 11)
250cc HEAT 1 (8 laps, 1-4 to main): 1. Chad Reed (Yam); 2. Travis Preston (Hon); 3. Nick Wey (Yam); 4. Ernesto Fonseca (Hon); 5. Larry Ward (Hon); 6. Ryan Clark (Yam); 7. Clark Stiles (Hon); 8. Greg Schnell (Yam); 9. Jason Thomas (Hon); 10. Joseph Oehlhof (Hon); 11. Doug Dehaan (Hon); 12. Jimmy Wilson (Yam); 13. Kris Papworth (Kaw); 14. Eddie Ray (Hon); 15. Thomas Hofmaster (Yam); 16. Barry Carsten (Suz); 17. Tyson Hadsell (Yam); 18. Scott Metz (KTM).
Time: 6 mins., 48.615 secs.
Margin of victory: 10.413 secs.
250cc HEAT 2 (8 laps, 1-4 to main): 1. Ricky Carmichael (Hon); 2. Ezra Lusk (Kaw); 3. Danny Smith (Suz); 4. Sean Hamblin (Suz); 5. Heath Voss (Yam); 6. Keith Johnson (Yam); 7. Joshua Woods (KTM); 8. Brian Mason (Yam); 9. Hans Neel (KTM); 10. Casey Lytle (Yam); 11. Clinton Shealy (Suz); 12. Tyler Evans (Suz); 13. Scott Davis (Suz); 14. Brandon Butler (Suz); 15. Mark Wundrack (Yam); 16. Taylor Watts (Yam); 17. Karsten Butler (Suz); 18. David Hill (Suz).
Time: 6 mins., 52.078 secs.
Margin of victory: 11.761 secs.
250cc SEMI 1 (6 laps, 1-5 to main): 1. Larry Ward (Hon); 2. Clark Stiles (Hon); 3. Ryan Clark (Yam); 4. Joseph Oehlhof (Hon); 5. Greg Schnell (Yam); 6. Doug Dehaan (Hon); 7. Jimmy Wilson (Yam); 8. Jason Thomas (Hon); 9. Scott Metz (KTM); 10. Tyson Hadsell (Yam); 11. Eddie Ray (Hon); 12. Bryan White (Yam); 13. Kris Papworth (Kaw); 14. Barry Carsten (Suz).
Time: 5 mins., 18.702 secs.
Margin of victory: 3.309 secs.
250cc SEMI 2 (6 laps, 1-5 to main): 1. Tyler Evans (Suz); 2. Keith Johnson (Yam); 3. Joshua Woods (KTM); 4. Heath Voss (Yam); 5. Casey Lytle (Yam); 6. Hans Neel (KTM); 7. Scott Davis (Suz); 8. Mark Wundrack (Yam); 9. Taylor Watts (Yam); 10. Brandon Butler (Suz); 11. Clinton Shealy (Suz); 12. Brandon Butler (Suz); 13. Thomas Barron (Suz); Brian Mason (Yam).
Time: 5 mins., 21.370 secs.
Margin of victory: 1.995 secs.
250cc LCQ (6 laps, 1-2 to main): 1. Jason Thomas (Hon); 2. Brian Mason (Yam); 3. Scott Davis (Suz); 4. Tyson Hadsell (Yam); 5. Jimmy Wilson (Yam); 6. Doug Dehaan (Hon); 7. Hans Neel (KTM); 8. Thomas Barron (Suz); 9. Barry Carsten (Suz); 10. Kris Papworth (Kaw); 11. Eddie Ray (Hon); 12. Clinton Sheeley (Suz); 13. Bryan White (Yam); 14. Karsten Butler (Suz); 15. Bradley Ripple (Suz); 16. Mark Wundrack (Yam); 17. Scott Metz (KTM); 18. Brandon Butler (Suz); 19. Taylor Watts (Yam).
Time: 5 mins., 24.200 secs.
Margin of victory: 1.826 secs.
250cc MAIN (20 laps, 20 riders): 1. Chad Reed (Yam); 2. Ricky Carmichael (Hon); 3. Ernesto Fonseca (Hon); 4. Larry Ward (Hon); 5. Nick Wey (Yam); 6. Danny Smith (Suz); 7. Sean Hamblin (Suz); 8. Ryan Clark (Yam); 9. Heath Voss (Yam); 10. Jason Thomas (Hon); 11. Ezra Lusk (Kaw); 12. Greg Schnell (Yam); 13. Keith Johnson (Yam); 14. Joshua Woods (KTM); 15. Tyler Evans (Suz); 16. Casey Lytle (Yam); 17. Joseph Oehlhof (Hon); 18. Brian Mason (Yam); 19. Clark Stiles (Hon); 20. Travis Preston (Hon).
Time: 17 mins., 48.119 secs.
Margin of victory: 6.266 secs.
AMA SUPERCROSS C’SHIP POINT STANDINGS (After 11 of 16 rounds): 1. Ricky Carmichael (257/7 wins); 2. Chad Reed (235/3 wins); 3. David Vuillemin (169); 4. Timmy Ferry (163); 5. Ezra Lusk (149/1); 6. Ernesto Fonseca (125); 7. Nick Wey (122); 8. Heath Voss (113); 9. Larry Ward (93); 10. Keith Johnson (86); 11. Michael Byrne (75); 12. Mike LaRocco (73); 13. Stephane Roncada (70); 14. Ryan Clark (68); 15. Sebastien Tortelli (63); 16. (TIE) Sean Hamblin/Damon Huffman (55); 18. Danny Smith (48); 19. Travis Preston (38); 20. (TIE) Paul Carpenter/Ivan Tedesco (36).
125cc EASTERN REGIONAL SUPERCROSS
125cc HEAT 1 (6 laps, 1-9 to main): 1. Mike Brown (Kaw); 2. Brock Sellards (Yam); 3. Matthieu Lalloz (Suz); 4. Bret Metcalfe (KMT); 5. Steve Boniface (KTM); 6. Keith Johnson (Yam); 7. Shane Bess (Suz); 8. Ryan Morais (Suz); 9. Joshua Summey (Yam); 10. Scott Davis (Suz); 11. Tommy Harrison (Suz); 12. Jeff Gibson (Suz); 13. Barry Carsten (Suz); 14. David Hill (Suz); 15. Clinton Sheeley (Suz); 16. Brandon Butler (Suz); 17. Bryan White (Yam); 18. Chad Cook (Kaw); 19. Colt Humphrey (Yam); 20. Brian Gerth (Suz).
Time: 5 mins, 13.522 secs.
Margin of victory: 5.361 secs.
125cc HEAT 2 (6 laps, 1-9 to main): 1. Branden Jesseman (Suz); 2. Kelly Smith (Yam); 3. Shae Bentley (Suz); 4. Tyson Hadesll (Yam); 5. Michael Blose (Yam); 6. Thomas HOfmaster (Yam); 7. Ryan Abrigo (Suz); 8. Scott Metz (KTM); 9. Jeremy Chaussee (Yam); 10. Thomas Barron (Suz); 11. Ryan Mills (Hon); 12. Erick Vallejo (Yam); 13. Matt Shue (KMT); 14. Jacob Marsack (Suz); 15. Adam Cini (Yam); 16. William Browning (Hus); 17. Jerrad Fisher (Yam); 18. Michael Graham Jr. (Yam); 19. Ty Conner (Hon); 20. Bradley Ripple (Suz).
Time: 5 mins., 18.903 secs.
Margin of victory: 3.192 secs.
125cc LCQ (4 laps, 1-4 to main): 1. Ryan Mills (Hon); 2. Erick Vallejo (Yam); 3. Tommy Harrison (Suz); 4. Barry Carsten (Suz); 5. Matt Shue (KTM); 6. Thomas Barron (Suz); 7. Clinton Shealy (Suz); 8. Jacob Marsack (Suz); 9. Adam Cini (Yam); 10. William Browning (Hus); 11. Bradley Ripple (Suz); 12. Jeff Gibson (Suz); 13. Brandon Butler (Suz); 14. Michael Graham (Yam); 15. Brian Gerth (Suz); 16. Jerrad Fisher (Yam); 17. Colt Humphrey (Yam).
Time: 5 mins., 26.026 secs.
125cc MAIN (15 laps, 22 riders): 1. Branden Jesseman (Suz); 2. Steve Boniface (KTM); 3. Mike Brown (Kaw); 4. Kelly Smith (Yam); 5. Brett Metcalfe (KTM); 6. Matthieu Lalloz (Suz); 7. Brock Sellards (Yam); 8. Erick Vallejo (Yam); 9. Shane Bess (Suz); 10. Ryan Mills (Hon); 11. Joshua Summey (Yam); 12. Michael Blose (Yam); 13. Kevin Johnson (Yam); 14. Jeremy Chaussee (Yam); 15. Barry Carsten (Suz); 16. Tommy Hofmaster (Yam); 17. Scott Metz (KTM); 18. Ryan Abrigo (Suz); 19. Tyson Hadsell (Yam); 20. Ryan Morais (Suz); 21. Tommy Harrison (Suz); 22. Shae Bentley (Suz).
Time: 13 mins., 44.775 secs.
Margin of victory: 10.091 secs.
125 cc EASTERN REGIONAL SUPERCROSS C’SHIP POINT STANDINGS (After 5 of 7 rounds): 1. Branden Jesseman (117/3 wins); 2. Michael Brown (107/1); 3. Brock Sellards (93/1); 4. Kelly Smith (79); 5. (TIE) Brett Metcalfe/Erick Vallejo (65); 7. Matthieu Lalloz (59); 8. Steve Boniface (58); 9. Ryan Mills (48); 10. Shae Bentley (43); 11. (TIE) Michael Byrne/Michael Blose (36); 13. Joshua Summey (33); 14. Jeff Gibson (28); 15. Tyson Hadsell (19); 16. Paul Currie (18); 17. Ivan Tedesco (15); 18. Troy Carroll (14); 19. (TIE) Shane Lusk/Barry Carsten (7).
