Team Honda’s Ricky Carmichael returned to his winning ways at the ninth round of the AMA/Chevy Trucks U.S. Motocross Championships in Millville, Minnesota, today. On a hot and humid day at the Spring Creek MX Park, Carmichael pretty much dominated the racing in the 250cc class, while Kawasaki’s James Stewart did the same in the 125cc class.
Carmichael didn’t have much trouble in winning both motos after jumping out to early leads in each outing. In the first moto, Carmichael had to get around a couple of riders early on, most notably Chad Reed, who led going into the second lap. Reed made it easy for Carmichael when the Yamaha rider went off the track, surrendering the lead to the defending champ. Once into the lead, Carmichael steadily stretched his lead with every lap, eventually taking the checkered flag some 30 seconds ahead of Reed, who held a comfortable advantage over teammate Tim Ferry, and then Chevy Truck Kawasaki’s Ezra Lusk.
Honda’s Kevin Windham, the winner of the last two rounds, crashed once while making up for a bad start and then later pulled off momentarily after getting sick. Windham ended up ninth in the moto.
In the second moto, Carmichael pretty much led from start to finish, but Windham, Reed and Ferry kept Carmichael honest for a while before the Honda rider took off and pulled away to another huge lead and eventual win.
Windham held on to finish second over Ferry and Reed, while Mike LaRocco, who finished sixth in the first moto, rounded out the top five.
Ferry’s 3-3 ended up giving him second overall, while Reed’s 2-4 got him on the podium in third. Windham ended up fourth with a 9-2, followed by Lusk with a 4-6. After finishing seventh in the first moto, Team Yamaha’s David Vuillemin pulled off the track in the second moto and collapsed due to heat exhaustion. Vuillemin ran as high as third in the moto before the heat and humidity got to him about the 10th lap. Vuillemin was transported to the on-site medical facility, where he was treated for dehydration. According to the team’s Keith McCarty, Vuillemin will be okay.
By winning both motos, Carmichael extended his series points lead to 432, followed by Windham with 369. Reed is third with 330, followed by Ferry with 300
In the 125cc class, Stewart was again in a class all of his own. In both motos, Stewart opened up big leads right off the bat and went on to win handidly.
KTM’s Red Bull’s Ryan Hughes had two strong outings after chasing down Yamaha of Troy’s Brock Sellards in both motos to finish 2-2 for second overall. Sellards went 3-3 for third.
KTM’s Joaquim Rodrigues returned to action from his injuries, dropped down to the 125cc class and put in two solid rides to finish fourth overall with a 5-4 showing, while series points leader Grant Langston had a so-so day, going 4-7 for fifth overall.
Pro-Circuit Kawasaki’s Mike Brown made a gallant effort but came up empty today. Brown, who injured his shoulder at the last round at Washougal and was in the title hunt going into the Millville rounds, had to pull off in both motos because of the shoulder, seriously jeopardizing his title hopes. He’s now third in points behind leader Langston and Hughes. Langston has 314, Hughes 298 and Brown 271. After missing the first four rounds, Stewart is fourth with 250 points.
Results:
250 O/A: 250 O/A: 1. Ricky Carmichael (Hon); 2. Tim Ferry (Yam); 3. Chad Reed (Yam); 4. Kevin Windham (Hon); 5. Ezra Lusk (Kaw); 6. Mike LaRocco (Hon); 7. Ernesto Fonseca (Hon); 8. Nick Wey (Yam); 9. Stephane Roncada (Suz); 10. Kyle Lewis (Hon); 11. Steve Lamson (Suz); 12. David Vuillemin (Yam); 13. Heath Voss (Yam); 14. John Dowd (KTM); 15. Jason Thomas (Yam); 16. Ryan Clark (Yam); 17. Larry Ward (Hon); 18. Nathan Ramsey (Hon); 19. Clark Stiles (Hon); 20. Keith S. Johnson (KTM).
125 O/A: 1. James Stewart (Kaw); 2. Ryan Hughes (KTM); 3. Brock Sellards (Yam); 4. Joaquim Rodrigues (KTM); 5. Grant Langston (KTM); 6. Robbie Reynard (Kaw); 7. Christopher Gosselaar (Hon); 8. Ryan Mills (Hon); 9. Craig Anderson (Yam); 10. Michael Byrne (Hon); 11. Broc Hepler (Suz); 12. Andrew Short (Suz); 13. Josh Woods (KTM); 14. Ivan Tedesco (Yam); 15. Kelly Smith (Yam); 16. Tyson Hadsell (Yam); 17. Richie Owens (Kaw); 18. Tyson Hadsell (Yam); 19. Ryan Dudek (Yam); 20. Mattieu Lalloz (Suz).
