After finishing second last week in Houston, Amsoil/Chaparral Honda’s Kevin Windham complained that, due to the fact that he was stuck in Ohio defending himself to a three-person AMA Appeal Board, he didn’t get a chance to ride enough during the week and rode tight.
As if to prove it, Windham got out front early and romped to about an eight-second lead before his arch-nemesis Reed inevitably caught up to second. Even though it was still pretty early in the race, Reed could only hope for a big mistake on Windham’s part, and it never came.
Windham won his third main event of the season and pulled back to within one race’s points of Reed, now trailing by 23. David Vuillemin rode strong for another podium finish, while Travis Preston, in his 2004 250cc debut, and Damon Huffman came from behind to finish fifth and extend his THQ World Supercross points lead. That’s three CRF450Rs in the top five, and two YZ250s in the top three. Mike LaRocco fell in the first turn and charged all the way up for sixth.
Yamaha of Troy’s Kelly Smith got back to his strong-starting ways to grab his first Butterfinger Holeshot Award of the year, and even though he rounded the first turn in the middle of the pack, James Stewart passed his way into the lead before the end of the second lap. Stewart raced ahead and easily won his second race in as many starts.
Kelly Smith led his YoT teammates Danny Smith and Josh Hansen for a while before Hansen stuffed his way past Kelly Smith for second and raced on to his first ever podium – although he didn’t get any points for it, since he raced the Western Regional Series. Kelly Smith hung on for third over another western rider, Steve Boniface, and so-so starting Steve Lamson.
250cc MAIN: 1. Kevin Windham (Hon); 2. Chad Reed (Yam); 3. David Vuillemin (Yam); 4. Travis Preston (Hon); 5. Damon Huffman (Hon); 6. Mike LaRocco (Hon); 7. Andrew Short (Suz); 8. Erick Vallejo (Yam); 9. Michael Byrne (Kaw); 10. Nathan Ramsey (Hon); 11. Heath Voss (Yam); 12. Ryan Clark (Yam); 13. Tyler Evans (Suz); 14. Grant Langston (KTM); 15. Sean Hamblin (Suz); 16. Joe Oehlhof (Hon); 17. Keith R. Johnson (Yam); 18. Jason Thomas (Hon); 19. James Povolny (Hon); 20. Nick Wey (Suz).
THQ AMA 250cc SUPERCROSS SERIES POINTS STANDINGS (After 8 of 16 rounds): 1. Chad Reed (191/5 wins); 2. Kevin Windham (168/3 wins); 3. David Vuillemin (152); 4. Mike LaRocco (147); 5. Damon Huffman (109); 6. Michael Byrne (108); 7. Nick Wey (95); 8. Heath Voss (81); 9. Grant Langston (74); 10. Sean Hamblin (65); 11. Erick Vallejo (59); 12. Tyler Evans (56); 13. (TIE) Keith R. Johnson/Ryan Clark (54); 15. Ezra Lusk (47); 16. Timmy Ferry (46); 17. Robbie Reynard (34); 18. Mike Brown (29); 19. Ernesto Fonseca (28); 20. Joe Oehlhof (26).
125cc MAIN: 1. James Stewart (Kaw); 2. Josh Hansen (Yam); 3. Kelly Smith (Yam); 4. Steve Boniface (Suz); 5. Steve Lamson (Hon); 6. Ryan Mills (Hon); 7. Michael Blose (Yam); 8. Broc Hepler (Suz); 9. Ryan Clark (Yam); 10. Tiger Lacey (Hon); 11. Eric Sorby (Kaw); 12. Paul Carpenter (Kaw); 13. Jeff Gibson (Yam); 14. Davi Millsaps (Suz); 15. Kevin Johnson (Yam); 16. Brett Metcalfe (KTM); 17. Hans Neel (Hon); 18. Bradley Ripple (Suz); 19. Danny Smith (Yam); 20. Tyson Hadsell (Yam); 21. Turbo Reif (Hon); 22. Daniel Blair (Yam).
125cc EASTERN REGIONAL SUPERCROSS SERIES POINTS STANDINGS (After 2 of 7 rounds): 1. James Stewart (50/2 wins); 2. Broc Hepler (35); 3. Steve Lamson (34); 4. Kelly Smith (31); 5. Eric Sorby (30); 6. Ryan Clark (28); 7. Ryan Mills (27); 8. Brett Metcalfe (19); 9. Tiger Lacey (18); 10. Danny Smith (17); 11. Billy Laninovich (10); 12. Paul Carpenter (9); 13. Matthieu Lalloz (8); 14. Davi Millsaps (7); 15. (TIE) Kevin Johnson/Daryl Hurley/Tyson Hadsell (6); 18. Hans Neel (5); 19. (TIE) Bradley Ripple/Doug DeHaan (3).
