Team Makita Suzuki’s Ricky Carmichael dominated the action today in round four of the AMA National Motocross series at Budds Creek Motocross Park in Budds Creek, Maryland. He even ran away with the first moto, a far cry from last weekend in Southwick, Massachusetts, where he crashed early and was forced to climb back to an eventual second.
For Carmichael the win was his fourth straight of the still young 2005 season. It was also his third moto sweep in four rounds of competition and he would still be perfect if it was not for his first-moto loss at Southwick last weekend. He also added to his comfortable points lead over Team Yamaha’s Chad Reed.
The opening moto saw Carmichael take the holeshot followed closely by Team Honda’s Ernesto Fonseca, Team Yamaha’s Timmy Ferry and Estonian, Motosport Outlet rider Juss Laansoo. Meanwhile, Team Kawasaki’s James Stewart, Reed and Team Amsoil/Chaparral/Honda’s Kevin Windham were buried back in the pack. It didn’t take long, however, for Stewart to move into second with Reed going to third. Stewart then attempted to match the 25-year-old Carmichael’s pace, but it was not enough. Carmichael began pulling away on the third lap and as the race wore on Stewart began pulling away from Reed while Windham quietly moved into fourth and began inching up on the Australian. Towards the end of the race Windham closed the gap on Reed, but was never close to enough to attempt a pass. The big race, though, was on the final lap with Stewart holding off a charging Reed, the pair crossing the line just a wheelength apart. Carmichael easily took the win, followed by Stewart and Reed, respectively.
The second moto was much the same as the first. Carmichael grabbed the holeshot and promptly pulled away from Reed and Stewart. Behind the trio was Windham, who on around the third lap began pressuring Stewart for third. Meanwhile, Reed’s teammate David Vuillemin and Fonseca battled it out for fifth, and near the halfway point Fonseca made a pass stick and pulled away to take the spot. At the same time Windham and Stewart engaged in a battle that saw them swap positions numerous times, until Stewart took control of third and pulled away. Carmichael,though was long gone. Reed did all he could to keep the gap down, but nothing worked and at the finish the Suzuki rider had roughly a 15-second lead. Reed went on to take second, with Stewart third and Windham fourth.
In the 125 class practice lap times were no indication as to how the racing would go.
In the first moto Jim’s Cycle Supply/Honda rider Mike Brown was on top of his game. After a strong showing at Southwick the previous week, Brown came into Budds Creek with a strong points lead, and only added to that today. A poor start in the second moto, however, relegated Brown to a third, while team Amsoil/Chaparral/Honda’s Josh Grant took a well-deserved win. Brown’s 1-3 moto tally though, was good enough for the overall.
In the opening moto Team Honda’s Andrew Short took the holeshot ahead of Brown and Team Monster/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Ivan Tedseco. The running order did not change much until the second lap. Brown took over the lead and Team Makita Suzuki’s Broc Hepler moved into third behind Short. As the race wore on Short and Brown battled briefly, swapping positions a few times. Hepler, meanwhile, sat quietly in third with Tedesco in fourth, then it all changed just as the two-lap board came out. Immediately after the finish line, Short and Hepler came together sending both riders to the ground. With that Tedesco moved into second while his teammate Grant Langston, who spent most of the race in fourth, moved to third. The finishing order saw Brown with the win followed by teammates Tedesco and Langston.
The second moto was all about Grant. He nabbed the holeshot and quickly began to pull away from the rest of the field. Team Red Bull KTM’s Mike Alessi hung in second for the beginning of the moto, but faded back to fifth by moto end. Near the halfway point Alessi was passed by Tedesco, Matt Walker and Brown all on one lap. After that Brown moved up to third. That was the final change in the front running order. At the finish it was Grant, Tedesco and Brown, who captured the overall.
RESULTS:
125 OVERALL: 1. Mike Brown (Hon); 2. Ivan Tedesco (Kaw); 3. Josh Grant (Hon); 4. Mike Alessi (KTM); 5. Matt Walker (Kaw); 6. Davi Millsaps (Suz); 7. Grant Langston (Kaw); 8. Akira Narita (Hon); 9. Brock Sellards (Yam); 10. Ryan Hughes (Hon); 11. Paul Carpenter (Kaw); 12. Ryan Sipes (Suz); 13. Danny Smith (Yam); 14. Robbie Reynard (Hon); 15. Jason Lawrence (Suz); 16. Billy Laniniovich (Hon); 17. Andrew Short (Hon); 18. Kelly Smith (Yam); 19. Nathan Ramsey (KTM); 20. Josh Summey (Hon).
250 OVERALL: 1. Ricky Carmichael (Suz); 2. Chad Reed (Yam); 3. James Stewart (Kaw); 4. Kevin Windham (Hon); 5. Ernesto Fonseca (Hon); 6. David Vuillemin (Yam); 7. Michael Byrne (Kaw); 8. Nick Wey (Hon); 9. Travis Preston (Hon); 10. John Dowd (Suz); 11. Juss Laansoo (Hon); 12. Ryan Clark (Hon); 13. Timmy Ferry (Yam); 14. Josh Woods (Suz); 15. Jeff Dement (Suz); 16. Jason Thomas (Hon); 17. Jeff Gibson (Hon); 18. Timmy Weigand (Hon); 19. Justin Buckelew (Hon); 20. Mark Eastwood (Hon).
