David Vuillemin's mechanic Craig Monty started off the National season in spectacular form on Wednesday night this week, crashing while riding at Starwest MX Park during Oakley night, tweaking his collarbone.
Kawasaki's John Dowd is planning to ride Glen Helen today and collect some early season points despite being in pain from his current back injury.
FMF Honda is running a new sponsor on their bikes' radiator shrouds for an initial 3-round deal "a la NASCAR", the additional supporter is USAMeats.com, check out the quality cuts when you get a chance & support the sport...
Shae Bentley is still experiencing some sort of stomach ailment, appears to be worse than just the flu or nerves, with the Pro Circuit Kawasaki 125cc West Coast SX champ flying home to Georgia to seek medical attention.
Snowmobile champion Blair Morgan will be riding the 250cc class today, checking out the Glen Helen soil for a change.
The crowd stands under sunny & warm conditions as the National Anthem is sung by Patty Cabrera to enthusiastic hoots & hollers around Glen Helen Raceway...fireworks are set off on the hill, and the Chevy Trucks representative announces..."Gentlemen - Start your motorcycles!"
Balloons are released to the sky as the gate drops, and the holeshot goes to Nick Wey, followed by Sellards, Fonseca, Roncada and Lamson...Steve Lamson moves to the front on his factory / Troy Lee Designs Honda...
The 125 pack works their way out of the back of the course, and Lammy stretches out just a bit folled by Sellards, Fonseca, Roncada, Vohland and Ramsey...
As they cross the line the first time around, starting Lap 2, Sellards is all over Lamson as they climb the mountain, they come down the other side, FMF Honda vs TLD Honda, then Fonseca and Casey Johnson throttling down the steep incline...Pastrana is running inside the top 10...
Running order is Lamson, Sellards, Johnson, Vohland, Ramsey, Roncada, Fonseca, Pastrana, Thain, Smith...closing Lap 2...
Lap 3...Sellards tries to move around Lamson on the outside up Chevy Mountain, only a tire length separates the two as they come on down...Sellards takes the lead!...Lamson gets a bit sideways, and allows Brock Sellards to make a small gap...Tallon Vohland dicing for third pushing Johnson hard for the podium spot...Alessio Chiodi, still healing, running approximately 12th...Pastrana has moved from 9th to 7th in the past lap, picking off Thain and Fonseca...
The front five are breaking away, Sellards, Lamson running close again to challenge for the lead...
Vohland running back in fifth now...Casey Johnson is moving up, and Roncada slices his way up along with him, moving up to third now...Pastrana still holding down 7th...
Sellards, Lamson, Roncada, Casey Johnson, Vohland comprise the top five group, getting away from the rest of the pack on lap five...
Justin Buckelew has moved into the top ten...Johnson and Roncada have taken their battle to the front, Johnson is into second position, Sellards leads, and Roncada's third...Lamson's back to fourth...now Vohland falls, allowing Pastrana and Ramsey by...
Brock Sellards is feeling the heat from Stephane Roncada as the Yamaha of Troy pilot begins to look for a way into the lead... the FMF Honda rider won't be giving it away...Roncada is all over looking for lines, Roncada goes inside and takes the lead...
Sellards is now in the middle of a YoT sandwich, as Roncada leads the way and Casey Johnson continues third...Travis Pastrana has moved up into the top five, and has been able to get a look at the leaders...
Casey Johnson is up into second, moving Sellards back to 3rd...Two Yamahas lead...Buckelew has fallen out of the top ten...Roncada, Casey Johnson, Sellards, Lamson, Pastrana, Ramsey, Fonseca, Vohland, Thain, Brandes, Chiodi, work their way around...
Three laps remain...Stephane Roncada is really putting in a ride, looking to wrap up this first 125 moto of the National series...Steve Lamson has moved up to third, relegating Sellards to fourth, now the FMF Honda rider has to deal with Pastrana who smells blood, now the 16-year old Suzuki moved into 4th...
Roncada holds about a 5-second lead with 2 laps to go now...the battle is between Pastrana and Sellards as the race winds down...
Pastrana outjumps Sellards on the triple-downhill section, keeping some suspense there...Roncada hears the cheers from the crowd as he waits to see the 2-lap flag...the officials look at the clock & make them go another time around before they show it...running order is Roncada, Johnson,Lamson, Pastrana, Sellards, Ramsey, Fonseca, Vohland, Thain, Brandes, Danny Smith, Buckelew, Robbie Horton, Preston and Chiodi make up the running order toward the end...
The back sandy section the call "Bud's Creek" here at Glen Helen is beginning to get whooped out...Casey Johnson inches up a bit on his teammate, this time the 2-lap board comes out, this might just materialize into a battle to the finish between the Yamaha of Troy teamsters...
Tallon Vohland is running 7th, moved back up a spot in the last lap...Pastrana has moved from 15th to 4th this moto, and Johnson is within 1.5 seconds of Roncada, they're keeping it close...
White flag is out, and the race will come down to the wire, Stephane Roncada has not allowed his teammate to draw any closer, Lamson is holding off Pastrana, and Vohland runs fifth...
The battles are happening, this is their last shot to make it stick on the final lap...Pastrana jumps down the mountain, moving into third ahead of Steve Lamson...
The checkered flag comes out of the holster, the first 125cc moto win will go to Yamaha of Troy's Stephane Roncada, followed by Casey Johnson, then Pastrana, Lamson, Vohland, Sellards, Ramsey, Fonseca, Thain, Michael Brandes, Danny Smith, Robbie Horton, Schell, Preston.
125cc Results (Official): 1. Stephane Roncada (Yam); 2. Casey Johnson (Yam); 3. Travis Pastrana (Suz); 4. Steve Lamson (Hon); 5. Tallon Vohland (Kaw); 6. Brock Sellards (Hon); 7. Nathan Ramsey (Kaw); 8. Ernesto Fonseca (Yam); 9. Rodrig Thain (KTM); 10. Michael Brandes (Hon); 11. Danny Smith (Hon); 12. Robbie Horton (Suz); 13. Greg Schnell (Yam); 14. Travis Preston (Suz); 15. Justin Buckelew (Yam); 16. Paul Currie (Hon); 17. Kelly Smith (KTM); 18. David Pingree (Suz); 19. Billy Payne (Kaw); 20. Nick Wey (Kaw); 21. Alessio Chiodi (Hus); 22. Casey Lytle (Hon); 23. Anthony Amaradio (Yam); 24. Brandon Jesseman (Suz); 25. Matt Walker (Hon); 26. Brad Hagseth (Yam); 27. Bryan McGavran (Yam); 28. Travis Elliott (Hon); 29. Tyson Hadsell (Yam); 30. Michael Sleeter (Yam); 31. Sean Hamblin (Kaw); 32. Isaiah Johnson (Hon); 33. Jeremy Chausee (Hon); 34. Mark Tilley (KTM); 35. Joseph Oehlhof (KTM); 36. Robbie Skaggs (Hus); 37. Jason McCormick (Hon); 38. Levi Reid (Hon); 39. Chris Gosselaar (Hon); 40. Mike Craig (Yam).
The gate drops, the crowd goes nuts, and the holeshot will go to...Kevin Windham...followed by Shayne King, Albertyn...motos are 30 mins + 2laps...Team Honda's Kevin Windham leads the pack around the first lap, the running order is Windham, King, Albertyn, Vuillemin, Tortelli, Carmichael, McGrath, Ferry...
Kevin Windham will have a long half hour on his hands, Shayne King is back to fourth as Alby moves into second and Vuillemin is third...Carmichael now fifth, then Tortelli, McGrath running 8th...King now back to fifth, Carmichael 4th...
Lap 3, Windham has stretched out a 5-second lead over - Vuillemin in second! Now Albertyn's 3rd with Carmichael pulling up side by side to challenge for third...Albertyn uses all he has to hold of the Kawasaki youngster...
7.5 minutes away in this race, Windham's on a tear, Vuillemin trying to reel him in, Carmichael third, Albertyn, Tortelli, McGrath, Lusk, King, Ferry and Dowd comprise the top ten...
Kevin Windham leads by 4 seconds, Vuillemin is carving away big-time into that gap...the Frenchman has now closed within a second, and Carmichael is just another second back from him...
The moto is 10 minutes old, 1/3 of the way through...New leader is #934 Vuillemin - and he goes down! handing the lead to Kawasaki's Ricky Carmichael, followed by Tortelli...
Running order is now Carmichael, Albertyn, Windham, Tortelli, Vuillemin, McGrath...LaRocco has moved from a typically bad start, 37th up to 15th, in just four laps...
Moto #1 is now 14 minutes old, Carmichael is gapping Albertyn by over 5 seconds, Tortelli is working to find a way around Windham...
Carmichael still keeping the crowd pumped ad he leaps his way down the mountain, extending his lead...next time around, the riders should see the halfway signal...
At the halfway flag, the running order is now Carmichael, Albertyn, Tortelli, Vuillemin, Windham, McGrath, Lusk, King, Ferry, Dubach...
Carmichael's lead is now 8 seconds on Albertyn, followed by Vuillemin, Windham, McGrath, Lusk, Shayne King...the top riders seem to be getting pretty stretched out, best thing to watch is Carmichael as he's comfortable in his lead, styling all the way around, clearly enjoying putting his stamp on the moto...Windham is getting pressured by McGrath, looks to turn into a skirmish within the next lap...10 minutes + 2 laps still remain...
Carmichael running smooth...Tortelli has moved up into second, displacing Albertyn back to third...last year, Tortelli was unstoppable here, Alby seem to be riding very well with his broken femur apparently well in the past...
Carmichael, Tortelli, Albertyn, Vuillemin, Windham (still getting pressure from McGrath)...MC working all over through several turns, running alongside the Honda rider attempting to get that 5th position...McGrath is by now,and they are a good ways ahead of Lusk, Ferry and King...
Less than 5 minutes (plus 2 laps) remain...Damon Huffman crashes right in front of the announcer stand and remounts...his teammate Robbie Reynard has moved into the top 10...
Ricky Carmichael continues to lead the way, then Tortelli running strong, Alby 3rd, then Vuillemin, McGrath, Windham, Lusk, Ferry, King...
Mike LaRocco has moved into the top 10...30 minutes is gone, and the 2-lap sign will come out for Carmichael...Tortelli negotiates lappers, running solid 2nd, then Albertyn, Vuillemin, Tortelli, McGrath, Windham, Lusk, Ferry, King, LaRocco, Reynard, and 34-year old Doug Dubach, Dowd, and Larry Ward...
The white flag comes out, and Carmichael is the first to see it, riding smooth, strong & consistent, followed by Tortelli, Albertyn, Vuillemin in striking distance, then McGrath, Windham, Lusk, Ferry, LaRocco, Shayne King...
Kawasaki's Ricky Carmichael carries his gap around the final lap, schooling the rest of the 250 pack on the way in to the checkers to take the first moto win...followed by Sebastien Tortelli, Greg Albertyn, David Vuillemin, Jeremy McGrath, Kevin Windham, Ezra Lusk, Tim Ferry, Mike LaRocco, and Shayne King.
250cc Moto #1 Results (Official): 1. Ricky Carmichael (Kaw); 2. Sebastien Tortelli (Hon); 3. Greg Albertyn (Suz); 4. David Vuillemin (Yam); 5. Jeremy McGrath (Yam); 6. Kevin Windham (Hon); 7. Ezra Lusk (Hon); 8. Tim Ferry (Yam); 9. Mike LaRocco (Hon); 10. Shayne King (KTM); 11. Robbie Reynard (Suz); 12. Doug Dubach (Yam); 13. John Dowd (Kaw); 14. Larry Ward (Kaw); 15. Kyle Lewis (Suz); 16. Heath Voss (Hon); 17. Damon Huffman (Suz); 18. James Povolny (Hon); 19. Jason Thomas (Yam); 20. Akira Narita (Hon); 21. Doug DeHaan (Hon); 22. Tim Beatty (Yam); 23. Dustin Nelson (Yam); 24. Dax Kastrin (Yam); 25. Blair Morgan (Hon); 26. Scott Davis (Kaw); 27. Carter Gurnee (Hon); 28. Ryan Terlecki (KTM); 29. Robb Floth (Hon); 30. Jefferey Pestana (Suz); 31. Jason Fink (Yam); 32. Clifford Cook (KTM); 33. Brian Sweany (Suz); 34. Tyler Evans (Suz); 35. Ty Kady (Suz); 36. Brian Roth (Hon); 37. Ted Campbell (Suz); 38. Jean Sebastien Roy (Hon); 39. John Sereika (Yam); 40. Ryan Huffman (Kaw).
The 30-second board goes sideways, the gate drops, and the lead belongs to Brock Sellards as the pack comes around...Michael Brandes takes a spectacular get-off right in front of the tower...remounts & takes off...meanwhile up front...Tallon Vohland, Pastrana, Lamson...Sellards crashes, Danny Smith crashes...
Lap 2 and the order has been re-shuffled after the last lap's carnage...Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Tallon Vohland leads Steve Lamson on the TLD factory Honda...then Pastrana, Ramsey, Johnson, Roncada, Payne, Fonseca, Wey, Currie, Schnell, Thain, Jesseman...Chiodo way back in the top 20...
Nine minutes gone in the second 125 moto, Tallon Vohland is in control, while Steve Lamson continues to hold down the runner-up spot...Travis Pastrana has closed to within striking distance and is gaining...just a bike length separates the two as the battle shapes up for second...a 3-2 finish for Pastrana would get him the overall for the day...
Vohland leads Lammy by just under 5 seconds, and Pastrana is showing the Honda rider his wheel through the bottom grandstand sections...
Nate "Dogg" Ramsey is now up to fourth spot, and he has pulled up to have a good view of Pastrana and Lamson's battle...this could easily turn into a 3-way race for second...Vohland still have a gap on the trio, not enough to cruise, but clear of any skirmishes behind for now...Wey, Payne, Schnell, Thain, Jesseman round out the top 10...
Travis Pastrana passes Lamson to move into 2nd...Nick Wey (who finished 20th in the first moto) is up into 6th...Tallon Vohland continues to show the way around, then Pastrana, Lamson, Roncada, Wey...If Pastrana catches Vohland, he'll need it for the overall, otherwise Roncada will have the O/A in the bag...too soon to speculate, though, as the half-way sign will not even come out until the next lap around...
Pastrana has closed up the distance on Vohland, only 4.5 seconds separate the two...then Lamson with serious pressure from Roncada for third, their mechanics figuring points and positions to plan strategy for their riders as they vie for the overall...Roncada throws strategy out the window, and banzais around Lamson to move into third to set off after Pastrana...the only strategy for him is to win outright...
10 minutes + 2 laps remain in the second 125 moto, Tallon Vohland will try to stay focused with the time remaining, the top fourt are all separated by approx. 4 seconds each...
Billy Payne riding around with his hand in the air, tough break as he calls it a day...Vohland still leads Pastrana, Lamson, and now Nick Wey is in 4th...
Pastrana crashed in the back section, Vohland comes around still leading followed by Roncada, then Lamson 3rd and Pastrana back moving in 4th...
Running order is Vohland, Roncada, Lamson, Pastrana, Schnell, Wey, Buckelew, Ramsey, Thain, Currie, Jesseman, Gosselaar, Casey Johnson, Kelly Smith, Danny Smith, Casey Lytle...
Roncada is closing the gap on Vohland to 6 seconds, third is Lamson looking strong, then Pastrana, Schnell, Wey, Buckelew...riders are being shown the 2-lap board and have that long to settle it...Roncada's looking like the guy for the 125cc overall on the day...
White flag shown to Tallon Vohland, then it's 4 seconds back to Stephane Roncada, Steve Lamson still riding well in third...Vohland keeps it pinned all the way around with no time to relax...
The checkers wave for Tallon Vohland for the second moto win, and Stephane Roncada wraps up the overall win as he crosses the line in second, to leave San Bernardino with the 125cc National point lead...third for the moto goes to Steve Lamson, who's served notice that he's back to be reckoned with...then it's Pastrana, Schnell, Wey, Buckelew, Ramsey, Gosselaar, Currie, Thain.
125cc Moto #2 Results (Official): 1. Tallon Vohland (Kaw); 2. Stephane Roncada (Yam); 3. Steve Lamson (Hon); 4. Travis Pastrana (Suz); 5. Greg Schnell (Yam); 6. Nick Wey (Kaw); 7. Justin Buckelew (Yam); 8. Nathan Ramsey (Kaw); 9. Chris Gosselaar (Hon); 10. Paul Currie (Hon); 11. Rodrig Thain (KTM); 12. Casey Johnson (Yam); 13. Branden Jesseman (Suz); 14. Danny Smith (Hon); 15. Kelly Smith (KTM); 16. Brock Sellards (Hon); 17. Casey Lytle (Hon); 18. Robbie Horton (Suz); 19. David Pingree (Suz); 20. Brad Hagseth (Yam); 21. Isaiah Johnson (Hon); 22. Bryan McGavran (Yam); 23. Ernesto Fonseca (Yam); 24. Anthony Amaradio (Yam); 25. Joseph Oehlhof (KTM); 26. Tyson Hadsell (Yam); 27. Levi Reid (Hon); 28. Michael Sleeter (Yam); 29. Sean Hamblin (Kaw); 30. Jason McCormick (Hon); 31. Mark Tilley (KTM); 32. Billy Payne (Kaw); 33. Robbie Skaggs (Hus); 34. Matt Walker (Hon); 35. Alessio Chiodo (Hus); 36. Mike Craig (Yam); 37. Travis Preston (Suz); 38. Travis Elliott (Hon); 39. Michael Brandes (Hon); 40. Jeremy Chaussee (Hon).
Lap 2 - Carmichael holds off Tortelli who's on a tear as Honda teammate Windham stays with the leaders...Carmichael, Tortelli, Windham, McGrath, Albertyn, Vuillemin, Ward, Luck, LaRocco cross the line to start lap 3...
7 minutes into the second moto, Kawasaki's Ricky Carmichael leads Honda's Sebastien Tortelli by just 3 seconds, then Windham getting pressure from Alby, McGrath battling with Vuillemin, then Lusk, Ward, and LaRocco...Reynard in 10th...
Tortelli is as close to Carmichael as he's been yet this moto, whichever rider wins the moto would take today's overall...Windham still managing to keep the lead duo in site...10 minutes gone so far...
Carmichael and Tortelli using completely different lines, the leader riding as smooth and possible, and Torelli taking more unorthodox lines, looking for any advantage...
Tortelli is still dogging Carmichael, both riders leaping down Mt. St. Helens, keeping it pinned all the way to the bottom of the long downhill section...KTM's Shayne King battling back around 11th with Doug Dubach and Kyle Lewis...Windham being chased by Albertyn, then Vuillemin, McGrath, LaRocco, Lusk, and Reynard...
After the halfway point, Carmichael continues to lead this race...Sebastien Tortelli still running second & battling...Mike LaRocco is closing on McGrath to bid for 6th...
Tortelli's keeping Carmichael honest, using the whole track & bouncing off the bales in his effort to keep close...20 minutes gone in the moto, they're making it a race to the finish...Kevin Windham and Greg Albertyn are running 3-4 ahead of Vuillemin, and McGrath still getting pressure from LaRocco...
Carmichael is slicing his way through lappers, and Tortelli does the same, Windham lying 3rd, Albertyn, Vuillmin, LaRocco now ahead of McGrath, then Reynard, Lusk, Larry Ward round out the top ten...
Ricky Carmichael only leads by a second over Tortelli, the Honda rider may be holding his best cards until the last laps at this point...when the 2-lap board comes out, look for things to heat up at the front...that should be one or two laps from now 'til that happens...after the leaders, it's a long way - some 26 seconds back - to Windham...
Albertyn 4th, Vuillemin, LaRocco, McGrath, Reynard, Lusk, and Ward continue in the top 10...
Carmichael's nearly collected by a lapper, but not a problem...the 2-lap sign comes out, and now the real race begins...Windham comes by in solid 3rd, and then Albertyn & Vuillemin with a heated battle for 4th...
Tortelli will need to pull out all the stops now, as Carmichael comes across the stripe to see the white flage waving...Carmichael seems to have his rival covered with an 8-second lead as the start this final lap...Windham still alone in 3rd, Vuillemin is into 4th, then Albertyn, LaRocco, McGrath, Reynard, Lusk, Larry Ward (way back)...
Ricky Carmichael puts on a session in domination, as he comes around to take his second moto win for the day, and the clear overall victory for the Glen Helen MX National...Sebastien Tortelli crosses in 2nd, then Windham, Vuillemin, Albertyn, LaRocco, McGrath, Reynard, Lusk, and Larry Ward round out the top 10.
250cc Moto #2 Results (Official): 1. Ricky Carmichael (Kaw); 2. Sebastien Tortelli (Hon); 3. Kevin Windham (Hon); 4. David Vuillemin (Yam); 5. Greg Albertyn (Suz); 6. Mike LaRocco(Hon); 7. Jeremy McGrath (Yam); 8. Robbie Reynard (Suz); 9. Ezra Lusk (Hon); 10. Larry Ward (Kaw); 11. Kyle Lewis (Suz); 12. John Dowd (Kaw); 13. Doug Dubach (Yam); 14. Damon Huffman (Suz); 15. Tim Ferry (Yam); 16. Akira Narita (Hon); 17. Shayne King (KTM); 18. Jason Thomas (Yam); 19. John Sebastien Roy (Hon); 20. Doug Dehaan (Hon); 21. Ted Campbell (Suz); 22. Blair Morgan (Hon); 23. Dustin Nelson (Yam); 24. Ryan Terlecki (KTM); 25. Scott Davis (Kaw); 26. Carter Gurnee (Hon); 27. Brian Roth (Hon); 28. Tim Beatty (Yam); 29. Jeff Pestana (Suz); 30. John Sereika (Yam); 31. Dax Kastrin (Yam); 32. Clifford Cook (KTM); 33. Rob Floth (Hon); 34. Ty Kady (Suz); 35. James Povolny (Hon); 36. Brian Sweany (Suz); 37. Jason Fink (Yam); 38. Heath Voss (Hon); 39. Ryan Huffman (Kaw); 40. Tyler Evans (Suz).
Thanks for tuning in to Cycle News Virtual Grandstand - be sure to catch us again next week, on Sunday, May 21st at the Hangtown AMA / Chevy Trucks US MX Nationals in Sacramento, California.
Broadcast By: Mark Thome
Spotter: Kory Klinger, Terry Pratt, Dave Knapik
Photos By: