Tortelli Hauls at Hangtown

Kit Palmer | May 20, 2001

Team Honda Sebastien Tortelli was the overall 250cc class winner at the Hangtown National Motocross in Sacramento, California. On a hot, dry and windy day, Tortelli won the first moto ahead of Honda-mounted Mike LaRocco, Yamaha’s David Vuillemin, Suzuki’s Kevin Windham and Chevy Trucks Kawasaki’s Ricky Carmichael, the defending 250cc National Champion.

Tortelli wasn’t quite as successful in the second moto. After crashing in the first moto, Carmichael came back to win the second moto over last week’s winner Yamaha’s Tim Ferry, Tortelli, Windham, LaRocco and Vuillemin. Carmichael’s 4-1 still gave him runner-up honors, while LaRocco’s 2-5 netted him a podium finish in third overall. Windham and Vuillemin rounded out the top five overall.

By winning, Tortelli takes over the series points lead by just seven points over Carmichael, 86-79. One point back of Carmichael is Ferry with 78 points.

In the 125cc class, KTM’s Grant Langston kept his unbeaten streak going by winning both motos, but local hero Bobby Bonds nearly came away with the overall win. Bonds finished second in the first moto and was leading the second moto, when he and Langston bumped into each other, leaving Bonds on the ground with a possible broken rib.

Team Suzuki’s Travis Pastrana ended up taking second overall, despite crashing numerous times and finishing ninth in the first moto. An unusual 9-2 tally gave the defending champ second overall, followed by Rodrig Thain’s 4-9 results. Fourth and fifth overall went to KTM’s Kelly Smith and Brock Sellards.

After two rounds, Langston leads the 125cc class with 100 points, followed by Pastrana with 72 points and Damon Huffman with 54 points.