Friday, January 25

LaRocco Earns Respect

By B.J. Smith

ANAHEIM, CA (January 19) - He really is serious. One week ago, Mike LaRocco said he needs to win a race before he can expect to be taken seriously. After a seven-year drought, LaRocco is back on top with a win in front of a sold-out Anaheim crowd at round three of the EA Sports Supercross Series. And David Pingree pulled off a huge win in the 125cc West SX race despite late-race pressure from points leader, James Stewart.

250cc:

April 8, 1995 was last time Mike LaRocco won a Supercross. From that era, LaRocco and seven-time champ, Jeremy McGrath are the only current top-ten riders still in 250cc competition.

LaRocco has shown nothing but brilliance this season with a second in round one and a third at round two. To get the respect, though, he said he had to get back to winning. No better time than Anaheim.

Team SoBe Suzuki's Kevin Windham grabbed the POWERshot followed by teammate, Travis Pastrana. Defending champ, Ricky Carmichael started out mid-pack but he tangled with Chad Reed, and both riders ended up on the ground. McGrath and LaRocco sat in eighth and seventh in the early laps.

Up front, Pastrana made his move on Windham and points leader, David Vuillemin went from fifth to third. Pastrana immediately put a sizeable lead over the field while Windham was passed by Vuillemin, then Nathan Ramsey, LaRocco, and Stephane Roncada and ended the race in a puzzling tenth.

With a little over five laps to go, Pastrana hit neutral on a fast section of the track and was slammed into the ground. Vuillemin, LaRocco and Ramsey took over the lead spots and the bent and bruised Pastrana settled back to fourth.

Vuillemin was looking for his third straight victory but with five laps and a clear track ahead, LaRocco was determined to not let this victory get away. "The Rock" pulled along side Vuillemin, took the lead and hung it out until the end. Vuillemin made a valiant last lap charge but it wasn't enough to stop LaRocco.

Ramsey was in the best position of his 250cc career until he bumped with Pastrana and fell with two corners to go, handing away third. Carmichael came through the pack to finish an uneventful fourth and Ramsey re-mounted for fifth. Jeremy McGrath finished ninth. Reed came back from his crash with Carmichael to set one of the fastest lap times of the night and finish eighth.

"It's been fun for the last three years, but winning is lot more fun," LaRocco said. "Seven years is a long time without a win. I was a little nervous on the last lap but I felt like I had the track dialed, so I wasn't too concerned. I've been feeling good all year. I'll keep plugging away. I've been too conservative in the past, you've got to hang it out and that's what I'm going to do this year to win."

With third overall, Pastrana was his usual upbeat self, but clearly disappointed from his mistake.

"That kind of hurt," he said. "I hit neutral. My big foot doesn't fit in there so well. I'm happy to get podium but my sincere apologies to Ramsey. We kind of came together in the whoops. I'm happy to be here, but I'm bummed that I blew it."

125cc:

James "Bubba" Stewart was the hot property to annihilate the field once again in the 125cc West division. That scenario looked certain when Stewart pulled the POWERshot, but after crossing the line, he dumped the bike and came out in dead last.

Casey Lytle and Casey Johnson took over first and second followed by David Pingree. Pingree and Johnson worked their way around Lytle but Johnson's lead was short-lived. A bobble by Johnson let Pingree, Lytle and Ivan Tedesco slip by. Shortly after the half-way point, Stewart was already in fourth place and picking off victims one by one.

Bubba went by Matt Walker for fourth, then Lytle for third, Tedesco for second, and with under three laps left, Pingree was the only rider left. Pingree had a slim 1.7-second lead but after a nail-biting final lap, less than a second separated the two and Pingree held on to win his fourth career 125cc Supercross race. Stewart took second but remains the series points leader.

Stewart, satisfied with his performance, had still not met all his goals.

"I got the holeshot," he said. "and that money is going to the Tony Haynes Foundation (A friend of Stewart's and former motocrosser who is now paraplegic). As far as the race, I just had to be calm, and pick them off one by one."

Pingree was glad to be back on top after not winning a race last season.

"It feels so good to be here again," he said. "This is about the best feeling you can have, but Bubba was going so fast it was ridiculous. I'm just glad I could hold him off."

250cc Main Event:

1. Mike LaRocco - HON
2. David Vuillemin - YAM
3. Travis Pastrana - SUZ
4. Ricky Carmichael - HON
5. Nathan Ramsey - HON
6. Ezra Lusk - KAW
7. Stephane Roncada - KAW
8. Chad Reed - YAM
9. Jeremy McGrath - YAM
10. Kevin Windham - SUZ

250cc Point Standings (After 3 of 16 rounds)

1. David Vuillemin (72/2 wins)
2. Mike LaRocco (67/1 win)
3. Ezra Lusk (45)
4. (TIE) Chad Reed/Travis Pastrana (44)
6. Kevin Windham (39)
7. Ricky Carmichael (37)
8. Nathan Ramsey (33)
9. (TIE) Damon Huffman/Jeremy McGrath (31)

125cc Main Event:

1. David Pingree - KTM
2. James Stewart - KAW
3. Ivan Tedesco - YAM
4. Casey Lytle - YAM
5. Matt Walker - KAW
6. Keith R. Johnson - YAM)
7. Casey Johnson - HON
8. Travis Elliott (Hon)
9. Brock Sellards - KTM
10. Erick Vallejo - SUZ

125cc Point Standings (After 3 rounds)

1. James Stewart (69/1 win)
2. David Pingree (58/1 win)
3. Ivan Tedesco (54)
4. Travis Preston (45/1 win)
5. Rodrig Thain (44)
6. Travis Elliott (39)
7. Keith R. Johnson (38)
8. (TIE) Christopher Gosselaar/Brock Sellards (36)
10. Casey Lytle (24).