Mrvyper2u
02-16-2004, 03:44 PM
James “Bubba” Stewart won the opening round of the 125 east regional supercross championship with an easy win at Houston, and it moved him just one race away from Jeremy McGrath’s record of 13 125 supercross wins.
Stewart’s win was no surprise, but rookie Broc Hepler’s solid second place was. In his first supercross ever, the young Suzuki rider grabbed the holeshot and led two laps, then stayed ahead of Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Eric Sorby for second. 4-stroke 250Fs did not dominate the east opener like they did in the west. Stewart and Sorby were both on 2-stoke Kawasaki 125s. Hepler was on Suzuki’s new 250F, and his podium was the best finish for that bike so far.
Stewart was the fastest 125 on the track all weekend and he used some of his practice time to practice waving and showing off to empty stands. When he won the main, he not only waved to the crowd but he laid his bike down by the finish line and started dancing “the worm” on the start straight.
Hepler tangled with another rider in his heat race and aggravated a sore arm, but he came back on won the last chance qualifier, then holeshot the main from an outside gate pick.
Stewart won his heat race but had to do the whole track in third gear because his gear shifter hit a tuff bloc beside the track and bent around under his footpeg.
Hepler led Mathieu Lalloz and Tiger Lacey on the first lap, but soon Stewart passed all three and pulled away for an easy win. Sorby charged up from a mid pack start and passed Lalloz for third on lap 10. Also charging through the pack was veteran Steve Lamson who was on a Honda CRF250. Lamson came from way back to finish an impressive 4th. Ryan Clark, a privateer 250 rider, raced both classes and was 5th in 125s.
“Houston is good for me, I think I am going to move over here,” joked Sorby after the race. “Three years ago it was my first race and first podium (here).“ “This is the first (east) race and I had a pretty bad start and I got second, so I am happy,” he said.
Sorby has had his share of rough riding controversies, but since the incident with Kevin Windham at Phoenix, he has been more careful. In the main he found himself holding back. “I saw Lamson come in a lot of times from the inside,” he said, “I was scared because we can’t do any more block passes. I don’t want any trouble. I want to be friends with everyone. I want a lot of fans too. I trained really hard this winter, I am ready and feel pretty strong. I am not going to do anymore block passed but if someone do I am going to do for sure.”
Hepler’s second was one of the best performance’s ever for a rookie, and gave him bike credit for his good start. “From the beginning I didn’t have a very good gate pick,” he said, “but my Suzuki came through from the outside and got be a great start. I got a little nervous the first those couple laps then James got by me and then I could follow his lines for a couple of turns. I got a couple of lines from him and just rode smart. I rode smart and hit all my rhythm sections to finish in second place.”
About the shoulder, he said, “Three weeks ago I separated my shoulder and hadn’t been riding much until last week. Then I collided in the air with Josh Woods and fell right on it. It didn’t feel really good but I got right up and got it moving again. Then I came out in the LCQ and got another good start and won it. So I got my confidence back up after hitting the dirt in the heat race.”
Stewart’s career has been remarkable so far, and in 2004 he started out where he was expected to be-on top. “In the whoop section I felt pretty strong all weekend,” said Stewart of where he felt the strongest, “This year I did a lot if training. I am out there and I don’t get tired. I know if I come from the back I will be strong through the whole race.”
“In the heat race I was stuck in 3rd gear so I had to make up my time in the whoop section,“ said Stewart, “I pulled one of those first year moves and almost jumped off the track in a hay bail and lost my shifter. I have never raced with out one before.”
“I wasn’t in any rush to pass Broc, said Stewart of the race in the main, “I am really confident this year and I am not worried about getting tired. I just wanted to make some smart passes out there. There were a couple of times in that first lap where I tangled with a couple of people in the air, that was pretty scary. I knew a Suzuki was up there, I was just going to make my way through the whoops and make up time up there. I feel more comfortable when there is somebody pretty close. I am not worried about getting pressured or anything. I will be as strong as I am now. Hopefully (I will) come out on top again.”
THQ AMA Supercross Series 125cc Eastern Regional Event Results, Houston, TX
1. James Stewart Haines City, Fl. Kawasaki
2. Broc Hepler Kittanning, Pa., Suzuki
3. Eric Sorby Murrieta, Ca, Kawasaki
4. Steve Lamson Camino, Ca., Honda
5. Ryan Clark Corrales, Nm., Yamaha
6. Danny Smith Middleton, Id., Yamaha
7. Brett Metcalfe Murrieta, Ca., KTM
8. Steve Boniface, Menifee, Ca., Suzuki
9. Ryan Mills Clintondale, Ny., Honda
10. Kelly Smith Ludington, Mi., Yamaha
THQ AMA Supercross Series 125cc Eastern Regional Season Standings
1. James Stewart Haines City, Fl. Kawasaki 25 pts
2. Broc Hepler Kittanning, Pa., Suzuki, 22 pts
3. Eric Sorby Murrieta, Ca, Kawasaki 20 pts
4. Steve Lamson Camino, Ca., Honda 18 pts
5. Ryan Clark Corrales, Nm., Yamaha 16 pts
6. Danny Smith Middleton, Id., Yamaha 15 pts
7. Brett Metcalfe Murrieta, Ca., KTM 14 pts
8. Ryan Mills Clintondale, Ny., Honda 12 pts
9. Kelly Smith Ludington, Mi., Yamaha 11 pts
10. Billy Laninovich, Escondido, Ca., Honda 10 pts
Stewart’s win was no surprise, but rookie Broc Hepler’s solid second place was. In his first supercross ever, the young Suzuki rider grabbed the holeshot and led two laps, then stayed ahead of Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Eric Sorby for second. 4-stroke 250Fs did not dominate the east opener like they did in the west. Stewart and Sorby were both on 2-stoke Kawasaki 125s. Hepler was on Suzuki’s new 250F, and his podium was the best finish for that bike so far.
Stewart was the fastest 125 on the track all weekend and he used some of his practice time to practice waving and showing off to empty stands. When he won the main, he not only waved to the crowd but he laid his bike down by the finish line and started dancing “the worm” on the start straight.
Hepler tangled with another rider in his heat race and aggravated a sore arm, but he came back on won the last chance qualifier, then holeshot the main from an outside gate pick.
Stewart won his heat race but had to do the whole track in third gear because his gear shifter hit a tuff bloc beside the track and bent around under his footpeg.
Hepler led Mathieu Lalloz and Tiger Lacey on the first lap, but soon Stewart passed all three and pulled away for an easy win. Sorby charged up from a mid pack start and passed Lalloz for third on lap 10. Also charging through the pack was veteran Steve Lamson who was on a Honda CRF250. Lamson came from way back to finish an impressive 4th. Ryan Clark, a privateer 250 rider, raced both classes and was 5th in 125s.
“Houston is good for me, I think I am going to move over here,” joked Sorby after the race. “Three years ago it was my first race and first podium (here).“ “This is the first (east) race and I had a pretty bad start and I got second, so I am happy,” he said.
Sorby has had his share of rough riding controversies, but since the incident with Kevin Windham at Phoenix, he has been more careful. In the main he found himself holding back. “I saw Lamson come in a lot of times from the inside,” he said, “I was scared because we can’t do any more block passes. I don’t want any trouble. I want to be friends with everyone. I want a lot of fans too. I trained really hard this winter, I am ready and feel pretty strong. I am not going to do anymore block passed but if someone do I am going to do for sure.”
Hepler’s second was one of the best performance’s ever for a rookie, and gave him bike credit for his good start. “From the beginning I didn’t have a very good gate pick,” he said, “but my Suzuki came through from the outside and got be a great start. I got a little nervous the first those couple laps then James got by me and then I could follow his lines for a couple of turns. I got a couple of lines from him and just rode smart. I rode smart and hit all my rhythm sections to finish in second place.”
About the shoulder, he said, “Three weeks ago I separated my shoulder and hadn’t been riding much until last week. Then I collided in the air with Josh Woods and fell right on it. It didn’t feel really good but I got right up and got it moving again. Then I came out in the LCQ and got another good start and won it. So I got my confidence back up after hitting the dirt in the heat race.”
Stewart’s career has been remarkable so far, and in 2004 he started out where he was expected to be-on top. “In the whoop section I felt pretty strong all weekend,” said Stewart of where he felt the strongest, “This year I did a lot if training. I am out there and I don’t get tired. I know if I come from the back I will be strong through the whole race.”
“In the heat race I was stuck in 3rd gear so I had to make up my time in the whoop section,“ said Stewart, “I pulled one of those first year moves and almost jumped off the track in a hay bail and lost my shifter. I have never raced with out one before.”
“I wasn’t in any rush to pass Broc, said Stewart of the race in the main, “I am really confident this year and I am not worried about getting tired. I just wanted to make some smart passes out there. There were a couple of times in that first lap where I tangled with a couple of people in the air, that was pretty scary. I knew a Suzuki was up there, I was just going to make my way through the whoops and make up time up there. I feel more comfortable when there is somebody pretty close. I am not worried about getting pressured or anything. I will be as strong as I am now. Hopefully (I will) come out on top again.”
THQ AMA Supercross Series 125cc Eastern Regional Event Results, Houston, TX
1. James Stewart Haines City, Fl. Kawasaki
2. Broc Hepler Kittanning, Pa., Suzuki
3. Eric Sorby Murrieta, Ca, Kawasaki
4. Steve Lamson Camino, Ca., Honda
5. Ryan Clark Corrales, Nm., Yamaha
6. Danny Smith Middleton, Id., Yamaha
7. Brett Metcalfe Murrieta, Ca., KTM
8. Steve Boniface, Menifee, Ca., Suzuki
9. Ryan Mills Clintondale, Ny., Honda
10. Kelly Smith Ludington, Mi., Yamaha
THQ AMA Supercross Series 125cc Eastern Regional Season Standings
1. James Stewart Haines City, Fl. Kawasaki 25 pts
2. Broc Hepler Kittanning, Pa., Suzuki, 22 pts
3. Eric Sorby Murrieta, Ca, Kawasaki 20 pts
4. Steve Lamson Camino, Ca., Honda 18 pts
5. Ryan Clark Corrales, Nm., Yamaha 16 pts
6. Danny Smith Middleton, Id., Yamaha 15 pts
7. Brett Metcalfe Murrieta, Ca., KTM 14 pts
8. Ryan Mills Clintondale, Ny., Honda 12 pts
9. Kelly Smith Ludington, Mi., Yamaha 11 pts
10. Billy Laninovich, Escondido, Ca., Honda 10 pts