Click Photo for Larger Image

The Old 1-2 Punch

Anaheim, Calif. ~ Some fans and experts will say the rain helped them win. Others will contest they flew in under the radar. Still more will say wait until Phoenix. All that doesn't really matter because Kevin Windham and Mike LaRocco are on top of the AMA Supercross standings after their one-two finish at Anaheim this past weekend.

The event was billed by many as "the biggest race in Supercross history." With three-time series champion Ricky Carmichael returning, Chad Reed looking to defend his 2004 title, superstar James "Bubba" Stewart making his 250 debut and throw in the return to racing by Jeremy McGrath, there wasn't a lot of press to be found for other top riders like Windham and LaRocco.

For the crafty-Cajun, Windham, the conditions were more like a croc-infested swamp than a Supercross course. Rain dumped more than 7-inches on southern California in the four days leading up to series opener at Angels Stadium. An all-day soaking was also in-store for the field as the AMA announced it was scaling back the number of riders and laps for the qualifying heats and finals to help keep everyone safe. Before the qualifying heats, Windham summed up the track conditions best by saying, "Let's go muddin'."

The wet weather played a major role throughout the night. Just keeping the Honda's upright and moving forward was the biggest concern for Team AMSOIL during the qualifying heats. Both riders qualified in the top three of their heats and started on the inside for the final.

In the main event, Windham would race out front with Carmichael for the holeshot, missing by less than a tire length for the lead. Early on Carmichael would push his Suzuki way out front, with K-dub about tens seconds behind. But Carmichael would get greedy, trying for triples when the rest of the field was content to plod along. During the sixth lap, Carmichael would misjudge a double, landed awkwardly and dumped his bike. With the muddy conditions, he had a hard time getting his bike back up and fired, allowing Windham to take over first, a position he would hold onto for the rest of the race.

"It was chaos tonight," Windham said afterward. "With about three laps to go, I went down, but I managed to get it back up and get the win. It was tough for my mechanic; he had his hands full."

Meanwhile, Carmichael's fall also allowed the steady riding of Mike LaRocco to challenge for second. After a few back and forth laps, LaRocco made an impressive move, passing Carmichael with a double of one of the sections. That move and another fall later in the race by Carmichael sealed the deal for the AMSOIL/Chaparral/Factory Connection/Honda team. With all of the hype, it was two veterans and two of the bigger riders who flew in under the radar so to speak to take the top two positions at Anaheim 1.

The AMSOIL/Chaparral/Factory Connection/Honda team will be traveling to Phoenix, Ariz. this weekend for the second round of the AMA Supercross series. If you can't get to Arizona on Saturday, check out your local listings on ESPN 2 for the Sunday telecast.

See AMSOIL/Chaparral/Honda Supercross Team Page
See The Results

News Contact:
AMSOIL Racing Coordinator
AMSOIL Building
Superior, WI 54880
(715) 392-7101 ext. 220
racing@amsoil.com