In front of a sold out audience of 49,000 Team Makita Suzuki's Ricky Carmichael set the pace in the dry surroundings of the covered Bank One Ball Park in Phoenix, Arizona, when he accounted for Kevin Windham and Chad Reed in a wire to wire win at round two of the AMA/THQ Supercross championship.
Carmichael's team-mate Broc Hepler made Suzuki boss Roger DeCoster the happiest man in North America when he repeated the feat with emphatic win in the 125cc West Coast Division.
Although it was Team Makita Suzuki that where the stars of the night, all the talk was of Rookie 250 rider James Stewart breaking his arm in practice.
The 19-year-old Factory Kawasaki rider breaking it just above the wrist when a combination jump went wrong. The result being a great disappointment for fans who had built the series up to be the most hyped in years. With rain spoiling the coming together of the big three, Reed, Carmichael and Stewart at the opening round at Anaheim last week, fans will now probably have to wait until the 2006 season to see a true showdown between the three.
In the 250 main Carmichael was flawless in his first win since 2003. After taking the holeshot the former champion was immediately put under pressure from last weeks winner Kevin Windham whilst Chad Reed (Yamaha) was caught behind a faster starting Heath Voss.
With Carmichael and Windham riding at their limits and gapping the field Reed lost valuable time in a four lap stuggled to account for current World Champion Voss. Once into third Reed was unable to make any real headway on the leaders as things settled into a fairly dull affair for the podium positions.
Carmichael slotted into his rhythm and gradually pulled away on Windham, although only by tenths of a second but in the end they added up to a ten second margin. Reed finishing a further 4 seconds behind the Amsoil/ Chapparal rider. Team Honda's Ernesto Fonseca rode a very uneventful and under-rated race to take fourth, a position he held for most of the event.
Last weeks runner up Mike Larocco didn't fair well after a crash left him dead last on the second lap where he joined David Vuillemin and Travis Pastrana. Vuillemin would do the best on the climb back to the top when he made his way back to a respectable 8th. Pastrana, who did run as high as tenth at one stage, pulled out after another crash and Larocco could only manage a disappointing 15th.
A highlight of the night was Jeremy McGrath who battled hard with Yamaha Factory rider Tim Ferry and Makita Suzuki's Sebastian Tortelli, eventually getting the upper hand on Ferry but unable to hold of Tortelli or a charging Nick Wey, still 9th was a very respectable effort for a part time racer.
For Carmichael though it was a welcome return to the top step of the podium - his mechanic Mike Gosselaar saying it with the final pit board that simply read - "Good to be back"
"I was happy, around lap thirteen or fourteen", said Carmichael. "I was like, I just gotta stay smooth, I am so Happy for Suzuki, is been a long time, I am most happy for them. I like my bike and I am in tune with it, I feel very confident. My goal is Vegas and to be the last man standing".
Asked about his thoughts on James Stewarts crash he commented. "Anyone can do good laps in practice but its about throwing down 20 in a race. Our sport needs all of us out there, referring to Stewart, the hype and everything, I hope he gets better, its just a shame that that happened".
Windham was happy with his ride, "I wanted to back up last week," he said. "I rode a good race, I didn't win but he (Carmichael) never really gapped me by a long way, still a few things to work on but there are still 14 races to go."
Reed on the other hand sounded fairly down beat, directing his focus more to the rest of the season. "I was just trying to stay on two wheels, I was trying to race the track, all three of us where pretty much the same. It‰Ûªs a long season. I will take it each race at a time, I just gotta race the tracks each weekend" said the reigning champion.
In round two of the 125cc West Coast title race it was Rookie White Brothers Suzuki rider Ryan Sipes that took the holeshot, but it was Team Makita Suzuki's Broc Hepler who ran virtually wire to wire to take his first Supercross career win. Hepler moved into the lead by the second corner and never looked back, making it the first U.S Suzuki Supercross sweep for a long, long time - if ever.
"I have a lot of confidence and I got of to a great start", said Hepler." I never made a mistake, it all went perfect"
After a shocking opening round reigning champions Ivan Tedesco worked hard after starting the race midfield to push his Pro Circuit Kawasaki into second.
It looked like a huge uphill battle for Tedesco's 2005 season after main rival Nathan Ramsey (Red Bull KTM) took the points in the opening round whilst he recorded a DNF. This time around it was Ramsey who would experience the pitfalls of Supercross when he pulled of with mechanical problems.
"I put a lot of pressure on myself" said Tedesco. " I am not really happy with second, it was unfortunate for Nathan and it sucks to see that happen to anyone, but next week I am out to win it"
Sipe's third place sees the Rookie now tied for the lead championship with Tedesco.
Round three of the championship now heads back to the open air of Anaheim and all will be hoping for no rain this time around.
