Travis Pastrana's Last 125cc Supercross 2001 Las Vegas 125cc East/West Shootout
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This is the 2001 Dave Coombs Sr. 125cc East/West Shootout from Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, NV.
In 2001, Team Suzuki's Travis Pastrana was just about wrapping up his 2nd full year of 125cc Supercross. After finishing 3rd overall behind Brock Sellards and eventual champ Stephane Roncada in 2000, Travis came into 2001 with expectations of a 125cc East Supercross title. After Roncada won the 125cc East in 2000, he decided not to defend his title and advance to the 250cc class full-time for Team Kawasaki. Brock Sellards, who lost that title by just 4 points, didn't have much of a redemption season for 2001.
Travis Pastrana started out 2001 on the 250cc machine. He debuted well at Anaheim 1 with an impressive and steady 5th place. Unlike his 125cc debut where he tried doing tricks and even crashed into the tuffblocks in Indianapolis, Pastrana abstained from all his Freestyle tricks (save for a brief no-footer after his heat race). At San Diego, Pastrana crashed hard on the first lap and ended up 20th. At Anaheim 2, Pastrana was running in the top 10 before pulling out due to dizziness and passing out on his motorcycle due to a problem with his ear that affected his equilibrium; the result: another 20th place. Travis would end his 250cc swing then and there and get ready for the 125cc East opener at Indianapolis.
When the 125cc East began, Travis Pastrana did what was expected and dominated the first round at Indianapolis over Yamaha of Troy's Nathan Ramsey #28. Pastrana's luck turned sour in round 2 at Atlanta when he crashed off the start and finished 14th. Ramsey, now aboard his new YZ250F, took his first win of the season at Atlanta, and his first since the 1999 125cc Shootout at Las Vegas on Pro Circuit Kawasaki. Pastrana would reel off 4 straight wins (including riding the first 250cc heat at St. Louis) while Ramsey struggled to a 3rd, 2 5ths, and a 2nd at St. Louis in a head-to-head battle with Pastrana. Pastrana led Ramsey by 11 pts. going into the final round at Pontiac; that meant Travis had to finish 7th or better to win the title if Ramsey won the race. As it turned out, Ramsey did win the last race of the season at Pontiac despite a wild ride in the main event. Pastrana wisely sat down for 2nd place, which gave him his 1 and only Supercross title. It was Suzuki's first title since Tim Ferry won the 125cc East in 1997 with 0 wins; Pastrana had won 5 races in 2001. Although Ramsey lost out on the 125cc East title by 8 points, all was not lost for Yamaha of Troy -- #25 Ernesto Fonseca won the 125cc West Supercross Championship on a YZ250F himself with 5 wins of his own.
In this race, KTM's David Pingree #46 snagged the holeshot, but he was quickly passed by Ernesto Fonseca on the #1W. Shortly after that, the race turned into a 3-rider battle between Fonseca, Ramsey, and Pastrana (on his #1E RM125). Pastrana and Ramsey pressured Fonseca lap after lap, but Fonseca kept his cool and the lead. On lap 13, Ramsey passed Fonseca; Pastrana tried to pass Fonseca, too, but Travis cased the first triple badly and dropped 3 seconds behind the 2 Yamaha of Troy teammates. Fonseca later bobbled in the whoops but avoided a crash; one lap later, Fonseca DID crash in the whoops and would finish 8th. At the checkers, it was Nathan Ramsey who took his 2nd career 125cc Shootout victory to go along with his win from 1999. Pastrana finished 2nd, and KTM's Brock Sellards #18 took 3rd. For the 2nd consecutive year, a divisional champion failed to win the shootout (Pastrana won as a non-champion in 2000).
Unfortunately, Travis' 250cc career didn't work out. He began 2002 with a DNF and a problem with his front tire disk. Travis rebounded for 3 straight podiums before crashes, illnesses, and injuries forced him to the sidelines after Daytona. Pastrana was sent to the sidelines AGAIN after the 3rd moto of the 2002 250cc Motocross season. 2003 was no better -- Travis only competed in a total of THREE events (2 SX, 1 MX moto).
Enjoy.
NOTE: I did film this with my digital camera back in 2010, but I decided to reupload this race in better quality just for fun.
Пікірлер: 25
I loved how it was just pretty much racing and not this big commercial shoving our product in everyone's faces and the flames and crap like now.
@MathewVsSportsMediaandGames
4 жыл бұрын
No arguments from this corner. Everyone was so focused on the season and didn't train year-round. They knew when to have fun off the bike.
@ridered7262
4 жыл бұрын
@@MathewVsSportsMediaandGames Exactly, The 90's and early 2000' were the best years I think for bikes. Back when everyone was having fun making videos.
@MathewVsSportsMediaandGames
4 жыл бұрын
@@ridered7262 Totally! Jeremy McGrath's Steel Roots and the Crusty Demons, and the Terrafirma... MX really hit its peak, and then again with the video games.
@christiangibson2960
2 жыл бұрын
Instablaster...
I remember this race I was there. I was in jr high. Ernesto fonseca his bike mechanic was my neighbor. He would hook my family up with pit passes. Good times great memories.
@MathewVsSportsMediaandGames
3 жыл бұрын
Lucky you for sure! I was in 7th grade when this race came on Pay-Per-View. Great memories indeed.
My Lord. Can you believe this was 19 years ago?!?!?!?!
@MathewVsSportsMediaandGames
4 жыл бұрын
I know -- and next year marks 20 years to the day Ricky took over as the new dominant racer after McGrath.
@jimhiscott2918
4 жыл бұрын
@@MathewVsSportsMediaandGames it was great back in that day. But its good now too. Roczen. Today, Webb. There all front runners.
@MathewVsSportsMediaandGames
4 жыл бұрын
@@jimhiscott2918 Indeed it is. It's hard to believe that nobody in this class is still active today, too -- even in the 250cc class as well.
Now we know twice the motor displacement isn't a fair race what would of happened if pastrami would have rode the 4stroke
@MathewVsSportsMediaandGames
4 жыл бұрын
I wouldn't say "isn't a fair race." It's proof that it's rider rider rider all the way. Everybody eventually went to 4-strokes once Honda, Suzuki, and Kawasaki came out with their 4-strokes in 2004, and KTM the following year. It was very apparent in 2004 that Kawasaki caught everyone with their pants down (proverbially speaking) when Ivan Tedesco won 7 out of 8 in the 125cc West, including the first 5 straight. You can just imagine if Supercross had a newspaper, that a front headline would read "TEENY FLU BUG COSTS TEDESCO A PERFECT SEASON" or something like that.
@yamahakid450f
3 жыл бұрын
RC was the last guy to win a supercross and outdoor title on a 2 stroke, Travis races him on a rm250 while rocky was on a CR250, he passed him multiple times and ran quicker laps and threw away many win opportunities due to stupid crashes, injuries, Mano, Epstein bad, and being anemic at the same time ruined his 250 career, then his parents divorce and being told chase either being a racer or go freestyle tore that kid apart emotionally and mentally. He made the correct move in hindesight, bur 2 stroke or not he was capable of going as fast as anyone. And his factory RM250 in 03 was arguably the best factory 2 stroke on the gate. Only Yamaha and Honda had a 4 stroke at the time and besides windham no top guy capable of a premier class title rode a 4 stroke, so that wasn’t an issue during his racing days. Only the top guys switched to 4 stroke in supercross in 2006... CR won on a 2 stroke in 2004, RC in 05 and the top guys moved to the 450 in 2006 indoors and by that time Travis was all but gone. No one but maybe chad and of course James could touch Travis in the whoops. He was so lanky and fearless (which is the biggest thing in a huge whoops section) he’d literally shift up going into them which is gnarly and sometimes even shift up in the whoops which is absolutely insane!! He was really fast when he was healthy but that was his biggest issue, not the bike, infact I think he was better on an2 stroke but we did see him in a 450 in Daytona beating Tedesco when he was a top 5 guy in the 450 class and pulling over a second a lap in the whoops alone before going too fast, missing a whoop with the front wheel and going ass end over tea kettle and the bike wouldn’t refire. Adrenaline kept him from feeling it but once he got back to the pits he knew he was messed up and didn’t come out for the LCQ, that sums up his premiere class career in a nut shell. I’d love to build an 03 replica or even an 06 into a pastrana 03 replica. Have Showa do my forks and procircuit do my engine to spec of his bike. His engine wasn’t factory Suzuki, roger knew PC could build a insane engine and Mitch delivered, that spec is available to the public. Except the clutch and transmission, but you could have the transmission tumbled but the hearing wouldn’t be the same but you wouldn’t want supercross gearing in a motocross bike. But the power plant, exhaust, most brake parts (excluding calipers), bars and controls, top RG3 clamp, and get as good or better fork and shock internals from Showa if you buy today’s A-kit.. a lot of updates in today’s suspension since they used unobtainable suspension internals as pre production for future bikes off the show room. Add a rekluse clutch, new vortex ignition, V-force 4 reed valves, loudmouth intake, correct external gearing, A-kit forks, oversized rotors and fit the bike for new brembo calipers, braided steel lines, PC linkage kit, you could build a bike as good as the factory 03 bike which was insanely good for its time. Now my wheels are turning lol
@MathewVsSportsMediaandGames
3 жыл бұрын
That's right about Ricky being the last 2-stroke titlist. Travis had a lot of talent at the time, but the fact that he couldn't stay away from Freestyle ruined his racing career. I don't disagree that he made the right move in hindsight though, but I never knew his parents divorced. I admit I did like the look on Travis' 2003 RM250, but I didn't care much for his gear. I do admit I HATED the sideways-looked numbers on his back though. And also, KTM had their 450 available as well (can't forget them) since Langston rode the 450 4-stroke in 2004 (granted he only rode Hangtown), and John Dowd rode for KTM from 2001-2003 on a 520 4-stroke. But yeah, Travis was totally gone by the time 2006 came around. I never would've guessed that we'd go to all 4-strokes that early though (2006). I don't disagree about Travis and the whoops as well. Being over 200 lbs. and tall certainly helped him out. I have to admit I was pulling for Ivan to hold off Travis at Daytona '06 in the heat race, and he did after Travis ate it big time in the whoops. I remember thinking "Good for that jerk!" after the BS backflip he pulled in his day qualifier. On another note: Travis actually came back for the semi and finished 2nd behind CR, only to withdraw from the main event (I won't disagree if that crash had anything to do with it). Well, that's a nice way to make a Travis replica motorcycle. I'd kinda like to have a Chad Reed style vintage replica myself since I'm a DIE HARD Reed fan myself.
@speedpros
3 жыл бұрын
@@yamahakid450f yeah you could build the bike and get all mushy and tearing eyed over it but if you ain't got the skills and talent it's just high priced toy. It's like the 85 works Honda RC 125 I would die to ride, yeah I would ride it and love it and it's just a sophisticated bike of beauty but with Hondas #6 Ron the Machine Lechien it was a weapon meant to win championships
@sunspiral79
2 жыл бұрын
They had roughly the same horsepower
I can agree these guys were fast in 01 but just 2yrs later and practically the same kawi 125 bubba Stewart looked light years faster than them. I believe at 14 bubba could have beaten them indoors and outdoors on a kx109 supermini and that's no exaggeration. Bubba's speed especially in the whoops was outstanding
@MathewVsSportsMediaandGames
3 жыл бұрын
Nobody would've predicted that Stewart would go to speeds like he did so quickly (myself included). Stewart certainly showed he was a well-disciplined rider by going back and redoing sections he messed up in. By the 3rd race of '03, it was apparent that Stew would win every race from that point on.
@sunspiral79
2 жыл бұрын
Stewart rode over his head most of the time. He is no Carmichael
@speedpros
2 жыл бұрын
@@sunspiral79 obviously you've haven't been around the sport enough to know that when a new talent emerges it changes the game. Hannah brought new speed, Lechien brought new speed, Reynard brought new speed, Windham, Bayle and Stewart. McGrath and Carmichael were great consistent racers but technically Stewart was better than both of them. Carmichael and Stewart were a perfect race match for each other but technical riding it was bubba hands down. Villapoto, dungey and all after Stewart benefitted from what he brought to the races, you eliminate a straight up never say die racer like Carmichael, Stewart barring dumb injuries would have produced many more championships than all the above mentioned combined. Being #1 in mx is about the will to leave it every race and Carmichael with a works rm 450 beat Stewart with will, rule allowances and a race talent to get it done. Stewart was faster maybe not in as good a shape as Rick but he pushed Ricky to the end. Ask dungey before Colorado he couldn't do nuffin but admire Stewart in 2nd place. Stewart #1
Pastrana is Pastrana
@MathewVsSportsMediaandGames
2 жыл бұрын
True there.