U.S. Team Disappoints at Motocross des Nations
17 September 1997
R97114 September 16, 1997 For Immediate Release WESTERVILLE, Ohio -- The U.S. team finished eighth at the September 14 running of the 51st Annual Motocross des Nations in Nismes, Belgium. The eighth place finish is out of character for the U.S. team, which entered this international motocross competition as defending champions and won all but two of the prior 16 Motocross des Nations. First place was taken by the Belgian team in front of an enthusiastic home crowd. An over-watered track and engine problems caused difficulties for U.S. team members John Dowd, Jeff Emig and Steve Lamson. Dowd did not finish (DNF) his first moto due to engine problems. Sloppy track conditions caused Lamson to crash twice while trying to pass slower riders in the first moto. In the third moto Dowd and Emig -- lagging in points and without hope for a podium position -- simply rode to finish safely on the wet track. The final results bore out the day's disappointment for the U.S. Team: Dowd, riding a 250cc Yamaha, received no points for his DNF in the second moto and placed 11th in the third. Emig, aboard his Kawasaki, finished second in the first moto, and 12th in the third. Lamson and his Honda placed 21st in the first moto and 15th in the second. The combined experience of the championship-winning U.S. team had created great expectations for their performance at the 1997 Motocross des Nations. Dowd had ranked second in the 1996 and 1997 AMA 250cc National Motocross Series. Emig is the 1996 and 1997 AMA 250cc National Motocross and the 1997 AMA Supercross Series' Champion, and has been selected for the Motocross des Nations U.S. team for the past six years, including the championship-winning 1992, 1993 and 1996 U.S. teams. Lamson is the 1995 and 1996 AMA 125cc National Motocross Series Champion and was also a member of the championship-winning 1996 Motocross des Nations U.S. team. The Motocross des Nations format requires that each country select a team of three riders: two riding 250cc machines and one riding a 125cc. Three motos are held, with each team fielding two riders in each moto. Scoring is done without regard to engine size. Race winners are awarded one point, second place two points, and so on. The best five scores from each team are tallied, and the lowest final team score determines the winner. -30- Contact: Bill Nordquist Phone: (614) 891-2425 Fax: (614) 891-7368 Connie Fleming American Motorcyclist Association Public Relations Administrator http://www.ama-cycle.org 614-891-2425, ext. 258