2000 Phoenix 250cc Main (David Vuillemin Beats Jeremy McGrath)
5This is the 250cc main event from the 2000 Phoenix Supercross at Bank One Ballpark in Phoenix, AZ.\n\nIn 2000, Chaparral Yamaha's Jeremy McGrath #1 had come into round 4 of the Supercross season as the points leader with 2 wins out of 3. McGrath had swept the first two races at Anaheim before he suffered his first loss of the 2000 season with a 4th place at San Diego due to a horrible 10th place start.\n\n250cc Yamaha rookie David Vuillemin #934 had got the holeshot and led from gate to flag for his first 250cc Supercross win. Vuillemin had led the first half of the main at Anaheim 2 before he was passed by McGrath.\n\nJeremy McGrath had a decent start in 5th at Anaheim 1 before he overhauled Team Kawasaki's Ricky Carmichael #4 to win the opener. He started 2nd at Anaheim 2 before beating Vuillemin, but San Diego was different. McGrath got closed off and later lost a front brake and could only work up to 4th.\n\nComing into Phoenix, one rider was already lost to a career-ending injury: Team Yamaha's Jimmy Button on his #12 Yamaha YZ426F. Button had sustained a neck injury during practice at San Diego and had to be taken to a nearby hospital. Doctors were not sure about Button's prognosis, but they later learned that Button would make a full recovery.\n\nComing into Phoenix, Jeremy McGrath was ready to get back in the win column for the third time in 2000. McGrath easily won his heat race despite some pressure from Team Honda's Kevin Windham #14 and logged the fastest heat race time.\n\nIn the main, Ricky Carmichael took the holeshot and led the first two laps. Carmichael was later overtaken by Chaparral Yamaha's Tim Ferry #15. Behind them both, plenty of action took place.\n\nJeremy McGrath, who started around 5th, had to work his way past guys like Windham and Carmichael to get up to 2nd place. His teammate Ferry led for 12 laps, and when McGrath tried to pass him, Jeremy almost crashed, but a lap later, McGrath did get around Ferry for the lead.\n\nYamaha's Vuillemin started around 6th and worked his way past Windham, Carmichael, and Ferry to move up to 2nd place. McGrath wasn't far off, and Vuillemin kept using special lines to close the gap on the 6-time Supercross champ.\n\nOn lap 19, David Vuillemin crept up on the unsuspecting Jeremy McGrath. He later passed McGrath just three turns before the final lap. McGrath was visibly shocked after looking back to see Vuillemin behind him.\n\nMcGrath tried to answer back, but he made another mistake in the same turn Vuillemin passed him in. Vuillemin would hand McGrath his second loss in a row and earn his second straight win of the 2000 season simultaneously. Ricky Carmichael would find his way around Tim Ferry to finish 3rd; it was Ricky's first podium finish on the 250cc machine.\n\nVuillemin's win also gave him a chance at $500,000 from the VANS Triple Crown. If Vuillemin won at Minneapolis and Las Vegas, he would win that $500,000. Ultimately, Vuillemin won Minneapolis, but he did not win Vegas and took home a $25,000 consolation prize instead.\n\nCombined, McGrath and Vuillemin took 14 of 16 races in the 2000 season, including the first 8 straight (McGrath 6, Vuillemin 2). Kawasaki's Carmichael would win Daytona, and Honda's Windham would win Dallas. McGrath would win 4 more times to total 10 wins while Vuillemin won at Minneapolis and New Orleans. At season's end, McGrath was your champion by 35 points, the smallest margin of victory in his 7 Supercross titles.\n\nEnjoy.