Columnist Ron Kantowski: Wrath of McGrath: 5th title a long shot

Friday, May 16, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

With 45 career victories -- 17 more than his closest competitor -- and four consecutive American Motorcycle Association Supercross championships in his saddlebags, he is considered Superman on two wheels.

But even though he rides into Saturday night's season finale at Sam Boyd Stadium with only an outside chance at a fifth straight championship, what Jeremy McGrath has accomplished this year might make Clark Kent himself stand up and applaud.

Two weeks prior to the start of the season, McGrath left his cushy ride at powerful Team Honda and climbed aboard a Suzuki -- a machine most of the top riders used to avoid like Christopher Reeve did kryptonite.

Not McGrath. Suzuki hadn't won a 250cc main event since 1991, but McGrath has won twice this year (although it was teammate Mike Albertyn who ended the manufacturer's victory drought at the L.A. Coliseum in January).

And were it not for a flat tire in the next-to-last race at Charlotte, McGrath might be entering Saturday's finale with more than a distant shot at his fifth straight No. 1 plate.

Simply put, he has done as well as could be expected. But what McGrath expects is to win. And he hasn't done it enough to satisfy an appetite for success that remains insatiable.

"The season I'm having has made me realize I still want to win more than anything," McGrath said, adding that winning never gets old. "I still want more championships, especially after this year."

Not that this year has been a total washout.

"I'm pretty happy for Suzuki, and the progress they've made," McGrath said, applauding the factory for having stepped up its Supercross commitment.

"But honestly, I'm not used to this."

This is finishing second, the spot McGrath occupies in the standings. Even if he wins here, all Kawasaki rider Jeff Emig would have to do is finish eighth or better in the main event to unseat McGrath as champion. In the first 14 races, Emig has finished worse than that only once.

"Basically, it's pretty much a long shot," McGrath said in something of a concession speech. "I never wish bad luck on anyone."

And he has refused to pin any blame on his bike or its manufacturer.

"You're right, it's been quite a struggle," conceded the 25-year-old champion, who resides in arid Canyon Lake, Calif. "But we've also made a lot of progress. Suzuki has been behind me 100 percent.

"Me coming over there put a lot of emphasis on that team. But they've been pushing harder for me, too."

It remains to be seen whether Suzuki will be pushing for McGrath next season. His one-year Supercross contract expires when the checkered flag falls Saturday, and an intense bidding war for McGrath's services already is under way.

Suzuki is said to be in the mix and so is Honda, despite McGrath having severed his long relationship with Supercross' pre-eminent team (nine straight manufacturers championships prior to 1997) at such short notice and turning the sport upside down.

He said his primary reason for bolting was that Honda chiefs wanted to restrict what he did in his free time.

"It got to where they were putting rules on me, trying to limit what I could do at home," McGrath said. "(But) it was just a few guys. Honda was great to me ... and I have a good relationship with most of the guys there."

Backmarkers

Las Vegas Motor Speedway project coordinator Hugh McDonough said construction at the big track would be complete by the end of June. "The administration building, all food courts, pub, and commissary building will be finished by June 26," said McDonough, adding that Speedway Industrial Park, which will provide 1.2 million square feet in 27 buildings, also is under way. ... CART veteran Hiro Matsushita, en route to St. Louis for next weekend's inaugural Motorola 300 in St. Louis at the new Gateway International Raceway, tested his new Toyota-powered Panasonic Reynard Thursday at LVMS. "It's a very interesting track," said the 36-year-old Matsushita. "This would be a very busy track. I'd really like to run on it." But with LVMS already hosting the rival Indy Racing League, that's not likely to happen. ... Richard Buck, the former crew chief for Al Unser Jr. at Marlboro Team Penske who now serves as team manager for the two-car (Matsushita and Max Papis) Precision Preparation Arciero-Wells CART team, said LVMS reminds him of the oval at Homestead, Fla. "It's awesome, absolutely unbelievable," Buck said, predicting that LVMS would become a regular test stop for CART teams. ... Action at the LVMS 3/8ths-mile paved oval resumes Saturday night with Winston Racing Series stock car racing in four divisions. Gates open at 5 with racing at 6:30. ... Citing rotten timing, defending Indy 500 champion Buddy Lazier has turned down an offer to pinch-hit for injured Newman-Haas driver Christian Fittipaldi in the CART race at St. Louis on the eve of the 500. ...

Henderson resident Sam Schmidt has the fastest speed of nonqualified drivers for the Indy 500. Schmidt, an IRL rookie, has worked up to 216.956 mph but has run few practice laps this week in an attempt to preserve his only engine. ... Las Vegas resident Davey Hamilton qualified in the middle of the third row for next Sunday's 500 but his car owner A.J. Foyt said it could have been better, given Hamilton has been faster in practice this week. "The biggest reason is he (Hamilton) balloon-footed on the qualifying run," said the irascible Foyt. "He ran the fastest lap first on the qualifying run (which consists of four laps). We haven't changed too much." ... Lyn St James, commenting on a smooth Indy practice run: "My engine is so smooth I could do my knitting down the backstretch ... and I don't knit." ... Defending CART champion Jimmy Vasser of Las Vegas will appear in the June issue of GQ magazine -- in a modeling capacity. A 12-page advertising section features Vasser wearing clothing featuring the brands of his sponsor, Target. ... Winston Cup drivers and pro wrestling enthusiasts Kyle Petty and Mark Martin will appear on TNT's Monday Nite Nitro at 7 p.m. Monday. "Ric Flair and I have pumped iron in the same gym in Charlotte," says Martin. ... The 23rd annual SNORE Midnight Special off-road race originates in the Eldorado Valley, eight miles from Boulder City, at 8 a.m. Saturday. Tech inspection is set from 6-9:30 tonight at the San Remo Hotel.