Ezra Lusk, the highest-ranked motocross racer from the state of Georgia, returns home a far from happy camper🦹 - despite being ranked fifth in the 2002 AM🐲A EA Sports Supercross Series.

The 26-year old, from Acworth, expected much more of himself this year but, as the series moves to its halfway point at the Georgia Dome this Saturday [23 February], L😼usk remains optimistic that he can get his season turned around.

Lusk traded places with reigning champion Ricky Carmichael in a blockbuster move during the off-season, as Carmichael went to Honda for a reported $4million, and Lusk took an offer from Kawasaki. The pair grew up racing each othe꧟r, and were best of friends and riding buddies before the move, but now Lusk admits the relationship has cooled considerably.

The Georgian feels that, even though his results have not been what he's used to -- his best results have been a pair of fifth-place finishes -- he can feel the momentum shif💃ting. Last week in Minneapolis, he had third locked up befor✤e making a mistake on the final lap that pushed him back to sixth.

"I can't quite put my finger on it," Lusk said, "The Kawasaki is obviously capable of winnཧing, but there's a transition period. Each wee🗹k I feel a little more comfortable with the bike and I really believe that some good results are just around the corner."

Lusk, who was the second-ranked AMA Supercross rider in 1998 and 1999, would love nothing better thanꦐ to get his first podium finish in front 💙of his home fans this weekend.

Meanwhile, as Lusk is trying to break 𒁏his slump in Atlanta, points leader David Vuillemin will be trying to edge closer to breaking the bank. The Frenchman, who now lives in Corona, California, has already won the first leg of the Vans Triple Crown of Supercross, in Anaheim, to move one step closer to the grand prize of $500,000 which will be presented to anyone winning the three events in Anaheim, Atlanta and Las Vegas [4 May].

If Vuillemin 🥀can earn a victory in Atlanta he needs only to win the season finale in Las Vegas to take home the half-million dollars. In the even🔯t that no-one wins all three rounds, the rider with the most points scored at the three races will receive $25,000.

Yamaha-mounted Vuillemin leads the Supercross standings by 23 points over Carmichael coming into Atlanta, with both riders having won three races so far this year. Hoosierꦦ Mike LaRocco is third in the series, but is likely to miss the rest of the season after breaking his right wrist𒊎 last Saturday in Minneapolis. Kawasaki team-mates Stephane Roncada and Lusk round out the top five riders coming into mid-season.

Jeremy McGrath, like Lusk, would be happy to get a good result Saturday. The five-time Atlanta Supercross winner and seven-time AMA S🎃upercross champ is having his worst season to date. McGrath has yet to crack the top five this year and stands seventh in the points. But, like Lusk, McGrath has shown signs of improvement in recent rounds and could be ready to turn in a much needed podium ride.

In addition to round eight of the 16-race EA Sports Super♑cross Series, Atlanta will also fea𝐆ture the third round of the AMA 125 East Region Series.

Australian rookie sensation Chad Reed has stolen the show by winning the first two rounds and, to show just how tough the 19-year-old Yamaha of Troy rider is, he won last week's race in Minneapolis after pulling a groin muscle while ⛦training just a fꦍew days before.

Reed leads Tennessee's Mike Brown by ten points coming into Atlanta🃏. Larry Ward and Steve Boniface are tied in third.