VOLUME 57 ISSUE 23 JUNE 9, 2020 P33
track which funneled the riders
into the woods. However, he
was closely followed by Logan
Kittock (UFO/Hoosier Tire/
Husqvarna), Colt Converse
(Moose Racing/D&W Cycle/Ya-
maha YZ125) and Buddy Fortune
(Family sponsored/G2/Fortune
Cycle Yamaha YZ125).
Whipple had a couple tip-
overs and was passed by Kit-
tock, Converse and Fortune.
The pace picked up, leaving
Whipple behind.
At the end of the day, Fortune
emerged from the woods to take
the win after his sixth lap. Thirty
seconds later, Converse took
second, with Whipple rounding
out the podium in third.
Kittock fouled a plug after his
second lap, ending his day.
Tyler Fleck, of Omaha Nebras-
ka, finished fourth on his KTM,
while Bryan Johnson picked up
fifth place on his Kawasaki.
Triston Melgoza, the final
racer to complete six laps, took
sixth place in the Pro-Am ranks.
A trio of A-class racers,
Easton Morgan (KTM), Jayson
Crawford (Yamaha) and Dan My-
ers (KTM), took seventh through
ninth overall, respectively.
Chris Huffman (KTM) collect-
ed seventh in the Pro-Am class
with 10th place overall. He got in
five laps.
Elated with the victory, For-
tune, on the Mom-and-Dad-
sponsored YZ125, said "It feels
really good actually, finally. It
was really fun. Me and Colton
[Converse] had a really good
race."
Fortune said, "The first lap
was pretty crazy. Everybody was
trying to figure out the track, like
always. It was just mainly one
line, so people started making
their own lines. Everybody was
just in and out of the trees every-
where. The first lap was the only
good lap, after that it got rutted
up pretty bad. Most of it was
just one rut. I just tried to stay
smooth and not get overheated."
Converse had a solid race,
but lost his lead on the final two
laps, leaving victory for Fortune.
"It was good," said Team Mercer
County Yamaha rider, Converse.
"I got a good start for once. Me
and Tanner, Buddy and Kittock
had a great battle going there for
a while, then Buddy kind of got
away. I had the lead for a while. I
stopped and got gas, and Buddy
caught me. He just outclassed
me the last lap. He was a better
rider today."
Third place Whipple said, "It
was alright. I got the holeshot
and led going into the woods.
It was kind of sketchy on the
first lap because there were
ruts from years past under the
leaves, and you really couldn't
see them. I ended up crashing
maybe two miles in. Nothing
major, I just tipped over, basi-
cally. Buddy got by me, and after
that I kind of struggled to get
back into the groove, and Colt
and Kittock passed me. I backed
it off a little bit and kind of played
conservative. I thought I was in
fourth the entire time, even when
I finished. I never knew that Kit-
tock blew up."
John Gasso
OVERALL
1. Tommy Fortune Jr. (Yam)
2. Colt Converse (Yam)
3. Tanner Whipple (Yam)
4. Tyler Fleck (KTM)
5. Bryan Johnson (Kaw)
6. Tristan Melgoza (Yam)
7. Easton Morgan (KTM)
8. Jayson Crawford (Yam)
9. Dan Myers (KTM)
10. Chris Huffman (KTM)
