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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/127192
First-row starter Duke Dowell (0) battled with Greg Searle early in the race. Dowell eventually finished third behind Erik McKenna. Larry Roeseler scored his third-straight Virginia City GP win. despite starting back in the pack. He passed about 250 riders on the first lap. Roeseler takes third straight at Virginia'City . By Jim Bowman VIRGINIA CITY, NV, MAY 13-14 Team Green's Larry Roeseler bested 381 A and B class guns to capture his third straight win at the 19th Annual Virginia City Grand Prix. Honda riders Eric McKenna and Duke Dowell placed second and third in the AMA District 36 event, while Bill Grossi rode his ATK mount to fourth overall, finishing one position ahead of the KTM ridden by Matt Cullins. The Western States Racing Asso- ciation hosted the A and B class entries on Saturday, and then hosted another 359 C class rider today, completing a full weekend of racing in Nevada's historic Virginia City. When the riders were not racing or spectating, they were enjoying the "Old West" architecture and decor of the shops, restaurants, museums, casinos and saloons along Main Sueet. After visiting town, racers could walk just two blocks back to the pits and race on some of the city sueets at the edge of town. The first race started under cloudy skies on Saturday. After pre-race commentary from Bob "MOlO Mouth" Cavakis, 10 racers sped down the city pavement every 15 seconds until aU riders were under way. All finishers raced four and onehalf hours. The results are unofficial because the Western States Racing Association needs to adjust the finish time for each rider so that the race time reflects the rider's starting time. Dowell and Greg Searle rarted on the first row and began dicing away from the pack. "I took a different line down in the creek, and he got ahead o[ me," said Dowell. "He slowly started pulling away [rom me, keeping up a pretty good pace." Searle kept up the pace and held the overall lead [or three laps while Roeseler, McKenna, Jim Holley, and Suzuki pilot Ron Naylor charged from behind. The 23-miJe course left the pavement in town and wound around the hills near Virginia City. The riders were ueated to a combination of fire roods, rocks, a single-file canyon trail, rocks, some challenging uphiJls, rocks, some challenging downhills, rocks, and a fun ridgetop uail. As if the variety of terrain was not enough, the riders were aJso ueated to rain, hail and sunshine. After passing more than 250 riders on lap one, it was clear that Roeseler had taken the early elapsed time lead. Holley, McKenna, Grossi, Cullins and Naylor were on the gas, but it was hard to tell who was officially ahead of whom. By the end of lap two, Searle led Dowell, McKenna had passed Holley for third, Roeseler was about to pass Cullins for sixth, and Naylor was 18th overall, having passed more than 310 riders. But, lap two was the beginning o[ the end for many riders. Holley had aJready picked up one £Jat and retired one lap later with a second £Jat and a broken rear master cylinder. Naylor worked up to fifth overall by the end o[ lap three, but retired later due to problems caused by a £Jat tire. Searle,