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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/127744
going slippery on Saturday morning, but
it was otherwise a relatively dry event.
Though Peters scored the win with a
remarkable two points, he was by no.
means a runaway winner. Gas Gas USA
rider Jess Kempkes was only a single dab
behind with a final score of three. The
San Diego National winner rode with his
usual flash and flair, but in the end set
his foot down one too many times.
Kempkes dabbed only once on Saturday,
but saw his chances of the overall win
fade away with a two-dab run on Sunday. Kempkes was disappointed with his
runner-up finish, but in the end could
not deny the fact that he enjoyed himself.
"I told myself before this weekend
that if I didn't win this year I was never
going to ride the Ute Cup again," said
Kempkes. "But man, I guess I'll be back
trying again next year."
Though Kempkes failed to nab the
overall win, he was happy to be a member of the winning Sponsored Team
squad. As well as competing for individual g)ory, Ute Cup participants are
encouraged to sign up with others to
form teams. A wide variety of classes are
available, including Sponsored, Visiting
and' Senior teams. Kempkes teamed up
w1th fellow Gas Gas USA riders Matt
Moore and Jason Carpenter to earn the
top a.ward in their class.
Rounding out the top-three overall
finishers wa~ Allen Guyot. The 38-yearold Kansan was elated to break into the
top three for the first time, and his excitement was duly justified - this was his
16th Ute Cup. The Gas Gas of Kansas
rider dropped only 12 points over the
weekend, besting all but Peters and
Kempkes. Guyot's top-three finish just
about sums up the spirit of the event because of the moderate difficulty single
line, a lesser rider has just as good a
chance at a top finish as the nation's best.
At regional and local event's, Guyot competes in the Expert class, one below the
most difficult division. Guyot was
rewarded for his excellent ride with the
Top Over-35-Year-0ld Award.
"I haven't missed a Ute Cup in 16
years," said Guyot. "The sections, the
scenery and the people are great. It's one
of my favorite events of the year. The sections are so different from what I ride at
home, that's one of the main reasons i
come."
Fourth overall went to Canadian rider
Ryon Bell. The Wulf Sport-sponsored
rider dropped 12 points on Saturday, but
rebounded with a superb one-point ride
on Sunday. Bell was awarded the Top
Sunday Performance Award. Bell's 13point tally was tied by Missouri's Bruce
Carver, but Bell won the tie breaker on
ones. Carver's consolation came when he
and Mid America Trials teammates Dale
Malasek and Jason Carpenter were
awarded the Top Visiting Team award.
Matt Moore, Bryan Byrd and Shan
Moore of the Oklahoma Trials Association chased the Mid America Trials team
home in the Visiting Team class. Matt
Moore was the highest finishing individual on the team, coming home in sixth
overall. Moore dropped 13 points - five
on Saturday and nine on Sunday.
Kevin Busch blazed around the loops
on both days as if he were competing in a
hare scrambles. Busch dropped a total of
20 points and came home 11 th overall,
but his real reward was the Fastest Finisher Award. On the other end of the
spectrum, the father-and-son duo of Jeremy and Jerry Cox were "honored" with
the Slowest FInisher Award. Father Jerry
piloted a four-stroke Honda Reflex and
admitted that "I'm only doing this to
keep my boy company."
Ute Cup veteran Kerri Brokaw was the
.highest-placing.female competitor,.-