Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

won the 85cc Stock (12-13) class with steady 1-1-3 scores ahead of Florida's Tyson Hadsell and North Carolina's Joshua Summey. In the 85cc Modified (9-13) group, Jesseman ran first and second in the first two motos and then needed a remarkable third-moto win over Kawasaki riders Jeff Gibson and Joshua Woods to secure the title. Jesseman ran into the back of Gibson through the finish-line whoops and sent both riders falling into the sawdust. Gibson remounted first, but Jesseman was still able to catch back up, make a pass, and take his second title with a 2-1-1 tally. Gibson was second with a 1-3-3 while Woods was a steady third with a 3-5-2 scorecard. In the 85cc Stock (7-11) class, Costa Rican import Edgardo Rojas claimed the national title in his first visit to Loretta Lynn's Ranch with a 3-1-1 score. The Yamaha-mounted Rojas, with help from Pro Circuit, SplitFire, Fox and Noleen, was able to hold off California's Bobby Bonds and the Suzukis of Derrick Fisher (Georgia) and Shane Bess (California) fm the title. Bess won the first moto, but a fourth and a seventh in the following motos left him fourth overall. "My motorcycle worked very well· for me here and 1 was lucky to not mess the first moto up too much," said Rojas, whose win gave Costa Rica, a nation of 3.5 million people, two titles for the American National event. "1 was very nervous in my first moto, and the butterflies were too much for me to concentrate on the riders [ was competing with. In the other two races 1was able to relax and ride my own race." The most dominating Minicyde Champion of Loretta Lynn's '96 was Florida's 65cc Stock (10-11) wizard James Brown, who posted massive leads of more than 40 seconds in all three motos on his way to the title. The Kawasaki / Fox / FMF / Oakley-backed Stewart was out front by 'himself all week lon& but the action behind him was intense as Michigan's Nick Adams held off California's Jesse Casillas and Mississippi's Nathan Davenport for the AMA amateur national number-two plate. Ohio's Michael Willard was the top grommet in the 65cc Stock (7-9) after winning the last two motos for a combined tally of 3-1-1. Colorado's Matthew Burris ran 4-2-3 for second overall, while Georgia's Andrew Matusek placed third with a 2-5-4 tally. Florida's Davey Millsaps, the winner of the opening moto, suffered through 9-11 scores in the other two heats and settled for fifth overall behind Pennsylvania's David Maxwell III, but Millsaps got a c;hance to redeem himself with a 2-1-1 tally to win the 51cc Stock (7-8) class aboard his Cobra. Michigan's Grant Moreland (1-3-4) and Florida's Kyle Chisholm (9-2-2) rounded out the top three on Cobras of their own. In fact, the 25 riders in this class all were riding Cobra equipment. The KTM marquee got its third title in the 51cc Stock (4-6) class as Minnesota's John Heinlein ran 1-1-2 to take the title home. North Carolina's Gavin Price was Heinlein's main competitor for the title with a moto win and a runner-up finish, but a title-crushing 30th in the middle moto knocked Price from contention. Georgia's Dakota Beavers (4-2, 6) and North Carolina's Bradley Pace (312-3) ran second and third in the end. Kawasaki-mounted Mike Corder won both 125cc C Stock and Modified classes with consistent finishes. Corder only won one moto in each division, but steady finishes got him to the winner's circle both times. Corder ran 2-2-1 to 2-4}; 4. Randy Valade (K.aw/4-4-5); S. Jessie Ballard (Hon/7-6-3~ S/MlNI (12-151' 1. Billy Payne (Kaw/1-1-2); 2. Bryan McGavran (Hon/S-4-1); 3. Joshua Woods (Kaw/2-5-3); 4. Matt Walker (Yam/4-2-7); 5. Sean Hamblin (Yam/7-7-4) 85 STK (12-13), 1. Brandon jessernan (5uz/1-1-3); 2. Tyson Hadsell (Suz/2-5-1~ 3. Joshua Summey (Kaw/42-6); 4. Johnny Marley (Yam/8-3-2); 5. Sean Hamblin (Yam/6-4-4). 85 MOD (9-13), I. Brandon Jesseman (Suz/2-1-1); 2. jeff Gibson (Kaw/1-3-3); 3. joshua Woods (Kaw/3-5-2); 4. johnny Marley (Yam/4-4-4); 5. Chase Reed (Kaw/82-6~ 85n Rose (Kaw /8-a-B). 250 B Sn<: 1. Nicholas Wey (Kaw/1-1-2); 2. Mark Burkhart (I-Ion/2·2-1); 3. Danny Carlson (I-Ion/3-4-4); 4. Jason Thomas (I-Ion/6-3-3); 5. Doug Parsons (5uz/4-S5). OPEN BlC: 1. Ronny Huckabee (I-Ion/1-1-1); 2. Scot Poland (Hon/2·2-2); 3. Kerry Wisdom (Hon/4-4-3); 4. Jon Kulton (I-Ion/7-6-5); 5. Bob Ellison (I-Ion/10-5-6). 2,5+, 1. Keith Bowen (KTM/1-l-3); 2. Billy Whitley (Kaw/4-2·1); 3. Kevin Walker (Yam/2:4-2); 4. Todd Sheedy (Kaw /3-3-6); 5. john Grewe (Suz/5-6-S). VET A 3O+: 1. Kath Bowen (KTM/I-l-l); 2. David Hand (I-Ion/3-2-2); 3. john Grewe (Suz/2-3-6); 4. Kevin Foley (yam/4-5-3); 5. Timmy Coombs (Yam/6-4-8). SR 40+, 1. Fred Vertucci (Suz/1-1-1); 2. Johnny Borders (Kaw/3-3-3); 3. Ken Frankenbery (I-IonI2-2-5); 4. Timothy Smith (Suz/4-4-6)75. Billy Smith (I-Ion/5-74). MSTR 50+: 1. Bill Van Vugt Sr:(Kaw/l-l-1); 2. Gary Doggett (Hon/2-2-3); 3. Henry Gref (Hon/4-3-2); 4. Erv Braun (Suz/6-6-5); 5. Warner Wilbourn (Hon/l14-4). VET B 30+, 1. Donnie Fox (Hon/l-l-l); 2. David Sawyer (Kaw/2-2-4); 3. Kerry Wisdom (Hon/5-4-3); 4. Mark Williamson (Hon/3-3-6)i 5. Chris Pritchett (Kaw /14-5-2). WMN: 1. Kristy Shealy (Kaw/1-1-2); 2. Dee Wood (Kaw/2-2-1); 3. Shelly Kann (Yam/3-3-3); 4. Hally Whirecotton (Yam/5-4-4); 5. jennifer Edwards (Suz/7-55). 85 MOD (14-15), 1. justin Buckelew (yam/I-I-I); 2. Billy Payne (Kaw/2-2-2); 3. Matt Walker (Yam/3-3-3); 4. Tim Langdon (Kaw/5-4-4~5.je.ed Black (Yam/4-6-7). 85 STK lIt-lS): 1. Bryan Me Gawan (1-100/1-1-2); 2. justin Buckelew (yam/2-3-1); 3. Travis Elliott {Kaw/3- (Above) Danny Smith was a double-class winner in the 125cc Stock and Modified classes. (Below) James Stewart came home the 65cc Stock (10011) class winner.

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