Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

Texas Pro Challenge (Left) Billy Whitley (17) grabbed the first· moto 250CC Pro holeshot at the second annual Texas Pro challenge In Tyler, Texas. (Below) Charley Bogard was the overall winner In the 125cc Pro class at the Texas Pro Challenge. By Kat Spann Photos by Chris Deutschen TYLER, TX, ocr. 27 klahoma's Robbie Reynard cleaned house in the 250cc Pro class at the second annual Pro Challenge hosted by Swan Cycle Park. Primal Impulse-backed Reynard claimed the first-moto win after a 1D-lap battle for the lead with Honda of Troy's Mike Brown. Reynard's second-moto win came by way of a come-frombehind surge, awarding him the biggest chunk of the $15,000 purse. "I think the race was a big success," promoter Trey C1ingfost said. "We had perfect weather, considering that the weather reports predicted rain and thunderstorms for all of north and east Texas. I'm sure that's what chased off a bunch of people from coming." Brown set the pace in the first 30minute-plus-one-Iap 125cc Pro moto by nailing a picture-perfect holeshot, chased by Team Greel}'s Billy Whitley into the first turn. Reynard rode up on Whi tley in the first lap and moved into second, and then quickly began to chase down Brown. Seventeen-year-old Charley Bogard used his American Suzuki machine to challenge Whitley for third, succeeding in his efforts on lap three while Reynard -reeled in Brown. Reynard made his first attack in the whoops at the top of lap five to take the lead from Brown, but then Brown came back in the next section to fly past Reynard off the number-three jump. Brown pulled on Reynard a little, but then Reynard came back for more as he hounded Brown for three laps, then took the lead for good. "I missed a gear coming out of the back section and Robbie got by me," Brown said. "When he started to pull ahead, I just slacked off and rode my own race in second." Moto two belonged to young Bogard from start to finish. After nailing the holeshot, Bogard wasted little time in establishing the lead, gaining time immediately on second-place Brown. Brandon Roberts raced into the second lap in third, hounded by Michael Peacock and Reynard. Reynard hit the O \0 0\ 0\ ,..... (f') ,..... l-< Q) "E ~ z 28 powerband and passed both Peacock and Roberts for third, but Brown an.d Bogard were long gone by this point. "I knew Brown and I were pulling away from Robbie shortly into the moto, but I didn't know what was the matter," Bogard said. '1 just knew if I could get Brown off of me for a little while, I could relax and start riding some good laps." "I was at a Honda dealer show last week and didn't have any practice and it showed a little bit," Brown said. "But this is one of the best tracks I've ever ridden on. It's a good workout." "I got a bad start and tried to catch up," Reynard commented, "but then I got cramps real bad and dropped back. I jammed my thumb three weeks ago and have been careful with my riding." Whitley stepped up to the plate in the first 250cc Pro moto and took the holeshot in the 26-rider field. Whitley kept the wolves at bay into lap two before Brown went inside and took the lead out of the last wooded section. Thirty-three-year-old Dennis Hawthorne raced in third, followed by Brad Woolsey and Reynard. Reynard passed Woolsey in lap four, then went after Hawthorne, passing him in the next lap for third. Whitley then was challenged by Reynard, wh~ chased him into the next lap before passing in the back section. With the field clear, Reynard then set his sights on Brown for the lead. It was at the halfway mark that Reynard reeled in Brown for the attack, first in the whoops and into the first downhill, then bumping bins for two more turns before Reynard got around in the final woods after the ski jump. Once out front, Reynard was gone. Brown raced by himself in second, while Jeff Dement came up on Whitley, haVing worked his way from sixth to third. Dement hammered down on Whitley in lap 10 to take over the number-three spot and held tight until he got caught . up with a lapped rider two laps later and lost his position to Bogard. Hawthorne holeshot the second moto of the 250cc Pro event, chased by Dement, Woolsey, Brown and a recovering Reynard, who had spent his time between the 125cc final and this moto battling nausea and stomach cramps. Reynard picked off Woolsey first and then went after Dement and Hawthorne, passing both in the next lap. Dement, fully rested for this moto having not raced the 125cc class, caught Hawthorne before the whoops, but Hawthorne countered and kept his lead for two more laps before Dement passed again and slammed the door for second. Woolsey raced after Hawthorne for two laps and caught him for third, keeping his position all the way to the checkered flag. Hawthorne finished a respectable fourth, followed by Bogard in fifth. Reynard's pair of aces gave him the overall win with Dement's 4-2 earning him the runner-up spot. Bogard claimed third ~y way of a 3-5 tally, while Woolsey finished fifth and Hawthorne sixth. Results 125 PRO: 1. Charley Bogard (Suz); 2. Mike Brown Robbie Reyn.rd (Hon); 4. Billy Whitley (l

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