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as he cleared the 6-foot wall and went
on to clean the section.
The race for the ~ was up in the air
until the cards were turned in. Kempkes' minder (and father), Rod, said,
"Jess was on fire. He only took three
points on his last loop. It's all up to
Geoff's score. Jess did bis part."
As the scores came in, Kempkes'
three-point third loop gave him an
impressive 21. Aaron repeated his firstloop score of an eight for a total of 23,
two points behind Kempkes.
Peters was on fire at round two of the
U.S. Trials series, coming back strongly
from his third-place finish on the previous day to card a first-place finish.
Peters turned in a first-loop score of
only five points. Next was Beta's Aaron
with a 14. New in the mix was Montesa's Bell and Matt Moore, both with a
15, just three points ahead Kempkes' 18.
The sections were similar to the day
before, consisting of fallen trees, creeks
and sandy walls.
"The sections are more difficult than
the previous day, but they are all possible cleans," Aaron said.
Ahvala, the 1992 World Champion
from Finland, rode as an exhibition rider
with an amazing 2-1-1 on each loop for a
total of four on the day. His dominance
showed as he made effortless cleans
through the first sections, whic took
single and double dabs from the top
U.s. riders.
The second loop set Peters alone in
the lead with an amazing two-point
score for a total of seven after the first
two loops, 11 points ahead of Aaron.
The first and second positions were
pretty well-established, with the remaining battle for third place between Bell
with a 23 and Kempkes with a 24.
Moore fell two seats behind Kempkes
after a loop score of 26, putting him at
41 after the second loop.
The third and final loop returned
Peters to the spotlight with another twopointer, for a total of nine on the day.
"Today, every section just went different," Peters said. "As I entered each
section, my line almost glowed in front
of me - everything just felt right. I was
relaxed and put everything behind me
from yesterday and just rode like it was
a new day."
Aaron turned in an impressive threepoint loop for a total of 21 on the day,
securing another second-place finish.
Third went down to the wire, with
Bell on top after an eight-point loop for
a total of 30 on the day: Kempkes turned
in a 10-point loop for a total of 34 on the
day and a fourth-place finish.
"My hat is off to Raymond - he found
his focus and came out riding great,"
round-one winner Kempkes said. "I
didn't think I rode bad today. It was just
little worthless points here and there. I
think we have a really competitive run
for the U.s. title with the new Gas Gas,
and it's showing with two wins at the
first nationals. I am glad to see a fellow
Gas Gas rider on top.'"
{N
Cooms Motorcycle Park
Brooksville, Florida
Results: March 14-15, 1998
Satur.day
Olk 1. Jess Kcmpkes (G-G); 2. Geoff Aaron (Bet); 3.
Ray Peters (G·G); 4, Ryon Bell (Mon); 5. Matt Moore
(Mon).
Sunday
OIA, 1. Ray Peters (G-G); 2. Geoff Aaron (Bet); 3.
Ryon Bell (Mon); 4. Jess Kempkes (G-G); 5. Matl Moo...
(Mon).
Hodges breaks out in Lake
Sugar Tree Motocross
By Jay and Sharon Hauser
AXTON, VA, MAR. 15
The opening round of the U.S. Eastern
Motocross Spring Series was schedule4 for a
(Above right) Jeff Eide won the 125cc Inte~late class at the Bandldo Grand Prix, held In
Palmdale, Callfomia_
(Ab,?ve) Mitchell Hodges (567) leads Shane Shipley (389) and Scottie Shipley (22) en route
to sweeping both 250Cc Pro motos in the opening round of the U.S. Eastern MX Series at
Lake Sugar Tree in Virginia.
week earlier and was to be held at Devils Ridge
MX in Sanford~ North Carolina, but it was a total
washout - thanks to El Nino. The skies finally
cleared up and round two of the series at Lake
Sugar Tree was bumped up to serve as the oPening round. With nearly 500 riders, it was obvious that the racers were ready to get back on the
.
track - none more so than Mitchell Hodges.
Hodges, who was coming off a very successful 1997 ra.cing season, was read y to break out
whe.n the gate fell at Sugar Tree - picking up
right where he left off. Hodges would end up
winning a total of three Pro motos on the day,
two of which swept the overall in 250cc A racing.
Hodges' 250cc A win didn't come easily, as a
few northern boys had come down from Pennl:3ylvania to get out of the snow - and they meant
business. Indiana, Pennsylvania's Shane Shipley
put in strong efforts in both motos. Although he
ran up front, he just couldn't match Hodges'
pace. Shipley would record a pair of third-place
finishes, giving him second overall on the day as
he was able to edge Rob McWhorter from Denton, Maryland. McWhorter blazed to second
place in the second moto, and that was enough
to put him on the podium. Jamie Frazier had a
strong ride to second in moto one, but faded
back to sixth the second time around; his score,
though, was still good for a fourth overall ahead. of yet another Shipley, Scottie. Hailing
from Greensboro, North Carollila, and no relation to Shane, Scottie Shipley turned in a score of
4-5 to round out the top five.
The toughest competition Hodges would
face was in the highly competitive 125cc A class.
Troy Brewer has overcome a major hip injury to
regain his Lake Sugar Tree speed, and he
showed it off early by grabbing 1I,e holeshot in
moto one. Brewer had his hands full with the
other Pennsylvania hotshot - Ryan Gates, out of
Johnstown - and Brad Tester. Tester's Kawasaki
'slipped slightly back to filth while Hodges
worked up from a poor start to take third
behind Gates. Brewer held the pOint to the aag
and the top three remained the same. M'cWhorter had taken some time off from motorcyclemechanics school and looked right at h me back
ill the sad.dle of a dirt bike as he started the
series with a fourth-place finish in mota one.
TI,e second moto would see Hodges get back
on track, taking a perfectly timed holeshot to
lead Brewer, Yamaha-mounted Dougl'leighbors
and Gates. Hodges left the rest of the pack to eat
his dust while he ran off and hid. AllllOugh he
nabbed the moto win, it wasn't enough to capture the overall; that honor fell to Brewer.
Hodges did take second over Gates, while
McWhorter played it cool with a pair of fourths
to finish fourth overall. Tester did what he had
to do to hold off Neighbors and Suzuki of Winston-Salem pilot Dustin Floyd to hold on to the
final top-five spot.
Results
so
(4-6): I. Jordan David (Act); 2. Ryan Su'llth (KTM); 3. Ryan
Zimn\cr (Cob); 4. Z,1chary Moran (KTM); 5. James Gom (KTM).
60 (7·9): 1. Matthew Pierson (!<.aw); 2. Ryan Fitzwater (Kaw);
3. Casey Taylor (Knw); 4. Sidney Humphrey (!<.aw); 5. Seth Brown
(Kaw).
60 00-11): 1. Samuel Fitzwater (Kaw); 2. Wes Gauldin (Kaw);
3. J-Man Troxell (Kaw); 4. David Mitchell (Kaw); 5. Zachary Tumer(Kaw).
80 (7-11): 1. Samuel Fltzwotcr (Sl1%); 2. Mark Brown (Kaw); 3.
Cameron Lambert (Suz); 4. Jeb Caskill (Kaw); 5. Zach Turner
(Yam).
80 (12-15): 1. Andrew Williams (Kaw); 2. Jake Furnace (Yam);
3. bch Kut8Cenko (Suz); 4. Cory Gholson (Ynm); 5. Josh Dexter
(Yam).
S/MlNI: I. Isha Wood (kaw); :z. Josh Dexter (Yam); 3. ZnCh
Kutseenko (Suz); 4. Jake Fuma« (Yam); 5. Michael Bria (Suz).
SCHBY: 1. Michael Crickenberger (Yam); 2. Phillip Shields
(Yam); 3. Nick Pasa (Suz).
125 A; I. Troy Brewer (Yam); 2. Mitchell Hodges (Yam); 3.
Ryan Cates (!<.aw); 4. Rob McWhorter (Hon); 5. Brad TL'Ster (Kaw).
125 B: I. justin Gibbs (Kaw); 2. Eric Cox (Yam); 3. Josh Fulton
()(aw); 4. Stephen Benoy (Kaw); 5. Michael Haga (Yam).
125 C: 1. Adam Ward (Suz); 2. Isha Wood (Kaw); 3. Jeff Winstcad (Yam); 4. Travis Powers (Iioo); 5. Bryan Stevens (Yam).
125 0 1. Chris French (Kaw); 2. Steve Smith (Hon); 3. Robert
Eure (Yam); 4. Rnndy Melton (Suz); 5. Daniel Allgood (Suz).
250 A: 1. Mitchell Hodges (Yam); 2. Shane·Shipley (Hon); 3.
Rob McWhorter (Hoo); 4. Jamie Frazier (Y1Im); 5. Scottie Shipley
(Yarn).
250 B: 1. Jason Ring (KTM); 2. Kyle Richardson'(Kaw); 3.
Nelon McFarland (Kaw); 4. Jamie Holcomb (Hon); 5. Troy Stanley
(Yam.).
250 C: 1. Jason Crawford (Suz); 2. Matthew Fanner (Suz); 3.
Ray Ward (Kaw); 4. Steve Sanford (Kaw); 5. Michael Palmer
(Kaw).
250 0: 1. Robert Brammer (Hon); 2. Lonnie Foster (Suz); 3.
Jimmy Fraley 0·100); 4. Mike Miller (Suz); 5. Kurt Bouchard (Hon).
25+ A: 1. Jamie Frazier (Yam); 2. Shane Shipley (Hon); 3. Rob
McWhorter (Hon); 4. Scottie Shipley (Yam); 5. Doug Neighbors
(Yam).
25+ B: 1. Sean Rakes (Hon); 2. Nclan McFarland (Kaw); 3.
Ronnie johnson (f"lon); 4. Greg Smith (Hon); 5. Troy Stanley
(Yam).
25+ C/O: I. Michael Palmer (Kaw); 2. Steve Sanford (Kaw); 3.
Billy RobirulOn (Kawl.
3(H. A: 1. Scottie Shipley (Yam); 2. Sidney Williams (Kaw); 3.
Stacey Redifer (Yam); iI. Janles Morris (Hon); 5. Ric.ky Joyce
(KTM).
30+ B/C: I. Ronnie Johnson (Hon); 2. Mark Hill (Kaw); 3.
Todd Marshall (Hon); 4. Chris Brewer (Hon); 5. Jay Lankford
(Yam).
35+ 1. Sonny Mitc:heal (Suz); 2. William Hobson (Yam); 3.
Chris Brewer (Hon); 4. Jerry Robertson (Kaw); 5. Barry Nelson