Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

Keylon pulled his usual holeshot and looked like a runaway winner in the final, but Large had other ideas and charged through the pack to catch Keylon on the final lap. A duel for the lead began and the two riders attempted to double jump side by side. A midair col'Usion followed in which the two locked handlebars and crashed to the ground. Keylon remounted first, but Large chased after him and made the pass of the day in the final turn of the final lap to earn the championship. Last year's Ponca City Pee Wee champ, Bruce Rutherford, brought his winning ways to the 50cc (7-8) Modified division by scoring the gold aboard his Team Malcolm Smith/R&D Racingbacked KTM. Rutherford shut Keylon out of yet another title, while Team KTM's Seely, Nicolini and Buddi Bruner ~ounded out the top five. Speaking of KTM riders, Washington's Josh Hill dominated the field of 60cc (6-8) riders on his new KTM 65 by posting an undisputed six out of six moto wins. Hill's championship gave KTM its first-ever National victories for the new 65cc machine. "Josh did a great job for someone who's been out of action for almost a year," said KTM's Vice President Scot Harden. Harden was referring to the fact that Hill spent the greater part of last year in traction after breaking his femur. Another double-class winner was San Diego, California's Michael Hall, who dominated the 50cc (4-6) Stock and Modified divisions by winning all four motos of competition. Hall topped Johnny Jelderda and future Pee Wee champ Cody Farrar in the Stock division. "Local Boy" Ronnie Goodwin and Alan Jiron finished second and third in the Modified class. Yamaha-mounted Ivan Tedesco had a good week, besting Ben Riddle and Chase Reed in the 125cc Open on-Pro class, and Tyson Hadsell and Bryan Riccereilli in the 125cc Stock Intermediate class. Hadsell bounced back to win the 125cc Modified division over Tedesco, and Riddle rebounded to win the 250cc Modified Intermediate division. Hot 125cc Intermediate contender Johnny Marley, who posted the week's fastest lap times, broke his wrist during the first runoff and was unable to continue. In the Pro divisions, Costa Rican Ernesto Fonseca won the 125cc Stock Pro class iri a field of inconsistency that allowed his 1-5 to earn the title, and 15- year-old Branden Jesseman, who was perhaps the fastest Pro in attendance, won the 125cc Modified Pro class. Southern California's Donald Upton won the 250cc Stock Pro class courtesy of Jesseman's second-place finish ill the second moto, which ultimately bumped Brett Racine out of the champiollship. Northern Califomia's Tyler Evans won the 250cc Modified Pro class over Fonse0 ca and Upton. Las Vegas Motor Speedway Las Vegas, Nevada Results: April 15-19, 1998 PfW «()-6): 1. Michael Hall (Cob); 2. Johnny Jelderd.a (KTM); 3. Cody Farrar (KTM); 4. Tevin Tapia (KTM); 5. Mitch Wise (Act). PIW MOD (0-6): 1. Michael Hall (Cob); 2. Ronnie Goodwin (Cob); 3. Alan Jiron (Cob); 4. Blake Baggett (Cob); 5. Nicholas Paluzzi (Cob). PM STK (7-8): 1. Brandon Large (CGb); 2. Kyle Keylon (Cob); 3. Bruce Rutherford (KTM); 4. Cole Seely (KTM); 5. Branden Miller (Cob). P/W MOD (7·S), 1. Bruce Rutherford (KTM); 2. Kyle Keylon (Cob); 3. Cole Seely (KTM), 4. Mike Nicolini (Cob); S. Buddi Bruner (Cob). SIP/W' I. Mike Alessi (KTM); 2. Cole Seely (KTM); 3. Mike Nicolini (Cob); 4. Ryan Ferris (tern). 5. Brandon Large (Cob). 60 STK (6-8), 1. joshua Hill (KTM); 2. Sacha Naude O

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