Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

GFI Winter IX series North-South Showdown later, a raffle among the qualifying racers saw 50cc (7-8) Stock-class rider Matthew Richardson win a new KTM 50 Pro-Junior; Supermini and 80cc Expert Billy Laninovich won a 1998 YZSO; 125cc Novice Eric Anderson had his name pulled out of the box to take home an RMl25; and Over 25 competitor Stephan Watson won a Kawasaki Mojave fourwheeler. Five riders - Richie Owens, Jeff Gianni, David Evans, David Harvey and Cavanaugh - each had their name pulled and were given a key to try in the ignition of the Grand Prize - a Mazda truck. Cavanaugh's key fired the engine, and he went home one ,very happy youngman. 0 PERRIS, CA, APR. 26 ust 14 weeks after braking a femur for the second time, Mike Metzger returned to top the 250cc Pro class during the Mazda Truck/Goat Eyewear/Circle K/76/GFI Racing-sponsored North-South Showdown at Perris Raceway. Doug Parsons came back to win the 125cc Pro class, but the big winner on the day had to be 125/250cc Intermediate rider Josh Cavanaugh, who won a beautiful, brand-new Mazda truck. The showdown brought GFI North and South riders together to determine who ruled the roost in their respective classes. On the track, it was Yamaha-mounted Parsons who grabbed the holeshot as the 2Q-minute, one-shot 125cc Pro moto got under way. Steve Andrich was on Parsons' back fender and had the lead by turn three. To make things more interesting, GFI invited a few of the top 125cc Intermediates to run with the Pros for a few la ps to see how they would fare. Two of the three asked - Oscar Valdez and Sean Hamblin - were doing great, running second and third, respectively, after also passing Parsons on the opening lap. The third Intermediate, Bryan McGavran, got a bad start but was working his way toward the front. Hamblin was hounding Andrich for the lead as Espen Blikstad zeroed in on Valdez in third. McGavran was up to sixth by lap four and was starting to push Parsons. At the halfway point, Hamblin doubled past Andrich to run out front in his first-ever attempt in the Pro class. McGavran got around Parsons for fourth and was closing in on Blikstad when he decided he'd had enough. "I was coming up through the pack," McGavran explained. "People were yelling at me. I think they were jealous and I didn't want to make anybody mad, so 1 just pulled off." Hamblin was on fire, pulling away from Andrich slightly and holding the lead until lap 10, when he too pulled off. "I had fun," Hamblin said. "At least I could show those guys what they'll have to come up against when 1 turn J Perris' Raceway Perris, California Results: April 26, 1998 50 FIT (4-6): 1. Brandon Janca (Yam); 2. Brett Harrison (KTM,); 3. Chad Edwards (Yam). 50 STK BEG (4-6), 1. Johnny Jelde'da (KTM); 2. «(l.8r. (Above) Mike Metzger returned to racing just 14 weeks after breaking a femur and won the 250cc Pro class. (Left) Doug Parsons came back to win the 125cc Pro class. Pro." Andrich inherited the lead, ahead of Blikstad and Parsons. Parsons pushed Blikstad back to third and, with a couple of laps left, reeled in Andrich. Parsons set up Andrich in a couple of tight turns to take the lead and then stretch it out a little by time the checkers waved. "1 got the holeshot and then a couple of guys passed me in the first turn, and by the enq of the first lap I found myself in last place," said the AXO /Pro Circuit/Thousand Oaks Yamaha-backed Parsons after the win. "1 worked at it and kept picking guys off. 1 knew my training would payoff, because I'm in better shape than those guys: Sure enough, by the end of the race 1 passed them aU for the win." After leading for much of the race, Andrich ended up holding off Blikstad at the checkers for second. Metzger brought his KXl25 across for fourth, and Danny Carlson came back from a fall early in the moto for fifth, ahead of Brandon Morgan. ' Xavier Stokes-Arrey (KTM); 3. Richard Romero (KTM); 4. Dakota Garner (KTM); 5. Ruben Hernandez (Act). 50 STK BEG (7-8), 1. Cody Jackson (KTM). SO STK (4-61, 1. M;chael Hall (Cob); 2. Gaccick Noble (Cob); 3. Richard Sterling (KTM); 4. Brett Downey (Cob); 5. Johnny Jeldecda (KTM). 50 STK (7-8), 1. Bryce Tenian (KTM); 2. Matthew Richardson (Cob); 3. Scott Noble (Cob); 4. Christopher Bradshaw (KTM); 5, Brandon Reyna (Cob). 50 MOD BEG (4-6), 1. Johnny jelde,da (KTM); 2.. Richard Romero (I...'TM); 3. Xavier Stokes-Arrey (KTM); 4. Dakota Gamer (KTM); 5. Bryce Stewart (KTM). 50 OPEN 1. B'andon Reyna (Cob). SO OPEN: 1. Bryce Terzian (KTM); 2. Jake Hulett (Lern); 3. Michael Hall (Cob); 4. Clayton Murillo (Cob); 5. Scott Noble (Cob). 60 BEG, 1. Aaron Breid (KTM); 2. B.J. Kuntz (Kaw); 3. Jake Hulett (Kaw); 4. Greg Fouts (Kaw); 5. Jonathan McCarthy (Kaw). 60 NOV: 1. Brandon Hiner (Kaw); 2. Jonathan Arana (Kaw); 3. Chad Gores (Kaw); 4. Travis Christensen CKaw); 5. Kurtis Batey (Kaw). 60 INT: 1. Daniel Sani (Kaw); 2. Michael LaPagJia (KTM). 60 OPEN, 1. Cas Swift (Kaw). 80 Fm 1. Casey Barret (Yam). 80 BEG: 1. Matt Stavren (Yam); 2. Ryan Landstrom (Yam); 3. Jeremy Roberts (Yam); 4. Raymond NavarTO CKaw); 5. Sean Hampton (Suz). 80 NOV: 1. Ryan Beat (Yam); 2. Chad GouD;ler (Hon); 3. Donnie Gritton (Yam); 4. Chri McDaniel (Hon); 5. Tyler Duncan (Yam). 80 [NT: 1. Daryl Ecklund (Yam); 2. Erik Meyer (Yam); 3. Jeremy KeIper (Yam); 4. Micky Griffin (Yam); 5. Zac Wray (Yam), 80 EX: 1. Billy Laninovich (Yam); 2. jesse Casillas (Yam); 3. Brandon Staddan (Yam). 8/W: 1, Scott Buttrell (Yam); 2. Daniel Nelson (Hon); 3. Jeremy Malott CKaw). S/MINl: 1. Billy l....;lninovich (Yam); 2. Jesse Casillas (Yam); 3. Daryl Ecklund (Yam); 4. Micky Griffin (Yam); 5. Jeremy Keiper (Yam). 125 BEG: 1. Tim Weigard (Yam); 2. David Kelly (Kitw); 3. josh Hoyt (Hon); 4, Ryan August (Yam); 5. Jeff PawLisa (S02). 125 NOV: 1. Brian Morgan (Suz); 2. Sean O'Connor (Yam); 3. john Kin.g (Yam); 4. Travis Fink (Kaw); 5. Justin Vaughn (}(aw). 125 (NT: 1. Bryan McGavran (Yam); 2, Sean Hamblin (Yam); 3. Harold Hageman (Suz); 4. Gary Trnchy (Yam); 5. Dustin Ryley ()-fon). U5 PRO: 1. Doug Parsons (Yam); 2. Steve Andrich (Yam); 3. Espen Blikstad (Yam); 4. Mike Metzger (Kaw); 5. Danny Carlson (Yam). . 250 BEG: 1. Zach Scuri (Yam); 2. Jerrod Paulson (Yam); 3. Heath McCormick (Suz); 4. Brian Smolskis (Yam); 5. Kelly Halpin (Suz). 250 NOV: 1. Kory Ellis (Yam); 2. Garth Milan (Yam); 3. Justin Vaughn (Kaw); 4. jason Myhren (Hon); 5. Michael Hemandez {Kaw). 250 [NT: 1. Ron "Ci1bert (Kaw); 2. Gary Trachy (Yam); 3. Todd Mitchell (Suz); 4. Hawk White (Suz); 5. Ray Bowers (Hon). 250 PRO: 1. Mike Metzger (Kaw); 2.. Steve Andrich (Yam); 3. Tim Beatty (So2); 4. Danny Carlson (Yam); 5. Tommy Johansson (1

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