Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

Fourth annual RM Cup Challenge • (Above) In the 250cc B race, overall winner Travis Pastrana (199) takes the holeshot in front of Bill Ursie (43) and Nick Metcalf (117). (Left) Charley Bogard (middle) took wins in both the 125 and 250cc Pro ranks. Jacob Martin (left) was second in 125cc racing, while Jir i Dostal was third. By Kat Spann Photos by Connie Johnson SIlLLlVATER,OK,SEPT.I2-13 fr e m e / s u z u ki Sports-backed Charl ey Bog ard rep ea t ed la s t year's performance at the fou rth annual RM Cup Ch allen ge by sweeping bot h the 125 and 250cc Pro events, taking hom e a cool 54000 portion of the Pro payout funds. "I've been ha ving ki nd of a ro ugh yea r," Bogard sai d . "I've been hurt a lot and ha ve pretty mu ch missed a lot of the year. I started back rid ing and go t a whole new id ea on how 1 look at thin gs. . I go ou t and try to ha ve fun eac h tim e and that' s all I think abou t. It see ms to work a lot bett er for me and I go faster." Gu y and Wand a Co op er o u td id themselves whe n they p layed host to 296 all-Su zuki-mounted racer s at th e RM Cup Cha llenge at Coo perland Racewa y for th e second year in a row. The key wo rd was "challenge ." "Wit h the d ry weather we had for Satu rday's heat races and then the wet wea ther tha t mov ed in Sunday, this has X 00 0\ 0\ ,...... .'<::!' ~ ,...... ;.... CJ.) ,.D o ..... u o 64 b een t he m ost cha lle nging RM Cup we've had so far," said Ame rica n Suz uki' s motocr oss su p port manag er, Pa t Alexander. "But everyone had fun an d that's what our goal was. " This yea r, 35 sta tes were re presented at the &\1 Cup Challenge, competing for 5102,225 in Suzuki contingency payou t to the top 20 riders)n each class. The only other rnu lticlass winner on the weekend was Maryland ' s Travis Pastrana, who took the top podium spot in bo th the 125cc and 250cc Interm ed ia te eve nts . "Being from Ma ryla nd , the mud on Su nd ay was act ually a blessing for the wi n," Pastrana said . "I guess the California gu ys aren' t qu ite used to it. But we had a lot of fun ou t there. I did my best an d it was good enough for the win." The first Pro ma in even t saw Jacob Martin take the holeshot ou t of the 125cc gate and lead th e first la p, in spite of ge tting th e las t gate pi ck w h en he DNFed the heat race the day befo re with a broken motorcycle. "I go t off the ga te good, but the mud played a big pa rt in my race," Ma rtin said. "I lost a lot of time, but 1 cou ld n't pull away from Charley (Bog ard) and then he go t aro un d me ." Charley Bogard chased Martin but " eme rged at the fro nt by the end of lap two . "I passed Jake for the lead ov er the big step-up: ' Bogard said, It became a survival of the fittes t to see w ho could keep it on two wheels, as the finish-li ne area had been reconstructed to accom moda te scoring. Two wo rkers we re armed with rolls of paper towels as the riders came thro ugh a chu te toward the scorers, quickly wiping the front number plates for iden tification. Am eri can Suzuki/Primal ImpuIse / Bill's Pipes-spon sored [iri Dostal fin ished third , saying. "I sta rted second off the sta rt and felt pret ty good . I rod e a little tight, but I'm pre tty happy wi th the ride. I've im proved a lot since last year ." Bogard returned to the 250cc Pro gate and was ou t fro nt from wi re to w ir e. Jaco b Martin once again finished second , with Up ton rou ndi ng out the pod ium in third . Pas tra n a w a s u nbeat abl e in th e B di visions . Nick Metcalf chas ed Pastrana in th e 250cc main even t, but w as only able to capture a fifth-place finish in the 125cc cla s s. With mud flyin g everywhere, it was difficult to see exac tly wh o was in what position unless yo u could identify the indi vid ual rid er's race form and rid ing gear. Barry Cars ten made the trip from New Jersey to win the Vet (Over 30) event. "I came out here las t yea r and finishe d second ," sai d the MSR/Pro Circu it rider. "I got a good start this yea r and staved oul fron t." Whe'n as ked if the mud was a factor , Ca rs ten sim p ly replied : "We don't go home wh en it rains up north. It's just a different-color mud her e." Pennsy lvan ia' s Gen e Stu ff w on the SOcc (12-13) class. "It means a lot for Su zuki and for myself to come ou t here and race the RM Cup Chall en ge," Stuff said . "We've been traveling a lot this year, bu t you have to do that to sta y on top in your class ." Kelly Quinn wa s one of two riders from California to take a first place, winning the 250cc C event. , McFly Scheel go t the ho les hot bu t Quinn took the lead ou t of the firs t tum. By the time they reached the bott om of the straig htaway, Scheel charged into the next tu m to take the point. By the end of lap th ree, though, Q uinn was again in the lead . "I had to battle wi th McFly to wi n th is one," Quinn said . "He put on a good battl e through the mud . I was trying to keep it cons is te n t, but he kept ch a rg in g and cha rgi ng on m e . He'd make a littl e mi stake, but then he 'd cat ch ba ck up. I jus t tried not to make an y mistakes." "It means a lot for me to win here,", Qu inn said . "It's so me thi ng for the factory to see you race and see how yo u' re riding . You ki nd of feel like a factory rid er." Oi Cooperland Raceway Stillwater, Oklahoma Resu lts: September 12-13, 1998 80 (7-111: 1. Kyle Partrid ge ; 2. Sha w n O a rk; 3. Chris Lazzaretto: 4. Bryan Johnso n; 5. Tony Kutzler. 80 0 2·13) : 1. C...-ne Stu ll; 2. Brad Modjewski: 3. Willy Browning; 4. Zachary Millt'r ; 5. Ross M.u1ln. 80 (14-15): I. David Wh itcraft; 2. Fran k Jungitseh; 3. Du st y Fou ntain; -toRoy Horton ; 5. Chad Love. 125 8 : 1. T ravi s Past rana: 2. J.lson McDona ld; 3. Robert Farnell: 4. Osca r Vald ez; 5. N ick Met calf. 125 C: 1. Eva n Laug h rid ge ; 2. B.J. H un tsi nger; 3. Coy Hob good; 4. Brian Mor~an ; 5 . Eric Heaga n. ·125 PRO: 1. Cha rley Bogard: 2. Jacob Martin ; 3. [iri Dostal: 4. Bar ry Ca rs ten: 5. Jimm y wi lson . 250 C: 1. Kell y Qui nn ; 2. McFly Sche e l; 3. Sco tt Ge ner ke; 4. Eva n Owenby: 5. Vance Earl. 250 B: 1. Travis Pastrana : 2. Nick Met calf ; 3. Jason McDonald; 4. Da n iel Tesh: 5. Mike Me rcer. 250 PRO : 1. C h a rley Bog a rd ; 2. Ja cob Martin; 3. Donald Up ton; 4. Matt Sh ue ; 5 . Jim Ches ter . VET (30+): 1. Barry C arsten : 2. C urt Rehmert. 3. Jon Schmitz ; 4. Todd H ind ers; 5. Rod Marshall . SR (40+ 1: 1. Rick M u n son ; 2. John Handelin : 3. Robert Hansen: 4. Dan Fitch ; 5. P.lt Scu llen .

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