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,----------------------------------,a: Carlsbad Chrisbnas Grand Prix Carlsbad Raceway ~ o z '" i'i a: '" ;;: Pastrana, Riddle Have Merry Christmas By KIRK CHANDLER CARlSBAD,CA,DEC.10 A t the 14th annual Carlsbad Christmas Grand Prix presented by CMXR, 2000 125cc Nationa I Champion Travis Pastrana showed up to do battle on the legendary circuit, which included the USGP track, the old Superbikers track and all of the small trails and roads that comprise Carlsbad Raceway. More than 400 riders entered the race sponsored by Moto World of EI Cajon. When the 125cc riders lined up for their 45-minute-plus-one-Iap race, Pastrana was the center of attention. However, Suzuki-mounted Chris Young was the first to crest the top of the big ski jump at the exit of the first turn. When Young landed, he was followed closely by Amateur sensation Ben Riddle. Pastrana was mired back in the pack but made a couple of quick moves on the first lap to get into third. Young, looking for an upset, was pulling away from Riddle and the distant Pastrana. At the end lap one, Young had a four-second advantage over Riddle, and Pastrana was another six seconds back. On the second lap, Pastrana was gaining rapidly on Riddle, and he was soon in second place and chasing after Young, but he was never within a couple of seconds. On the fourth lap, the race ended for both Pastrana and Young. Pastrana came roaring down the top motocross pits and onto the drag strip in the lead. Riddle was not too far behind, but Young was missing; he would not finish the race. It looked as if Pastrana had the race in the bag, but heading toward the finish he highsided through a high-speed sweeper. "The crash was pretty gnarly," Pastrana said. "The tire caught and it flung me off the bike, but it was pretty cool." As Pastrana pushed his wounded Suzuki back to the pits, Riddle was way out in front of second-placed rider Nathan Pittman. Riddle took the checkers way out in the lead. In the 250cc Pro contest, Pastrana was up against new SplitFire Kawasaki rider Mike Brown, former FourStroke National Champion Dustin Nelson, and 1980 USGP winner Marty Moates. Pastrana got out front early, ahead of Brown, 250cc Expert rider Chris Ridgeway, and Moates. Pastrana was putting on a riding clinic; he stood up through all but the tightest corners, wheelied and dodged all the bad holes, and managed to stay off the ground this time. Brown kept him honest for most of the race. Nelson came from last place in the first wave of riders up to fifth on the fourth lap, and he eventually passed Moates for fourth on the fifth lap but ran out of time before passing Brown, who had lost Pastrana's pace on the fourth lap. Pastrana won the race. The favorites in the Expert division of the Team Race were Pastrana and No Fear's Malcolm McCassy, and the team of Riddle and Cole Gress. The team of Philip Tintsman and Roger Saenz grabbed the early lead, but they were relegated back to third before the third corner as both Pastrana and Riddle zipped into the lead. Pastrana's 250cc pulled Riddle's 125cc on the back straightaway and street portions of the track. When the riders reappeared in the infield, Pastrana was about five seconds in front of Riddle. He and McCassy traded the wristband and McCassy took off to better their lead. However, Riddle and Gress' transition was quicker and they made up a lot of time. As the rest of the teams came through, the eventual winners of the Novice class, Justin Herrman and Corey Gustafson, made the exchange of wristbands and were right in front of the second-placed team of Mitch Straub and Glenn Cunningham. Then the fun began, as Moates left for his first lap, pulling a wheelie almost all the way to the top of the ski jump. Pastrana got wind of Moates' wheelie and decided to attempt a similar feat. As McCassy slammed into Pastrana, Pastrana popped the clutch and wheelied all the way up the face of the jump and then did a no-footer and landed in a power wheelie going down the next straightaway. The crowd roared in excitement. Pastrana and McCassy's lead continued to grow. On Pastrana's last lap down the drag strip, he decided to wheelie a slalom course through the course cones; he almost made it the entire distance, but he clipped a cone and sent it flying in the air. When Pastrana finished his portion of the race, it was McCassy's job to seal the win. However, Riddle had closed the gap considerably while Travis was showboating, giving his teammate a chance to catch the leaders. McCassy put together a solid lap, and when he crossed the finish line, Pastrana was waving the checkered flag to his winning teammate. Gress came home second, and the celebrating began between the friendly rivals. CN ~ ~ :I: Q. Cartsbad Raceway: Ben Riddle (16) kept Travis Pastrana honest all day and walked away with the 125cc Pro-class win in Carlsbad, California. Randy Norman; 4. Brian Schmuckle; 5. Tony Motta. VET 30. PRO: I. Chris Young; 2. Marty Smith: 3. Ron Lechien; 4. Nathan Pittman; 5. Vic Walker. VET 40+ NOV; I. Robert FUdge; 2. Patrick Lowrie; 3. Bret Leef; 4. Scott Johnson: 5. Tom Woessner. VET 40+ INT: I. lArry Gross: 2. Robert Zingg; 3. Chris Daniel; 4. Keith Sievers; 5. Jim Speigel. VET 40+ MSTR: 1. Marty Moates; 2. Tom Knapp; 3. Daniel Davalos; 4. Tony Wankel. VET 40+ EX: 1. Bill Keefe; 2. Mark Headley; 3. Toby Taki; 4. Vince Skllndunlls; 5. Tom Schroeder. VET 50+ NOV: 1. Doug Stephens; 2. W.J. Brlldbury; 3. Bob Ridgway; 4. Ken Feulner; 5. Joe Stidman. VET 50+ INT: 1. Bruce Fornash; 2. Ron Tuzinsky; 3. Bruce Cornell; 4. Clive Cheffins; 5. Phill Blackburn. VET 50+ MSTR: 1. Alan Kent; 2. John Knight; 3. Lars Larson, 4. Jack McCormick; 5. Malcolm McCassy. VET 50+ EX: 1. Gary Goulart; 2. Dennis David. WMN NOV: 1. Sheryl Condon; 2. Maryann Hobbs; 3. Karen Arcaris; 4. Jennifer Pavlick. WMN EX: 1. Aubrianll Dunn. 4·STRK NOV: 1. Mike Keller; 2. Kevin Kazmier; 3. Garret Judge; 4. Jason Dllurill; 5. Robert Gladden. 4·STRK EX: 1. Tom Knepp; 2. Bo Harris: 3. Steve Isenhower. VINT BEG: 1. Leon Roach; 2. Curtis Hendrick. VlNT NOV: 1. Rob Johnson; 2. J.W. Carver; 3. Tony Boswell. BMBR NOV: 1. Jay Roysdon; 2. Pat Stidman; 3. Scott Curtiss; 4. Michael Loomis. BMBR EX: I. Vincent Balch; 2. Norm Bigelow. TEAM RACE NOV: t. Herrmlln/Gustafson: 2. Straub/Cunningham; 3. JtlOin; 4. McCllssy/Moates: 5. AUen/Cecconi. TEAM RACE EX: I. Pllstrllnlll/McCassy; 2. Riddle/Gress; 3. Tinslman/SlIenz: 4. Loschillvo/Nelson: 5. Dominic/Coleman. HON INV11.: I. Jason IngersoU: 2. Bill Boyer: 3. Brad UttIe: 4. Willie Zarth; 5. Bret Snider. C8rt....d 1lacew1lY C8rtsbad, l:aIiforDi. Resufts: Deceonber 11, 2DOO 80 BEG: 1. Cameron Heisser, 2. NlIthan Dunn; 3. Daniel Johnson; 4. Kyle Bezuidewhout: 5. Nick Wllterhouse. 80 NOV: 1. Tyler K~fe; 2. Zllch Johnson; 3. Kevin Frisbie; 4. Tyler Smith; 5. Bruce Marlldll. 80 INT: 1. Bobby Romero. 125 BEG: 1. John M.inert; 2. Jesse Clarck; 3. Bryen Moorehead; 4. Trevor Carr; 5. Brendon McKenzie. 125 NOV: 1. Justin Herrmen; 2. Corey Gust8fson; 3. Shane McCusy; 4. Kirk Barnett; 5. Ian Runyon. 125 INT: 1. Ivan Diason; 2. Mikael Bokoret; 3. Roger Saenz; 4. Philip Tintsman; 5. Cole Sleeter. 125 EX: 1. Lee Bacon; 2. Andy Stephens; 3. Adam Fichtelman. 125 PRO: 1. Ben Riddle; 2. Nathan Pittman; 3. Travis Pastrana; 4. Chris Young. 250 BEG: 1. Steve Gardner; 2. Owen Fitzsimon: 3. Joshua Griffin; 4. Scott Hultgren; 5. Dondi Forshan. 250 NOV: 1. Brun Thomas; 2. John Willis: 3. Mike Bloom; 4. Chad Freeman.; 5. Kirk Allen. 250 INT: 1. William Vealy; 2. Glen Cunningham; 3. Kirk Chandler, 4. lArry Gross; 5. Jimmy Robinson. 250 EX: 1. Malcolm McCassy; 2. Brent Coleman; 3. Kyle Yost: 4. Mitchell Bailey: 5. Kevin Yost. 250 PRO: I. Travis Pastrana: 2. Mike Brown; 3. Dustin Nelson; 4. Marty Moates; 5. Kiel Mlittson. OPEN BEG: 1. John Smith; 2. Jason Edwards; 3. Mike Herman: 4. Ryan Dellinger. OPEN NOV: 1. Wes Morgan: 2. Larry Delaney; 3. Mitch Farner; 4. Thomas Multtgan. VET 30+ BEG: 1. Steve Gardner, 2. Doug Mohr; 3. Owen Fitzsimon; 4. Todd Parker; 5. Alan Burtt. VET 30+ NOV: 1. Brun Thomas; 2. Jason Smith; 3. Jeff Roehm; 4. Steve Isenhower; 5. Deron Stidman. VET 30+ INT: 1. Cole Gress; 2. Mike Hibner; 3. Kenny Allen; 4. Roger Saenz; 5. Dan Dilky. VET 30+ EX: 1. Lee Bacon; 2. Roy Basin: 3. California Racing Club Trophy Series Round 3: Los Angeles County Raceway Ortiz's Merry Christmas GP Win By Series, the Merry Christmas Grand Prix, held at Los Angeles County Raceway. Ortiz started things out with a holeshot off the dead-engine start to lead Steven Hoyle, Leonard Ewell and Ryan Reina. By the end of the first GREG ROBERTSON PALMDAlE,CA,DEC.17 J ason Ortiz was simply untouchable in the 125cc Beginner class during the third and final round of California Racing Club's Trophy cue. EO n ... _ os JANUARY 17, 2001 35