Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

CMC Golden State Nationals Round 4: Perris Raceway mate Mike Alessi took wins in both the 80cc (12-13) and 80cc Open classes. Mike Truglia used a pair of runnerup finishes to score the 60cc (0-8) division, topping Blake Baggett (1 -4) and Nic Paluzzi (6-1). Dakota Gamer owned the Pee Wee ranks with a perfect pair of aces in the 50cc (7-8) class, topping KTM pilot Cody Farrar and ZLT rider Baggett. eN STORY AND PHOTOS BV TONV ALESSI PERRIS, CA, FEB. 18 Ii» ill's Pipes-backed Shane Bess 'Ij turned up the heat, scoring three out of four Pro-class moto wins en route to the overall 125cc Pro-class victory during round four of the CMC Golden State Nationals, held at Perris Raceway. Bess looked like an attack dog in moto one after starting just outside the top 10. "I was late off the gate," said Bess. "I hesitated and got closed out on the start. " Steve Mertens led for a while but eventually dropped to fourth after Pit Pro racer Chris Wheeler took over the lead spot. Bess was on the move, carving his way past front-runners such as Ryan Morais and Mertens and then passing Wheeler on the final lap for the moto win. "In the first two laps, I was passing all kinds of guys, and at first I thought, 'Man, maybe I can get third,'" Bess said. "Then, on the last lap, I was thinking I could win, but I knew I had to run it in hard and get by Wheeler after the whoops." Bess pulled the second-moto holeshot and checked out. "I got the lead and pretty much pulled away," Bess said. "Once up front, I put it on cruise." Bess went on to ta ke the secondmoto win, followed by Wheeler, Morais and Honda(fRE pilot Turbo Reif. Bess returned in the 250cc class, but once again he gated poorly in the first moto. "Yeah, another bad start," he said. Bess moved as high as fourth, but he encountered trouble with Plano Honda rider Jiri Dostal. "I was working on Dostal for third and hit his back wheel and high-sided and crashed," Bess reported. (Right) Shane Bess tumed up the heat at round four of the CMC Golden State Nationals, scoring three out of four Pro-class moto wins and taking the 125cc Pro class victory, (Below) Yossy Atsuta (2) upset Bess' plans by taking the 250cc Pro victory with a 1-2 punch. (Bottom right) First· moto winner Jesse Casillas took the 125cc Intermediate first-diYislon win after the entire class was disqualified in the second moto at Perris Raceway In Callfomla. Bess rebounded for fifth, behind Mertens, Dostal, Reif and first-moto winner Yossy Atsuta. In the second moto, Bess absconded with another holeshot. "I got a good jump," Bess recounted, "and my Bill's Pipes Suzuki pulled the Honda works bike to the first tum." The works bike to which Bess was referring was a handmade, one-of-a-kind works Honda 250cc from Japan being ridden by Atsuta. "At first, I pulled away from those guys," Bess said. "Then my suspension went soft and I was bottoming out; that made my arms pump." Atsuta closed in on Bess, but Atsuta never got closer than two bike lengths. Bess went on to take the moto win, but Atsuta ended up with the top spot on the podium via a 1-2 showing, topping Reifs 2-3 tally and Bess' 5-1 score. Perrlslllc:nny Perris, C.lifonIi8 llesalts: Febras" 18, 2001 IRound 4J 50 (4·6): 1. C.rlos Don (Cob); 2. P.ul Nelson (Cob): 3. Daniel Paluui (Cob): 4. Damicn Tackett (HM): 5. Nick Serr.no (Cob). 50 (7·8): I. D.kot. G.rner (Cob); 2. Cody F.rr.r (KTM); 3. BI.ke B.ggett (KTM): 4. Dyl.n Schmoke (Cob); 5. BI.ke C.mpos (Cob). 60 BEG: I. Billy Brinkler (KTM); 2. """'" Touw (KllW); 3. Cody Young (Kew); 4. Dillon Trottier (K.w); 5. Cole Young (K.w). 60 (0-8): I. Mlch.el Trugli. (KTM); 2. BI.ke B.ggett (KTM); 3. Nick P.luzzi (K.w); 4. Brell Downey (K.w); 5. Bryce Stew.rt (Kaw). 60 (9·11): I. Jeff Alessi (KTM); 2. Trent Pugmire (Kew); 3. Michllel Hall (Kaw); 4. Michael Leib (KTM); 5. Jake Can.d. (Kaw). 80 BEG: 1. Don Green (Kew); 2. Sheun Hillion (Yam); 3. Keith Franklin (Kaw); 4. Billie eelvln (Y.m): 5. Branden Gnua (V.m). 80 (7·11): 1. Justin Mulford (Hon); 2 .Drew Gosselaer (502); 3. Ched Gores (SU1); 4. Kevin W.geman (V.m); 5. Jeff Alessi (V.m). 80 (12-13): I. Mike Alessi (Vam): 2. J.rred Browne (Yem); 3. Robert Memoli (Yem); 4. Derrick Murphy (V.m); 5. Phillip Bruscell. (V.m). 80 (14·16): I. Jimmy Nelson (Vam): 2. Josh Grant (Hon); 3. Daryl Ecklund (Hon); 4. Brett Rothas (Suz); 5. Kelly Tedder (Kaw). B/W: 1. Elizllbeth Bash (V.m). 80 OPEN: I. Mike Alessi (Vam); 2. Robert Memoli (Yam); 3. Brett RolhZls (SU1); 4. Bobby Romero (Yam); 5. Kevin WZlgeman (Yam). S/MINI: 1. Jimmy Nelson (YZlm); 2. JoshuZl Grant (Hon); 3. Kelly Tedder (KZlW); 4. Mike Alessi (Vam): 5. Jarred Browne (Vam). 12S BEG: 1. Matt Brooks (Vam); 2. Mott Williams (Yam); 3. Jeff Ashmore (Yem); 4. Anthony Gellemore (KTM); 5. JonZlthan McCormick (YZlm). 125 JR: I. Andy Bakken (Vam): 2. Chase Meineke (YZlm); 3. Ryen Cowell (Yem); 4. Randell Hall (Vam): 5. D.n Roegner (Hen). 125 INT 0·1 : 1. Jesse Cesilles (Vern); 2. Dylan Lord (Suz); 3. TIm Weigand (Hon); 4. Richie Owens (Kew); 5. Sleven Heughelstine (Yam). 125 (NT 0·2: I. Josh Bagge (Hon): 2. Shoun Trabert (V.m): 3. Zoe Wray (Vam); 4. Michael Pr.y (Kaw); 5. Alfredo Contreras (Hon). 125 PRO: 1. Shane Bess (Suz); 2. Chris Wheeler (Suz); 3. Ryan Morais (Vam): 4. Turbo Rej[ (Hon): 5. Jiri Doslol (Hon). 250 JR: 1. Andy Bakken (Vam); 2. Kevin Bardu (SU1); 3. Todd Snider (Yam); 4. Bryen Ehrman (K.w); 5. Bri.n Anderson (Hon). 250 INT: 1. Jesse Cesillas (Yam); 2. Richie Owens (Kew); 3. Steven Haughelstine (Yam); 4. Tim Weigand (Hon); 5. Mickey Griffin (Vam). 2S0 PRO: I. Vossy Atsulo (Hon); 2. Turbo Reif (Hon); 3. ShZlne Bess (Suz); 4. Jiri Dostal (Hon); 5. Chris Young (502). 8TH: 1. Melt Armstrong (Vam): 2. Bryen JeremJllo (Hon). SCHBV: 1. Dyl.n Lord (Suz); 2. J.son Stinett (Kaw); 3. Ben Wageman (Hon); 4. Howerd Erinson (Vam); 5. Steven Perry (Vam). 25+ AM: I. Scott McCollough (Hon): 2. Mitch Mora (Yam); 3. Kelly Foster (KTM). 25+ PRO: 1. Chris Young (Suz): 2. Todd Mitchell (Suz). 25+ MSTR: I. Jon Zahrt (Suz); 2. Dan Berg (SU1): 3. Derrin Hoeft (SU1); 4. Brenden Milstead (Suz); 5. Danny Cooper (Vam). 30+ BEG: I. Eric Shermen (Vllm). 30+ INT: 1. Duane Benner (Kew); 2. Kevin Vidana Bllrde (502); 3. Mike Ucitra (Suz); 4. Scott McCollough (Hen); 5. Michael Jef!erson (KTM). 30+ M,5TR: 1. Jon Zahrt (Suz): 2. Darrin Hoeft (Suz): 3. Dan Berg (Suz): 4. David Zahrt (Suz); 5. Bob Shimp (Vam). 30+ PRO: 1. Chris Young (Suz): 2. Todd Mitchell (Suz). OfT AM.: 1. Bernard Unhessobiscey (Yam); 2. Oeve Simon (Vern). OIT I'ISTR: I. David Z.hrt (Suz); 2. Bob Shimp (V.m): 3. Dan Berg (Suz); 4. G~ Briles (Hon); 5. Gene Ordelman (Vam). WMN AM: I. Tanya Elbers (Suz); 2. T.yler Lacey (Kaw); 3. Brooke Campos (Kaw); 4. Shoun. Mosley (K.w). WMN PRO: 1. Heidi Henry (Yern); 2. Jennifer C.puto (Suz); 3. Bonnie W.rch (Suz). Team Yamaha's Jesse Casillas posted top honors in both the 125cc and 250cc Intermediate classes, but his victory in the 125cc Intermediate class occurred under strange circumstances. "They disqualified our whole class in the second moto," Casillas said. The entire group of 125cc Intermediates disregarded a red flag and kept racing. When the race was finally stopped, race promoter Stu Peters called for the disqualification of the whole class in that moto, and the first-moto finishes would stand as the final score. Jimmy Nelson was the day's top Mini pilot, posting all four moto victories in both the Supermini and 80cc (14-16) classes, while Nelson's Thousand Oaks Yamaha junior team- a U c I _ n __ • MARCH 7. 2001 43

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