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AMA Checkered Flag National Arenacross Series Round 9: Crook County Events Center (Leftj Mike Corder (969) and Mike Stonn (27) battled all weekend in the 125cc Pro ciass at round nine of the AMA Checkered Flag NatIonal Arenacross Series. Stonn topped the class on Friday, while Corder scored a Saturday win In front of 2000 spectators. (Below) Jonathan McGillivray finished second in Friday'S 125cc C final and then came back to dominate the class on Saturday In Prineville, Oregon. STORY AND PHOTOS BY CLAY LIGHT PRINEVIllE, OR, FEB. 16·17 orthwest Arenacross phenoms Mike Storm and Mike Corder clashed during the Professional portion of the two-evening AMA Checkered Flag Productions National Arenacross round at the Crook County Fairgrounds in Prineville, Oregon, with each rider pocketing a healthy chunk of loot. Storm, riding for SMP, Motul and Hillsboro Motorcycles, was the dominant force in the Pro ranks on Friday night. The rider from Beaverton, Oregon, narrowly beat Corder in both qualifying and the 12-lap final. Storm shot out of the gate at the unleashing of Friday's finale, and the two then exchanged the lead throughout the race before Storm inched out Corder at the finish. Local rider Jeremy Wells rounded out the top three. On Saturday, Team Green/Pro Circuit/Shoei-backed Corder was looking to reverse the order of finish from Friday night, and he put his KX in the winner's circle in the qualifier and main event. Local Pro Josh Bispo put his Yamaha out in front of the rest of the field in the final, but Bispo's lead was short-lived, as Storm overtook the YZ pilot. KTM-mounted Jake Gump ran in the top three for two laps, but Corder, who gated in last place, quickly moved up to challenge the lead duo. Corder outjumped both Storm and Bispo to take the lead, but he had to contend with Storm for the remainder of the final. Much as on the night prior, the lead went back and forth, but this time the battle went in Corder's favor; Corder narrowly edged Storm at the finish line to net the $500 prize. Bispo landed the final podium position. There were several impressive Amateur performers, but none were as dominant as KTM-mounted Rhett 44 MARCH 7, 2001 • cue I Johnson, who jolted the competition with his runaway performances in the 65cc class on both evenings, although the diminutive rider from nearby Warm Springs got off to a rough start on Friday. Johnson shook off the effects of a hard crash to net a Friday win over Travis Quesenberry and David Porter. Johnson did similar damage on Saturday, taking the win ahead of Kip Olkowski and Cameron McGillivray. Honda-mounted Levi Bishop was also a double winner. Bishop burned the competition in his dual 85cc-c1ass wins, putting a lot of ground between himself and his competitors on both nights. Bishop's largest margin came on Saturday in front of a near-capacity crowd of 2000. Suzuki rider Ryan Hopson ran at the head of a multiplerider pack battling for second through sixth, finishing runner-up ahead of Jeramie Hicks, Austin Peters and Ian McLagan in the 12-rider final. KTM-mounted Jeff Ralph and Yamaha YZ426F pilot Matt Johnson split wins in the 250cc class, with Ralph roasting the competition on Friday night. On Saturday, former AMA Pro C rider Johnson was the dominant rider, leading from start to finish, with Curtis Johnson narrowly edging out Light at the finish for second. Qualifying winner Robert Knight netted fourth, followed by Ralph in the 12-rider final. Mitchell Newton devoured the competition in the Pee Wee class on both nights. The KTM rider from Redmond had close competition in the form of Derek Garland and Polini pilot Tanner Smalling, the second- and third-place finishers each evening. Storm, a member of the SMP jump team, netted a win in Friday evening's jump-off contest, topping Corder and adding substantially to his winnings. On Saturday, though, local rider Quesenberry, aboard a 65cc KTM, won over the crowd for a major upset, taking the win ahead of Storm and Corder. eN Crwok County Events Center Prineville, Oregon Results: felmwy 16-11, 2001 (Round II (Above right) Rhett Johnson Jolted the competition in the &Scc class with wins on two consecutive evenings at the Crook County Events Center. (Below) Levi Bishop was the dominant rider in the 85cc class, posting victories on Friday and Saturday In front of near-capaclty crowds. • n • _ • Jonathan McGillivray and Colton Waibel were the cream of the crop in the 125cc C class. Waibel led McGillivray for the win on Friday night, but McGillivray came back on Saturday to hammer the competition and take the win. Danny Costa ran at the head of the field at the unleashing of the final, but McGillivray quickly overtook Costa to take the lead and remained there to the finish. Costa crashed and Aaron Haston filled the number-two slot. Costa remounted quickly to salvage third, ahead of Evan Elbeck and Wayne Morgan. Kawasaki jockey Sean Light and the Honda-mounted Wells stayed in close proximity in Saturday's 125cc B class, with Wells, who on Friday finished third in the Pro class, netting a qualifying win. While Wells got the holeshot in the final, Light found a way inside of Wells to nab the lead on lap two and stayed there to the finish to score a win ahead of Wells and Suzuki rider Scott Ogle. Friday P/W: 1. Mitchell Newton (KTM); 2. Derek Gorlond (KTM); 3. Tonner Smolling (Pol). 65: 1. Rhett Johnson (KTM); 2. Travis Quesenberry (KTM); 3. David Porter (KllW). 85: 1. Levi Bishop (Hon); 2. Jeramie Hicks (Kow); 3. Ryon Stout (Hon). 125 C: 1. Colton Weibel (Hon): 2. Jonathi!ln McGillivray (Kaw): 3. Danny Costa (Kaw), 250; I. Jeff Ralph (KTM); 2. Cosey Molt (Yom); 3. Molt Emery (Hon). PRO: 1. Mike Storm (Hon): 2, Mike Corder (Kow); 3. Jeremy Wells (Hon). JUMP-OFF: I. Mike Storm (Hon). Saturday P/W JR: 1. Rhett Brotherton (KTM); 2. Chris Aldrege (KTM): 3. Tori Tumer (Yom). P/W SR; I. Milchell Newton (KTM); 2. Derek Gorlond (KTM); 3. Tonner Smolling (Pol). 65: I. Rhett Johnson (KTM); 2. Kip Olkowski (Kaw); 3. Cameron Mc:(jillivray (Kaw). 85: I. Levi Bishop (Hon); 2. Ryon Hopson (Suz); 3. Jeramie Hicks (Kaw). 125 C: I. Jonothan McGillivroy (Kow); 2. Aoron Hoston (Suz); 3. Donny Cosio (Suz). 125 8: 1. Sean Light (Kaw); 2. Jeremy Wells (Hon); 3. Scott Ogle (Suz). 125 PRO; I. Mike Corder (Kow); 2. MIke Storm (Hon); 3. Josh Bispo (Yom). 250: 1. Molt Johnson (Yom); 2. Curtis Johnson (Hon); 3. 500n Light (Kow). JUMP·OFF; 1. Trovis Quesenberry (KTM). (Above) Sean Light fended off challenges throughout Saturday's 125cc B final to net the class win, aJlCI also finished third in the 250cc final.