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AHRMA Vintage Racing AHRMAIThe Classic Motor-cycle Dir't Tr-ack Ser-ies Round 1 : .Jackson Motor-spor'ts moving through Florida on the morning of the event changed all that. A period of heavy rain slackened to on-again, off-again drizzle the rest of the day, transforming six of the eight sections into deep goo. These traps were laid out among the obstacles on Motocross of Marion County's modem MX track, in the shadow of the tall jumps and deep whoops, and dipping down into a few trenches where the dirt for the track had been excavated. There were also two "upland" sections that escaped the mud, one that snaked through trees at the edge of a wooded area and another that took advantage of a pile of logs. And so for a trial that would have produced plenty of scores in the single digits, collections of 3s and 5s were the order of the day, as riders went slithering, sliding, spinning and falling through the sections. Section one gave new meaning to the word "whoops" - it sent riders zig-zagging back and forth and over a set of deep MX moguls and was the source of many a 5 as riders tried to negotiate the trenches. Despite it all, everyone had those "we're all in this together, so we might as well have fun" grins on their muddy faces. There were a respectable 72 entries for the day. Given the conditions, some of the scores were surprisingly low, and only a dab or two made a difference over the three laps around the short loop. On his way to the Modern Classic Intermediate win, Honda rider Barry Lee was the low-point rider for the day with just 18 marks. Back in second was James Smith on another of the Honda thumpers, losing 24 marks to third-placed John Easton's 26. Modern Classic Intermediate was the day's largest class with 23 entries. Ginder had second-low score, taking 19 points aboard his James in Premier Lightweight Expert, over the 37 score of second-place finisher Steve Glinski on a Greeves. Triumphmounted Mike Parsley was just a point back for third. Only nine points separated the top five finishers in Modern Classic Novice, with John Knapp taking the win with 20 marks. Don Baker was a dab behind in second with a 21. CN STORY AND PHOTOS BY MATT BENSON OCALA, Fl, MARCH 5 • ue to rain at its scheduled time • • slot, AHRMA's 2001 dirt track season got temporarily postponed. But close to 170 entries came back the next evening to get the year rolling on the slick Jackson Motorsports short track, and they did it in fine style. After about 35 efficiently run heats and semis, the finals started with the ·Dinosaurs. This one was a battle of Harley-Davidson handshifters Maine's Booker Poirier and defending class champion George Wills of Manhattan, Illinois. Poirier got the jump from the start and managed to hold off Wills' persistent - but ultimately unsuccessful - efforts to take over the lead. Triumph-mounted Craig Breckon earned third by getting around Beno Rodi's Royal Enfield. Triumph-riding Leland Prewitt had his hands full with Mike Connell's Harley Sprint in the Classic 250cc final, but then Robert McLendon suddenly swept past both of them and into the lead. Just as quickly, a crash brought out the red flag, and the race was called. Unfortunately for McLendon, the scoring was backed up to the last complete lap, and that was one that Prewitt was leading. So the order of the final results was Prewitt, Connell and then McLendon. The Sportsman 250cc final began as a back-and-forth duel between Ron Bertrand's Bultaco and Dan Gedeon on a Yamaha. Drew Peterson, riding a two-stroke Harley, joined the fun up front, and then moved to the point position. As Peterson broke away, a close four-way race for second developed with Bertrand, Dave Scheffer, Dave Wills and Gedeon. 1 1 _ of IIlIriaa Ceuaty .....Ick, Fieri.. Realts: 1I..-cII4, 2011 GIRDER EX; I. Bene ROlli (Enf), 69. PREM ljW INT: 1. Rey Corlew (Tn). 45. PREM ljW NOV: I. Ken Beies (Tn), 56; 2. Jim Cemeron (BSA), 79: 3. Jim Upscomb. 200. PRE,., L/W EX: 1. Bob Ginder (Jem). 19; 2. Steven Glinski (Gre). 37: 3. Mike Persley (Tn). 38: 4. Merlin Clausing (Tn), 47: 5. Dennis Brown (Gre), 77. PREM H/W INT: 1. Ron Winget (BSA). 174. CLSC EX: 1. Jeen Remsey (Oss), 200. CLSC INT: I. Dennis Jones (Pen). 52; 2. Bruce Cenmen (GRM). 55: 3. Richie Beulch (lsi). 62: 4. Devid Brown (Gre). 75. CLSC NOV: I. Richerd Dippold. 28; 2. Scott Kim (Hon).50. MOD CLSC EX: I. Ron Bertrend (Yem). 30; 2. John Rodis (Bul). 44; 3. Grehem Foster (Hon), 47: 4. Keith Duniop (Yem). 52; 5. Gene Brown (SUl). 55. MOD CLSC INT: 1, Berry Lee (Hon). 18: 2. James Smith (Han), 24; 3. John Eeston (Yam), 26; 4. Scott Dowler (Bul). 33; 5. Merk Maynerd (Oss). 37. MOD CLSC NOV: 1. John Knepp (Yem). 20: 2. Don Beker (SU1). 2\; 3. Den Sprute (Mon). 25: 4. Mike Smith (Yem). 28: 5. Micheel MoPete.. (SUl). 29. BEG: 1. Mark DlIvenport (Yam). 28; 2. Jack Cowen (SUl), 57. 66 MARCH 21, 2001 • cue I • n • vv sa Another red flag, this one on the final lap, ended the race a little prematureIy, in the order listed above. George Wills switched to a KR Harley for Classic 500j750cc racing, and this time he led from start to finish. Breckon was a solid second, ahead of a battle for third between Poirier and Carl Forkey. Although the Triumph-mounted Forkey held the third spot as they began the final lap, Poirier had the show position when the checkered flag came out. With an event high of 16 riders on the starting line, the Veteran race featured a super three-way battle involving Yamaha-mounted Mike Scott, Brian Eckhart on a Triumph and Jack Wagner on another Triumph. In the final sprint to the finish line, Scott got there ahead of Eckhart, while Wagner fell off the pace to end up fifth behind Bertrand and Frank Hardman. The Sportsman 600cc class had another three-rider race for the win, and McLendon, Connell and Gig Hamilton all held the lead at some point, with Clay Pickren hot on their heels. On the fmal lap, McLendon got a little help by lapped traffic to cushion his lead to the checkered flag. Racing legend Ronnie Rail of Engadine, Michigan, showed the over-60 Super Seniors how it's done, riding a BSA B50 to the win over early leader William Burr. After Rail got past and got away, BSA-mounted Burr battled to a close second-place finish ahead of Californian Mickey Alzola on a Triumph. After being a contender in two other classes, Bertrand finally crossed the finish line first in Seventies Singles. But the first-place trophy went to Honda-mounted Quinton Bigalow after Bertrand declined to submit his Honda for a post-race displacement check required of the topthree finishers in the up-to-500cc class. (AHRMA received many complaints of oversize machines in the class last year.) Pennsylvania's Gig Hamilton earned the Senior-class win aboard his 450cc Maico motocrosser, ahead of the Triumph of Larry Weiss, who held off a late-race challenge by Bill Snyder's Yamaha. The big bikes of Sportsman 750cc took to the track last, and this one belonged to Yamaha-mounted Nick Taylor, shadowed by Wagner. Behind them was a four-way battle for third that wen to Scott over Snyder, Hardman and John Skinner. CN J8cIlSllII MotDrsparts 1JclI1., Flaridll Results: ~n:b 5, 2001 DINO: 1. Booker Poirier (H-D): 2. George Wills (H-D): 3. Creig Breckon (Tri): 4. Bene Rodi (Enf): 5. Dennis Thurlow (H-D). elSe 250: I. Lehmd Prewitt (Tri); 2. Mike Connell (H·D): 3. Robert Mclendon (H-D): 4. Frenk Herdmen (H-D): 5. George Ackley (H-D). CLSC 500/750: I. George Wills (H-D): 2. Creig Breckon (Tri): 3. Booker Poirier (H-D); 4. Cerl Forkey (Trl); 5. Scott Fluck (Tri). SPTMN 250: 1. Drew Peterson (H-D); 2. Ron Bertrand (Bul); 3. Deve Scheffer (H-D); 4. Dave Wills (C-A); 5. Den Gedeon (Yem). SPTMN 600: I. Robert McClendon (BSA): 2. Mike Connell (H-D): 3. Gig Hemllton (Mei): 4. Cley Pickren (Hon); 5. Tom Morgan (Bul). SPTMN 750: I. Nick Teylor (Yem); 2. Jock Wllgner (Tri); 3. Mike Scott (Yam): 4. Bill Snyder (Yem); 5. Fronk Hardmen (Yem). VET: 1. Mike Scott (Yem): 2. Brien Eckhert (Tri); 3. Ron Bertrand (Bul): 4. Frank Hardman (Yam); 5. Jock Wegner (Tn). • SR: 1. Gig Hamilton (Mai); 2. Larry Weiss (Tri); 3. Bill Snyder (Yem); 4. Manny Crummett (Bul): 5. Jim Chellingsworth (Tn). S/SR: I. Ronnie Rell (BSA); 2. Williem Burr (BSA); 3. Mickey Alzola (Trl): 4. Melvin Brown (BSA); 5. Dan Maloney (Hon). '70. SNGLS: I. Quinton Bigalow (Hon); 2. Lorry Weiss (YlIm); 3. Shllne Arndt (Yam); 4. Stephen Hertley (Yem); 5. Robert McClendon (Yem). BRIEFLY•• • AHRMA's second Bike Week dirt track national. scheduled for March 6 at Bithlo. Ronda. was canceled when the promoter failed to provide an adequate ambulance for the event. With the elimination of Bithlo. The Classic Motor Cycle Dirt Track Senes now totals 1B rounds. Racer Mike Connell of Decorah. Iowa. and Ava Bach were married at the Ocala event. The ceremony (nghtJ took place just before the finals began on the start/finish line in front of the grandstand crowd. The groom wore his leathers. and about two dozen racers came out and formed a semicircle with their machines. Class champ Connell came out to finish second in his Classic 250cc final. The Ocala nuptials were the second AHRMA wedding of the day. Pat Conroy and his mechanic. Karen Green, were married in Victory Lane at Daytona Interna- tional Speedway.