Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
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CMC Northwest Winter Motocross Series Final Round: Albany Motorsports Park Baxter rode a solid race to finish third to the KX-mounted duo, followed by a squabble over fourth between Yamaha riders Heath Voegele and Kyle Hampton, both aboard YZ250F machinery. Voegele netted the position, while Hampton finished fifth. Yamaha-mounted Kenneth Hammontree was the top rider in the combined aocc age-group and aocc Beginner class. Hammontree put a large deficit on the rest of the field, leaving Honda-mounted Jesse Wuori and KX rider Jerry Braswell well behind him. Wuori finished second to Hammontree in the 80cc (12-13) class, while Braswell topped the 80cc (14-16) portion. Matt Wilson walloped the combined Beginner class, leading Taylor McKee and Aaron McClinton into the top three. Rochelle Neimann logged an impressive performance in her Women's class victory, finishing ahead of Suzuki rider Rhiana Stenzel and Heidi Korschgen, but it was the oldest rider in the field, Jeanne Van Buskirk, who scored the series victory. Padded by her fifth-place finish, the 42-year-old Kawasaki rider finalized a season-long quest with a series win ahead of Shannon Crouch. _ D (Left) Californian Jesse Bath sloshed to the overall 125cc, 250cc and Open Pro victories at the final round of the CMC Northwest Winter Motocross Serles at Albany Motorsports Park In Albany, Oregon. remaining there to the finish. Wood was one of the few riders in the class to stay upright in the sloppy conditions, garnering a win by just under 10 seconds. Kawasaki-mounted Danny Gubser was Wood's closest competitor, picking up a win in the combined 60cc (9-11) portion, behind Wood, the 60cc (6-8) winner, but ahead of Kyle Hammontree and Travis McClinton, who debuted his new KTM. STORY AND PHOTOS BY CLAY LIGHT ALBANY, OR, MAR. 25 ne hundred and seventy-seven riders braved pouring rain and a quagmire of a track at the final round of the CMC Northwest Winter Motocross Series at Albany Motorsports Park. At the completion of the event, series newcomer Jesse Bath emerged as the top performer. Having spent the past two seasons racing intemational events in Europe, on this day Bath won the 125cc, 250cc and Open Pro classes while riding a pair of Yamahas sponsored by Herb's Cycletown of Cottage Grove. The Northern Californian - who is in the process of moving to the Eugene, Oregon, area - found the soupy conditions to his liking. Bath hammered the competition in the unique, single-moto-format program, which was implemented due to the incredibly sloppy track conditions. "I've ridden in all of the conditions," Bath said. "This doesn't bother me at all. While I traveled all over Europe [as part of a five-rider, Hoiland-based team], I rode in all of the adverse conditions.' Unfortunately, Bath was unable to contest the Grand Prix events due to a lack of the necessary FIM points. In the extended 10-lap format, Bath bolted to the head of the field at the unleashing of the combined 250cc Pro/lntermediatejJunior-ciass moto. Bath and his YZ426F were too much for the competition, as the 22year-old sped away from Yamaha rider Brody Baxter and a five-way battle behind the lead duo involving Gerritt Schaffer, Jeremiah Fisher, Jason Franz, Jeff Payne and Ryan Huege. Baxter finished second, which was good for the Intermediate win, while Huege darted to the head of the group to nab the Junior-class win. Albany Supen:ross Albany, Orogon Results: Man:h 25, 2001lRound 10 of 101 (Above) Jared Wood (413) leads Tyler McClinton (618) and Danny Gubser (25) at the start of the combined 60cc age-group moto. Wood netted the 60cc (6-8) win; Gubser trailed Wood for the 60cc (9-11) victory. Shawn Huege, the older of the two Huege brothers, used consistent 4-4 placings in the Junior portion of the 15-rider class to nab the 250cc Junior series title, narrowly edging season-long rival Franz in the final points tabulations, 597 -575. The day's largest class was the 250cc Beginner field, with 19 riders. Yamaha-mounted Jeremy McLain has been a consistent top-three finisher throughout the season, but today the 16-year-old Yamaha rider stepped up his performance and posted a runaway performance in the moto to snare the win. Washington's Michael Biddle ran second until the final lap, when he and fellow YZF pilot Josh Nowak tangled and Honda rider John Zinie scooped up the second-place laurels, ahead of Biddle, Nowak and Greg Dukeson. Jared Wood, riding a brand-new KTM, decimated the competition in the 60cc age-group competition, taking the lead from the get-go and PfW (0-6): I. Hunter Klug (KTM); 2. Stephen Blaine (Hon); 3. Justin Spink (KTM). P/W (7-9): I. Nash Blaylock (KTM); 2. Glenn Prestholt (Cob); 3. Derek Garland (KTM). 50 OPEN: I. Nash Blaylock (KTM): 2. Justin Spink (KTM). 60 OPEN: I. Jared Wood (KTM); 2. Travis McClinton (KTM): 3. Kellsey Ehmke (Kaw). 60 BEG: l. Heather Christilmsen (Kaw); 2. Chris Egan (KTM); 3. Kyle Roberts (Kaw). 60 (6-8): 1. Jared Wood (KTM). 60 (9-11): I. Danny Gubs.r (Kaw); 2. Kyl. Hammontree (Yam); 3. Travis McClinton (KTM). 80 BEG: 1. Matt Wilson (Yam); 2. TlI)'lor McKee (Kaw): 3. Aaron McClinton (Yam). 80 (7-11): 1. Levi Bishop (Hon); 2. Nick Randklev (Hon). 80 (12-13): 1. Kenneth Hammontree (Yam); 2. Jesse Wuori (Hon). 80 (14-16): 1. Jerry Broswell (Kow). S/MINI: 1. Kenneth Hammontree (Yam); 2. Jesse Wuori (Hon); 3. Taylor McKee (Kaw). 125 BEG: 1. Jacob Oberle (Kaw); 2. Jake White (Kow); 3. C.J. Baxter (Yam). 125 JR: 1. Adam Metzler (Suz); 2. Matt Crawford (Suz); 3. Pet. Sannan (KTM). 125 INT: 1. Justin Jensen (Hon); 2. Tyler Fick (Hon). J 25 PRO: I. Jesse Bath (Yam); 2. Ryan Mettl.,. (Suz). 250 BEG: 1. Jeremy McLain (Yam); 2. John Zinie (Hon); 3. Josh Nowak (Yam). 250 JR: 1.Ryan Huege (Hon); 2. Jeff Payne (Hon); 3. Jason Franz (Hon). 250 INT: 1. Brody Baxter (Yam); 2. Gerritt Schaffer (Suz). 250 PRO: 1. Jesse Bath (Yam); 2. Ryan Mettl.,. (Suz). OPEN AM: 1. Jason Smith (KTM): 2. Mike Cook (Yam); 3. Sean Ught (Kaw). OPEN PRO: 1. Jesse Bath (Yam). BTH JR: I. Ryan Huege (Hon); 2. Adam Metzler (Suz); 3. Pete Sannan (KTM). BTH INT: I. Brody Baxter (Yam); 2. Justin Jensen (Hon); 3. Tyler Fick (Hon). OTH BEQ: 1. Mike Oberle (Yam): 2. Mike Cook (Yam); 3. Luke McCaslin (Yam). OTH JR: 1. Richard Tunnell (Yem): 2. Paul Meusling (Yam). OTH PRO: 1. Jason Smith (KTM); 2. Joe Casey (Hon). 4-STRK: 1. Aaron Tunnell (Yam): 2. Patrick Berry (KTM). OIT AM: 1. Gary Bernards (Yam); 2. Ben Bramlett (Hus); 3. Mork Kristoff (Hon). OfT PRO: 1. Glynn Higgins (KTM); 2. Dovid Taxel (Yam); 3. Ron Sun (Hbg). 50+: 1. J.R. Meusling (Hon): 2. Dan Schaffer (Kaw); 3. Randy Layne (Yam). WMN: I. Rochelle Neimann (Yam); 2. Rhiana Stenzel (Suz); 3. Heidi Korschgen (Hon). Bath also burned the competition in the 125cc Pro class, which ran grouped with the Intermediate and Junior riders, leading Intermediate rider Justin Jensen and Suzuki rider Adam Metzler in the lone moto. Metzler came out on top of the 13-rider Junior class, finishing ahead of Matt Crawford and KTM rider Pete Sannan. Kawasaki riders swept the top two positions in the 17-rider 125cc Beginner-class moto. Jacob Oberle and Jake White ran at the head of the field from the start to the wave of the checkered flag. Yamaha rider C.J. (Leftl Brody Baxter was one of the select few double-elass winners, scoring the 250cc and Before The Hill Intermediate-elass wins. cue. e n e _ 50 • APRIL 18, 2001 45