Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

AMA Amateur National Championship Qualifier Action Sports Grand Prix Moto Park CLeft) Gene Stull swept all four 125cc B motos and won three of the four 250Cc B motos at the AMA Amateur National Championship Qualifier at Action Sports Grand Prix Moto Park. (Below) Mark Burkhart (195) stalks Steve Andrich (85)11'1 the first 250cc Pro moto In Albany, Ohio. STORY AND PHOTOS BY DAVID L. PATTON JR. ALBANY, OH, APR. 7-8 ene Stull and Mark Burkhart put on a great show as nearly 800 riders traveled to the Action Sports Grand Prix Moto Park for one of the area's first AMA Amateur National Championship qualifiers, sponsored by Budweiser, Don Wood Polaris and Damon's. Stull, from Gibsonia, Pennsylvania, swept all four 125cc B motos on his Team Suzuki/ Cernic's/Fox RMs, and he won three of the four 250cc B motos. Team Green/No Fear/Spy-backed Gavin Gracyk was the only rider to head Stull, running off with the first 250cc B moto on Sunday. Gracyk scored four runner-up finishes in the 125cc B and 250cc B classes. On Saturday, 125cc rider Jason Frecker and 250cc rider Steve Andrich ruled the Proclass action, but on Sunday, SportCycles Racing/Cycra/BWR Suspension-backed Burkhart blasted to the top of both Pro divisions. The 125cc B class featured an outstanding field of young riders, and Rushville, Ohio, rider Willy Browning led the way through the first turn. Stull was on Nathan Skagg's rear wheel in third, with Gracyk mired in the pack. Browning had the F&S Team Racing/Spy-sponsored Suzuki flying as he quickly opened up a twosecond lead. Stull managed to pass Skaggs before the first lap was over and set out after Browning, but Browning matched Stull's pace until the third lap. "I was trying to hold him off, but my arms pumped up,· Browning said. Stull took the top spot at the white flag and nailed the win. "I didn't get the start I wanted, but I was able to get through the pack pretty quick,· Stull said. "Willy made a mistake and left the inside open, and 1 took advantage of it.· Skaggs held off Gracyk for third. Gracyk rebounded with the holeshot and a dominating win in the 250cc B class. He opened up a sixsecond lead on the first lap and never looked back. "That's want I was looking for," Gracyk said. "I got a great start and just rode my own race." Stull came back strong in the second set of motos, topping Gracyk in both 125cc Band 250cc B action to sew up the overall wins. Burkhart scored a top-20 finish at the National Supercross in Pontiac, Michigan, on Saturday night, and then he blitzed the 125cc Pro class on Sunday. Burkhart ran away with both moto wins on his YZ250F, but he was aboard the Damian Burkhart-backed KTM for the first 250cc Pro race. "It's my dad's bike," he reported. "KRW did the suspension, but the motor is stock." Andrich fired off the gate to lead the field into the first turn, with Burkhart back in sixth. Burkhart took advantage of the wide, Drew Wolfedesigned course to shred through the field. Burkhart caught Andrich a quarter of the way around the 1.3mile track, but the tricky off-camber course put him down. "I caught Steve [butl then lost the front end and dropped it," Burkhart explained. Burkhart lost five spots as Andrich blasted away, but he was on the gas. Burkhart was back in second by the end of the first lap, but he faced a sixsecond deficit. Burkhart cut the gap to three seconds by the end of lap two, and he reeled Andrich in on the third go-around. "I knew Mark was back there, and I wasn't riding my own race," Andrich said. "I made a bunch of little mistakes.• Burkhart tried to make his move on the big downhill, railing the big berm at the bottom, but Andrich tightened up and held him off. One lap later, Burkhart drove under Andrich's Shift-backed Honda on the highest section on the hilly course and then he squared the S-turn to take the lead. Burkhart went on to ta ke the win, with Andrich second and Frecker rounding out the podium. "I just went into the sixth turn too hard and hit a rut -it's really slick," Burkhart explained of his mishap. "Steve is a real good rider, and it's fun racing back and forth like that." "I rode good the first lap,· Andrich said. "Then I rode a backwards race, missing my lines and not being smooth. I have to ride my own race next time, maybe follow Mark and check out his lines.· Burkhart got a better start in moto two and was on his way to another win when he made a small mistake. "I went into the sixth turn on the very first lap and lost the front end again,· Burkhart lamented. "As I was falling, I thought, '( am such an idiot wrecking in the same turn. ,. Burkhart recovered, however, to take the win. Andrich and Frecker followed, matching their first-moto results. CN 65STK (7-9): 1. Tyler Bowers (K.w); 2. N.th.n Heskett (KTM); 3. Kyle Burlile (KTM): 4. Sh.wn Lunsford (KTM); 5. Shawn Rife (Kaw). 65 STK (10-11): I. Justin Weeks (Kaw): 2. Kyle Smith (KTM); 3. Steven Squire (KTM.); 4. Ryan Brumfield; 5. Steven Mages (KTM). 85 STK (7-11): I. Levi Kilbarger (5uz): 2. Kyle Smith (SU1); 3. Tyler Bowers (KlIw); 4. Joey Leadbeater (Suz); 5. Justin Weeks (Kaw). 85 STK (12-13): I. Patrick Massie (Kaw): 2. Allen Rossi (Kaw); 3. Jake Mohney (Yam); 4. Brandon Borgen (Kaw); 5. Kyle Herwald (SUl). M.INI SR: t. Michael Willierd (Suz); 2. Patrick Massie (Kaw); 3. Christopher Robertson (Suz); 4. Perry Hoover (Hon); 5. Joshua Toney (SUl). WMN 80·105 (12-15): I. Richell McEvoy (5ul). WMN 105: 1. Tiffany Reed (Yam). 16-24: 1. Nathan Skaggs (Yam); 2. Chris Leadbeater (Yam); 3. Tommy Layman (KTM); 4. David Rife (5uz); 5. MIke Ivers (Yam). 125 STK (12-15): I. Nicholas Carroll (Yam); 2. Michael Williard (Suz); 3. Matt PritchlUd (Yttm); 4. Damon Shaffer (Yam); 5. Alexander Rossi (Kaw). 125 A: 1. Jason Frecker (Hon); 2. Michael Sigmund (KlIw); 3. Rye" Holliday (Suz); 4. Nick Nuttle (Yam); 5. Creig Clements (Yam). 125 B: 1. Gene Stull (Suz); 2. Gavin Gracyk (Kaw): 3. Nathan Skaggs (Yam); 4. Willy Browning (Suz); 5. Cory Smith (Yam). 125 C: 1. Chase Whitten (Hon); 2. Mark Stephens (Kaw); 3. TIm HZlning (Hon); 4. Mike Lucas (Suz): 5. Dennis Green (Suz). 250 B: 1. Gene Stull (Suz); 2. GlIvin Grecyk (K.w); 3. Andy Williard (5uz); 4. Cory Smith (Yam); 5. John Wisenbarger (Yam). 250 c: 1. Mike Doll (Hon); 2. Denny Stanley (Yam); 3. DllVid MDynard (Yam); 4. Bill Squires (Yam); 5. Adam Holmes (Hon). 25+ A: 1. Steve Andrich (Hon); 2. Mike Blair (5uz); 3. Richard Robinson (Hen): 4. Matt Robinson (Hon). 25+ B: 1. Chad Walker (KTM); 2. Dan Jones (Hon); 3. Travis Smith (Hon); 4. Tony P.pe (KTM); 5. Mitch Warrens (Kaw). 30.: 1. Richard Robinson (Hen); 2. Chad Walker (KTM); 3. TIm Fink (Hen): 4. Rick Russell (Hon): 5. Steven Eagler (Kaw). 40+: 1. Keith Maraugha (Suz); 2. Rick Russell (Hon); 3. Mark McDaniel (Yam); 4. David Rapp (Yam); 5. Gary Gracyk (Kaw). 250 A: 1. Steve Andrich (Han): 2. Jeson Frecker (Hon); 3. Tim Reger (Yam); 4. Michael Sigmund (K.w); 5. Gregg Smith (Yam). Sunday 50 PIW: I. Nicholas Kappert (Yam); 2. Alec Ray (Yam); 3. J.T. Turner (Yam); 4. Ryan Ervin (Y.m); 5. Konner Standley (Yam). 50 (4-6): 1. J.T. Turner (!..em); 2. Ch.rles Hart (Pol); 3. Raymond Hart (Yam). 50 (7-8): 1. Nicholas Kappen (Y.m); 2. Scott Menl (KTM). 65 MOD (7-11): 1. Andrew Murnane (Kaw); 2. Justin Weeks (Kaw); 3. Kyle Smith (Kaw); 4. Steven Squire (KTM): 5. Kyie Ditcher (KTM). MINI JR: I. Justin Weeks (Kaw); 2. Devan Welch (Suz); 3. Tyler Bowers (Kaw): 4. Ryan Ivers (SUl): 5. Ryan Brumfield (Suz). 85 MOD (9-13): 1. Patrick M.ssie (Kaw): 2. Kyle Smith (5ul); 3. Zach Ames (5ul); 4. Levi Kilbarger (Suz): 5. Allen Rossi (Kaw). 85 MOD (14-15): I. Michael Willi.rd (Suz): 2. Christopher Robertson (Suz); 3. Tyler Shoe (Kaw); 4. Tyler Jenema (Kaw); 5. Joshua Toney (Suz). 105 S/MINI (12-15): I. Michael Williard (5uz); 2. Petrick Massie (Kaw); 3. Zach Ames (Suz); 4. Christopher Robertson (Suz); 5. Tyler Janema (Kaw). 16·24: 1. Nathan Skeggs (Yam); 2. Jeremy Barnett (Kaw); 3. Jllson Brown (Hon); 4. Zach Haning (KTM): 5. Kyle Douglas (Hon). 125 MOD (12-15): 1. Nichol.s Carroll (Yam); 2Fletcher Shryork (Han); 3. Alexllnde:r Rossi (Kaw); 4. Luke Lyons (Yam): 5. Shane Fluharty (Yam). 125 A: 1. Mllrk Burkhart (Yllm); 2. Chris Whitcraft (Suz); 3. David Whitcraft (Suz); 4. Jason Saunders (Yam); 5. Ryan Holliday (SUl). 125 B: 1. Gene Stull (Suz); 2. Gavin Gracyk (K.w): 3. N.th.n Skaggs (Yam); 4. Willy Browning (Suz): 5. John Wisenbarger (Yam). 125 C: 1. Chase Whitten (Yam); 2. Mark Stephens (Kaw); 3. Mike Luc.s (Suz): 4. Brian Bond (Hon); 5. Jaime Douglas (Yam). 250 A: 1. Mark Burkhart (KTM); 2. Steve Andrich (Hon); 3. Jason Frecker (Hon'; 4. DllVid Herb (Kaw); 5. Chris Whitcraft (5uz). 250 B/OPEN B: 1. Gene Stull (Suz); 2. Gavin Gracyk (Kaw): 3. Andy Williard (Suz); 4. Cory Smith (Yam); 5. Tommy Layman (KTM). 250 C/OPEN C: I. Brent Dunlap (Yam); 2. Mason Holley (Kew); 3. Dave Youngles (Suz); 4. William Moore (Yam); 5. Jason King (Hon). 25+ A: 1. Steve Andrich (Han); 2. Mike Bleir (Suz): 3. Joe Evener (KTM): 4. Josh Dohn (Hon): 5. Dallas Avery (Yam). 25+ B: 1. Brian Rehmert (Suz); 2. Chad Walker (KTM); 3. Jay Speakman (Hon); 4. Dave Hom (Suz); 5. Joey Ford (5ul). VET B/30. C: 1. Chad Walker (KTM); 2. Brent Blevins (Hon); 3. Tony Brown (Yam); 4. Dave Hom (5ul); 5. Tim Fink (Hon). VET/30+ A: 1. Kevin Hildebrand (SUl); 2. Joe Evener (KTM); 3. Richard Robinson (Hon); 4. Jeffrey Cottrell (Yam); 5. Joey DeFelice (Kaw). VET 8/40+: 1. Richard Robinson (Hon); 2. Jeff Miller (KTM); 3. Keith Maraugha (Suz); 4. Jeffrey Cottrell (Yam); 5. Rick Russell (Hon). 4-STRK: 1. John Wisenbarger (Yllm); 2. Curtis Rehmert (Suz); 3. Tim Rager (Yam); 4. Daniel McClur (Y.m): 5. Chase Whitten (Yam). Action Sports &nmd Prix Moto Peril Albany, Ohio Results: April 7-8, 2001 Saturday 5TK SHAFT (4-6): 1. Blake Hoffman (Yam); 2. Egan Rosell (Yam); 3. Alec Ray (Yam); 4. Nicholas Kappert (Yam); 5. Jake Fowler (Yam). 51 STK (4-6): I. Egan Rosell (Cob); 2. lechary Knotts (Cob); 3. Blake Hoffman (Cob): 4. Colin Thomas (Pol); 5. Ciara Carr (Cob). 51 STK (7-8): 1. Dylan Bantum (Cob); 2. Joseph Be.n (Cob); 3. Kyle Cottrill (Cob): 4. Christian Telker (KTM); 5. Tres Waldroop (Cob). e U e • _ n _ _ s • APRIL 25, 2001 31

• Cover