Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Gene R o m e r o 's E -Mo o la .c om W est Coa st F lat Track S e r ie s S T OR Y A ND PH O T O S B V F RE D W INDU M PASO ROBLES, CA, JUNE 9 ra d Spencer won everythin g h e rode Saturday nigh t at th e Gary Ba ng -sp onsored ro u n d s ix of Gene Rome ro's E-moola. c om West Coast Flat Tra c k se rie s at th e Paso Robles Mid-State Fa irgro u n d s s h o rt t rack , becoming the first rider in West Coast Flat Track history to take wins in both the Vintage and Open c la s s main eve nts on the same night. Danny Ritchie and th e tra ck crew did th eir be st to keep the little horse arena s mooth and loose for the racers, but by main -event time the first turn ha d ab ou t e ight inches more bank to it than was there at the beg inning of the night. Every few ra c e s , the tr actors a nd wat er truc k hit the track to g ive the rider s th e best po ssible s urface, but ruts a nd bu mps were quick to form in th e soft d irt. Grad in g was do ne be fore each mai n to give th e fans a nd racers a be tter s urface to race on. Spe ncer s tarted out the nigh t with som eth ing that no on e has be en ab le to do so far in the West Co a st Fla t Track series by taking fa s t time in bo th t he O p e n and Open Vintage classes on a 5 0 0 Yamaha slapped together the night before the rac e. Ric k Hoc king was first off the line in the Open Vintage A Ma in , bu t Rod Spencer once again took over in tum one, lea ving Hoc king to hold off c urrent series points leader Bob Cunnington and Bra d Spencer in th ird and fo urth. Don nie Ha rrell picked up the pace, toss ing his Triumph twin into the corner on the outside of Brad Spencer in a rac e for fourth. Hoc king tried to clos e on th e leader as Bra d Spen cer bum ped thi rd-place Cunni ng ton, and Harrell did th e same to S pe ncer. Cunn ington s lid ba ck to fifth , Ha rrell to th ird, but it was still anybo dy's ra ce for that thi rd position . Rod Spe nc e r took the win on what ha d becom e his own perso na l ra c e t rack, Ho cking a so lid second , a nd Bob Cun n ingto n ta king t hird back in a hea ted battle w ith fourth -place Brad S pencer and Donnie Harr e ll. KTM- mo unted Ge org e Schne ide r and Yamaha ride r Ch ris Canepa le d the Suzuki 2S0cc Modified Produ ction ma in into tum one , but Sc hne ider got it tu rned a bit too m uch , hopping wha t was now a ban k on the inside of turn two and low-s iding on the s lick infield po rtion of the tra ck. J os h Ritchie a nd J oe McCo y fell in behind Canepa, with Ric k Holl enb eck fall ing in line in fo urth. Wood y Ca rlson passed Da vid Bro wn for fifth . Ritchi e got a driv e B d own th e back straight th at c a rried h im up the ins ide of Can epa, the pa ir o f Yarna has lead ing th e lo n e TM of McC oy onto the front straight , with Ritch ie taking over on the front c hute . Danie l Brown ca me up the insi de of brother Da vid to steal fifth in turn two with a smooth block pa ss . Ritchie held o n to the win, wit h Can ep a , McC o y and Hollenbeck close behind him . Joe McCoy 's third p lac e on a TM motorc ycle wa s anoth er firs t fo r the night , sinc e no non -Japan es e moto rcycle has ever made the podium in a Suzuki 2S0cc Modified Production cla ss race . Rod Spencer g ot another perfect start in the Open A Main to lead with Ron nie Brown a nd Lonnie Pauley close on his rear wheel. Pa uley had a high line in tum four that let him get a drive off the corner and pass bo th Brown an d S pencer to le ad t h e firs t lap . Spence r dove into turn one ha rd, nearly dropping the bike. vlettinq Brown up th e inside to lead in two , but S pen c e r crossed behind to return the fa vor on t h e back straight for a thi rd lead change in less th an two la ps , nearly taking Brown's front wheel out as the trio ran int o turn three . Pauley once again mo tored out of four to take the lead at t he stripe . whil e Anthon y Giammanco and Donnie Harrell added two more to make it a five -way battle fo r t he le ad . Spencer came up the inside of Pauley in three and four , but Pauley 's Wo od -Rotax had so much more corner speed in the north turn that Spencer's TISOO didn't ha ve the steam to take the lead. J .P. Simonsen had a bit of bad lu c k, drop ping h is Honda in turn two as it qu it run ning , but got it out of the wa y before th e le ad pa ck came back around . Harrell worked past Giamman co and pulled in behind Brown for fourth . Randy Berem an and Rick Hocking trailed in fifth and s ixth . Donnie Harre ll began to m a ke his wa y t o wa rd the fron t , g e t t ing pa st Giamma nco and Brown, then up the ins ide o f Pau le y t o fall in b e h ind Spencer . Still, it wa s anyone 's race, as th e top five riders were all with in a bo bble of the front. Rob Damron wa s m a kin g u p for a bad start, joini ng Anth ony Giamman co at the rear of the lead pack as Spe n c e r and Harrell came up on lapped riders . Harrell wa s now runn ing on the outs ide of Spen cer t hrough th ree a nd four, with Bro wn ta king third from Paul ey. With the wh ite fla g wa vin g , and lapped traffic in front , both riders flew into tu m one trying to get the advantag e. Ha rrell had the outside, read y to pass for the lead, with his left han dleba r resting on Spenc er' s leg . In th e m idd le of the co rne r, Spencer hit one of th e many ruts in the soft track a nd lifted Harrell's front wheel , leav ing him on the ground in turn two , and Spencer un challenged at the finish . Lapped traffic separated Spencer from runn er-up Brown , with Paule y now taking third . Gia m m a nco kept fourth, with Damro n on h is tail. D a n n y Ritc hie passed Hocking for sixth. and Bra d Spe n cer, from t he b a c k ro w, s tole eighth from Ra n d y Be reman, with Jeff Johnson te nth . eN Suzu ki Novice 250 A MAIN: 1. Josh Ritchi e (Yam); 2 . Chris Ca nepa (Va m ); 3 . Joe McCoy (TM); 4 . Roc k Holl enbec k (Su z) ; 5. Wood y Carlson ( Suz) ; 6 . Dani el Brow n (Yam) ; 7. David Brown (Yam); B. Joh n Figas (Hon) ; 9 . Brad Spencer Jr. (Yam) ; 10. Scott Watki ns (Hon); II. Bill Kolkma n (Yam); 12. Franki e Eubanks (Yam) ; 13 . F ra n k ie Lan e ( Ho n) ; 14 . Ge org e Sc h ne ider (KTM); 15. Scott Rousseau (Suz). Mid-State Fsirgro unds Poso Robles, Colifomia Results: June 9, 2001 (Round & of 11 J E-M.oola.com Open Pro Cla s s FA ST TIME : 1. Rod Spencer (Yam). DA SH: 1. Rod Spencer (Yam ); 2. Lonnie Pauley (W ·R); 3 . Ronni e Brown (W-R) ; 4 . J . P. Simonsen (Han ); 5 . A nt ho ny Glamman co (W ·R); 6. Do nnie Harrell (W·R) . 8 MAIN: 1. Brad Spence r (Han ); 2. Fran k Garcia (Rtx) ; 3. J eff Johnso n (Ho n) ; 4 . Je remy Santoro (Vam); 5 . Ken Netto (Rtx) ; 6. Tony Rose (CCM); 7. Mickey Lane (W- R); 8. Jimmy Sanchez (Hon) ; 9. P.J . Warne (Hon); 10. J eff Hiatt (W-R) ; 11. Robert Seey (W-R); 12. J oe Carrera (Vam ) . A MAIN: 1. Rod Spencer (Yam) ; 2 . Ronnie Brown (W·R) : 3 . Lo nnie Pau ley ( W-R); 4 . A n tho ny Giamma nco (W · R); 5. Rob Dam ron (Rtx); 6. Danny Ritch ie (Ya m ) : 7 . Rick Hoc k in g {Ye rn) : 8 . Bra d Spencer (Yam) ; 9. Randy Berem an (Rtx } : 10 . Jeff Joh nson (Hon); 11. Kevin Bri ck er (W -R); 12. Donni e Harrell (W-R); 13. Frank Garci a (Rtx) ; 14. Jeremy Santoro (Yem); 15. J .P. Simo nsen (Hon) . H -D Dealers of North ern and Sou t hern California Open Vintage FA ST TIME ; 1. Rod Spencer (Vam) . DASH: 1. Rod Spencer (Yam) ; 2. Brad Spencer ( Han); 3. Rick Hock ing (Yam); 4. Robert Cunnington ( Yam ). B MAIN: I . Jim m y Sanchez (Han) ; 2. Dan Waller (Vam) ; 3. Bob Cobb (Vam) ; 4 . Robert Scally (Tri); 5. Den Phillips (BSA); 6 . Steve Hall (Yam) : 7. J am es Ben k e ( Ya m) ; 8 . Bil l Ko lkman (Y am ); 9 . .Ierr y Kennedy (Tri) ; 10. Rod McCollough (BSA ); 11. Matt Jmaev (Yom) ; 12. Tom Simp son (Yam) ; 13. Brett Bemi s (Yam) ; 14. Frank Hall (Yam ); 15. Gary Ritchie (Vam ). A MAIN: 1. Rod Spencer (Yam ); 2. Rick Hock ing ( Yam); 3. Robert Cunnin gton (Yam) ; 4. Brad Spencer (Ya m); 5 . Donni e Harrell ( T r i); 6. Pau l Herm an (Vam) ; 7. Ken Thie baud (Hon ); 8. Rod Lake (Vam ); 9. Mik e Gonzales (Yam) ; 10. Jimmy Sanchez (Ho n) ; 11. Joe Carrera (Van); 12. Jim Rader (Vam) ; 13 . Joe Steffen (Vam) ; 14. Bob Cobb (Vam); 15. Dan Waller (Vam) . cue Rod Spencer (far rig h t) had p lenty of reasons to smile, as h e made West Coast flat track hist o ry by w inning both the Open Pro and Open Vintage main events on the same night at the Paso Robles M id-State Fa irgrou n d s. Ronnie Brown (c e n t e r) was second, and Lonnie Pa u le y (l eft) w as third i n Open Pro. I e GENE ROME RO 'S E·M O O LA . COM WEST COAST FlAT TRA CK SERIES POINTS STANDING S (A ft er 6 of 11 rounds ) : OPE N PRO: 1. Ronn ie Br own (8 9/1 win ) ; 2 . Rob ert Damron (69/1 win) ; 3. J . P. Simonse n (57); 4 . Donnie Harrell (55); 5. Lonnie Pauley (5 1); 6. Don Ho ward (50); 7. Ton y Sou za (46) ; 8 . J oh n Hlebo (42) ; 9. Rod Spencer (39/1 win ); 10. Randy Bereman (37) ; 11. Dann y Ritc hie (3 1); 12. J aimie Ag uila r (29); 13. (TIE) Billy Mart in (26) /Be au Br own (26); 15. (TIE) Danny Hart (24/1 win)/Kevin Bricke r (2 4) . O PEN VINTA GE; J. Robert Cunning ton ( 100/3 wins) ; 2. Rick Hoc king (8 1/1 win); 3 . Brad Spencer (6 4); 4 . Pac; Herm an (59 ); 5 . Rod Spencer ( 47/1 win ); 6. Donn y Harrell (43); 7. Joe Steffe n (38); B. Bob Cobb (3 7); 9 . Mike Gonza les (3 4); 10. (T IE) Steve Hall (29) /Jeff S. Johnson (29); 12. (T IE) Joe Carrera (24) /Rod Lake (24 ); 14. Gary Ritc hie (2 1); 15. Bill Flett ( 17). NO VICE 250; J. J o sh Rit ch ie (97 /2 w ins); 2 . Chris Canepa (96 /2 wins) ; 3. Woody Carlson (61) ; 4. Scott Watki ns (sa) / Brad Spencer J r. (58) ; 6 . Frank ie La ne (5 4 ) ; 7. Da vi d Brown (53 ); 8. D ani el Bro wn (50); 9. J oe McCoy (47) ; 10 . J ohn Flgas (39 )/Rick Hollenb ec k (39); 12. Josh Chi sum (27/1 win ); 13. (TIE) Ern ie Ly les (24) /Frankie Eu ba nks (2 4); 15 . J im my Ab rams (23) . Upcoming Rounds: Round7 - Perris, California, June 30 Round B - Watsonville, California, July 7 J o s h Ritchi e (5 2) ea rne d the Suzuki 250cc Novice c l as s win, beating title riv al Chris Canepa (21 and taking the series p oin ts l ea d away from him. Ritchie now l e ad s the standings by a s ingle mark. n e _ S • JULY t t , 20 0 1 59

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