Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128117
just worn himself out. Nay was more than happy to take over, but it was very short-lived, as Larsen and moved right in behind him and on the next lap took over the front-running honors, while Nay dropped by the wayside. Hicks had not been letting any grass grow under his feet and he was running second, looking to add the 25-lapper to his trophy collection. Ermolenko was running third, with Manchester and McConnell fourth and fifth. The veterans of the long race were in charge, and with the laps winding down, it was all a question of strategy. Larsen was riding relaxed and running a line that did not allow for any passing. The big question was whether or not the bike could hold Costa Mesa Speedway: Josh Larsen held on and held out to win the 2S-Lap Classic main event in Costa Mesa, California. Speedway 25-Lap Classic Costa Mesa Speedway Larsen Outfoxes the Field By Ed Castro, Manchester, Ermolenko and DiFrancesco, aU with six. Schwartz came out swinging and won his final heat race, making him a certainty for the main. Kit Nay put in a winning ride and he, too, would make the Classic. Castro ensured himself a spot as he won his fina I heat. Larsen was playing catch-up, and catch up he did, winning the final heat race of the night. Now it was up to the players to prepare their bikes and themselves for 25 laps of wideopen racing. It was a Handicap start. On the zero-yard line was Nay. Robbie Sauer shared the 20 with Danny Perkins. Jim Estes was alone on the 30. Ermolenko, Castro and DiFrancesco loaded in on the 40. The 60 was very crowded, with Hicks, Schwartz, Manchester, Larsen and McConnell. The gate came up, and Nay took the lead. He held on for two laps before Castro, riding like a man possessed, took over the lead and put a whole lot of daylight between himself and the rest of the field. Castro was a good half a lap ahead of the rest of the field and looked to have things well in hand. Nay was holding on to second, but Sauer was trying to move him off his line. Estes was on the move, as was Larsen, who had worked his way up to fifth by the end of two laps. Perkins was the first to get lapped, and things were starting to happen fast. On the 11 th lap, Castro slowed down and moved to the outside of the track, and Nay was back on top. Castro had sinus surgery recently and had gotten an infection, and he may have ELAINE JONES COSTA MESA, CA, JULY 7 osh Larsen put together a brilliant ride on his was to victory in the 25Lap Classic at Costa Mesa Speedway. Once a year, speedway riders and bikes are put to the ultimate test of endurance - the 25-Lap Classic. No speedway race anywhere is as long. Speedway is fast and intense, and eight laps in a Handicap main event is Uke a 45-minute motocross race. The bikes have small gas tanks, which makes some very creative modifications necessary. In order to run the 25-lap class, it is necessary to earn enough points to make the main. This was done with three rounds of Handicap racing. Points were earned by finish: 4-3-2-1-0. The top 12 points-getters would make up the main-event field. Bobby "Boogaloo" Schwartz, Chris "The Kid" Manchester, "Gorgeous" Gary Hicks and Dukie Ermolenko all came away with wins in the first goaround. The second round had the lowplacing first-round riders on low yardage, with the winners having to come from behind. It did make a difference. When the dust had settled from round two, there was a new set of players. Randy "The Rocket" DiFrancesco, Shawn "Mad Dog" McConnell, Shawn Harmatiuk and Mark Adams were now in the thick of it, as they each won their respective heat race. With one more round to go, Hicks was in the points lead with seven, followed by Schwartz, "Fast" j 48 AUGUST 15, 2001 • cue I e n __ s out. It did, and the 2001 Classic winner was Josh Larsen. The Support riders had their own long race, as they had a 12-rider, 12lap go. Jeff Blaydes held off a hardcharging David Lynch to take the win. John Stunkard, Mark Hitchcock, Mike Lupo and Randy Kreps were the top six. eN Costa Mesa Speedway Costa Mesa, California Results: July " 2001 2S·LAP ClSC: 1. Josh Larsen (Jow): 2. Gory Hicks (Jaw); 3. Dukie Ermolenko (JllW); 4. Chris Manchester (Jaw); 5. Shawn McConnell (GM); 6. Randy DiFrancesco (Jaw); 7. Bobby SchwllrU (Jaw); 8. Robbie Souer (Jow): 9. Jim Estes (GM): 10. Dllnny Perkins (Jaw); 11. Ed Castro (Jaw); 12. Kit Noy (Jaw). SUP 12·lAP: 1. Jeff Bloydes (Jow): 2. David Lynch (Jaw); 3. John Stunkerd (Jew); 4. Mark Hitchcock (Jew); 5. Mike Lupo (Jaw); 6. R~mdy Kreps (Jaw); 7. Rudy Laurer (Wes); 8. Philip Williams (Jaw); 9. Robert Feisler (Jew); 10. Bentley Berrett (Jaw). Plan-It 2000 Motocross Round 2: Argyll Cycle Park Chalk One Up for Chakedis By MIKE VANCIL DIXON, CA, JULY 8 ady Luck smiled on Brian Chakedis and his reliable Yamaha four-stroke in the 125cc class at round two of the five-event motocross series put on by Plan-it 2000 at Argyll Cycle Park. On those really hot days of summer, when all efforts are expended to keep the sandy course watered, it's important to get good starts. Chakedis got great starts and held off most late challenges. Chakedjs grabbed the early lead in mota one. Hot on his heels was twostroke rider James Stewart, who was . closely followed by YZ 125 rider Shane Schrader. Running strong in fourth on lap one was Bryan Blerwith, also Yamaha-mounted. Two of the three Suzuki riders entered collected themselves in the high-banked, 180degree, right-hand infield switchback and became early backmarkers. These unfortunates were Nick Hoyt and Michael Martinez, and although they soldiered on, they finished eighth and 13th, respectively. Meanwhile, Stewart continued to dog Chakedis and was not letting the leader have an easy time of it. CR rider Hunter James took a nasty fall but was able to collect himself and his machine before the EMT crew could get to him. He called it a day at that point. Also involved in this spill was Honda rider Jeffrey Metler, who suffered no injury nor machine damage, so he stuck it out to the checkers and was credited with a 10thplace finish. On lap two, Stewart forced his two-stroke into the lead, and now it was Chakedis doing the chasing. L Their battle carried them to a huge lead over Schrader. Suzuki jockey Ryan Coulson climbed as high as fourth before he became the third Suzuki rider of the three entered in this mota to crash; he was able to remount and finish sixth place. The two front-runners finished out the mota without any further battles. Schrader finished a distant third. Martinez got the second-mota holeshot. Then Chakedis took over. Soon, Chakedis was feeling pressure from Yamaha rider Chris Claus, who shot forward from a fourth-place start. Schrader powered into third, ahead of Martinez. Metler held down fifth. Late in the mota, Chakedis still led, followed by Bryan Blerwith and Claus. Stewart was fourth, and Schrader finished fifth. Chakedis' 2-1 finishes gave him first overall on the day. The Veterans and Old-Timers ran in the same mota with a single-gate start, making for pure excitement. In mota one, CR rider Kimo Casey took the lead off the sta rt, followed by Mario Canepa, giving the Veteran class the early bragging rights. The first of the Old-Timers to get up to speed were Yamaha four-stroke pilots John Hodge and Raymond Spore. Trailing in fifth was Old-Timer Julio Leon. A very determined Casey hung on for the overall win. Second overall and first Old-Timer was Hodge. In mota two, Casey absconded with another holeshot. This time he was riding a little harder and perhaps a bit more determined. Hot on his rear fender, like a pack of hounds chasing a fox, were Spore, Hodge, Veteran rider Chakedis, and Leon. Spore thundered by first, and a lap later Hodge did the same. Casey