Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

I w " w a: '" Z w '" 10 ~ McGrane crossed the line first for his second 600cc A win. Bailey Spence again destroyed the 50cc Oil-Injected and 50cc (4-6) classes, and Thomas Webb won the 50cc (7-8) division. Brett Pugh kept his Kawasaki out of the ·sand traps" along the inside of the track to take the 65cc-c1ass win, and Brandon Robinson took the 85cc lead from Austin Robinson and held off his challenges for the win. Rick Price again easily won the 250cc B final. I:N TiIIIonlulD Fai,._. Timonium, Maryland Results: August 1, 2011 [Round 21 nmonlum Fairgrounds: Bob Sweeten (71 U) bested Rick Price (74) for the Over 40 win at the second round of the sixth annual Kevin McNicholas Memorial Short Track in Timonium, Maryland. Price returned to win the 250cc B contest. Kevin McNicholas Memorial Short Track Round Z: imonium Fairgrou ds Timonium ST TIMONIUM, MD, AQG. 1 R iding his nephew Georgie Price's machines, New Jersey's Bob Sweeten won the Over 30 and Over 40 classes at the second round of the Baltimore County Trail Riders/Cockeysville Optimist Club-sponsored, sixth annual Kevin McNicholas Memorial Short Track, for the benefit of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Sweeten returned to racing in June after suffering a severe leg injury at Motorama in February. With his win in the opener's Over 40 contest and his double win on this night, it looks like Sweeten is back up to normal speed. Now if he can only do something about those ·pesky kids" in the 250cc A class! In the Over 30 class, Sweeten battled the entire distance with his constant rival Jim Hollister. They ran very close the entire race, with Hollister right behind Sweeten, waiting for a bobble. A few lengths behind the leaders were David Reeves and Damian Kocovinos. In the Over 40 class, Sweeten beat the always-hard-to-pass Bob Babcock out of turn two, leaving Babcock to fight for second with Tom Norton and Mike Keane. Norton slipped under Babcock for second on the third lap, but Babcock repassed him off two on the following lap. Keane went to the outside to put his Husaberg into third, over Norton, by the sixth lap. Keane pressured Bab- 78 SEPTEMBER 12, 200t • Sturgis Black Hills Rally Jackpine Gypsies Motorcycle Complex Ladner Lays It On S1Neeten S1Neet at By BEN BREECH WMN: 1. Kelly Bell (Han); 2. Heather Bell (Han); 3. Nicole Henderson (Hon); 4. Courtney Klinefelter (Hon); 5. Nicole Mester (Han). SO OIL-INJ: 1. Bailey Spence (Yam); 2. Josh Slandiford (Yam); 3. Megan Bell (Yam); 4. Brian Webb (Yam); 5. Colin Webb (Yam). 50 (4-6): 1. Bailey Spence (Lem); 2. Daniel Bromley (Yam); 3. R.J. Schilling (Han); 4. Jimmy Perris (Yam); 5. Eric Dreher (Han). 50 (7-8): 1. Thomas Webb (Cob): 2. Anthony (Cob); Megan Bell (Yam). 65: 1. Brett Pugh (Kaw): 2. Thomas Mudgett Jr. (KTM), 3. Mike Standiford (Kaw); 4. Joey Parks (Kow); 5. Brion Meyers (Kaw). 80: 1. Brandon Robinson (Yam); 2. Austin Greenland (Han); 3. Jeff McMonus (Han); 4. Joey Parks (Kaw); 5. R.J. Hart (Yam). 125: 1. John U!wis (Yam); 2. Joseph Schueler (Yam); 3. Mort< Stambaugh (Han); 4. Ed Hyde (Han): 5. Nick Hender>on (Han). 250 A: I. Don Mullen (Yam); 2. Tom McGrane Jr. (Han); 3. Raun Wood (Han); 4. Corey Harmes (Han); 5. Chris Kllnefeller (Han). 250 B: 1. Rick Price (Han): 2. Charlie Parker (Han); 3. Don Briggs (Han); 4. Ryan Babcock (Han): 5. Bryan Armstrong (Moi). 400: 1. Bob Babcock (Yam); 2. Bryan Bemisderfer (Yam); 3. David Bull (Hon); 4. Ryan Henderson (Bul); 5. John Krait (Han). 5002-VALVE: I. Jim Chapman (Yam), 2. Nick Taylor (Yam); 3. Joe Dohm (Yam); 4. Ed Romeckl Jr. (Yam); 5. Jack Sledding (Yam). 600 A: I. Tom MeGnine Jr. (Han); 2. Jason lsennock (Rtx); 3. David Reeves (RIX); 4. Bob Griffin (Rtx); 5. Corey Harmes (Rtx). 600 B: 1. Tom Norton (Hon); 2. Joe Dohm (Yam); 3. John Krait (Han); 4. Ryan Babcock (Yam); 5. Charlie Parker (Hon). 750 A: I. Mike Keane (Yam). 30+: 1. Bob Sweeten (RtX)i 2. Jim Hollister (Rtx); 3. Dlivid Reeves (Rtx); 4. Damian Kocovinos (Han); 5. Jack Sledding (Yam). 40+: 1. Bob Sweeten (Rtx); 2. Bob Babcock (Yam); 3. Mike Keane (Hbg); 4. Tom Norton (Han); 5. Rick Price (Han). Sm~h n STURGIS, SO, AUG. 5 early 100 motocross riders from 10 different states attended the 61 st annual Sturgis Black Hills Rally, held at the Jack Pine Gypsies Motorcycle Complex. A record heat wave six days at over 103 degrees - challenged the racers and track crew alike. Local Pro and National qualifier Mike Ladner seemed to actually enjoy the weather, as he dominated all three Pro classes to earn almost all of the posted $1000 Pro purse. Iowa's Mike Dakovich took the wins in the Vet and 250cc B classes. The Jackpine Gypsies Motocross is the first race event in a weeklong series of all types of motorcycle racing during the Sturgis Rally. In other words, the Motocross race starts the Sturgis Rally. The 250cc Pros started off the day's racing. The EVS/Tag/Thor/ Bridgestone/Maxima-backed Ladner a native of nearby Spearfish, South Dakota - and up-and-coming Pro rider Sage Foster of Belle Forshe, South Dakota, took off side by side. Ladner used the double-double section to put a wheel in front and shut the door at the finish-line table for a small lead. Danny Melhaff (the rider who had traveled the furthest to attend the event) and Mitch Merritt started waging their own war for third place. At the halfway mark, Ladner opened up some breathing room on Foster, but Foster still held on for a strong second. Melhaff slipped by Merritt for third. Merritt pushed out a corner but picked his bike up in time to hold Loveland Motorsports/HRP/ DeMarini/O'Neal-sponsored John Clifford to fifth. N cock for second in the late laps but came up short. Don Mullen grabbed the 250cc A lead from Raun Wood, Bryan Douglas and Sweeten. Douglas pulled out on the third lap, and opening-race winner Tom McGrane Jr. moved into a close fourth. McGrane got by Sweeten on the third lap and started to fight with Wood for second. After four laps, McGrane found the opening and took over second, but Mullen was long gone by then. Jim Chapman pulled out the 500cc Two-Valve lead over Nick Taylor, Joe Dohm and Ed Romecki. Taylor used the outside to take the lead off the fourth turn on lap four. Two laps later, Chapman regained the lead, getting under Taylor entering tum one. Taylor tried one more time on the outside as they came down for the checkered but came up short. John Lewis rode a bit of local history to the 125cc win. He rode Rodney Farris' former Yamaha - a 20year-old motorcycle - to an easy win over Joseph Schueler. Mark Stambaugh and Ed Hyde traded third several times before Stambaugh took it for good two la ps from the end. Norton wrested the 600cc B lead from John Kraft, Dohm and Charlie Parker. Norton held a precarious lead, while Dohm powered around Kraft on the outside to take second on lap five. Despite Kraft's constant pressure, Dohm held on to second. Babcock continued his winning ways in the 400cc class, while cue • e BY JOHN AND DAWN CLIFFORD e .. s In the second moto, Ladner grabbed the holeshot. Merritt and Foster tagged in the tight first comer; Merritt stayed up and was in second, while Melhaff and Clifford went underneath the contact. Foster dispensed with Clifford. Melhaff and Foster had the best race going, as leader Ladner was gone. Foster picked off Melhaff for third. Merritt couldn't match Ladner's speed but was good enough for second. Ladner used the same fast starts to also dominate the 125cc Pro class. Merritt again pushed his Yamaha through the pack for two second· place finishes and second overall. Foster pinned down third place after a hard-fought battle with Merritt and Kawasaki rider Cody Melhaff of Black Hawk, South Dakota. Cody gated well and ran as high as second place at one time. Yamaha rider Lee Feldhaus of Haywood, South Dakota, filled out the top five. Ladner, who made the Red Bud National main, made it a clean sweep in the Open class. This time, Colorado rider Ryan Hohler, who won the 125cc B class by going 1-1, placed an impressive second overall with the Pro riders. Lance Nordstrom and Mike Hayworth put on a great race for the final podium position, which went to Nordstrom on the last lap. The last race of the day was the 125cc Novice contest, with 15 riders breaking out of the gate. Dave Gehring led the pack; Brad Menke, Derek Glover, Whitney French and AJex Nicholson followed on his heels. Menke caught Gehring on the finishline table jump and dropped inside on the next corner in first position. Nicholson dropped back as French

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