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/128126
CMC TransCal Series South Round 1: Competition Park By JOHN BETHEA PHOTOS BY BOB JONES SAN JACINTO, CA, SEPT. 9 he highly anticipated return of non-stadium motocross to Southern California was within a week of happening before local officials put a halt to the CMC's SoCal opening round of the 20th annual White Brothers TransCal Series, which had been slated to take place near beautiful Irvine Lake in the rolling hills of northeastern Orange County. The area, once the home of huge open-riding facilities such as Saddleback Park and Escape Country, hasn't legally heard the sound of outdoor motocross in more than 17 years, and Stu Peters, president of CMC, had been working hard on this event for months, knowing full well that major manufacturers, whose American corporate headquarters are all less than an hour's driving time from the site, were planning for large crowds and big displays for the gala return. However, the day after Labor Day brought with it the county's sudden denial, and the race had to be quickly rescheduled to Competition Park in Riverside County. "We had racers from 20 years ago coming out of retirement for the race: said Peters with a disappointed sigh. "They were really looking forward to it. Oh, well. .. • Although the ranks were thinned slightly because of the change in venue, excellent racing still prevailed, as it always has during the two decades this series has been run during the warm late-summer months. Intermediate Sean Collier was the most productive Amateur racer of the day, on which more than 300 riders chased their shares of nearly threequarters of a million dollars in contingency cash from the Big Four manufacturers. Collier, riding the Twisted Threads and FMF-sponsored Honda in three classes, won the overall in two by winning the tie-breaking second moto in both the 250cc Intermediate and Schoolboy classes. Collier could only manage second and third in his two 125cc Intermediate rounds to gain the runner-up spot in the largest class of the day. American Suzuki's Daton Beavers, who had to pass holeshot artist Erik Meyer, on his IMS/Maxxis Yamaha, on the fourth lap of both races to take the leads and the wins. Meyer eventually fell back to fourth in the first 125cc moto but held on to second place in the final contest, which gave him third overall, behind Collier. Team Green's Richie Owens led the first 250cc Intermediate moto from start to finish, but he couldn't T (Above) Sean Collier (63) contested three classes, winning the 250cc Intennedlate and Schoolboy classes and placing runner-up In the 125cc Intermediate class, at the opening Southern California round of the CMC Trans-Cal Series. (RIght) Honda rider Joshua Grant was the only other rider to score two overall victories at Competition Part<, winning the aocc (14-16) and the Supermini classes. ILeft and below! Two-blt winners: Suzuki jockey Daton Beavers (25) won the 125cc Intermediate class; KawasakI jockey Justin Keeney !the other 25) won the 80cc (12-13) class. back it up in the next round, as Collier took over the front spot from Temecula Motorsports Yamaha rider Micky Griffin on the third lap and held on for the victory. Griffin's performance was good enough for hold on to third overall, behind Owens (1-2). In the Schoolboy class, Beavers appeared' to be headed for the overall after capturing the first moto, over Fox/Oakley Yamaha rider Scott Simon and Collier, but his failure to race the second moto opened the way for Collier to cash in. Joshua Grant was the only other rider to record two triumphs overall on a day that started out cool and overcast but wound up hot, humid Both 125cc Pro winner Brandon Morgan and 250cc Pro victor Michael Young had a chance at bagging both classes, but each experienced ills in opposite fields and TRE Honda rider Tim Weigand wound up with a couple of runner-up finishes. Young sped to the lead of the first 125cc outing and was just settling in for an eight-lap sprint when his Thorbacked Yamaha seized on the second lap and Danny Carlson rode his Suzuki to a come-from-behind win after he took the lead from Weigand at halfway, with Morgan finishing third. Young was able to start the second moto but never was a factor after Morgan pushed his Spybacked Yamaha into the lead early, passing Weigand on lap two and never looking back. The story was reversed in the 250cc contest. Morgan also did not finish the first moto, only to come back and take third in the second round. This time, Young had the favorable luck and stability. In the first event, Weigand came out strong, leading all eight laps, with Young second all the way. But when it came to push and shove in the second, Young got the quick push but Weigand got the shove - into the hay bales at the very start of the moto, remounting in last. He clawed his way to second by the end, but Young had set his Yamaha on cruise and won going away. CN ColDpetitian Parle So JKintD, Callifomie Results: September 9, 2001 lReund 11 and dusty. His first came in the 80cc (14-16) class, winning both ends on his Shoei/Renthal-sponsored Honda over Chaparral Suzuki jockey Chris Nihan. It was not as easy in the Supermini contest, though, as he faced off twice against Pro CircuitfTeam Green's Justin Keeney, trailing him across the line in the first round but besting him in the second for the tie-breaker win. WMN: 1. Dawn Rogers (Vern); 2. Jenny M2Iiresa (Kaw). P/W BEG: 1. Skyler Hawkin. (KTM): 2. Dalton Famot (HM): 3. Cody Gore. (Yam). P/W (7·8): 1. Brooke Bohanon (Cob): 2. Jacob Pischke (Cob): 3. Au.tin Politelli (Cob). 80 BEG: 1. M;chael u,ib (Suz); 2. Garrick Noble (Yam); 3. Austin Brown (Kaw). 80 (7·11); 1. Cole Seely (Suz); 2. Trent Pugmi... (Kaw); 3. Tonne< Langham (Kaw). 80 (12·13): I. Justin Keeney (Kaw); 2. Drew Collins (Yam); 3. Shawn Mohr (Yam). 80 (14-16): I. Josh Grant (Hon); 2. Chris Nihan (Suz); 3. Andrew Petrie (Kaw). 80 OPEN: 1. Chad Gores (Suz); 2. Tanner Langham (Kaw): 3. Austin White (Yam). 5/MlNI: I. Joshue Grant (Hon); 2. Justin Keeney (Kaw): 3. Chris Nihan (Suz). 125 BEG: 1. Brandan Slreusbeugh (Yom): 2. Jeck Kashersky (Yam); 3. Justin Pemlnluon (Suz). 125 JR: 1. Broam Anderson (Yern): 2. Ryan Riess (Han); 3. Brett Rothas (Yam). 125 INT: 1. Dalen Beavers (Suz); 2. Seen Collier (Hon); 3. Erik Meyer (Yam). 125 PRO: 1. Brandon Morgan (Yern): 2. Tim Weigend (Han); 3. DllOny Cerlson (Suz). 250 BEG: 1. Ben Gates (Yam); 2. Justin Mank (Yam): 3. Jeremy Badger (Hon). 250 JR: 1. Dustin Meyer (Yam); 2. NlIlhlln Williams (Yam); 3. Joey Rose (Kaw). 250 INT: 1. Sean Collier (Han). 2. Richie Owens (Kaw); 3. Micky Grillin (Yam). 250 PRO: I. Michael Young (Yom); 2. Tim Weigand (Han); 3. Mike Mason (Hon). SCHBY: 1. Sean Collier (Han); 2. Scott Simon (Yam); 3. Bruce Marada (Han). 8TH: 1. Ben Ramseran (Yom); 2. Chad Frenk (Yam). 25+ AM: 1. Kenny Miller (Yam); 2. Milton Mile (Hon); 3. Mitch Mora (Yam). 25+ ft\STR: 1. Jon Zahrt (Kaw); 2. Brandon Milstead (Suz); 3. Brent Battin (Han). VET BEG: I. Ryan Hurst (Yam). VET JR; 1. Jon Berg: 2. Jim ThriR (5u,); 3. Syd Wood. (Yam). VET MSTR: 1. Cole Gress (Suz); 2. Jon Zahrt (Kaw); 3. Merle Hllmmer (KllW). /115TR: 1. Brent Battin (Hon); 2. David Zahrt (Suz): 3. TIm Marsh (Yam). orr cue •• n S • OCTOBER 17, 2001 45