Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Derrick Fore (Yam); 3. Joe O'Connor (Yam); 4. T.e. Lightsey (Hon); 5. Noah Harper (Hon). 125 A: 1. Josh Fincher (YlJm); 2. Marc Rudolph (Hon). 125 B: I. Zack Lundy (SUl): 2. Cody Watford (SUI); 3. Derrick Fore (Yern); 4. Jonathan West (Suz): 5. Josh Askew (Yam). 125 C: 1. Kurt Damron (SUI); 2. Noah Harper (Hon); 3. Brian Jones (Yam): 4. Clint Stagner (Yam): 5. Mike Davidson Jr. (SUI). 125 D: 1. John Wyatt (Yam); 2. Brandon Logue (Kaw): 3. Davis Summers (Yam); 4. Gary Mills (Suz). 250 A: 1. Ross Johnston (KTM). 250 B: 1. Josh Askew (Yam); 2. Jack Brooks (Suz); 3. Cody Watford (Suz); 4. Adam Bisso (Hon). 250 C: I. ehris Hall (Suz); 2. Clint Stagner (Yam); 3. Dustin Williams (Hon); 4. Matt Driza (Hon); 5. Dennis Greene (Hon). 250 0: 1. J~ff Peyregne (Hon); 2. Jamie Smith (Yam); 3. Tony PZlUerson (KTM); 4. Russell Head (Kaw). VET NOV: 1. Martin Horns (Yam); 2. Kevin Harms (Kaw); 3. David Elliott (Hon); 4. Kenneth Smith (Yam). 25+: 1. Tommy Martin (Suz); 2. Mike Garrett (Suz); 3. Davy Duprel (Kaw): 4. Mark Taylor (Kaw): 5. Kevin Yerby (Hon). 30+: 1. Tommy Martin (SUI); 2. Darrell Sims (Suz): 3. David Crain (G-G); 4. Mike Garrett (Suz). 35+: 1. Chris Nelson (Yam); 2. Greg Roberts (Suz); 3. Michael Mims (Yam); 4. Robert Johnson (Yam); 5. Brett Cumings (Hon). 40+: 1. David Crain (G~G); 2. Darrell Sims (SUI); 3. Bill Stoller (Yam); 4. Rodney Joell (Kaw); 5. Mike Carroll (Yam). 45+: 1. Benny Durrough (KTM); 2. Larry Hamrick (Hon); 3. Steve Corlee ($UI); 4. GllIry Mills (SUl). Buckeye State Motocross Championship Series Ohio County Fair Motocross Championship Series Round 5/22: Wild Wilderness Raceway Gracyk Goes Off By RUPERT X. PELLETT LOGAN, OH, SEPT. 3 1\/\ otocross is big in Ohio - very big. one of our big Amateur stars, Gavin "Speedy G" Gracyk, romped off with three class wins at this topsy-turvy track in south-central Ohio. Not only was this a huge event due to the contingency money offered up from the manufacturers through the Buckeye State Motocross Series, this was also a round of promoter Tab Thompson's Ohio Fair Race Series, so points for two different series were being distributed and a whole bunch of potential money, prizes, series awards, trophies and prestige were on the line, with nearly 500 racers and their families and friends in attendance. Gracyk was eager to show his stuff here in the lazy hills of Hocking County. With his French-Canadian mechanic Stefan in tow, Team Green's Gracyk gave no quarter on this roller-coaster circuit. Not always getting the best of starts, Gracyk blew by fellow B racers as if they were not in contention. Magnolia's Matt Barnes gave Gracyk a look here and there early on in both 125cc B motos, but Gracyk would stretch out a lead and leave the racers to battle for second place, which is where Barnes eventually finished overall. Nick Carroll and John Wisenbarger also pulled good starts and tried to run at Gracyk's pace, but to no avail, as Gracyk was simply running at pro speed. In the 250cc B class, the impressive "Andy-Man" Willard got some great starts on his RM250 and held off Fairborn's Corey Smith for second but still quite a ways behind Gracyk. In the 16-24 class, Wisenbarger got excellent starts, yet Gracyk again quickly moved into the scout position. Feisty Chris Whitcraft of Pickerington, Ohio, on his Ronnie Rehmerttuned, F£,S Suzuki- sponsored RMs, was out of this world. Whitcraft lay low at the start of each Pro contest, making his dad cringe and his mom visibly upset as he picked poor gate positions and was often near the back of the 1 Y lAnd pack at the start of the 125cc and 250cc races. Jason Frecker had the majority of the A-class holeshots on the day, as the electrical worker and student timed things perfectly to put his Hondas at the top of the loamy start hill in first. In fact, Frecker - the "Prince of Pomeroy" - showed many that he is still one of Ohio's great riders, running out front early in the motos before fatigue set in. Whitcraft had come from behind but won both classes. Chuck "Farmboy" Reed placed second in both Expert divisions. Reed also ran off with the Over 30 A win. Mike Morgan went down hard in moto two after tangling with "King" Richard Robinson in a rutted corner. Morgan, ever the hard charger, remounted in dead last, put his head down and steamed through the pack, eventually placing second. Mike Blair of Marietta was a well-earned third after whipping up on the Over 25 A class for a tasty win. Robinson rode his Honda CR250 to the Over 40 crown, with Elizabeth, West Virginia's Jamie Burton second and Ronnie Rehmert third. In Novice action, Columbus' Chad Zaiser continued his massive assault on district II's C classes, handily screaming his way into first on his CR125 in the 125cc C class. Monongahela, Pennsylvania's Dustin Wyne whipped his KX250 in for the 250cc C win, snapping up some lime-green Kawasaki contingency money in the process. Laurelville's Colin Thomas was on the gas in the Pee Wee 50cc (4-8) class, whisking his Yamaha in for the win. Circleville's J.T. Turner enhanced his reputation as one of Ohio's fastest young 50cc racers, riding his Lem home first in the 50cc (4-6) category. Proctorville's Ryan Brumfield sailed his Suzuki home first for the title in the 80cc Extra class. On his mighty King Cobra, Cincinnati's Walker Brightwell snapped up another victory, sailing his yellow machine in for the 50cc (7-8) win. Levi Kilbarger kicked the 65cc division, wielding his KTM SX 65 against 50 (7-8): 1. Walker Brightwell (Cob); 2. Zach Mahoney (Cob); 3. Bradley Minnard (Pol). 50 (4-8): 1. Colin Thomas (Yam); 2. Ethan Scarberry (Yam); 3. Shawn Thompson (Yam). 65: 1. Levi Kilbarger (KTM); 2. Shawn Rife (KTM): 3. Jacob Ray (KTM). 80 (7-11): 1. Kyle Smith (SUl); 2. Levi Kilbarger (SUl): 3. Ryan Brumfield (Suz). 80 (12-15): 1. Michael W;Uard (Suz); 2. Zach Ames (SUl); 3. Pat Massie (Kaw). 80 EXTRA: 1. Ryan Brumfield (Suz); 2. Joey Ledbeater (Suz): 3. Jesse Gustafson (KllIw). 125 A: 1. Chris. Whitcrlllft (Suz); 2. Chuck Reed (SUI); 3. Jason Frecker (Hon); 4. Jason SllIunders (Yam); 5. Bub Thomas (Yam). 125 B: l. Gavin Gracyk (Kaw); 2. Matt Barnes (Kaw): 3. Nick Carroll (Yam). 125 C: 1. Chad Zaiser (Hon); 2. Tim Haning (Han); 3. Ben Rogers (Hon). 250 A: 1. Chris Whitcraft (SUl); 2. Chuck Reed (SUl); 3. Mike Morgan (SUl): 4. Jason Frecker (Hon); 5. Mark Roop (Yam). 250 B: I. Gavin Gracyk (Kaw); 2. Andy Willard (SUl); 3. Corey Smith (Yam). 250 c: 1. Dustin Wyne (Kaw); 2. David Maynard (Yam); 3. Jason King (Hon). SCHBY: 1. Matt Barnes (Kaw); 2. Kyle Preston (SUl): 3. Nick Carroll (Yam). 16·24: 1. Gavin Gracyk (Kaw); 2. John Wisenbarger (Yam); 3. Jared Wolfe (Yam). 25+ A: 1. Mike Blair (SUI); 2. Mike Morgan (Suz); 3. Mark Roop (Yam). 30+ A: I. Chuck Reed (Suz); 2. Mike Morgan (SU2); 3. Mike Blair (Suz). 25+ B: 1. Chad Walker (KTM); 2. Mark Kiser (Yam): 3. Ty Walke (Suz). 30+ B: 1. Chad Walker (KTM); 2. Mitch Warrens (KllIw); 3. Tony Brown (Yam). 40+: 1. Richard Robinson (Hon): 2. Jamie Burton (Suz); 3. Ronnie Rehmert (SOl). OPEN: 1. Chris Ledbeater Jr. (Yam); 2. Mark Kiser (YllIm); 3. Jeremy Barnett (Yam). Fairborn's Kyle Smith in the Mini Junior division, where the two 11year-olds went at it. Smith garnered the victory, with Kilbarger second. Among the scholarly folk, it was Matt Barnes, on his KX125, who graduated with the Schoolboy title. Suzuki jockey Kyle Preston was second and Nick Carroll was th,ird. Chris "Led Man" Ledbeater Jr. has owned the Open class locally of late, and on this day he ran off from all the other big bikes, besting secondplaced Mark Kiser from Waverly and third-placed Jeremy Barnett, who hails from Hamden. Chad "Ice" Walker -the Canadian Amateur Vet champ - stormed to two class overalls in the Over 25 and Over 30 divisions. eN Wild Wilderness Raceway Logan, Ohio Results: September 3, 2001 (Round 5/22J 50 (4-6): 1. J.T. Turner (Lem); 2. Egan Rosell (Cob); 3. Justin Witteman (Cob). Rollercoaster Racing Tour SX Series Round 14: Shelby Supercross Goforth and Win! qualifier run, Goforth dropped the hammer on the Unlimited D mainevent start. The Western North Carolina racer rounded turn one first and enjoyed clean air for the entire race. Justin Falls rode to second, fending off Christian, Cloninger and AI Lane Yamaha's Jason Lowman of Hickory, North Carolina. Christian now leads the Unlimited D points at 109, hounded by Cloninger two points back. Another 24 points separates Cloninger and Falls, in third. Seven points behind Falls, Lowman holds down fourth, two points ahead of Josh Ferree. Another "action" name in the winner's circle was Darrell Driver, who took the honors in both 250cc C and Unlimited C competition, and finished fourth in 125cc C racing amid a field of 18. In 250cc C action, Driver led every lap of the qualifier and the main, leaving to others the argument over second. Dwayne Daves of Hickory Grove, South Carolina, and Suzuki of Gastonia/Nelsonic Racing/Haulmark Trailers' Jeremy Nelson traded runner-up finishes, and Nelson came up with the one that counted in the main. Credit must be given to Daves for a good run, as this is his first serious return to racing after a compound fracture of the femur in June of last year. Driver also led every lap of the Unlimited C contest, leaving Josh Whisnant of Gaffney, South Carolina, and Josh Brady to determine second place. Woods expert Whisnant prevailed in the main event, while Brady managed third. The Unlimited C win nudged Driver By BARBARA WILLIAMS SHElBY, NC, SEPT. 8 h at' s i n a n arne ? Ask Chris Goforth of Dana, North Carolina, who did just that: He went forth and won the Unlimited D contest in his first race ever, at round 14 of the Rollercoaster Racing Tour Supercross Series. Nearly 320 riders came to race at JMX Racing Promotions' popular track at the Cleveland County Fairgrounds on the outskirts of Shelby, North Carolina. The hot autumn afternoon faded gradually to a fine evening, with bearable humidity - a welcome change after weeks of suffocating heat. Racers and watchers alike appreciated the change, and the resulting competition kept the spectators around until the very end of the program. "We're very happy with the turnout, especially since this is just a regular race," commented JMX promoter Joe Williams. However, only two rounds remain of the 2001 Rollercoaster Series, and even in those classes where there is already a clear champion, the other places are up for grabs. Goforth; Charlotte, North Carolina's Tim Christian; Mom and Dad/Biltmore Iron £, Metal's Jonah Cloninger of Candler, North Carolina; and 125cc D Division Two winner Justin Gardner mixed it up in the Unlimited D qualifier, at the front of a field of 10. At the end of the three-lap lightning round, Christian came across the finish line first, edging out Goforth and Cloninger. Taking lessons from Christian's W cue I e n __ S • OCTOBER 24, 2001 69

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