Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

AMA Big Six Grand Prix Series Round 5: Glen Helen Raceway Park STORY AND PHOTOS BY MATT FREEMAN SAN BERNARDINO, CA, OCT. 6·7 urt Caselli has arrived. At round five of the AMA Big Six Grand Prix Series, hosted by Glen Helen Raceway Park and the Viewfinders MC, the 18-year-old Yamaha rider entered four races and won four races in convincing fashion. With the exception of KTM's Scott Myers, who posted wins in the Four-Stroke and Vet races, no other rider came close to equaling Caselli's feat throughout two days of racing. Ten events were scheduled throughout the weekend on a racecourse that had it all: Motocross, road racing, supercross, dirt roads and rough ridgeline trails made up the approximately 10-mile circuit. Not long after Saturday morning's Unclassified race roared off the line, it was apparent that Caselli meant business. While some were picking their way through the dust and carnage of one particular cobbly and loose uphill on the back section of the course, Caselli was smoothly sailing out front for three laps. Preliminary results gave the DHI/Answer/FMF-backed rider a lead of almost two minutes over second-placed Gordon Keller. Third went to American Honda's Steve Hengeveld. TM-mounted Gordon Ward and Johnny Campbell rounded out the top five. During the 75-minute Novice and Beginner Senior, Mini and Women's event, a detour routed competitors around some of the more difficult portions of the course, but for the Expert and Intermediate Senior race, those signs were taken down, which suited KTM 520-mounted Craig Adams just fine. Adams rode to the Open Senior Expert-class win and event overall, with Willy Simons taking the 250cc Senior Expert honors. KTM's Scot Harden came off the injured reserve to finish second in class to Adams, third overall. Finishing only a few minutes behind Harden was Bill Maxim, who easily won the Magnum class, finishing an impressive seventh overall in the process. A sea of red chased Scott Myers in the Four-Stroke race, which Myers eventually won by a mere 17 seconds over American Honda's Tim Staab. Staab's teammates Steve Hengeveld, Joe Hengeveld and Johnny Campbell rounded out the top five, with Intermediate-class winner Jim Finerty working his way through much of the Expert pack to finish sixth overall. After the Four-Stroke race, Myers was back on the starting line to compete in Saturday's premier Team Race - but so was Caselli. The 90- K 56 OCTOBER 31. 2001 • (RIght) Kurt Caselli entered and won four races - the 200Cc Expert, 250Cc Expert, Unclassified and Team Race contestsat the f"1fth round of the AMA Big Six Grand Prix Series. (Below) Joey Lanza placed second in the 200cc Expert contest, third In the Team Race (with Ryan Dudek), and fourth in the 250cc Expert contest at Glen Helen Raceway Park in San Bernardino, California. minute event saw the TM of Ward and Luca Trussardi hold down an early lead, but it only took a few laps for a flat front tire and the team of Caselli and motocrosser Gerrit Ordelman to change that. Despite taking the win, Ordelman's luck wasn't much better, as he completed his final lap with a suspected broken foot. Due to the Trussardi/Ward flat, the team fell back to fifth - an unfortunate turn of events for the TM riders on Trussardi's 33rd birthday. Myers and teammate Mark Tilley held on to second, with the Yamaha of Joey Lanza and Ryan Dudek finishing third. Fourth went to Team Green's Oakley Lehman and Shane Esposito, who showed up at the last minute. Caselli's toughest competition may have been on Sunday during the 0-200cc event when Trussardi and a KX125-mounted Lanza turned on the heat toward the end of the 75-minute event. Before it was over, Trussardi dropped out due to a head-on altercation with a lapper. Luckily, neither rider was injured, but both were definitely shaken up. Because Lanza started on the second line and Caselli on the first, it appeared at though Caselli had the race in the bag, but when n e _ :s cue. e results and race times were posted, it was revealed that Caselli topped Lama by 11 seconds. KTM-mounted David Reese took over the final podium spot when Trussardi dropped out. With only moments to rest after the 0-200cc event, Caselli and Lanza were back on the starting line for the 250cc/Open race. YZ250-mounted Caselli was again placed on the front rowand, despite being staged against the bigger Open-class bikes, he wasted little time making his way to the front. His nearest competitor was Open-class racer Esposito, who was more than two minutes back on adjusted time. To his credit, Esposito made the trip down from northern Nevada to race an absent Destry Abbott's KX500. His nearest class competitor was Myers, who was only six seconds down on adjusted time. Steve Hengeveld rounded out the podium in the Open class, finishing fourth overall, while Lehman worked his way past Ward and Lama to claim runner-up in the 250cc class, fifth overall. Myers battled it out with Ward in the Vet race. Ward held the early lead, but Myers was able to pass Ward and his quarter-liter TM. Myers recorded his second win of the weekend and Ward his first, in the Vet 250cc division. YZ250 rider Willy Simons took the final podium position, second in class behind Ward. Enduro rider Rick Daniel took fourth overall, second Open Vet. CN Viewfinders &rand Prix San Bernardino, Califvmia Results: October &-7,2001 (Round 51 Saturday TEAM: 1. Kurt Cllselli/Gerrit Ordelman (Yam); 2. Scott Myers/Mark Tilley (KTM); 3. Joey Lanza/Ryan Dudek (Yam); 4. Ollkley lehman/Shane Esposito (Kaw); 5. Luca Trussllrdi/Gordon Ward (TM). a/ClFD: 1. Kurt Caselli (Yllm): 2. Gordon Keller (Yam); 3. Steve Hengeveld (Hon); 4. Gordon Ward (TM); 5. Johnny Campbell (Hon). WMN NOV: 1. Nichole Griffith (KTM); 2. Amber Pickett (Kaw); 3. Cendy Dougherty (Hon); 4. Michelle Alberts (Yllm); 5. Janette Pillyer (KllW). WMN INT: 1. Vanessll Crawford (KTM): 2. Amy Hasten (Yllm); 3. Stacy Doerksen (Suz). WMN EX: 1. Annll Jo Segale (a-G); 2. Kristen Southworth (Kew); 3. Heather Rogaczewski (Yam); 4. Kessie Gray (Kaw); 5. Mary Sullivlln (Y8m). MINI BEG: I. Shoun Higham (Kaw): 2. Corey Coyne (Yam); 3. Michael Steele (Hon); 4. Chris Dvoracek (Hon); 5. Matthew Sellrs (Kow). MINI NOV: 1. Bradley Forsyth (Yam): 2. Justin lewis (Hon); 3. Jamie Lanza (Hon); 4. Nick Hamill (Yam); 5. Cory Costa (Yam). MINI INT: 1. Ricky Jame. (Yam). MINI EX: 1. Ryan Mcintyre (Hon). I'IAG BEG: 1. Rick Early (Hon); 2. Martin Hogue (Hon). I'IAG NOV: 1. Doug Stephen. (Yam); 2. Jack Garland (Yam); 3. Pete Kolbet (Yem): 4. Michael Jones (Yam): 5. Don Morse (Yam). MAG INT: 1. Butch Odom (Hon); 2. Rick Wimer (Yam); 3. Ray Simmons (5uz); 4. Wayne Rutledge (KTM); 5. Dave Stockton (Yam). I'IAG EX: I. Bill Maxim (Kaw); 2. Rick Shirey (Yam); 3. Mike Boal (Yam); 4. Steve Freeman (Kaw); S. JelT)! Bailey (Kaw). SR 250 BEG: I. Steve Tokarski (Kaw); 2. Rod Fuehring (Hon); 3. Jack Gilliam (Hon); 4. Bill Duke (Yam): 5. Tony Spagnuolo (Yam). SR 250 NOV: I. Mike Barlow (Suz); 2. Jerry Robinson (Kaw); 3. Mich8el Solesbee (Vern); 4. Gary Higgus (Hon); 5. Roger Loeffers (Hon). SR 250 INT: 1. larry Gross (Yam); 2. Ken Tomeo; 3. "Cool Hand" Rossitto (Yam); 4. Bruce Evenson (Kaw); 5. Mark Anondson (Yam). SR 250 EX: 1. Willy Simons (Yam); 2. Andy Segale (Kaw); 3. Ron Lawson (Yam); 4. Rhett Higgins (K8W); 5. Kevin Hasten (Yam). SR OPEN BEG: 1. David Rentfro (Hon); 2. Chris Vaughn (Suz); 3. Andrew Marshall (Yam); 4. Robert Ott (Hon); 5. Ronald Jone. (Yam). SR OPEN NOV: 1. Art Olivier (KTM): 2. Rob Collins (Yam); 3. Bruce Young (KTM); 4. Mike O'Donnell (Kaw); 5. Bruce Thompson (Hon). SR OPEN INT: 1. Dean Miller (Vern); 2. Lance McRoberts (Yam); 3. Pete Bender (Yam); 4. DlIove Adams (Yam); 5. Steven Smotherman (Han). SR OPEN EX: 1. Craig Adam. (KTM); 2. Scot Harden (KTM); 3. John Ferro (Hon); 4. Steve Fry (Hon); 5. Jeff Haase (Yam). S/SR: 1. Ron Dugan (K21w); 2. Dick Postm21 (KTM); 3. Don Voyer (KTM): 4. Bill Staley (Yam); 5. Willie Eveland (KTM). 4-STRK BEG: I. Doug Griffith: 2. Shane Hull: 3. Bruce Thompson; 4. Jao Otto; 5. Chris Adam. 4-STRK NOV: 1. Josh Thompson; 2. Jim Connolly; 3. Mike G21sper; 4. Sean D21ly; 5. Tim Rasmussen (Yam). 4·STRK INT: 1. Jim Finerty; 2. Bo Harris; 3. Jamie Graham: 4. Mark Davenport; 5. Tom Miller. 4-STRK EX: 1. Scott Myers (KTM); 2. Tam Staab HoE; 3. Steve Hengeveld (Hon); 4. Joe Hengeveld Hon : 5. Johnny Campbell (Hon). u ay CLSC INT: 1. Donny Fish (Suz); 2. Louis Harker (Suz); 3. Jeff Dillon (Hon); 4. Will Ughthart (KTM); 5. Tom Gillum (Yam). Clse NOV: 1. Dan lewis (C·A): 2. Brian Mussettes (KTM); 3. Bob Killian (Han); 4. Keith Kubachka (Yam); 5. Darrell Allen (Yam). ClSC EX: 1. Fred Hatch (Hu.); 2. Rick O'Donnell (Yam); 3. Doug Yarnell (Han); 4. Pete Vetnmo; 5. Mike McGregor (Yam). VI NT NOV: I. Terry Caldwell (Hon); 2. Mike Johnstone (BSA); 3. John Yokoyama (Yam); 4. Scott Mann (Yam); 5. Mike O'Donnell (Hon). VI NT INT: 1. James Keegan (Hus); -2. James Ottele (Yam): 3. Dave Carling; 4. Steve McLean (Hus); 5. Vinnie Mandzak (Hus). VINT EX: 1. Buddy Bosh; 2. Dennis Tooman (Yam); 3. Butch Nelson (Yam); 4. Don Doerksen (Yam); 5. Heather Rogaczewski. 200 BEG: 1. Steven Thompson (Hon); 2. Kris Nelson (KTM); 3. David Aston (Hon); 4. Colton Udall; 5. Jerett Tryon (Yam). 200 NOV: 1. Cody Cates (KTM); 2. Brock Harden (KTM); 3. Dereck Garllmd (Y8m); 4. Jason Stevens; 5. Colby Dawson (Yam). 200 (NT: 1. Kenny Miller (Yam); 2. Danny N8usha (Suz); 3. D8vid Rick8by (Yam); 4. Cole Cates (KTM); 5. Matt Wares (Kaw). 200 EX: 1. Kurt Caselli (Y8m); 2. Joey La:nzll (Kaw); 3. David Reas (KTM); 4. Jason Webb (Suz); $. John Rudder (Yllm). vcr 250 BEG: t. David Grllyson (Yllm); 2. PllU] Broedrip; 3. David Walker (Yam): 4. Dan Dalton (Yam): 5. Tony Zak (Hon). VET 250 NOV: 1. Mike Embry (Suz); 2. Don Hutchinson (Kaw); 3. Alan Burtt (Kaw); 4. Mike Teichert (Hon); 5. Mark Connell (Sul). VET 250 INT: 1. Pete Feldman (Hon); 2. Doug Phelan (Yam); 3. Mike Uatra (Suz); 4. Dean Kassel (Hon); 5. Robert Goodnough (KTM). VET 250 EX: 1. Gordon Ward (TM); 2. Willy Simons (Yam): 3. Dennis Gallagher (Yam); 4. Jon Zahrt (Suz): 5. Bam Simons (Yam). VET OPEN BEG: 1. Mark Easton (Hon); 2. Mike Lupnllcca (Hon); 3. Pete Slankis (Y8m); 4. Chris Dyer (KTM): 5. Cary Prickett (Hon). VET OPEN NOV: 1. Mark Ault (Yam); 2. John Lombardo (Yam); 3. Jamie Graham (Yam); 4. Crllig Harms (Yam); 5. Sean Daly (Yam). VET OPEN INT: 1. Mike Leighlite (Yam); 2. Tom Miller (Yllm); 3. Randy Wilkins (Yam); 4. Travis Smith (Hon): 5. Pete Vetrano (TM). VET OPEN EX: 1. Scott Myer. (KTM); 2. Rick Daniel (KTM); 3. Jerry BI8ck (Yam): 4. Pllul Kr8use (KTM); 5. Wimam O'Hara (KTM). 250 BEG: 1. Steve Kovac (Hon); 2. Brian Mundell (KTM); 3. Michael Cecconi (Yam); 4. Emilio Fitchett (Vam); 5. Doug Griffith (KTM). 250 NOV: 1. Andrew Packett (Hon); 2. Brian Melsheimer (Yam); 3. Chris Austin (Yam); 4. Keith La Tendresse (Hon); 5. Ryan Cox (Han). 250 INT: 1. Brett Daugherty (Su,); 2. Ty Renshaw (Kaw); 3. Bill Rohde (Yam); 4. Ned Lowerre (Soz); 5. Dustin Hollenbeck. 250 EX: 1. Kurt Caselli (Yam); 2. Oakley Lehman (Kaw): 3. Gordon Ward (TM); 4. Joey Lanzll (Kaw); 5. Morgan Crllwford (Kaw). OPEN BEG: 1. Matt Lewis (KTM); 2. Chris Hernandez (KTM); 3. Andrew Beaumont (Hon). OPEN NOV: 1. Robert L1ghtfeldt (Yam); 2. Terry Sablldini (Yam); 3. Darrell Amlln~ (KllW); 4. Daniel Cukar (Kaw); 5. Brian Clark (KTM). OPEN INT: 1. Don Kadlec (Yam); 2. Bob Beshear (Kaw); 3. Jason Lighthllrt (KTM); 4. Ron Orner (Yam). OPEN EX: 1. Shane Esposito (Kaw); 2. Scott Myers (KTM); 3. Steve Hengeveld (Hon); 4. Pllul Krause (KTM); 5. Ryan Dudek (G-G). SDHCK: 1. Mike Burns; 2. Johnson/Anderson (Hon); 3. Cass/Krohn; 4. McDale/Monkey; 5. Jordan/Sidoti. ~

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