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Gracvk AMA Ohio State Motocross Championships Action Sports Grand Prix STORY AND PHOTOS BY JEFF KARDAS/KTMKARDY.NET ALBANY,OH,SEPT.30 K awasaki Team Green/No Fear's Gavin Gracyk continued his winning ways by taking home three overall wins on a picture-perfect day in the rolling hills near Athens, Ohio. Some 365 racers from four states joined Gracyk, the winner of the 125cc and 250cc/Open B Stock classes at Loretta Lynn's AMA Amateur National Championships this summer, for the day's events. As expected, Gracyk provided many of the highlights at this northern-Ohiovs.-southern-Ohio, District 12-vs.District 11 showdown. With a nearly perfect five wins in six motos, Gracyk took home the State Champion's plaque in the 16-24, 125cc Band 250cc B classes, suffering his only moto defeat of the day in the 16-24 class to Chillicothe, Ohio's Nathan Skaggs. Gracyk's wins on the natural terrain of the Action Sports Grand Prix course weren't easy, though, as he encountered challenges not only from Skaggs but from F&S Suzuki/No Fear-backed Willy Browning. The war between Districts 11 and 12 was personified by the battles between these two up-and-coming Ohio riders. District 11 's Browning matched District 12's Gracyk's speed in both classes, as the two swapped the lead multiple times throughout their meetings. After Gracyk had dispatched Browning easily in the first 125cc B moto, one of the best motos of the day was their face-off in the second 125cc B moto. Rounding the first turn with the holeshot was Browning, followed closely by Gracyk, Steve Jones, and District 12's Yamaha-mounted Zach Kaiser. By lap two, Browning and Gracyk managed to put a small gap between themselves, Skaggs and the District 12 came into District 11 's territory and held their own at this Ohio showdown. With only 110 of the 366 total riders on hand, District 12 managed to place a higher percentage of their riders in the top 10 of the points-paying classes than did District 11, and they took home seven State Championship plaques along the way. Next year, the race moves onto District 12 soil. Now that the line has been drawn in Ohio's dirt separating these two districts, can District 11 rise to the challenge? CN (Above) Willy Browning (56) and Gavin Gracyk (273) batUed fiercely in the 125cc and 250cc B classes at the Ohio State Championships in Albany. Gracyk eventually prevailed in all four motos for the overall wins. jAbove) David Herb was the most consistent A rider of the weekend, with a second-place finish in the 250cc A class and third in the 125cc A class. (Right) Levi Kilbarger (12) and Justin Weeks (381) swapped overall wins in the Mini Junior and &Scc (7-11) classes, respectively. rest of the field while battling hard for the lead. About halfway through the third lap, Browning slid out on one of the many off-camber sections, giving Gracyk the advantage he needed. But Skaggs hadn't yet had enough, nearly closing the gap to the Kawasaki rider, keeping him honest to the finish line for a solid second place for the moto and second overall. It wasn't only rising young talent that was providing good action, though, as the Over 30 class would prove. Each of the two Ohio AMA districts had several fast representatives on the line as moto two rolled over the gate. District 12 Pro legend (and now a track owner) David Hand g • •il!r.abbed the holeshot on his Yamaha 1I head of West Virginia's Mike Chuck Nicholson, top GNCC er Todd Moraine, and Suzuted first-moto winner Mike the end of lap one, Blair had to dispose of the others and gap to Hand, pulling KTM Evener and Morgan along . The four-lap race proved (Left) In the second combined Over 25 AlB moto, Over 25 B winner Todd Moraine (168), Canadian Vet B National champ Chad Walker (1 N), and Over 30 winner Mike Blair leave the gate. Action Sports &rand PriJl A1bany,Obio Results: September 3D, 20Dl WMN:: 1. Jennifer Veltre (Suz); 2. Richell McEvoy (Suz); 3. Jessica Reustle (Suz); 4. Kris WlIldo (Yam). 50 P/W: 1. Colin Thomas (Yam); 2. J.T. Turner (Yam); 3. Mitchell Hubs (Yam); 4. Hunter Brightwell (Yam); 5. Dillon Peterman (Yam). 50 (4-6): I. Zochory Knolls (Cob); 2. Chorles Beamer (Cob); 3. Egan Rosell (Cob); 4. Quinn Wentzel (Cob); 5. Hunter Brightwell (Cob). 50 (7-8): I. Brodley Baker (Pol); 2. Curt Baski (Cob); 3. Dylon Wolker (Cob): 4. Cloyton Rapp (KTM); 5. Doniel Herrlein (Cob). 65 (7 ·11): 1. Justin Weeks (KilIw); 2. Levi Kilbarger (Suz); 3. Kyle Ditcher (KTM); 4. Michael Bloumon (Kow); 5. Cody Gong (Kow). MINI JR: 1. Levi Kilbarger (Suz); 2. Justin Weeks (Kew); 3. Michael BJauman (Kaw); 4. Adam Giddings (Yom); 5. Kyle Ditcher (KTM). MINI SR: I. Michoei Willord (Suz); Z. Chris Robertson (SOl); 3. Patrick Massie (Kew); 4. Jake Mohney (Yam); 5. Brandon Borgen (SOl). too short for Blair to work around Hand, and Hand ended up with the moto win. Hand's win was good only for second overall, as Blair took the State Championship crown home via his 1-2 moto finishes. The District battle took a back seat in the minicycle classes, however, as the battles up front here were showcases for young District 11 talent. F&S Suzuki's Levi Kilbarger and Kawasaki-mounted Justin Weeks proved to be the cream of the crop in the younger divisions, as they swapped overall wins in the Mini Junior and 65cc classes, respectively. Weeks screamed his KX65 across the line ahead of Kilbarger's new KTM in both motos of the 65cc (7 -11) class, while Kilbarger proved his mettle on the bigger bikes by dominating the Mini Juniors with his RM80. Another F&S Suzuki RM80 rider - Thornville, Ohio's Michael Willard - proved too much for the competition in Mini Senior action. The younger of the two racing Willard brothers, Michael was unbeatable and unchallenged during either moto. He also managed a second place in Schoolboy competition on his RM125. The second overall Mini Senior rider, Chris Robertson, didn't go home without a State Championship, though, as he took his Suzuki to the overall win in the Mini Extra class at this winding valley course. cu cl • n MINI EXTRA: 1. Chris Robertson (Suz); 2. Jesse Gustafson (Kaw); 3. Alliron Kline (Yam); 4. Jake Mohney (Yom): 5. Kyle Herwold (SUl). 125 A: 1. Steve Andrich (Yllm); 2. Jason Frecker (Hon); 3. David Herb (KilIw); 4. Chris Whitcraft (SOl): 5. David Whitcraft. (Suz). 125 B: 1. Gavin Gracyk (KilIw); 2. Nathan Skaggs (Yam); 3. Willy Browning (Suz); 4. Steve Jones (Yam); 5. Nicholas ClIrroll (YlIm). 125 C: 1.Boh Lelito (Yam); 2. Chad KlIiser (Hon); 3. Damn Beardmore (YlIm); 4. Clinton Pierce (Suz); 5. Joshua KomplI (Hon). 250 A: 1. Chris Whitcrllft. (SOl); 2. DlIvid Herb (KlIw); 3. Mike Morglln (SUl); 4. Shllun Kuchler (Han); 5. Derek S'urgell (Kow). 250 8: I. Gavin Grllcyk (Kaw); 2. Willy Browning (SOl); 3. Cody Langwell (Yam); 4. Steve Jones (Yom); 5. Robin McClain (KTM). 250 c: 1. Chad Zaiser (Hon); 2. Brent Dunlap (Yam): 3. Dustin Wyle (Kow); 4. Brod Simon (Han); 5. Doug Mohr (Yam). OPEN SIC: 1. John Wisenbarger (Yam); 2. Chad Walker (KTM); 3. Zach Haning (KTM); 4. Jeff Miller (KTM): 5. More Boumon (KTM). SCHBY: I. Nicholas Carron (Yam); 2. Michael Willard (SUl); 3. A.J. Hattery (Suz); 4. Cody Longwell (Yam): 5. Patrick Massie (Kaw). 16-24: t. Gavin Gracyk (Kaw); 2. Nathan Skaggs (Yam); 3. John Wisenbarger (Yam); 4. Corey Arnold (Yom); 5. Kyle Teel (Yom) . 25+ A: 1. Steve Andrich (Yam): 2. Mike Morgan (SUl); 3.David Hand (Yam); 4. Mike Blair (SUl); 5. Steve Cross (SOl). 25+ B: I. Todd Moraine (KTM); 2. Chad Walker (KTM); 3. Robin McClain (KTM); 4. Tony Brown (Yom): 5. Dave Hom (Suz). 30+: 1. Mike Blair (SUl); 2. David Hand (Yam); 3. Mike Morgan (Suz); 4. Joe Evener (KTM); 5. Todd Morain (KTM). 40+: 1. Richard Robinson (Hon); 2. Jeff Miller (KTM): 3. Corl Hond (Yom); 4. Don Lewis (Yam); 5. Chuck Hetrick (YlIm). VINT: I. Mike Scholl (Hus); 2. Marty Wyont (Han). • _ OS • OCTOBER 31, 2001 59