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AMA Yamaha Western Four-Stroke National MX Series Round 12: Cycle Ranch MX Park ~alte~ Caked the Crown (Left! Josh Demuth swept the final round of the AMA Yamaha Western Four-5troke National Motocross Series in convincing style, finishing with a perfect 1·1 tally. STORY AND PHOTOS BY GARY T. OBER FLORESVILLE, TX, SEPT. 30 eautiful, sunny skies greeted more than 4500 spectators to the final round of the AMA/Yamaha Western Four-Stroke Nationals, sponsored by Snide Racing, Maxima Racing Oils, Spy Eyes, Power-Start Systems, Big Gun Exhaust, Photo Pro Las Vegas, DirtbikeTV.com, Jak-Bakz #plates 4 Your Body, Hooters Restaurants, and Extreme Getting' It Sportswear, with rider support from Factory R&D and White Brothers. The event was promoted by Steve Burns of VP Racing Fuels, at one of the finest motocross facilities in the country. The FourStroke Nationals.com crew and series organizer Don Schneider put on quite a show for south Texas, as this was only the third Four-Stroke National ever held in the state. Axo/Yamaha USA/HJC/White Brothers-backed Brian "Spud" Walters from Sun City, California, was determined to shut the door on fellow series contenders Nathan "Big Dawg" Woods, Husaberg's Ryan Terlecki, Kip Sandel1 and KTM's hard-charging Jimmy LaMastus. Although not in the points chase for the championship, two surprise guest riders made unforgettable appearances in hopes of bringing home some extra cash. National number 17, Robbie Reynard, aboard the Cannondale MX 440S backed by ProAct and Blizzard Graphics, was tearing up the track in the first moto with a 22-second lead and only four laps remaining when something went amiss and the bike came to a halt. The crew couldn't get the bike back together in time for moto two, forcing Reynard to pull out of the race. North Richland Hills local Josh Demuth, aboard his Shogun MotorsportsjThor-backed Yamaha YZ250F, swept the final round in convincing style with a perfect 1-1 tally. Demuth whipped it flat, to the crowd's delight, when the checkers flew in the second moto. It was the first time a YZ250F had accomplished this feat. He took home $1200 out of the $6000.00 guaranteed Pro-Am purse for the day. Walters finished second on the day, posting a 2-2 finish. Also standing on 13 60 OCTOBER 31,2001 • cue (Above) Spud Walters (2) and Jacob Martin (130) duke it out at Cycle Ranch MX Park in Floresville, Texas. Martin placed third overall, while Walters was runner-up••• Pettl.•.but won the war, and received the number-one championship plate from organizer Don Schneider (right!. (Bottom) Martin (130), Jimmy laMastus (6), Taylor Watts (300) and Robbie Reynard (17) lead the first moto. the podium was Baker Boys/Reynard Modifications/Pete's RV -backed Jacob Martin, with a 3-3 score. National number 24, Matt Karlsen from Denver, made the trip to Floresville with his Colorado Powersportsbacked Yamaha, looking for a victory, but his transmission went out during practice. Luckily, the good folks at Yamaha of San Antonio helped Karlsen attain a 2002 YZ426F on which to race. Karlsen finished out the day going 10-8 for seventh overall. Also making an important appearance was the first female competitor of the series . Sherri Stephens from Oak Point, Texas. The Austin Cycle Sports/Unifilters/Shoei/Sprocket Specialists/Scott-backed Texas State Cross Country Women's Champion finished 17th overall. Post Falls, Idaho's LaMastus was looking very fast in the first moto until his foot slipped off the peg, I e n e _ s injuring his ankle and sending him to the back of the pack. Amazingly, LaMastus was on the line for the second moto, finishing out the day in 11th overall with a 18-6 tally. Corpus Christi's Todd Downs was also riding well, but a collapsed rear shock ended his day. Downs finished 13th overall on a 7 -17 score. In a patriotic moment during the second moto, Woods taped an American flag to his helmet. At the double-points-paying event, Walters wrapped up his first FourStroke National career victory over Yamaha Powerhouse/Troy Lee Designs/Maxima Racing Oils·sponsored Woods, 479-448. Terlecki, on the Husaberg FC550, captured third overall, followed by laMastus and Sandell. Walter was presented the numberone Championship Plate on a plaque, along with a 4-foot check and $1257 for finishing second in the Riders Points Fund, which is unique to this series. Walters will next travel to round five of the Eastern Four-Stroke Nationals at Daniel Boone MX Park in London, Kentucky. Woods actually rode the final event and finished with a 9-9 tally, good for eighth overall despite his weakness from a nasty virus. He narrowly earned the top payout in the Riders Points Fund and received $1885 for his efforts. Terlecki received $1100, Sandell $943, LaMastus $786, and Downs $629. Three of the top 10 riders failed to make the show - Tim Beatty, Brian Sweaney and D.J. Sweaney and missed Gut on $1600, plus the $6,000 Pro-Am purse and the Texas Championship $4500 shootout. However, Derek Currie from EI Dorado Hills, California, and Ryan Mortensen from Fort Collins, Colorado, made the trek and took home a combined $751 on the day. More than $800 in schwag was also given away to the riders from Maxima Racing Oils, Spy Eyes, Thor. Race Gear, Big Gun Exhaust and Motion Pro. eN· Cycle Ranch MX Parle FIDresville, Texas Results: September 30. 2001 (RDund 12 of 121 O/A: 1. Josh Demuth (Yllm); 2. Spud Walters (Yam); 3. Jacob Martin (Yam); 4. Taylor Watts (Yam); 5. Ryan Terlecki (Hbg); 6. Kip Sandell (Yam); 7. Matt Karlsen (Yam); 8. NlIthlln Woods (Vern); 9. Ryan Mortensen (Yam): 10. Derek Currie (Yam); 11. Jimmy LaMastus (KTM); 12. Joe Bailey (Y8m);13. Todd Downs (Yam); 14. Matt Spencer (Yam); 15. Anthony Gastoi (Yam); 16. Chris Marek (KTM); 17. Sherri Stephens (Yam); 18. Robbie Reynard (CliO). AMA YAMAHA WESTERN FOUR·STROKE NATIONAL MOTOCROSS SERIES FINAL POINTS STANDINGS (Alter 12 of 12 rounds): 1. Spud Walters (479/5 w;ns); 2. Nathon Woods (448/3); 3. Ryon Terleclti (397); 4. Jimmy LoMostus (373/1); 5. Kip Sandell (346); 6. Todd Downs (280); 7. Tim Beatty (272); 8. Brion Sweony (199); 9. D.J. Sweony (144); 10. Matt Karlsen (118); II. Craig Davis (102); 12. Josh Demuth (100/1); 13. Derek Mahoney (99); 14. Josh Kellogg (99); 15. Ty Carson (97); 16. Mat Bateman (83); 17. Ryan Mortensen (81); 18. Jacob Martin (80); 19. Derek Currie (75); 20. Chris Loredo (73); 21. Rory Sullivan (68); 22. Toylor Watts (68); 23. Chaun McAlister (65); 24. Greg Schnell (64); 25. Phil Lowrence (57); 26.Carter Gurnee (54); 27. Bred Hogseth (50/1); 28. Rick Honsen (47); 29. Tim Shorp (40); 30. Nick Bainbridge (36).