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bobble with a 250cc Novice. I ran second overall for a couple of laps and then I fell in a corner and couldn't get my bike started. I finally got it started and fell in the next corner and couldn't get it started again. I got going, then I went over the bars two turns later. I went about another lap and fell again. I started riding and caught up to Rich; he fell and let me go by. Then I rode smart for the rest of the race and stayed on two wheels." Alvarez was second 250cc Novice in moto two and the overall 250cc Novice winner for the day. "I started off quick, had the Pros catch up to me, got parked by the 125cc Pro - I won't mention any names," Alvarez laughed. "Later on in the moto, I took out a cameraman and managed to take myself out [and] just about put myself out of the moto, but I still managed to finish first overall. " Tucson, Arizona's Aaron Harper captured the 125cc Novice division for the day in both motos and was a eN respectable fifth overall. first. [The track was] beat up [and] so tough [that] after the four-strokes, four-wheelers and what-not went through there, it just made the track hell. Every turn was whooped-out. Trying to keep a straight line was tough. It was just a hard moto. If I stay up on two wheels, there's nobody really out there today that's gonna stick it to me." The second moto would determine who had the stamina and concentration to finish the moto - which in itself was an accomplishment for this track on this day. At the start of the second combined moto, the Pros chose to start facing backward, to spice up the show. Dennis Garcia got the holeshot but was quickly passed by 250cc Expert Larry Gross, who held the lead until Beerweiler took it. The Acerbisbacked Beerweiler toughed it out and won the second moto by a healthy margin over second place. "The track really had a lot of bumps down here, beautiful jumps," Beerweiler said. "The weather is awesome, the beach location is beautiful as always, the organization is good and the people are nice." Second overall and the first 125cc Pro rider was again Answer Fa ctory /Effects/TruTec - ba c ked Gilliam. "The second moto was pretty fun," Gilliam stated. "I got a midpack start and by the second corner I had a little Cammar Beach Rnarite Beach, Baja CalifDmia, Muic:o Results: December 2, 2001 (Round 41 125 NOV: 1. Aaron Harper (Hen); 2. Ricardo Villalobos (Kaw). 125 PRO: t. Brent Gilliam (Yam). 250 NOV: 1. Caesar Alvarez (Hen); 2. Patrick Q'Donahue (Yam); 3. Abel Rosales (Kaw); 4. Dennis Garcia (Suz); 5. Greg Fisher (Hon). 250 PRO: 1. Sven Beerweiler (Yam); 2. Rich Truchinski (Suz). 250 EX; 1. Larry Gross (Yam). 4-STRK NOV: 1. James Baile (Yam). three rode well, but Baker seemed to have a little bit better rhythm going and pulled out a small lead by the end of the race. Pipes was second, with Griffith a close third. In the second moto, Baker and Pipes got out front together again. Lap after lap, they went at it tooth and nail. Baker would pull a little bit of a gap, but Pipes would close it right back up and get positioned to pass for the lead. Baker held on, though, and won by a couple of bike lengths. Again, Griffith was third, but not too far behind. The 85cc X class looked like it would be another showdown, because all three Intermediate riders were entered, along with a host of Novices. Baker got the holeshot, with Pipes close behind. It looked like a carbon copy of the other two motos until Baker went down on one of the back sections of the track. That little bobbie was all that Pipes needed to take the victory. Griffith had trouble early and wasn't a factor. One of the more interesting stories in central California motocross lately involves Craig "Rapo" Rannells; a Vet racer from Fresno. Rapo has been routinely entering three or four classes per day, and the amount of track time is really starting to payoff. He rode the 25-29 Novice class and got off to a good start with a second- place finish in the first moto. He fell to fifth in the second race, though, and ended up fourth in class. His next class was the Vet Intermediate contest, in which he went 2-2 for second overall. In both races, he was pressuring Rick Sottile, the eventual winner. Rapo's third class of the day was the Sportsman X class. With no gate fees, the X class swelled and they had to separate the class into two divisions. Rannells went with the second group and put a whupping on the youngsters, piloting his Clawson Motorsports-backed Honda CRF450R to a convincing win over more than 10 younger riders. Rapo's final class was the Old-Timers Intermediate contest - which he won, since he was the only guy entered. You've got to hand it to the guy. Most people, no matter what age, couldn't handle seven motos in one morning. Also of note was the return of Exeter's Justin Lott. After almost a year off from racing, Lott returned to the 125cc Novice class and was right back in the mix. He went 4-5 for fifth overall. What was really impressive was his second-place finish in the first group of the Sportsman X class. The only racer to beat Lott in that event was Intermediate rider Robby Baptista. When it comes down to it, this day was about spending time with friends CMA Annual Free Race for Charity Hanford Fairgrounds Roosting for the Cause the most prolific Mini racers in the area, has been out of action for several months due to an injury. He's been slowly working his way back into competition, though, and he showed up to ride a few classes. He was the only Intermediate in the 65cc class, so he was out there with the Novices and Beginners. Even so, he rode with a level of skill that has many insiders picking him to win a major Amateur title in the class this By EDDIE GRAVELINE HANFORD,CA,DEC.9 ight around Christmastime every year, the CMA holds a motocross to benefit charity. The locals just call it the annual "Free Race," but the significance extends far past the fact that no money is collected at the gate. The only entry fee that is charged to any rac~r or spectator is a used coat, a bag of canned foods, or an unwrapped toy. All of the donations go to deserving charities such as the Red Cross. The central California motocross community turned out in record numbers for the 2001 version of the "Free Race." Total donations were estimated to be more than $7000! It was the coldest race day of the season in Cen-Cal, but the charitable atmosphere created a warm, family-like feeling. It's amazing how the gates swell when there aren't any entry fees to race. It seemed like every class was packed, and that made for some exciting racing. Dustin Pipes, one of R 40 JANUARY 23, 2002' cue I year. In the 65cc X class, Kawasaki jockeys Dustin Moody and David Fee both rode well, but Moody had the edge when the checkers flew. Zachary Summers also turned in a solid performance, claiming third aboard his KTM. The 85cc Intermediate class consisted of Nicholas Baker, Dustin Pipes and Kyle Griffith. It wasn't a big class, but all three riders have shown that they are capable of winning. When the gate dropped for the first race, the three were bunched together. All e n e _ s Hanford Fairgrounds: Dustin Pipes looked solid all day and won the 85cc X class at the annual CMA "Free Race" In Hanford, California, held to benefit charities such as the Red Cross.