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were waging war for the bronze medal. Costella manufactured massacre number two, winning the overall race and claiming first overall 125cc Intermediate. Jensen and Griffin trailed him in the final results column. Branden Barnes forged another solid second to earn him the top 125cc Pro spot, ahead of Montague and Justin Jenson. In combined 85cc (12-13) and (14-16) race action, Suzuki's Beni Williams was the man of the hour, as the yellow bikes were having a great day. Williams blasted off the gate to lead fellow Suzuki pilot Tony Esposito and Yamaha-mounted Jeremy O'Driscoll as race one exploded into action. Just as Costella had done earlier, Layton Cycle's Williams was putting on a clinic, giving a dominating performance out in front. O'Driscoll charged into second at the first opportunity (on the big downhili), and the Plaza Cycle star stayed there for the remainder. Desert Motorsports' Esposito took third. Williams got another great start to start the second half. Esposito was in second, but O'Driscoll zapped him quickly, just as in race one. Later in the race, O'Driscoll went down, handing Esposito the spot he would need to take second overall. Williams flew to another perfect score, as the WB Racing hotshoe nailed down the overall 85cc (14-16) victory, besting Esposito and O'Driscoll. Wesley Harris came from behind to take the overall 85cc (12-13) crown, topping Timothy Kerr and E.J. Rogers in the final tally. eN MaqultlJ IIllcewIY MaqultlJ, Nevi. Results: MIlCh 2, 2002 (Raund 51 50 BEQ: 1. Alex Spendlove (KTM); 2. Ken,e Johnson (KTM); 3. Brody McBride (Hon); 4. Qrody Qould (KTM); 5. Anthony perez (KTM). 50 STK (4-6): I. Cole Nonney (Cob); 2. Jeffrey Willson (KTM); 3. Brondon Russ (KTM): 4. Cody Rogers (Pol). 50 STK (7·8): I. Shone Lont (Pol); 2. Hoyden 5"'0110", (Yom). 50 OPEN: 1. Cole Nonney (Cob); 2. Coden Hodley (KTM); 3. Shone Lont (Pol); 4. Jeffrey Willson (KTM). 65 STK (7-9): 1. Zochory Fussell (KTM); 2. Dusty Humphries (Kew); 3. Angelo Tlinner (KllW); 4. Coston Kirk (KTM). 65 STK (10·11): I. Shoun Homson (KTM); 2. Derek Stephens (Kow); 3. Alex Mechom (KTM); 4. Tyler Coyner (Kow). 65 OPEN: I. Zochory Fussell (KTM); 2. Shoun HllIrrison (KTM.); 3. Derek Stephens (KlIw); 4. Alex Mesquite Raceway: Derek Costella was a double-class winner at the fifth round of the Casino Towns Motocross Series In Mesquite, Nevada, taking victories in the 125cc and 250cc Intermediate classes. Mechom (KTM); 5. Tyler Coyner (Kow). 85 BEQ: 1. Josh Jenkins (Kow); 2. Curt Lammert (SUI); 3. Steven Heckett (Yam); 4. Kris Corter (Yom); 5. Dee Lorsen (Yom). 85 STK (7-11): 1. Prince Kopohulehuo (Suz); 2. Brodie Humphries (Suz); 3. lach Ahleen (SUI); 4. Levii Holl (Suz); 5. Rudl Willioms (Suz). 85 STK (12-13): 1. Wesley Horris (Yom); 2. TImothy Kerr (Hon); 3. E.J. Rogers (Kow); 4. Trocon Kirk (Yom); 5. Levii HoIl (Suz). 85 STK (14-16): I. Beni WilBoms (Suz); 2. Tony Esposito (Suz); 3. Jeremy O'Driscoll (YtJlm); 4. Josh Morllst (Yam); 5. Chris Renzi (Yam). 85 OPEN: 1. Beni Williams (Suz); 2. Jeremy O'Driscoli (Yom); 3. Tony Esposito (Suz): 4. Wesley Hom. (Yom); 5. Josh Moros' (Yom). 125 BEQ: I. Justin Hunt (Yom); 2. Kelly Gross (Hon); 3. Eric Compbell (Hon): 4. Shone Mortln (Yam); 5. Dillon Jensen (Hon). 125 NOV: 1. Zoe Humphries (Hon); 2. Chad Geib (Suz); 3. Jeff Poge (Yom); 4. Willie Ungennon (Yom): 5. Tim Porsons (Hon). 125 INT: 1. Derek Coslello (Su,); 2. Levi Jensen (Hu.); 3. Micky Griffin (Yom); 4. Scott Theobold (Hon): 5. Don Philips (Yom). 125 PRO: 1. Branden Barnes (Yam); 2. Monte Montzlgue (Yam); 3. Justin Jenson (Yam). SCHBY: 1. Devin Sullivllln (KTM); 2. Levi Jensen (Hus); 3. Shoun Huff (Suz); 4. Ken Hynes (Yom); 5. Brian Fowler (Han). 250 NOV: 1. Zoe Humphries (Hon); 2. Jeff Psge (Yam); 3. Willie Un german (Kaw): 4. Greg Ahleen (Yom); 5. Dovld Muno, (Hon). 2501NT: I. Derek Coslello (Suz); 2. Jordon Dulo (Hon); 3. Micky Griffin (Hon); 4. Jed Horvey (Kow); 5. Scolt Theobald (Hon). 250 PRO: 1. Branden &mes (Yam): 2. Justin Jenson (Yom). B/BK OPEN: 1. Devin Sulllvon (KTM); 2. Zoe Humphries (Han); 3. Jordan Dullll (Han); 4. Jed Harvey (Kaw); 5. Willie Ungerman (Kaw). 25. BEQ: 1. Molt Toylor (Hon). 25. NOV: 1. Mork Bragon (Hon); 2. Eric Nordin (Yom); 3. Michoel Appleboum (Hon). 25. (NT: 1. ~na Hansen (Yam). 25. EX: I. Kelly Oldroyd (Yom). 30. BEQ: I. David Schultz (Hon): 2. Scott Lucos (Hon); 3. Shorif Hodley (Hon). 30. NOV: I. Chris Sporks (Su,). 30. INT: I. Todd Gould (Suz). 30. EX: I. Kelly Oidroyd (Yom). 40. NOV: I. Rusly Whipple (KTM): 2. Kurt Nelson (Yom); 3. Lorry Bywoler (Yom). MXWest Spring Series Round 3: Fernley International Raceway Bitz Bombs Fernley STORY AND PHOTOS BY ROBERT BEAUPRE FERNLEY, NV, MAR. 3 pon ente~ing the gate at round three of the MXWest Spring Series in Fernley, Nevada, it was apparent to anyone that the massive U 72 APRIL 3, 2002' cue • e turnouts hosted by the first two rounds were no fluke. Northern Nevada Motocross has been experiencing a boom lately, as more racers and spectators have flocked to the Spring Series than anyone anticipated. Racer turnouts have consistently hovered above the 500 mark, and one can n __ s certainly imagine the corresponding impact on spectator turnouts. So it is no real surprise that some fine riders are currently building their skills on the tracks of northern Nevada, riders that couid conceivably take their talents well past the state's desert borders. Certainly among these names would be 80cc contender J.L. Bitz, who used round three to build on his experience by topping a strong Mini Intermediate division. In the first moto, Bitz found competition from Kawasaki pilot Justin Soule and Yamaha-mounted Bryar Perry. Soule gra bbed the holeshot, with YZ80 riders Bitz and Perry in tow. Soule put up a valiant effort to hold off Bitz, and he was successful in the initial stages of the race, but eventually he gave way to Bitz's challenges. Once out front, Bitz stretched his advantage and held it to take a solid first-moto victory. Bitz wasted no time getting to the front in the second moto, and an early lead allowed him to pull off a convincing win. His I-I tally of course netted him the overall victory, while Perry took his Yamaha to second on the day, with Soule rounding out the top three. One class that has undoubtedly felt the impact of the large turnouts has been the 125cc Juniors, which on this day featured one massive class split into two sizable divisions, One division was won by Works Racing and Development-backed Tyson Waldron, who used 3-1 moto scores to place his Suzuki atop the field. The other division was claimed by Cooper Munson, who used consistency to outlast a giant and chaotic class of Juniors. Richard Carl and Ryan Hazen took the runner-up slots in their respective divisions, and Justin Soule and Coty Loudenburg claimed third in each class. Arguably the best race of the day, though, will not be apparent from any of the scoring sheets. In the combined 125cc Intermediate/Expert race, Yamaha-mounted Tony Evans (the sole Expert racer) and Honda pilot Nick Jarret (the top Intermediate contender) waged war for the entire seven laps in both motos, despite the fact that their battle was mostly for pride. Evans had to beat all the Intermediates to fairly claim the Expert victory, but Jarret did not have to beat the lone Expert, Evans, to top his class. Nonetheless, they went at it in both motos like it counted. In the first moto, Jarret and Evans pulled their machines to the front of the field, with the Honda of Jarrett reaching the front first. They crossed the finish line with Jarrett holding a narrow lead after fighting off advances from Evans nearly the entire moto. In the second moto, again Jarret gained the early advantage, but this time Evans was able to get into second sooner. And so again the pressure game began, and the pair once more rode nearly in tandem around the entire course, with the CR 125mounted Jarret leading Evans' booming YZ250F. It would nearly have been a copy of the first moto except that on the last lap, on the very last jump, Evans finally found the momentum to pull alongside Jarret, and in the final comer he made the pass that secured him the overall moto win and the sentimental victory. Don't cry for Jarret, though; he put on an impressive performance that left both him and Evans well over 30 seconds ahead of the closest Intermediate at the end of each race. It should be noted, though, that the Expert class, in MXWest terms, is really just an advanced Intermediate class for those too fast for the local Intermediates but who do not wish to Fernley IntemaUonal Raceway: J.L. Bitz topped the 80Cc Intermediates with a 1-1 posting at round three of the MXWest Spring Series in Fernley, Nevada.