Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Hanford Fairgrounds: Jeff Alessi was number one in the 250cc Novice and Sportsman X classes - riding a 250! - at the first round of the CMA Maxima Pacific Coast Pro-Am Championships (Central) In Hanford, California. CMA Maxima Pacific Coast Pro-Am Championships Central Round 1: Hanford Fairgrounds Jeff Steals the Show By EDDIE GRAVELINE HANFORD,CA,MAR.3 hen California sees its first signs of spring each year, motocross riders up and down the state start getting ready for the Pacific Coast Pro-Am series. Pros like it because the purses and competition are both usually pretty good. Amateur riders love it because they get to race for "Dealer Dollars" - coupons that are redeemable for merchandise at motorcycle shops all over the state. Whenever Amateurs are given something tangible to race for, the ievel of intensity goes up and the racing action gets hotter. At round one, the gates were full and all classes featured outstanding action. The fans who showed up in Hanford got to see something a little unexpected. The Alessi brothers showed up to ride round one. That in itself isn't out of the ordinary, but the fact that Jeff - who is one year younger than Mike - stole the show is. W Mike was a little beaten up from a recent get-off and didn't ride as many classes as he normally would. Jeff, on the other hand, was feeling good, and he somehow talked his dad into letting him race a 2501 That's right, a 12-year-oid would be contesting the 250cc Novice class. He battled with the likes of Dustin Somogyi and Doug Russell off the starts, but he rode incredibly well and swept both motos for the class victory. His margin of victory was several seconds in each race. As if winning in the 250 Novice class wasn't making enough of a statement, Jeff Alessi also entered the Sportsman X class. In this race, he had a little bit more trouble - with Brett Markarian, who has been smoking in the 125cc Novice division and had his Suzuki going good in Hanford. He gave Alessi a run in the early stages, but the youngster was able to pull away and win by a few seconds when all was said and done. Seaside's Anthony Houser nailed down the final podium spot on his Yamaha. The 85cc classes were, as always, hotly contested. Nicolas Baker has been dominating the Intermediate class in the absence of Dustin Pipes, who broke his leg a couple of months ago. Pipes started his comeback in Hanford, but he wasn't quite back in condition yet. He could challenge Baker for a lap or two, but the latter would pull away after that. The 125cc classes were packed to the gills as well. Both the Beginner and Novice classes featured two gates' worth of riders. Weston Arthurs and Chris King held top honors in the two Beginner divisions, while Dustin Somogyi and James Leon got it done in the Novice classes. The 125cc Intermediate class didn't have as many riders, but the display of speed that was demonstrated by the nine riders in the class gave the crowd plenty to watch. Mike Alessi was out for this one, and despite being sore, he rode awfully well. He easily swept both motos for the overall victory. Behind him, Bryan Watson and Brian Hulsey fought bitterly over runner-up honors. Hulsey edged out Watson in the first moto, but Watson came right back in the second and got revenge. Since they both ended up with a combined score of five, the tie breaker went to Watson, who finished better in the second moto. Eventually, the big boys came out to play. David Boothe was the only Pro who bothered to bring out a 125, so he rode uncontested in that class. In the 250cc Pro division, though, he had the Temmerman brothers, Paul and Simon, to contend with. The three riders were knotted up in the first few laps of the first race until Boothe was able to break free. From there on, he opened up a small but comfortable gap and won the race. The second race went basically the same way. The competition was close in the early going, but Boothe got away and took the class victory. There were even quite a few fossils - er, make that Vet racers in attendance. Craig Rannells was the only Intermediate on hand, and he rode with the Novices and the Women's division. "Rapo" (as he is affectionately known at the track) checked out and cruised to the victory. The Novices didn't have it so easy. Darin Lundquist and Dan Killion swapped moto wins and second-place finishes. Those two hounded each other throughout both races. They tied in points, but Lundquist got the nod since he won the second moto. Sherri Cruise defeated Brenda Burson in the Women's division. With three rounds remaining in this series, the battles will get more intense each week. If there's an early heat wave, it could make the racing even hotter. eN Hanford fairgrounds Hanford, California Results: March 3, 2002 [Round 11 50 FIT: 1. Jessey Arthurs (Hen). 50 (7-S): 1. Dustin Conell (KTM); 2. Landon Sullivan (HM). 50 OPEN: t. Kyle Tigert (Cob); 2. Zachary Summers (Cob); 3. Michael Maze; 4. Brandon Condley (KTM); 5. Daniel Licon (Pot). 60 (O-B) BEG: 1. Kyle Tigert (Kaw); 2. J.J. Valles (KTM). 60 (9-11) BEG: I. Jerry Cox (Kaw); 2. Brian Alquist (KTM); 3. Sodhi Sharp; 4. Mason Boswell (Kaw); 5. Hagen Richwine (Kaw). 60 NOV: 1. David Fee (Kaw); 2. Dustin Mody (Kaw); 3. Zachary Summers (KTM); 4. James Culbertson (KTM); 5. Kru, Griffith (KTM). 60 X: I. Taylor Kellstrom (KTM); 2. David Fee (Kaw); 3. Dalton Jones (Kaw); 4. James Culbertson (KTM); 5. Jerry Cox (Kaw). 80 BEG: 1. Robert Alquist (Yam); 2. Kruz Griffith (Hon); 3. Mason Womack; 4. Michael Dunnigan (Hon); 5. Christopher Ciolkosz (Suz). 80 NOV: 1. Stenson Womack; 2. Dylan Tolmasoff (Kaw); 3. Andrew Desilagua (Yam); 4. Kevin Wells (Hon): 5. Nathan Brock (Hon). 80 INT: 1. Nicolas Baker (Yam); 2. Dustin Pipes (Kaw); 3. Kyle Griffith (Hon). 80 X: 1. Dustin Pipes (Kaw); 2. Nicolas Baker (Yam); 3. Dylan Tolmasoff (Kaw); 4. Kevin Wells (Hon); 5. Justin Brasil (Kaw). 100 BEG: I. Justin Brasil (Kaw); 2. Scott Clark (Kaw). 125 BEG D-1: 1. Weston Arthurs (Hon); 2. Joel Roberts (Kaw); 3. Landon Wilcox (Yam); 4. Brett Brewer (Yam): 5. Mark Woolly (Yam). 125 BEG 0·2: 1. Chris King (Suz); 2. Adam Campbell (Yam); 3. Robert Schelich (Yam); 4. Brent Merrick (Suz); 5. Josh Jackson (Yam). 125 NOV 0·]: 1. Dustin Somogyi; 2. lack Russell (Suz); 3. Anthony Houser (Yam): 4. Brett Markarian (Suz); 5. Justin Lott (Kaw). 125 NOV 0·2: I. James Leon (Yam); 2. Brian Gill (Kaw); 3. Jeff Smorada (Hon); 4. Jonathan Camarena (Hon); 5. Jeff Sanderson (Hon). 125 tNT: 1. Mike Alessi (Hon); 2. Bryan Watson; 3. Brian Hulsey (Suz); 4. Tyson Enzweiler (Yam); 5. Buffalo Soito (Suz). 125 PRO: 1. David Boothe (Su,). 250 BEG: t. Steve Herstad (Kaw); 2. Nick Wilcox (KTM); 3. Clay Lyons (Yam); 4. Ricky Brown (Yam). 250 NOV: I. Jeff Alessi (Hon); 2. Dustin Somogyi; 3. Doug Russell (Hon); 4. Levi Gill (Kaw); 5. John McCracken (Suz). 250 tNT: 1. Steve Nelson (Suz): 2. Matt Gaines (Hon); 3. Adam Hensley (Yam): 4. Chris Dias (Hon); 5. Robby BaptisUl (Hon). 250 PRO: t. David Boothe (Suz); 2. Paul Temmerman (Yam); 3. Simon Temmerman (Yam). SPTSMN X: 1. Jeff Alessi (Hon); 2. Brett Markarian (Suz); 3. Anthony Houser (Yam); 4. A.J. Gallemore; 5. Chris Podergois (Suz). WMN: J. Sherri Cruse (Yam); 2. Brenda Burson (Kaw). 25-29 NOV: I. Doug Russell (Hon); 2. Craig Rannells (Han); 3. Jason Gaines (Han); 4. Michael Rodgers (Han); 5. Steve Herstad (Kaw). 25-29 INT: 1. Steve Nelson (Suz); 2. Adam Hensley (Yam); 3. Gary Riekki: 4. Johnny Souza (Hon). VET BEG: t. Rick Steiner (Suz); 2. Darin Marsella (Suz). VET NOV: I. Mike Rogers (Hen); 2. Dan Killion; 3. Steven Atencio (Kaw): 4. Durbin L10ren (Yam); 5. Anthony Crain. VET (NT: 1. Steve Nelson (Suz); 2. Doug Russell (Han): 3. Rick Sottile (Yam); 4. Craig Rannells (Hon); 5. Gary Riekki (Yam). VET PRO: 1. Johnny Souza (Hon); 2. Greg Brewer (Hen). OIT NOV: 1. Darin LundqUist (Kaw); 2. Dan Killion (Yam); 3. Mark Mansfield (Hen); 4. Dan Hensley (Yam): 5. Fred Gill (Yam). OfT tNT: 1. Craig Rannells (Hon). PRO·AM: 1. David Boothe (Suz); 2. Brian Hulsey (Suz): 3. Bryan Watson; 4. Brandon Jones (Yam): 5. Paul Temmerman (Yam). STC Pro Circuit Winter Series Round 7: 290 MX Park Mikolas Seals the Deal month tour across Texas in Waller. With double points up for grabs, a little over 370 entrants filled the park for one last chance to make up ground. Headed into the last round, By BRIAN COMEAU WALLER, TX, MAR. 3 T he third annual STC Pro Circuit Winter Series concluded its threeeye I e n e _ S • APRIL 17, 2002 61

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