Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

AMA Yamaha-Maxxis Western Four-Stroke Nationals Round 3: Owyhee Motocross Park At round four of the ANA YamahaManis Western Four-Stroke Nationals, Sean Hamblin became the first Yamaha rider this season to post an overall victory in the series. AMA sports manager Steve Carnegie came from the home office in Pickerington, Ohio. "We had a complete blast," Carnegie stated, "and will try to make it to Washougal [for the] next round, May 26th, for sure." Seven states were represented in the top 10 coming out of turn one in the first moto, as Kent, Washington's Carpenter flew over the infield 80-foot tabletop simultaneously and Carpenter drove up the inside for the lead. Woods picked up the pace and muscled his thumper back by Mecono on lap nine and held the position to the checkers. "I knew I needed every spot I could get," Woods said. "The tire was a big problem, but I just had to deal with it." That's the way they ended up, with Carpenter and Walters going one-two, Smail in third, followed by Hamblin, Karlsen, Woods, Mecono, Daniel Blair and Floth. eN Owyhee MatlIcnlSs Peril Boise, Idalia R.sults: April 21, 2002 (Raund 3et 101 QUAL 1: I. Todd Downs (Hon); 2. Robb Floth (Yam); 3. Frankie Mecono (Vern); 4 Beau Boynton (Yam); 5. Ty Carson (KTM); 6. Dustin Lyon (Hon); 7. Brian Morgan (Yam): 8. Richie Reynolds (Hon); 9. Nick Dunn (KTM); 10. Jeff McFarland (Hon); 11. Erik Anderson (Hon); 12. Mat Bateman (Yam). QClAl. 2: 1. Sean Hamblin (Vern); 2. Daniel Blair (Yam); 3. Ryan Dudek (KTM); 4. Shawn MacDonald (Hon); 5. Beau Baron (Hon); 6. Craig Truglio (Yam); 7. Josh Kellogg (Yam); 8. Michael Stanton (Hon); 9. Joe Bailey III (Yam); 10. Rory Sullivan (KTM); 11. Rick Hansen (Hon); 12. Terry Hamness (Yam). LCQ: 1. Kenny Hoe.. (Hon); 2. Jason Matthews (Hon); 3. Scot Steffy (Yam); 4. Steve Marty (Hon); 5. Cllrson Meyer (Yam): 6. Sven Stillmock (Can); 7. Ryan Picard (Vern); 8. George Schneider (Yam). O/A: l. Sean Hamblin (Vern); 2. Spud Walters (Hon); 3. Lance Smail (KTM); 4. Paul c.lJrpenter (Hon); 5. Dustin Nelson (YllIm); 6. MlIU Kerlsen (Y8m); 7. Nathan Woods (YlIm); 8. Ty ClIrson (KTM); 9. Frankie Mecono ('YlIm); 10. Robb Flath (Hon); 11. Craig TrugliO (Yam); 12. Todd Downs (Han); 13. Erik Anderson (Hon): 14. Michael Stanton (Hon); 15. Daniel Blair (Yam); 16. Brendan Thomas (Hon); 17. Beau BtJron (Hon); 18. Chaun McAJister (KTM); 19. Josh Kellogg (Yam): 20. Scot Steffy STORY AND PHOTOS BY DON SCHNEIDER BOISE, ID, APR. 21 ower Pros/Maxxis TiresfThor/Mad Racing/Nutec Race Fuels' Sean Hamblin was on a tear, winning his qualifier and then posting 1-4 moto scores over series leader Spud WaIters (3-2) and former and three-time Four-Stroke National Champion Lance Smail (2-3), and becoming the first Yamaha rider this season to win first overall. Though all three tied in conventional moto scoring, Hamblin won via the AMA point system, with 43 points compared to Walters and Smail, both with 42. Hamblin pocketed $950 of the $6000 purse plus $500 from Yamaha Motor Corporation contingency money! Walters and Smail each earned $750. Additionally, Walters earned $300 in Honda contingency, and earned moto-two holeshot awards from Maxxis Tires, Motoworld Racing.com, Race Tech, Spy Eyes and Maxima Lubricants. Fourth overall was Paul Carpenter, teammate of Walters on the American Honda/White Brothers CRF450R. The 1999 AMA Western Four-Stroke Champion, Dustin Nelson of the Motoworld Racing.com team, captured fifth with a 4-5 score, which moves him into third in the championship. Finishing sixth and dropping to fourth in the series was Colorado Powersports' Matt Karlsen (7 -6). Seventh was Yamaha Powerhouse/Maxima-sponsored Nathan Woods, whose 10-7 moto scores were astonishing. Woods was passing Robb Floth for sixth when he clipped his rear tire and crashed in the center spectator area on lap one. Remounting in 39th, Woods mounted a charge that took him up to finish 10th in the 37-minute moto. In moto two, Woods managed to finish with a visible front flat. Ty Carson, on a Factory R&Dsponsored KTM 400 SX, ran fourth for most of moto one and crossed the checkers in sixth. In moto two, Carson recovered from an off-track excursion to finish 15th for eighth overall. Moto XXX-backed California hotshoe Frankie Mecono thumped to a 14-8 tally for ninth overall. Rounding out the top lOon the day was Meridian, Idaho, native Floth, who went a consistent 12- 10 aboard his Carl's Cycle/ Tuning by Travis-sponsored Honda CRF450R. The third round of the popular thumper series drew 64 Pro-Am competitors (which was double last year's entries) and more than 3500 fans to Owyhee Motorcycle Club's challenging track. Thus far, riders from 12 states and three different countries have participated in the series. The winner of the Spy Eyes/Maxima Lubricants Long Distance Award was Brownsville Cycle Center/VP Racing Fuels/Fastway Performance Parts/Jak-Bakz # Plates 4 Your Bodysponsored Todd Downs, who went 8-17 after a second-moto fall, after driving 30 nonstop hours from Corpus Christi, Texas. Unofficial runnerup was ALF Racing Team's Adam Fichtelman, who was sidelined with a severe viral infection after driving 21 hours from Oceanside, California. Smail, on a Team Canada KTM, grabbed the holeshot and led Walters, Hamblin, Floth, Carson, Carpenter, Nelson, McAlister, Boynton, Thomas and Karlsen. As the huge field of riders haggled for positions and made their way around the nearly threeminute course, Hamblin stuck a pass on Walters on lap four coming down the sand hill. Then, on lap six, Smail succumbed to Hamblin's pressure as Hamblin took the front spot. The trio kept within a few seconds of one another for the next seven laps. The trio checked out and finished 30 seconds ahead of the nearest rider, Nelson. In moto two, Walters had it goin' on; a few feet in the lead, he carved inside the second-place rider, Arizona's Erik Anderson. Carpenter was in the thick of it, coming out of the turn in fourth, behind Smail. Hamblin was fifth, and National number two, Woods, was sixth. The action was spectacular. Woods succumbed to a battle royal with Karlsen on lap four, as Woods started experiencing a low front tire. Carpenter made a spectacular move for second on lap five. He quadded the whoop section and tripled out past Smail. Nelson then moved past Woods on lap seven. Mecono got by Woods on lap eight; at the same time, Carpenter made his patented move in the whoops and closed the gap to Walters. Then Walters and cue' e (Yam); 21. Ryan Dudek (KTM); 22. Rocy Sullivan (KTM); 23. Terry Hamness (YlIm); 24. Joe Bailey (Yam); 25. Shllwn MlIcDonl.lld (Hon); 26. Sven Stillmock (Can); 27. Beau Boynton (YlIm); 28. ClIrson Meyer (Yam); 29. Jason MlItthews (Hon); 30. N;ck Dunn (KTM); 31. Dustin Lyon (Hon); 32. Rick Hansen (Hon); 33. Mal Bateman (Yam); 34. Richie Reynolds (Hon); 35. Brian Morgan (Hon); 36. Kenny Heess (Hon); 37. RYlln Picard (Yam); 38. George Schneider (Yllm); 39. Steve Marty (Han); 40. Jeff McFarland (Hon). AMA WESTERN FOUR·STROKE NATIONAL MOTOCROSS SERIES POINTS STANDINGS (After 3 of 10 rounds): I. Spud Wllilers (139/2 wins); 2. Pllul ClIrpenler (122); 3. Dustin Nelson (97); 4. Matt Karlsen (96); 5. Nathon Woods (86); 6. ChZlun McAlister (61); 7. Cllrter Gurnee (58); 8. Brllndon Thomlls (54); 9. Sean Hemblin (43/1 win); 10. (TIE) Lance Smail/Craig Decker (42); 12. Erik Anderson/Robert Naughton (40); 14. Ty Carson (37): 15. Beau Baron (36); 16. Craig Truglio (34); 17. Fronkie Mecono (30); 18. Mark Tilley (27); 19. Andy Boller (25); 20. Robb Floth (20); 21. (TiE) Todd Downs/Michllel Stanton/Jimmy LaMastus/Josh Chisum (17); 25. Josh Kellogg (16); 26. (TIE) Beau Boynton/Daniel Blair (12); 28. Dustin Bloomfield (II); 29. (TIE) Derek Mahoney/Mike Roth/Dennis Stapleton (10); 32. Kenny Heess (9); 33. Shllwn MacDonald (7); 34. Cra;g Davis (5); 35. (TIE) Joe Balley III/Ryan Dudek/Jason Matthews/Scot Steffy (4); 39. (TIE) CliffCook/Rory Sullivan (3); 41. (TIE) Mat Bateman(Terry Hamness (2); 43. Brad Hendry (I). n e 1IV OS • MAY 8, 2002 39

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