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Motorcycle Racing Association of Northern Nevada Series Round 4: Grand Prix at Irginia City Shane Esposito 114) won the Inaugural Grand Prix of Virginia City by a margin of nine minutes. "I had too much pressure in the rear tire. so I let some out, and by that time Belingheri almost got by me," said Esposito. Ed McCoy, Sam Key and Dave Mayer were the next to enter the pit area and navigate the short motocross-style spectator section. At the end of lap two, Esposito had a 4 1/2-minute lead over Belingheri, and by using the pit alternate, he increased his lead to 5 1/2 minutes while Belingheri pitted. Heading out on the third lap, Belingheri's seat came off his motorcycle, and while trying to ride with it under his arm, he took a nasty tumble. "I was trying to make it back to the pits so we could get the seat back on," Belingheri reported, "but I hit a rock and decided to call it quits." Esposito continued at his blistering pace until the end of the sixth lap to By NICK "FACTORY" FAIN PHOTOS By CURTIS BRANDT VIRGINIA CITY, NV, APR. 27·28 (l'7 awasaki's Shane Esposito contin- W ued his win streak by taking the lead on mile three and never slowing down throughout four hours of racing at the inaugural Grand Prix of Virginia City. "I had a good day and never really had any problems," said the Team Green rider after leading by nearly 15 minutes at one point in the race. Esposito took the win by nine minutes over Gas Gas rider Ed McCoy, who inherited second place when Dennis Belingheri broke at the halfway point. McCoy was followed through the finish by Reno Motorsports rider Sam Key by less than a bike length. "In the pits, someone said I had a five-minute lead on third place, 50 I just cruised the last lap, and he must have been charging - he was right on my tail," said McCoy of the battle for second. After a two-year hiatus, the town of Virginia City welcomed racing on its streets again. The Virginia City Motorcycle Club took on the challenge of presenting the race, and it was well-received by the riders and town alike. The start took place on the town's main street and was timed at 10 bikes every 15 seconds. The racers left their row and headed down steep side streets that created great pavement-racing action, with many of the Experts getting quite a bit of air on the tarmac. Esposito started on the fourth row but quickly moved through the pack to take the lead. "I caught those guys pretty quick and tried to get a good lead going," explained Esposito. By the end of the first 21-mile loop, Esposito enjoyed a two-minute lead over KX500 rider Dennis Belingheri. Esposito pulled into the pits to check his tire pressure and was nearly passed by Belingheri. BRIEFLY••• The Bike Test Award had to go to Larkin Wright, who rode his street-legal BMW Dakar twin from Lucerne Valley to the race on Tuesday, made several rides in the local area. raced on Sunday, and rode back on Monday morning. Before he raced. he had already put 1000 miles on the motorcycle. An auction was held each morning before the races for the number zero. The person who won the auction got to start 30 seconds ahead of the first row. all by himself. Both days of the auction were won by the Dirt Diggers Motorcycle Club North, the promoters of Hangtown Motocross. and totaled 52000. Virginia City Motorcycle Club donated all this money to the local schooi system. On Sunday. Dirt Digger rider Todd Repsher. using number zero. took the overall in the Amateur class. Reno Motorspor1s, a local parts shop. offered to change the tube of anyone who came into the pits with a fiat. Over the course of the weekend, they changed more than 30 flat tires - some in fewer than five minutes. including taking the wheel off the motorcycle. Virginia City Motorcycle Club would like to thank the town of Virginia City and all the private landowners who graciously let them use their properties for the course, The pits and most of the course were located on land owned by Hugh Roy Marshal. With the town so involved and the racing on local streets, the Grand Prix at Virginia City is sure to turn into a classic, Though this was its first year, VCMC drew more than 400 riders to the small, historic mining town, Next year, they hope to draw all the top riders and double their turnout. A big mudhoie on the course trapped many people: even some Experts got stuck on each lap. By the end of day two. the hole had grown rather large. Roy Munson. a course worker. helped more than his share of people out over the two days, One Expert competitor said. -Thanks. Roy - I would never have completed even one lap without you lifting my bike out of the mud,' 46 MAY 15. 2002' C C I e n e _ 55