Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Eddie Mulder's West Coast Vintage Dirt Track Series Round 1: Vallejo Speedway 2 STORY AND PHOTOS BY JAMEY BLUNT VALLEJO, CA, APR. 27 nder partly cloudy skies, the threat of rain (that never materialized), and strong cold westerly winds, 126 entrants filed through the pit gates of Vallejo Speedway 2. A quick scan of the facility told you this was a fairgrounds track, located across the street from a roaring Six Flags Amusement Park. This is the first time Eddie Mulder's Series had ventured to this establishment, but as usual he was on hand days in advance to make sure this one-sixthmile, clay, banked oval was as good as it could be. All 16 heat races finished without incident, and while the scorers tabulated the results for positioning in the main events, Mulder worked the crowd. In the half-time trivia contest, some 16 questions were asked of the audience, with correct answers receiving goodies courtesy of Motion Pro. C&J Racing Frames and Saddlemen picked up the tab for the Classic 500cc class. Previous main and heatrace winner Alan Shaw reversed the starting order so as to start on the outside. It worked, as Shaw led off the line, with Jimmy Abrams on the "Porky Perez" BSA Gold Star in tow. David Brown, on another BSA, was in third. On the second lap, coming out of turn four, Abrams dived under Shaw to take the lead away. This ruffled Shaw, and Brown was on the move. With two laps remaining, Brown got by Shaw for second. The worst crash of the' night occurred in the Works Performance Shocks Modern 250cc main event. Joe Frank led the pack through turn one, but tragedy struck on the first lap down the back chute, with seven of the 14 bikes hitting terra firma. Jim Gotteli of Napa, California, was Bultaco jockey Rick Hocking topped the Modem 500cc class at Vallejo Speedway 2. Jimmy Abrams won two classes at the opening round of Eddie Mulder's West Coast Vintage Dirt Track Series - the Classic 500cc and 500cc Support classes. transported to the hospital with a separated shoulder. On the restart, (which only eight machines could make), Mark LeGarra took the lead and never looked back. LeGarra turned a 14-second-flat lap time as the track started to really come in. Chris Geilfuss came through for second, and Ron Lessley, on a clean Bultaco, was third. Rick Hocking lowered the lap time to 13.5 seconds in the Shoei Helmets Modern 500cc main, but he had to charge through to the front to do so. He accomplished this by leaving it on longer than Paul Rusin off the line to emerge out of turn two in the lead. Jeff Lessley was running in third when he almost got off in turn two. This let Brad Spencer move on up. Also on the move was Butch Cochran, who by now had taken fourth away from Lessley. Still not content, Spencer took over second from Rusin on lap six. The order at the flag was a checked-out Hocking, Spencer and Rusin. In the Maxima Racing Oils Modern 750cc main, Scott Dunlavey started from the pole position. Cochran jumped the start into the lead, but it was to no avail, as on the second lap his mount expired! Dunlavey was right on his tail and he took over at the front and went on to win by a full-straightaway lead. In the 250cc Open Megacycle Cams main, Jeff Corzonkoff led the majority of the race only to have it taken away down the back straight on the final lap by Brad Spencer Jr., while Ken Corpe finished third. In the Rod Lake Racing's 500cc Support event, only three machines made it to the final. Sonoma's Mike Riddell shot to the front from the (Above) Bob Scally (71Z1, here dueling with David Brown (51Z1, won the Senior contest in Vallejo, California. middle of the front row, hounded closely by Geilfuss and Abrams. On lap two, Abrams slipped past Geilfuss for second and set sail after Riddell. On lap four, Abrams was within striking distance, but he couldn't get by. Both riders circulated the track side by side, Riddell holding his position until lap seven, the final lap, when Abrams got about a 6-foot advantage and closed the door on Riddell. 40 MAY 29, 2002' eye I e n e _ s Abrams went on to win by two bike lengths, with Riddell second and Geilfuss third. The K&N/Maxxis Tires Open Amateur main had eight riders lined up to do battle. From the get-go, Brad Spencer Jr. put his Yamaha at the front. John Larson settled in second, with Robert Hansen in third. Abrams came from a midpack start and moved into third on lap three. On lap four, Larson made a mistake that advanced Abrams to second and Hansen to third - but by then Spencer had checked out, and that was to be the finishing order. At the trophy presentation, series tire sponsor Maxxis Tires awarded three dirt track tires to deserving series participants. Hats, T-shirts, water bottles and K&N lanyards were also distributed to the crowd. Round two of the Eddie Mulder series moves to Ventura Raceway on June 29, with a $3000 purse - the largest of any such event. This will be CN interesting! Vellejn Speed.ey 2 Vellejn, CelifDmie Results: April 27, 2002 (Round 1J SR: 1. Bob Scony: 2. Don Phillips: 3. Bud Riddle. SR NOV / S/SR: 1. Jim Chisum; 2. Bud Riddle: 3. Hank Cosio. YTH 50: 1. Marcus Fragoso; 2. Luke Howes. YTH 60: 1. J.D. Beach; 2. Jess Gerda; 3. Angela Fregoso. YTH 80: 1, Lauren Wallece; 2. Stevie Bonsey; 3. Jess Gllrcia. VET A: 1. Brlld Spencer; 2. Tyee Heebner: 3. Richard Pollock. VET 8: 1. John lllrson; 2. Paul Rusin; 3. Mike Freeman. ClSC 2S0: 1. Cory Buck; 2. Chris Rudy; 3. Carter Fisher. CLSC 500: 1. Jimmy Abrams: 2. David Brown; 3. Alan Shaw. DINO: I. Mark Milton. MORN 250: I. Mark LeGerra; 2. Chris Geilfuss: 3. Ron Lessley. /tIDRN 500: 1. Rick Hocking; 2. Bred Spencer; 3. Paul Rusin. MORN 750: 1. Scott Dunlavey; 2. Gery Beach: 3. Bob Scony. 250 OPEN: 1. Bredley Spencer Jr.; 2. Jeff Corzonkoff; 3. Ken Corpe. 500 SOP: 1. Jimmy Abrems; 2. Mike Riddell: 3. Chris Geilfuss. OPEN AM: 1. Bredley Spencer Jr.; 2. Jimmy Abrems; 3. Robert Hansen. PRO 600: I. Anthony Giammllnco; 2. Brlld Spencer; 3. Frllnk Garcill: 4. Bob Grllnt; 5. Richard Pollock.

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