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times for the lead pack were around
the 22-minute range, meaning a sixlap race for the top 10 riders. Traction was good in most places, with
dust being a slight problem in the
open sections. Stone averaged an
eye-watering 25.4 mph.
"I pulled the holeshot and led until
somebody started screaming behind
me," Stone recounted. "( looked back
and saw Wuebbeling, so I just moved
over and let him by. I didn't really
want to set the pace anyway, since I
was afraid that I might go too fast and
wear myself out."
At the end of a lap, the top eight
riders were just 20 seconds apart.
Behind Wuebbeling and Stone came
Aaron Shaw, Thiele and Brandon
Forrester. Series points leader Chris
Nesbitt had his Pro Circuit/Renthal/
Moose/Scott/Factory Effex-backed
Kawasaki in sixth, just ahead of
SCR/Yamaha's Steve Leivan, on his
YZ250F. Matt Pursley had recovered
from a turn-two spill to hold eighth.
Nothing much changed during the
second lap, although Thiele and
Shaw swapped places. During lap
three, the race lost its "fun factor" for
Shaw and the KTM rider pulled out of
the race. Wuebbeling held the lead
after just over an hour, with Stone
close behind, followed equally closely
by Thiele. Forrester, Nesbitt and
Leivan were battling for fourth, 35
seconds down. Leivan was able to
overtake both Nesbitt and Forrester
starting lap four when the Kawasaki
pilots both stopped for fuel. The ninetime and defending series champion
thought that this might be the break
he was looking for.
"I had been eating dust the whole
race, but I finally had a clear track
and thought I could make up some
time," explained Leivan, "but I got
together with a lapper, went down,
and those guys passed me back. So I
had to start all over again."
Forrester dropped out of the race
with mechanical problems during the
fifth lap, making the running order at
the white flag: Wuebbeling, who was
24 seconds ahead of Stone; Thiele,
who was another 23 ticks back; followed by Nesbitt, who was an additional 32 seconds down; and Leivan,
who had turned in the fastest fifth lap
and had reeled in Nesbitt.
Stone pulled out all the stops in an
effort to catch Wuebbeling and did
just that midway through the final lap
when Wuebbeling went down. Stone
maintained his torrid pace and turned
in a blistering 21 :41 lap time to take
the victory.
"The track was brutal," Stone said.
"Wuebbeling was going good, and I
had to ride hard just to keep him in
sight. If he hadn't fallen, I don't know
that I would have won. "
Wuebbeling held on to finish second, his best result of the year. Thiele
completed the top three with his solid
ride, despite riding with a rear flat in
the late stages of the event.
With the exception of Stone, Nesbitt and Leivan were the two fastest
riders on the track on the last lap.
The two friends pushed each other to
within eight seconds of Thiele, but in
the end Nesbitt settled for fourth, with
Answer/Dunlop/Silkolene/Scott/Race
Tech-backed Leivan finishing fifth.
In sixth was Yamaha rider Dale
Rector. The winner of round two tangled with Honda-mounted Lars Valin
less than 30 seconds into the race
and had to fight an uphill battle all
day. With lap times very similar to
the those of the riders ahead of him,
a better start might have made the
difference.
Pursley finished his ride in seventh,
with the winner of the A class, Rick
Matteson, in eighth. Ninth went to
Mike Windmann on his YZ426F, while
David Taylor tumed in his best ride of
the year to round out the top 10 and
take runner-up in the A division.
CIIII
good mud-riding skills, riding fast and steadily
artd on the attack. Lartgel won the Mini Junior
class over Eric Holland and Kevin Davis. One
of the best battles of the day was in the Mini
Extra class, irt which Langel battled dowrt to
the last lap with Cody Minard and Michael
Browrt. Lartgel dominated molo orte but had 10
battle hard in the second moto. Minord had
the early lead; Langel buzzed past Brown artd
was putting the pressure on Minard on the last
lap. Langel made his move past through the
downhill whoops and held steody to the
checkered flag, with Minard a close secortd
ond Brown third.
Mike Tolliver was another lop rider of the
day.takirtg the 16-24 mota wirts artd also taking a hard-fought win in the competitive
125cc Intermediate class. Tolliver seemed to
be getting used to the track irt the eariy mota.
but he was in top form in mota two and was
making his YZ250F four-stroke bark through
the SVR hillsides. Tolliver took the 16-24class win over Scott Darling and Clinton
Pierce. He also had a great battle in the 125cc
Intermediate class. In mota two, Timmy Hollenbeck had the lead, and Tolliver was a close
second. Hollertbeck had taken mota orte. over
Tolliver. and Tolliver was ready to hang with
the speedy Hollenbeck in mota two. As the
white flag came out, the two raced out of sight
irtto the valley ond up the stairsteps. Tolliver
reappeared all alone, as Hollenbeck hod a
mechanical failure, ending his day. That
opened the door for Darling and Pierce to
move up. Tolliver took advantage of Hollertbeck's misfortune and took an easy win. Darling held off Pierce for secortd overall.
R.sults
Misseuri Dirt Riders
Westphalia, Missoari
Results: May 5, 2DD2 IRa ad &J
O/A: I. Doug Stone (Hon); 2. Ryon Wuebbeling
(Kow); 3. Chris Thiele (Kew); 4. Chris Nesbitt (Kow);
5. Steve Leivon (Yem); 6. Dole Rector (Yom); 7. Matt
Pursley (KTM); 8. Rick Motteson (Kow); 9. Mike
Windmann (Yam); 10. ~vid Taylor (KTM).
M; 1. Ryen Wuebbeling (Kow); 2. Chris Thiele
(Ke ....); 3. Chris Nesbitt (Kew); 4. Steve Leivan
(Yom); 5. Dole Rector (Yom).
A: 1. Rick Metteson (K8W); 2. David Teylor
(KTM); 3. Trocy Boumon (KTM); 4. Trovis Pllont
(Hon); 5. Chorles Thiele (Kow).
200 B; I. Josh Murroy (KTM); 2. Cosey Hinkel
(KTM); 3. Note Lone (Yom); 4. Scott Loppe (KTM);
5. Jemes Sloan (Yam).
250 B: 1. Bred Crain (KTM); 2. Danny Crawford
P/W BEG: 1. Austin Reese (Han): 2. Zach Hur (Yam): 3. J.Kcltl
Thomas (Yem).
PfW JR: 1. JIlCOb ThornIls (KTM).
P/W SR: 1.
_ _ Lo;an Kemow
lKT").
(KTM); 2. Cade Clason (KTM.); 3.
65 BEG: 1. Michael Berker (Kaw): 2. R.J. Rene (Kew): 3.
_Unum (....).
65 (7·9): I. Kevin Davis (Kaw); 2. Teb Gordon (Kaw): 3. Teylor
Spa'" (!