Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

punched in his calf by the kickstarter of an RM400 before the meet. "Mother told me motorcycles are dangerous," said McPeters. In the Novice class, Ray Dey is always near the winning position, and this day was no exception. He took first place, the second-place rider was Jeff Mount, on a Yamaha, and third place went to Gary Ungbeck, aboard a Bultaco. After several hours of fun on the LTM trials loop, the trials riders gathered with Post- Vintage motocross riders for a combined awards ceremony. All this fun was followed by a free "thank-you" barbecue put on by track owner "J.R." Ramsay. Without the generosity of the following volunteers and staff, the AHRMA trials would have been just another event: Jake Crosby, Claude and Sy McElvain, Jennifer McElvain, Tammy and Wayne Mount, Patti Root, Kay McCullough, Dal Smilie, Mike and Shari Cholar, Craig and Pat Campbell, Bob Egan, Brian Maraskine, Mark Dedes, Bruce and Eileen Carman, Nancy Schmutzler, Dave Sanders, Jerry and Carol Rewerts, Jean and Sandi Ramsay, Nadine Darling, Mark Papp, .Joan Knapp, and Dale Schmutzler; their efforts are appreciated. eN Liacola T ~ Motasparts Parll .. Casey, IBiaais Results: May 18, 2002 IRauad 8J BEG: 1. Steve Williams (Mon); 2. Jacob Crosby (Yom); 3. Grogg Ress (Suz); 4. Scett Schmidt (BSA). MORN ClSC NOV; 1. Roy Dey (Oss); 2. Jeff Mount (Vern); 3. Gary Lingbeck (Bul); 4. Duene Johnson (Oss); 5. W8yne Mount (Y8m). MORN ClSC INT; I. Jomes Smith (Hon); 2. Robert Lord (Yam): 3. Tony Kirk (Vern): 4. Bruce Gibbar (Yam): 5. Michael McPeters (Suz). MORN ClSC EX; 1. Keith Dunlep (Yom); 2. Chris Eddy (Yam); 3. Rick Shaw (Hon). ClSC NOV; 1. Scott Kim (Hon). ClSC INT; 1. Richord Dippold (Bul). PREM L/W NOV; 1. Roodoll Witt (Gre); 2. Lorry Williamson (Tn): 3. Ken B.!lles (Tri): 4. Tim Check (Gre); 5. Duone Riddle (Tri). PREM L/W INT: 1. Bruce Clegg (Gre); 2. Joe Clogg (Gre); 3. Edword Logon (BSA); 4. Roy Corlew (Tri); 5. Tom Boyde (BSA). PREM L/W EX; 1. Bob Ginder (Jom); 2. Mike P8rsley (Tri); 3. Gnllham Foster (Tri). PREM HIW NOV: 1. Dole Kuykendoll (R·E). PREM HIW INT: 1. Ron Winget (BSA); 2. Don Schmutzl... (BSA). AHRMAlSpeed & Sport National Vintage Motocross Series Round 5: Uncoln hil Motosports Park Benolkin Comes Back By RON WINGET CASEY,IL, MAY 19 ith two Vintage events under their belts on the previous day, AHRMA enthusiasts showed up again on Sunday, May 19, in Casey, Illinois, for the weekend's third and most climactic event - round five of the AHRMA Speed & Sport National Vintage Motocross Series. On a 1.2-mile natural-terrain course within the Lincoln Trail Motosports Park grounds, nearly 300 entrants raced on what track owner Jean Ramsay refers to as "The Grass Track." But don't misunderstand: In addition to grass, there was also considerable sand, some hard-pack, and naturally some of that famous LTM mud. One of the biggest treats of the day was watching former Pro rider Thomas Benolkin of Andover, Minnesota, ride his 250cc Elsinore. In the late '70s and early '80s, Benolkin rode for Honda and Kawasaki, in the company of riders such as Noyce, Glover and Ward. His proudest moment was finishing third, behind O'Mara and Bamett, at the 1980 U.S. Gran Prix at Mid-Ohio, aboard a factory RC-125 Honda. After 15 years away from racing, Benolkin has found AHRMA and discovered that the Vintage motocross fire still burns in his heart. To describe his riding style as "flamboyant" would be an understatement. At Casey, Benolkin didn't just ride this Honda, he hammered it. The 30-year-old bike that Thomas willed W 66 JUNE 12, 2002' DUD I e around the course touched down rarely, and then on only one wheel at a time. Regardless of the Elsinore's sliding, swapping, thrashing or wheeleying trajectory, Benolkin held the throttle to the stops and pushed on. It was hard to understand how his 42-year-old body - much less his machine - could take the beating. When asked why he had never earned a championship, Benolkin replied, "Because the bikes wouldn't hold together." Imagine that! In both Sportsman 250cc Expert motos, Benolkin lead from flag to flag, with Kevin Brown and Tom Bellamy in hot pursuit. They finished in that order. However, things did not go as well in the Over 40 Expert races, where Benolkin's Honda lost its exhaust pipe in the first moto and he scored a DNF. Yamaha-mounted Bellamy took advantage of the situation, winning the first moto and holding on to second in the next moto to take the win for the day. Second and third place went to the consistent-riding Canadian Rick Hudson and Hondamounted Bill Patton. In Premier Lightweight Intermediate action, birthday boy Danny Beher raced his 250cc Ducati Scrambler to first place in both motos. Behind him in second was Ohioan Charlie Schank, who had stopped at Casey to race before continuing the family move to Seattle, U-Haul truck and all. In third was Chris Makynen, on her trusty C 15 BSA, with Maico man Jim McCabe pulling down fourth. n e _ s Lincoln Trail Motosports Parte As you can see, AHRMA MX riders are fierce competitors. Chris Makynen (4Y) and Charles Schank (77C) psyche each other up (or "out"?) before pulling to the line for the Premier Lightweight Intennediate race at round five of the AHRMAlSpeed & Sport National Vintage MX series in Casey, Illinois. Exciting racing ensued in the Over 50 Expert class, where these mature riders should know better. Riding a big-bore Maico into the first turn of the first moto, Alex Moroz's foot slipped off the peg, resulting in a broken tibia. Jimmy Jerles' Maico was better-mannered and carried him to the overall win. Behind him, Jim McCulloch and Alex Krisher battled for second, with a different rider winning each moto - but as they say, third is the same as second at the start of the second moto, and the crafty McCulloch took that philosophy to heart, earning second place overall. Intermediate rider Mike Mitrione of New Jersey had cracked his pelvis in a crash at an AHRMA National in Aonia, Georgia, on March 24, but he was healed enough to race again at Casey. However, his stamina was tested when he rode back to back in the Sportsman 500cc and Classic 125cc races, while battling with AHRMA executive director David Lamberth in the Classic 125cc contest. After finishing a respectable third in each of the Sportsman 500cc races, Mitrione's mechanic would be waiting at the start line to trade the big Bultaco for a little 125cc Husqvarna. All went well until the Husky's motor packed up two corners from the checkered flag in the last moto of the day and Mike was forced to push the 125 through to the finish line. Broken hip or no, Mitrione passed the test. The Sportsman 125cc Intermediate contest provided several very closely matched riders, competing in and around Sportsman 125cc Experts and Novices who had started in the same gate. John Rinkenberg, after a 10-year retirement and on the same 125cc Elsinore he had bought new in the early 1970s, took the overall from Zanesville, Ohio, brothers Dan Towning in second and Larry Towning in third. Off-road director David Boydstun and LTM trophy girl Nadine Darling organized the awards and handed out plaques to deserving racers. Upon opening the ceremony, Boydstun offered thanks to the LTM volunteers and staff for an awesome AHRMA motocross event. eN Uncela T..i1 MetlIsports Peril Casey, lIIiaals Results: May II, 200Z IlIllund 5J SPTSMN 125 NOV: I. Michoel Hort (Hon); 2. Mike Hortney (Hon); 3. Jeff Chenoweth (Hon); 4. /IIork Pope (Hen); 5. Clint Pulliom (Kow). SPTSMN t25 INT: 1. John Rinkenberg (Hon); 2. Olin Towning (Suz); 3. Larry Townlng (Hon); 4. Rex Stricklllnd (Hon); 5. Cherles Carter (SUl). SPTSMN 125 EX: 1. Blli Nozelrod (Hen); 2. John Ziske (Hon); 3. Eric Muffley (Hon); 4. JlIImes Smith (C·A); 5. Pot O·Conner (Hen). SPTSMN 250 NOV; 1. Greg Troyon (Pen); 2. Jim Gilbert (C·A); 3. Gory Ungbeck (Kow); 4. Mitch Winder (Bul); 5. Alex Londer (Pen). SPTSMN 250 INT: I. Rex Strlcklond (Hon); 2. Alex Krisher (C·Al; 3. Shewn Sender (Rek); 4. Kevin Kline (Hon); 5. Bruce Plltrick (Bul). SPTSMN 250 EX: 1. Tom Benolkin (Hon); 2. Kevin Brown (Pen); 3. Tom Bellamy (Yam): 4. Mark /IIocklly (Hen); 5. Jeffrey Clork (Hon). SPTSMN 500 NOV: I. J.D. Piper (Cl): 2. /IIork Schmidt (Pen); 3. Bill Borrow (CCM); 4. John Hemond.. (Moi); 5. Michoel Cholor (AJS). SPTSMN 500 INT: 1. Tom Brunholtz (/IIoi); 2. Ben Wanke (Suz); 3. Mike Mltrione (Bul): 4. Stan Newton (Hus); 5. Preston Cooper (CZ). SPTSMN 500 EX: 1. Kevin Brown (Pen); 2. Bill Patton (Mai): 3. Jimmy Jerles (Mai); 4. Rick Hudson (/IIoi); 5. Chris Richordson (Cl). SPTSMN OPEN TW NOV: I. Woyne Rontz (Yom). SPTSMN OPEN TW INT: I. /IIork Oedes (Tri): 2. Undell Siler (YlIIm). ClSC 125 NOV: 1. lowrence Greer (Ric); 2. Jllson Pease (Hon); 3. Steve Smith (Hod); 4. Uoyd Chenoweth (Hus); 5. Mik~ Bulpitt (Hod). ClSC 125 INT: 1. Dovid lomberth (Hon); 2. Larry Towning (Hus); 3. SlIstUI Rinaldo (DKW); 4. Poul Jenson (Hon); 5. lynn Wlllioms (Cl). ClSC 125 EX: 1. Spencer Bolenline (Pen). ClSC 250 INT: 1. Don Boker (AJS); 2. Poul J~nsen (Hon); 3. Lynn WlIlillms (Cl); 4. Richllrd Anderson (Hus); 5. Chris /IIokynen (BSA). CLSC 250 EX: I. Steve Tucker (BSA). CLSC 500 NOV: I. Duone Riddle (BSA); 2. Michoel Donner (Hus); 3. Michoel Cholor (AJS). ClSC 500 INT: I. Poul Gront (Ric); 2. Croig Compbell (Tri); 3. Don Boker (AJS); 4. Ron Winget (BSA); 5. Woyne Mount (BSA). CLSC 500 EX: 1. Steve Tucker (BSA): 2. JlImes Smith (BSA); 3. Cloude McElvoin (BSA). PREM L/W INT: 1. Don Beher (Due); 2. Cherles Schonk (Moi); 3. Chris Mokynen (BSA); 4. Jim Moeobe (/IIoi). PREM l/W EX: 1. Dovid Boydstun (Cot); 2. Corky Root (Gre). PREM 500 NOV: 1. Tommy Ritz (BSA); 2. Jim Cemeron (BSA). PREM SOO INT: I. Jim Roble (Mot); 2. Woyne

• Cover