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Gene Romero's West Coast Flat Track Series Round 3: Watsonville Speedway (Left) Rod Spenc:er bagged two c:lass wins in the same night for the sec:ond time in West Coast Flat Trac:k Series history at Watsonville Speedway, winning the Open Pro and Open Vintage mains. (Right) Chris Canepa landed his sec:ond Novic:e 250c:c: Presented By Suzuki win of the season. STORV BV TONV KARIS FILE PHOTOS BV KAREN GOULO WATSONVIllE, CA, JUNE 1 11 amaha of Santa Cruz County pret'sented Gene Romero's West Coast Flat Track Series Tourist Trophy (TT) event at Watsonville Speedway; drawing riders from all over California and Oregon. Rod Spencer, of Morgan Hill, displayed masterful bike handling in both main events, backing up his Open Pro main with a win in the Open Vintage main for the second time in WCFTS history. Spencer, riding a 500cc Yamaha, out-dueled former AMA champion Rick Hocking of Livermore, also on a Yamaha, taking away Hocking's opportunity for a clean sweep in the Open Vintage class. Hocking began the night by following Lonnie Pauley of Bakersfield, who was on a 2002 600cc Rotax, in the second of three Open Pro heat races. Hocking went on to convincingly win the Open Pro trophy dash, following that up with a win in the first of two semis. He carried his winning momentum into the vintage class, capturing the fastest qualifying time and claiming the first of three heat races. He then duplicated his trophy-dash win. With a trophy in each hand, all that was left were the two main events. Coincidentally, Spencer finished second in the third heat race behind his brother, Brad, and also claimed the second Open Pro semi, putting Hocking on notice that his winning ways were fading. "I tend to prefer TT races to the ovals," Spencer said. "I like making the left- and right-hand turns." Ken Netto, of King City, riding a 600cc ATK, worked his way past 48 JULY 3, 2002 • cue • • three riders to win the B-main and earn a transfer spot into the Pro Open main. Netto finished fourth in the first heat race and then missed the last transfer spot into the main by placing fifth in the semi, which put him in the B-main. "The track was in great shape," Netto said. "I like a slightly tacky track as opposed to the dry slick." The three other transfer spots were won by Cupertino's Mike Besemer, on a CR500 Honda; series points leader Kevin Bricker, riding a Wood-Rotax; followed by Steve Hlebo. It wasn't until the main events that Spencer and Hocking got to race each other. Typical for the evening, the start of the race belonged to Hocking, but Spencer stayed close behind and began to work him, riding the rim of the track, through turns three and four and a few feet off the rim through turns one and two. Spencer attempted passes in the left· and right-hand turns just before the jump but was most successful flying off the top of turn four onto the front straightaway. "My friend, Chuck Miller, who used to race bikes and sprint cars with me, suggested 1 go to the top of the track," Spencer said. "There was good moisture on the top of turns three and four that allowed me to get on the throttle early and stay on it from the middle of the turn." The first restart of the Open Pro main was on lap eight, when Beau Brown, fastest qualifier for the evening, lost traction, letting the bike get out from under him in turn one. On the rolling restart, Spencer went to the top of three, stayed on the throttle and passed Hocking on the outside through tum four. n e vv s Spencer was stretching his lead when three riders went down going into turn one, bringing out the red flag on the eleventh lap. Jeremy Hannah, of Madera, was the first to go down, followed by Don Howard, of Fresno, and Tony Souza, of Lodi. They collided trying to avoid Hannah, and instead, Howard hit Hannah sending Howard over the handlebars, and Souza was stunned as his bike came to rest on top of him. All riders were able to walk away, albeit with aches, pains and bruises. On the restart, Spencer had the power on and was not to be challenged for the remainder of the 15lap A main. Hocking went up onto the rim between three and four and went too high, going off the track into the soft dirt on the backside of the turn, ending the race in eighth place. Mark Corsetti, of Pittsburg, winner of the third heat race and currently fifth in points, finished second to Spencer. Pauley, who is sixth in points, finished third with Dan Casey, of Pacifica, on an ATK finishing fourth. Series leader Bricker placed fifth. "I want to give the credit to my sponsor, Ron Wood, for providing me with a great bike," Corsetti said. "I'm looking forward to running the entire series for the championship." Of the two main events, Hocking fared better in the Open Vintage A main by finishing second. Paul Herman, of Paso Robles, put on a great show after starting one row behind the field due to a false start. He rode his way through the field to take the third-place trophy as well as the third heat race and second in the dash. Spencer's brother Brad, of Gilroy, finished fourth behind Herman, and Open Pro points leader Bricker fin· ished fifth. The Open Vintage B main event was won by the Roseburg, Oregon, traveler Dennis Pinheiro, riding a Yamaha. Mike Kibby, of Hanford, also on a Yamaha, placed second, and Stuart Cardott, from Aromas, riding a Triumph, won the last transfer spot by finishing third. The Suzuki Novice main event was an eight-lap shootout. Chris Canepa, of Hollister, currently second in points, was the winner. Series points leader David Brown, of Paso Robles, finished second. Third in the main and third in points was young Bradley Spencer, of Gilroy. The first of two heat races had Spencer first and Brown second. Canepa, followed by Brown's brother Daniel, also of Paso Robles, won the second heat race. The only lady in the field, Jocelin, from Santa Cruz, riding a Honda, finished fourth in the first heat race and eighth in the main event. The series will be back on the oval at the Watsonville Speedway on Saturday night, July 6th. CN WatsonviUe Speedway WatsonviUe, California Results: June 1, 2002 IRound 3 of 111 OPEN VINTAGE: 1. Rod Spencer (Vom); 2. Rick Hocking (Yam); 3. Paul HermtJn (Yam); 4. Brad Spencer (Yem); 5. Joe Clmere (Vern); 6. Robert BtIcose (Yllm): 7.Paul Rusin (Hon): 8. Chris Rudy (Vom); 9. Robert Scolly (Tri); 10. Oovid Nonce (Yllm); 11. Dennis Pinheiro (Yem); 12. Stu Cllrdott (Tri); 13. Mike Kibby (Vom); 14. Rod Loke (Vom); 15. Wayne Wllrrington (Hon). SUZUKI 2S0 NOVICE: I. Chris Conepo (Vom); 2. David Brown (YDm); 3. BrDdley Spencer (Yam); 4. A.J. KlrkpDtrick (KDw); 5. DDniel Brown (Y2Im); 6. Scott W2Itkins (Hon); 7. Louis C2Inep21 (Hon); 8. Jocelin (Hon); 9. Charlie McElroy (Kaw). OPEN PRO: 1. Rod Spencer (Vom); 2. Mork Corsetti (W·R); 3. Lonnie Pauley (W·R); 4. Danny Casey (ATK); 5. Kevin Bricker (Rtx); 6. Jesse Sonchez (CCM); 7. Billy Mortin (W·R); 8. Rick Hocking (Yam); 9. Ken Netto (YDm); 10. Mike Besemer (Hon); 11. Steve Hlebe (CCM); 12. Jeremy Honnoh (Hon); 13. Don Howord (W-R); 14. Tony Souzo (CCM); 15. Beou Brown (Vom).