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AHRMA/Speed & Sport National Vintage Motocross Series Round 8: Oak Hill MX Park STORY AND PHOTOS BY MOTO MOMMA DECATUR, TX, JaNE 9 17 he Wyman Priddy Memorial U event, hosted by the Texas Vintage Racing Club, opened with a tribute from Steve Wise. Texan Wyman Priddy was the greatest starter in the history of the sport. In 1972, Wyman Priddy finished third in the AMA 500cc National Championship. Former Kawasaki 125cc Pro rider Tom Benolkin was hot under the Texas sun, with win after win. He stayed on the gas all day long and flew over every jump. He only took a nosedive once, off jump 13, which was a miracle in itself, since he never Jet off the gas all day. He came flying out of the gate in the first Over 40 Expert moto, right behind Mark Skarpohl. However, Skarpohl didn't make it across the finish line, as his 1973 CZ "broke." On the white-flag lap, Van Hice was leading Dan Greenwood in a fight for second place, but Greenwood powered his 1975 Maico past Hice one last time for second. In the second moto, Benolkin missed the gate and rounded the first turn in last place. Hice got the holeshot, but he didn't keep the lead long. Benolkin quickly made it to the Tom Benolkin flew to the wins in the Sportsman 250cc Expert and Over 40 Expert classes at round eight of the AHRMAlSpeed & Sport National Vintage Motocross Series. front of the pack, with Skarpohl and Greenwood biting at his heels. But it just wasn't Skarpohl's day: He went down in the third turn on lap three, though he still managed to finish fourth. Benolkin took a 1-1 win, while Greenwood settled for a 2-2 tally. A change of bike was a nice change of pace for Skarpohl. He took the holeshot in the Classic 500cc Expert contest on his 1967 CZ, with Chad Mcintosh, Garry Mayfield and John Hull right behind him. He finished with a 1-1 win. Mcintosh took a 2-2. Hull is a newcomer to the game and has a bad case of the "MX virus." Sponsored by Diamond Don Racing and riding the "Ditch Witch" (a 1973 CZ carrying Brad Lackey's number), Hull grabbed first place in the Over 40 Novice and Sportsman 500cc Novice classes. Lackey rides the bike any time he can get to the races east of the Mississippi. Race five was a mix of the Over 60, Women's, Open Age Novice and Premier Lightweight Expert classes. John Huegel, an Over 60 Expert, grabbed the holeshot on his 1974 Yamaha. Dave Boydstun came off the line wide open on his 1966 Cotton and slid into third place in the first turn. He quickly took over the lead. Corky Root, also an Over 60 Expert, stayed on Huegel's bumper for a lap or two but passed him when it counted to take first place in his event. In the second moto, Huegel got the holeshot again, with Boydstun close behind. Boydstun took the lead in the third corner and went on to take the 1-1 wins. Huegel wasn't letting Root by this time and finished with a 2-1 tally for the first-place trophy. Don Rainey sure had a hard time on the first turn. In the second moto of the Post-Vintage Over 50 Expert contest, he went down and took several riders with him. He jumped out of the gate in the Open Age Expert moto and had the same problem in the same spot on that bad first turn. He did keep the bike stand· ing, but James Greenleaf and Curtis Harper were long gone. Greenleaf finished 1 -I, Harper went 2-2, and Rainey went 3-3. Rainey finally found the holeshot in the Over 50 Expert Vintage moto on his 1974 Honda Elsinore - but he didn't keep that lead for long. Greenwood was the man to beat on that day, finishing 1-1 to Rainey's 2-2. eN Olk Hili MX Plrk Decatur, TellS Results: June 9, ZOOZ [Round 8 of 181 PREM!./W INT: 1. Jerry Sibley (CI). PREM!./W EX: I. David Boydstun (Cal). PREM 500 EX: 1. Chad Mcintosh (Mat): 2. Corky Root (BSA). elSe 125 NOV: 1. Lawrence Greer (Ric). eLSC 125 INT: I. Ike Winchell (Mrk). CLSC 250 INT: 1. Phil Grundy (BSA). CLSC 250 EX: 1. Mark Skarpohl (CI). Diamond Don Rainey (53) grabs the holeshot, with Over 50 Intermediate rider Dal Smilie (42) and Rainey's fellow Over 50 Expert rider Dan Greenwood (624) coming on fast in Decatur, Texas. 70 JULY 10. 2002' cue • e n e _ s Alex Reid (49X) Jumps out in front of Mark Skarpohl (25) and Benolkin (39) in the Over 40 Expert class. CLCS 500 INT: I. Eugene Waggoner (Ric); 2. Devid Deen (BSA). CLSC 500 EX: I. Mork Skarpohl (CI): 2. Chad Mcintosh (Mot). SPTSMN 125 NOV: 1. Jeff Chenoweth (Han): 2. Jonathan Bre" (Hon). SPTSI'IN 125 INT: 1. Scott Lawson (Han): 2. Chris Morton (Hon). SPTSMN 250 NOV: 1. Jonathan Bren (Mon); 2. Jod)' Harris (Yam); 3. Jerry Nelson (Hon). SPTSMN 250 INT: 1. Larry Shope (Pen): 2. Britt Lambert (Bul). SPTSMN 250 EX: 1. Tom Benolkin (Hon); 2. Scott Anderson (Suz). SPTSI'IN 500 NOV: 1. John Hull (CI): 2. Theron Warren (Mal); 3. Randall Chieca (Yam). SPTSMN 500 INT: I. Mike Mitrione (Bul); 2. Gary Graves (Yam): 3. Red Griffin (Suz); 4. Preston Cooper (CI). SPTSI'IN 500 EX: I. Van Hice (Mai): 2. Alex Reid (Bul); 3. James Greenleaf (Mai); 4. Scott Mark Skarpohl took the Classic 250cc Expert and Classic 500cc Expert victories at Oak Hill MX Park, though his 1973 CZ (pIctured) broke in the Over 40 Expert contest. Anderson (Suz). SPTSMN 1W NOV: 1. Wayne Rantz (Yam). OPEN AGE NOV: 1. Jeff Chenoweth; 2. Marc Pape (Han). OPEN AGE EX: I. James Greenlear (Mai): 2. Curtis Harper: 3. Don RlIiney (Han). 40+ NOV: 1. John Hull (el): 2. Jerry Morrison (Han); 3. Jonathan Bren (Man). 40+ INT: 1. Mike Mitrione (Bul); 2. Gary Graves (Yam); 3. Preston Cooper (CI). 40+ EX: 1. Tom Benolkin (Han); 2. Olin Greenwood (Mai); 3. Alex Reid (Bul); 4. Van Hice (Moi): 5. Mark Skarpohl (CI). 50. NOV: 1. Jac:k Kramer (Hus); 2. Frank Spangler (BSA). 50. INT: 1. Tim McCarthy (Bul): 2. Larry Shope (Pen): 3. Skip Miller (Pen): 4. Phil Grundy (C-A); 5. Oal Smilie (Han). 50. EX: 1. Dan Greenwood (Mai); 2. Don Rainey (Han). 60. NOV: 1. Teddy lllnders (Pen); 2. Bill Decker (BSA). 50. INT: I. David Dean (BSA): 2. Jerry Sibley (CI). 50. EX: 1. John Huegel (Yam); 2. Corky Root (Bul).