Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128163
tion, as well as healthy crowds of spectators. Located just Inland of Monterey, Salinas is a prime location for motocross racing during the hot Celiforni8 summer. For the second time this year. the arena that is used for bullriding, calf-roping and barrel-racing opened its doors to the higb-flying CMA Bounty Hunter series. and nobody left disappointed. The little guys on the 50s got things going. The Pee Wees always seem to get some of the loudest cheers. Templeton, Califomia's Jessy Nelson was simply head and shoulders above all other riders. He blew through the heat race on his KTM. In the main event, he took the lead on the first lap and never looked back. Another KTM rider, R.J. Mendez, only managed fourth place in the heat race but IICC','IIIT' improved considerably in the main event. r.,. ,.,, • VIR.. placing second. Michael Maze rounded out the podium on his water-cooled Cobra. There was a Ie:rge contingent of riders from the Central San Joaquin Valley in attendance. most of whom were there to escape the scorching valley heat for a couple of days. There was some competition between the locals and the valley guys to see who would dominate the podiums. While the locals headlined the 50cc class. the inlanders got revenge in the 65cc class. Bakersfield's Kyle Kessinger swept his heat and main event in the evening program, screaming his KTM around the technical. supercross-style track and dazzling his AMA's road racers are buffing up before they slip out of their leathers to strut their stuff in pursuit of the second most prestigious title in motorcycling, the inaugural Pit Daddy beauty pageant. If you've ever wondered what your favorite rider looks like out of his gear, stick around for Sunday night where all will be revealed. We go below the lap times and beneath the leather when we present the inaugural Pit Daddy competition benefiting the Clayton Memorial Foundation, helping injured riders. new fans. Behind him was "Insane" James Culbertson of Sanger, Califomia. Culbertson is normally a Novice rider, so his podium performance against some of the Intermediate riders was especially impressive. Jake Locks, a CMA northern region regular. was third. Nicolas Baker won the hotly contested 85cc class. but not without some challenge. Les Soito was hot on his heels in the heat race. but a bad start helped Baker stay clear of him in the main. Hollister's Joshua Ouppong presented a challenge in the main event, but Baker won conVincingly and, being from Clovis. scored one for the valley riders. The big-bike classes were really something to S~ There were separate main events for 125s and 2505. but the top riders out of each class would compete in the Bounty Hunter main, the final event of the evening. Lodi's Daniel Blair won both classes on his YamZlhlll four-strokes, despite some competition from Micheel Young end, to a lesser extent, Scott Davis and Jeff Pestana. Billy Jurevich and David Boothe added to the Pro talent pool, while some top Amateurs such as Buffalo Soito, Casey Hinson and Matt Gaines would round out the main-event field. Almost every male AMA road racer you can think of will be a part of the beauty pageant that features two categories-formal wear and swim wear. Contestants will first parade in their riding leathers, then return to the stage for a second time in swim suits donated by Quicksilver. You can also win thousands of dollars worth of prizes that will be raffled of on the evening. For more information head to the Cycle News booth. The evening start at 6:30pm at the pavillion in the main paddock. For further information on the Pit Daddy Raffle and Prizes, go to www.cyclenews.com and click on Pit Daddy link. Contestants Bounty Hunter races feature single+fiIe starts. The starting order is determined by qualifying. with the slowest rider in front and the fastest in back. That meant that Young and Blair started about 100 yards behind the front of the pack. Coarsegold's Matt Gaines jumped out to the early lead on his CR250. While a lot of riders immediately began bat- *__ u r--------------,tu >; Kawasaki Let the e:ood times roll. ~ I Clarte i 1:1I @brembo :: YAMAHA ~~- PeI'fomlanQ RacIng z • SUZUKI ill ~ I w '" 8 YES! Start my subscription imme- w ~ diately to Cycle News. 1 year/50 issues for $45.00. (can be billed 2 monthly payments) ~ o o Name Address City _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 5tate o Zip Phone _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Order Date Send to: I!JII1/iI iLlI!.I!JlM, Inc. o o o P.O. Box 5084, Costa Mesa, CA 92628-5084 salina. Rodeo Ground.: Even though he had to start near the back of the peck, Moto XXX's Michael Young brought home the biggest paycheck by winning the Bounty Hunter main event In salinas, California. Toll Free Subscription Hotline (800) 831-2220 24-hour FAX Order Line (714) 751-6685 • E-mail: 5ubscribe@cyclenews.com Signature Every week for two years (100 issues for $80.(0) Six months second class (25 issues for $23.(0) This is a New Subscription o Renewal Please bill me 1 payment of $45.00 Bill 2 payments of $22.50 Enclosed is my check or money order Charge my One year (SO MC/Visa# Expiration Date VISa o _ 0 Mastercard -.ues). 2nd class CanadI 01' Mexico ~-:~':a7~le~~·lst ~------------------------------------------------_. n _ _ ... • JULY 17, 2002 55 ... U III I •