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AHRMA/Speed & Sport National Vintage Motocross Series Round 9: Evansville Raceway STORY AND PHOTOS BY MATT BENSON BERWICK, PA, JUNE 29 he American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association's 2002 Vintage Motocross Series passed its halfway point amid the lush greenery and big hills of eastern Pennsylvania's Evansville Raceway. The challenging circuit was in prime condition, and so were Ohio Experts Kevin Brown and Mark Mackay. Mackay did his business in the rider-age classes, sweeping all four motos in Open Age Expert and Over 40 Expert classes aboard his 1974 Honda 250cc Elsinore. Brown rode a pair of 1974 Pentons to 1-1 wins in the Sportsman 250cc Expert and Sportsman 500cc Expert classes. When the pair met in the 250cc class, Mackay carded second to Brown in the first moto but then experienced problems in race two and was credited with ninth in the moto and sixth overall. More than 150 entries came to the starting line with their 1974-and-older motorcycles on a bright, warm day. The attrition rate for the old machines seemed unusually high, keeping a four-wheeler busy towing disabled motorcycles up out of the steep valley to the pit area on top. The track stayed in excellent shape all day, however, with a breeze quickly taking away the small amount of dust that was raised. Things got off to a fast start as the Over 40 Experts kicked off the race day. Mackay spent most of the first moto battling with Ossa-mounted Robert Haag before opening a small gap on the last lap. After a close race for third, Maico man Edward Schaefer took the checkers ahead of Stephen Clare and Eric Betzenberger. The second time out, Mackay again had to fight off Haag to earn the moto victory and the overall win, while the Massachusetts rider's 2-2 guaranteed him second on the day. Behind them, things weren't as consistent. Honda rider Jeffrey Clark was a comfortable third, but his eighth- Kevin Brown rode a pair of Pentons to wins In the Sportsman 250cc Expert and Sportsman 500cc Expert classes at the ninth round of the AHRMA/Speed & Sport NatIonal Vintage Motocross Serles. place fInish in the opening moto only earned him fourth overall. Schaefer was third in the fInal standings with 3-6 fInishes. On his way to the Open Age Expert win, Mackay was chased in the first moto by a pair of Ways Daniel, in second on a Can-Am, and Montesa-mounted James in third. In the second race, Mackay opened a margin over a close contest between Darin Emswiler, Jeffrey Clark and Daniel Way. Emswiler's 4-2 fInishes earned him second overall to Mackay, while Daniel Way's 2-4 score was good for third and Clark was fourth with a 5-3 card. The best racing in this moto was in Open Age Intermediate portion, where Husky rider Mark Grasso narrowly held off Elsinore pilot Steven Isenhour in both races to take the overall win. Defending class champion Brown dominated both Sportsman 250cc Expert races, leaving Mackay to prevail in the dispute over the second spot with Haag and James Way in moto one. Mackay ran into problems the second time out and completed only one lap. Haag captured second in the race and second for the day with 3-2 finishes, ahead of Clark (5-3) and James Way (4-4). Brown moved to a Penton 400 for the Sportsman 500cc Expert race and again dusted the fIeld. When his pursuers sorted themselves out, it was Betzenberger and his Suzuki TM400 taking second for the day with 4-2 finishes, over Tom Boyd (3-4). Eamon Massett (5-3) and Jimmy Jerles (2-6). Another double-class winner was Quebec's Steve Tucker. He battled with fellow BSA rider Paul Havir to capture the Classic 250cc Expert victory and rode to an easy win in the Premier 500cc Expert class, over Corky Root. Tucker's plans for a triple were derailed in the fIrst Classic 500cc Expert moto when he lost spark; instead, the overall win went to Havir, and Tucker took home third-place points, behind Dean Hutchinson. The fourth double of the day went to Larry Towning. He rode a Husqvarna to the Classic 125cc Intermediate win by capturing the first moto well ahead of a battle between Marty Wyant and Bruce Rounsaville. Towning ended moto two directly behind his brother Dan, also on a Husky, and whose 7-1 finishes were good for third to Rounsaville's 3-4 score for second overall. Larry Towning, this time on a Yamaha, reversed his finishes in the Sportsman 250cc Intermediate contest, using a 1-2 score to take the overall ahead of Ben Wanke's 1-2 placings. Joe Abbate's 4-4 finishes were good enough for third overall this time. eN EVlnsvllle RlcewIY Barwick, Pennsylvlnll Results: June 29, 2002 [Huund 9 of 111 PREM L/W INT: 1. Timothy Cicor. (Duc). PREI'I l/W EX: 1. D.vid Boydstun (Cot): 2. Brian O'Connor (Due). PREM SOO INT: I. Ron.ld Wahl (BSA). PREM 500 EX: 1. Steve Tucker (BSA); 2. Corky Root (BSA). ClSC 125 INT: I. Lorry Towning (Hus): 2. Bruco Rounsaville (el); 3. Olln Towning (Hus); 4. Jay Wilson (Hod): 5.l'\ikel'litrione (Hus). Honda-mounted Mark Mackay (9F) pursues Ossa rider Robert Haag (74Y) in Over 40 Expert action in Berwick, Penns,ivania. Mackay went on to sweep this class as well as the Open Age Expert class. cue I e Malco-mounted Jimmy Jerles went uncontested in the Over 50 Expert class and ended the day ftfth overall In the Sportsman 500cc Expert class, with 2·6 finishes. ClSC 250 NOV: I. R.e Tyson (NS). CLSC 250 EX: I. Steve Tucker (BSA): 2. P.ul H.vlr (BSA). CLSC 500 INT: I. Cr.lg C.mpbell (Tri): 2. Jock McMillan (BSA); 3. Robelt Vincent (BSA); 4. Ronald W.hl (BSA). ClSC 500 EX: I. Paul H.vir (BSA): 2. Dean Hutchinson (BSA): 3. Steve Tucker (BSA): 4. Bri.n O'Connor (Duc). SPTSMN 125 NOV: 1. Jonathan Bren (Hen); 2. Alex C~milla (Han); 3. Chris Bren (Han); 4. Micheel Hart (Hon). SPTSMN 125 INT: 1. Bob Geiser (Hon): 2. Scott Nicholes (Kew); 3. Nick Boring (Han); 4. Rendy Holtenn.n (Suz): 5. Robert Gr..n (SUI). SPTSI'IN 125 EX: I. M.rk We.ver (SUI): 2. Derln Emswiler (Han); 3. Richard Hart (Han); 4. Daniel W.y (C·A): 5. Stephen CI.... (Hon). SPTSI'IN 250 NOV: 1. Greg Troy.n (Pen): 2. Jonathan Bren (Mon); 3. James Rice (Bul); 4. Wayne Miller (Hon); 5. George Bencene (Man). SPTSI'IN 250 INT: I. Lorry Towning (Yom): 2. Ben W.nke (Suz): 3. Joseph Abb.te (K.w): 4. Tim Roun5.'vllle (Hon): 5. Bryon Dalley (ass). SPTSI'IN 250 EX: 1. Kevin Brown (Pen): 2. Robert H••g (Oss): 3. Jeffrey CI.rk (Hon): 4. James W.y (Mon): 5. Tom H. Boyd (Kaw). SPTSI'IN 500 INT: I. Tom Grimmel (Hon): 2. Charles Homer (BSA); 3. Jerry Casciero (Cl); 4. Joe Lennert (Y.m): 5. Terry McDonnell (Hus). SPTSMN 500 EX: I. Kevin Brown (Pen): 2. Eric Betzenberger (Suz); 3. Tom H. Boyd (Kaw); 4. Eamon I'Iossett (Bul): 5. Jimmy Jones (l'Ioi). SPTSMN TW INT: I. Richie Baulch (Yom): 2. I'Iork Dedes (Tn). SP'TSIW'lN TW EX: 1. Tom France (Han). WMN NOV: 1. Carolyn Kautz (Hon); 2. Amy Douvlos (Suz). WMN INT: 1. Monlce McCready (Yam). 40. NOV: I. I'Iork A. Schmidt (Pen): 2. Wayne Miller (Hon): 3. James Rke (Bul 4. Jonathen Bren (l'Ion). 40. INT: 1. Terry McDonnell (Hus); 2. Joseph Abb.te (C·A): 3. Jerry Cascier" (Cl): 4. Tim Rounsaville (Hon); 5. Lee Curry (Han). 40. EX: 1. Mark Mackay (Han); 2. Robert Haag (ass); 3. Edward Scheefer (Mai); 4. Jeffrey Clark (Hon): 5. John Becker (Y.m). 50. NOV: 1. Jim Tydeman (Bul); 2. BIll Rodi (l'Ioi). 50. INT: I. Joe Lennert (Vern); 2. Bruce Rounsaville (Cl); 3. Jean PlJul urocque (Cl); 4. Jerry Boyd (l'Ioi): 5. Tim McCarthy (Bul). 50. EX: 1. Jimmy Jertes (Mai). 60. INT: 1. Bond Way (Mon); 2. Paul Busick (SUI). 60. EX: 1. Jerf Smith (BSA): 2. Corky Root (BSA). OPEN AGE NOV: I. Ale. Corrillo (Hon); 2. Bob Guerin (Cl): 3. Eric Leisner (Hus). OPEN AGE INT: I. l'I.rk Gr.sso (Hus): 2. Steven Isenhour (Han); 3. Tom Hart (Cl); 4. Alan Barlow (Hus). OPEN AGE EX: 1. I'Iork I'Iock.y (Hon): 2. Dorin Emswiler (Han); 3. Daniel Wey (C-A); 4. Jeffrey CI.rk (Hon): 5. J.mes W.y (l'Ion). n e _. • JULY 31, 2002 71