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Yamaha New York State Night of Champions Frozen Ocean Moto-X Park Ryan Mills won the first 125cc ProlExpert moto but lost overall to Brock Sellards. Mills went on to win the 250cc ProlExpert class overall, though, at the Yamaha Night of Champions at Frozen Ocean Moto-X Park. the two heat races in a Saturday night shootout under the lights. With that level of sponsor support from the New York-area Yamaha dealers of Bethany RV and Marine, Fred's Sport Motor Inc., J&J Motorsports, Lanes Yamaha Inc., Precision Cycle and Mower, and Stone's Snow and Sled, multiplied by contingency awards from Kawasaki, Suzuki and Husqvarna, qualifying would not be a ride in the park. The first heat was a classic confrontation of the "ageless," as thirtysomething-year-young Barry Carsten battled lap after lap with the eventual heat winner, Amsoil-sponsored Mills. Heat two rocked the house, as Ty Wallace, Buckelew and Tom Kelley were quickest on the draw over Sellards and a pack of fast Pro riders. Sellards marched his way to the win by passing Kelley and capitalizing when Buckelew got bucked STORV AND PHOTOS BV LARRV WOOSTER AUBURN, NY, JUNE 29 Ii? he Yamaha New York State Night U of Champions at Frozen Ocean Moto-X Park featured more than $8000 in Pro prize money and 4-foot trophies like lightning rods to attract a storm of Pro and Expert riders from all parts of the country. Residents from California, Florida, Ohio, Maryland, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Pennsylvania came to rumble with a strong New York contingent of Pro competitors. KTM factory rider Brock Sellards joined up with MotoWorld.com Suzuki pilot Justin Buckelew to thrill the crowd, and especially the young riders. Sellards and Buckelew took time out for autographs and fan pictures in their pit all weekend long. New York's latest 16-year-old moto-phenom, Ryan Mills, led the list of resident Pros such as Carlo Coen and Aaron Dieter into stadiumcross competition. In the 125cc Pro/Expert class, 26 dudes with serious motocross attitudes were ready to battle for their share of more than $4000 in Yamaha sponsorship money. The excitement level escalated by having two separate heat races for the 125cc Pros, with the top eight riders advancing to the feature moto, and a last-chance qualifier was tapped for the remaining four gate choices. A Saturday-nightspecial, Yamaha-sponsored $500 Dash For Cash moto would also be run, pitting the top four riders from Sellards (18) takes the holeshot In the second 250cc ProlExpert moto en route to the overall victory. 56 AUGUST 7, 2002' cue I e n __ s off and Wallace crapped out in the long, deep, 11-bump whoop section of the track. Wallace would return to win the LCQ, with Chris Hunter, Jack Carpenter and Thomas Burton all advancing with him into the big dance. In the 125cc Dash For Cash, Sellards led from start line to finish line, while his strongest challengers, Mills and Kevin Crine, stumbled and Buckelew came up short with a big effort that was too late. Sellards would credit "the holeshot being 70 percent of the moto on a tight and technically challenging track like Frozen's stadiumcross track is" in his Victory Lane interview. The fences were lined and the grandstands were stuffed when the gate dropped on the 125cc Prof Expert feature moto. Sellards snatched the lead as Crine and Buckelew went at it bar to bar. Buckelew got around Crine by whaling on the tops of the whoops and soon reeled in Sellards. Buckelew repeatedly placed his front tire midbike on Sellards' factory-sponsored KTM, only to see Sellards get out in front time and again. On the final lap, Sellards instinctively swapped lines, taking over Buckelew's inside line, and Buckelew answered by railing on Sellards' old high-speed outside line, and he was still challenging for the win. Sellards took the big Yamaha check for $1100, and Buckelew earned $750 for second place. The 250cc Pro-Expert heat motos set Frozen Ocean ablaze. Buckelew, Crine and Wallace dominated heat one. In heat two, Sellards ruled the roost over Joe Oehlhof and Mills. The 250cc Yamaha Dash For Cash $500 check went to Sellards again, as he barely held off a hard-charging Crine. The 250cc feature moto was a reversal of fortunes for the top Pro riders. Mills cranked up the only 250cc two-stroker among the'top five or six competitors and claimed the holeshot. Crine got used to playing second fiddle and was joined by Carlos Coen in following Mills, but also leading Sellards. Coen couldn't make his Honda wide enough or long enough and Sellards made his pass stick. Mills invested his precious time leading the moto and collected the Yamaha $1100 check as his dividend. Crine claimed $750 for second place, and Sellards padded his wallet with another $550 for third. One pair of motocross boots ... $325. One rider's outfit... $175. New bike with a tricked-out suspension ... $11,123. Competing with Brock Sellards at Frozen Ocean Moto-X Park in Yamaha's "Night of Champions" race... PRICELESS. eN Frazen DClan Mata-X Part Auburn, NI. Yort Rlsults: June 29; 2002 50 SHAFT: L Brett McMichael (Yem); 2. Justin Moys (Vom); 3. Jeffrey Beordsley (Vom); 4. Cody Sawyer (Yam); 5. Brandon Lisenll (Yam). 50 CHAIN: 1. Andy Bristol (Cob); 2. Adorn Miles (Cob); 3. Dominic Perri (Kew); 4. Kyle Thompson (Cob); 5. Phillip Monchester (KTM). 60: 1. RYllin Bllzzard (KTM); 2. Samuel Jones (KTM); 3. Colton Hamon (Kaw); 4. J.J. Beck (Kaw); 5. Kyle Lentini (KTM). 80; 1. Scali Seors (SUl); 2. Fronk Bums (Kow); 3. Chad Dunning (Kaw); 4. Ryzln Blizzard (Hon); 5. Corey Dejong (Vom). 125 BEG: 1. Joke Pollock (Han); 2. Anthony Field (Kaw); 3. J~ Sutfin (Hon); 4. Jason Dimare (KTM); 5. Shown Bondel (Kow). 125 NOV: 1. Cody Dunning (Kow); 2. John Voung III (V.m): 3. Joe Merrill (SUl); 4. Fronk Bums (Kow); 5. Billy WolCUlc (Hon). 125 AM: 1. Steve Hunter (Yam); 2. Rich White (Kaw): 3. Jonathan Kriegbaum (Yam); 4. Thomas Addy (Han): 5. Scoll Se.rs (SUl). 125 PRO/EX: 1. Brock Sellords (KTM); 2. Juslln Buckelew (SUl); 3. Ryon Mills (Han); 4. Kevin Crine (Han); 5. Borry Corsten (SUl). 250/0PEN BEG: 1. Motthew Kellogg (Han); 2. B~rry Austin (Hon); 3. DllIrren Austin (Hon); 4. Andy Newton (KTM); 5. Chuck Morgon (KTM). 250/0PEN NOV: 1. John Young III (Yom); 2. Alex Kosatsehkow (Kaw); 3. Jecob Lope (Hon); 4. Moll Menicle (Kow); 5. Mike Knopp (KTM). 250/0PEN AM: J. Steve Hunter (Vom); 2. Rich White (Kaw); 3. Mark Houston (Hon); 4. Jason Doyle (Yam); 5. Jeffrey Curran (Yam). 250/0PEN PRO·EX: 1. Ryon Mills (Han); 2. Kevin Crine (Hon); 3. Brock Sellards (KTM); 4. Justin Buckelew (Suz): 5. Carlo Coen (Hon). SR NOV: 1. Alex Kosatschkow (Kaw): 2. Steve Dunton (Yom); 3. Mike Knopp (KTM); 4. Bob Muscovitch (Kaw); 5. Tom LeJuett (Hon). SR AM: 1. Martin Houston (Hon); 2. Aann Brushlnghom (Han): 3. Steve Westfoll (KTM); 4. Eath~n Carter (Kaw); 5. Mike Bemum (Suz). SR PRO· EX; 1. Borry Corsten (SUl); 2. Gayhn Dickson (Kaw); 3. Steve Desiderio (YllIm): 4. RoIlllKl Beck (Vom); 5. Mike Murr.y (Han).