Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Yamaha New York State Day of Champions Frozen Ocean Moto-X Park STORY AND PHOTOS BY LARRY WOOSTER AUBURN, NY, JUNE 30 he Yamaha Day of Champions race thundered to life at Frozen Ocean Moto-X Park. Even before the first Pee Wee stirred, the "Track General" - Bill Denman Sr. - along with his son and supreme motocross-track designer and track-maintenance master Bill Jr., were busy tweaking the absolutely perfectly prepared big track. This is the type of commitment to total rider satisfaction that has earned the Auburn, New York, motorcycle racing facility 13 Track of the Year awards, and why the CNYMRA/ AMA District 3 and the WNYMA Inc. series love to call this home. It's also why the area Yamaha dealers are happy to sponsor a two-day event of this caliber and write checks totaling more than $13,000. That's the combination Pros such as Brock Sellards, Justin Buckelew, Carlo Coen and Bruce Stratton seek out when looking for a race at which to compete on an off weekend from the National series, and that's what makes the Yamaha New York State Weekend of Champions races the high-caliber races that they are. Thirty-four high-caliber 250cc Open Pro-Expert riders were locked, cocked, and ready to .rock when the gate dropped for mota one. Joe Oehlhof and Kevin Crine held the throttle pinned the longest and their bikes the straightest, grabbing the holeshot, with Sellards all over their back fenders. Ryan Mills got off to a horrible start, running 28th by turn two. Oehlhof and Crine battled bar to bar over the big, crowd-pleasing, 10,000-gallon tabletop jump, and Sellards chose a clean line and was on the gas. Sellards passed Crine and made some high-speed incidental contact with Oehlhof, but Oehlhof held on to the lead. Meanwhile, back in traffic, Mills had rocketed from 28th to claim the sixth spot when Stratton was forced into the grass and Mills stayed on the gas. Mills outjumped Aaron Dieter, sliced his way through traffic, and was now challenging Sellards for second with much time left. Mills and Sellards exchanged decals with some more contact between the two riders, and Mills managed to move Sellards out of his groove as he made the pass and went gunning for Oehlhof. Mills chose to use the tight and fast inside line, and when Oehlhof took to a big berm looking for speed, Mills got the advantage and the win in mota one. Sellards, who was still in contention for the win, also got past Oehlhof for second place. In mota two, things went ballistic, as Dieter rifled through turn one, getting the clear advantage over Sellards, Buckelew and Oehlhof. Dieter poured it on as Buckelew passed Sellards and Oehlhof while they duked it out. Buckelew ran down Dieter for the lead, and Coen and Stratton were now battling for third. Stratton looked like he was on his game, and after passing Coen and Dieter he busted a move on Buckelew for the lead, only to miscue and go down. Buckelew reclaimed the lead and took the win in mota two, posting 4-1 scores and snagging third overall. Sellards proved consistency is the key to winning and kept his KTM up front all day, posting 2-2 mota finishes and winning first overall. Mills clearly was the fastest rider in the class but had an inconsistent day, posting 1-3 finishes and claiming second overall. The 125cc Pro-Expert class lit the afterburners and Mills launched his Honda out front right off the pad for the win. Buckelew banzaied his way to second, and Sellards was relegated to third place. Mota two would be Sellards' chance to break the laws of gravity in (Above) Brock Sellards won both the 125cc Expert and 250cc/Open Expert classes at the Yamaha Dar of Champions at Frozen Ocean Moto-X Park. 50 (4·6): 1. Brett McMicheel (KTM); 2. Nicholas Monllchizo (KTM); 3. Keith Mulvaney Jr. (KTM); 4. Cory Smith (KTM): 5. Daniel Netti (KTM). 50 (7-8): 1. Nikoills Desiderio (Pol); 2. Nlithen Couse (Cob); 3. Phillip Manchester (KTM); 4. Andrew Bristol (Cob); 5. Kyle Thompson (Cob). 65 MINI (7-11): I. Ryan Bli..ard (KTM): 2. Colton Harrison (KlIw); 3. Zach Mauro (KTM); 4. Kyle Centini (KTM): 5. Matt Babbitt (Kaw). 85 (7-11): I. Ryan BIi..ard (Hon): 2. Colton Harrison (Suz); 3. Andrew Meehan (Kaw); 4. Sunny Drake (Kaw); 5. Nicholas McPhee (SOl). 85 (12·15): 1. Scott Sears (Su,): 2. Chod Dunning (Kaw); 3. Cory Dejong (Yam); 4. Josh Stoodley (Kaw); 5. Frank Bums (Kaw). MINI COMB: 1. Scott Sears (Suz): 2. Frank Burns (Kaw); 3. Josh Stood ley (Kaw); 4. Cory Dejong (Yam); 5. Chris Strong (Yam). MINI (12-15) NOV: I. Jacob Dindl (Kaw): 2. Tim Rezhena (Suz); 3. Gary Cartwright (Kaw); 4. Josh Stout (Kaw); 5. Todd Vollmer (Han). 125 NOV: I. Jason Michael (Kaw): 2. Cody Dunning (Kaw); 3. Joe Merrill Jr. (Suz); 4. John Young III (Yam); 5. Bret Loomis (Yam). 125 AM: 1. Peter Katsoules (Yam); 2. Brian Murphy (Yam); 3. Jason Doyle (Yam); 4. Steve Hunter (Yam): 5. Jay Niedzlalkowsk.i (Hon). 125 EX: J. Brock Sellards (KTM); 2. Justin Buckelew (Suz); 3. Ryan Mills (Han); 4. Barry Carsten (Suz); 5. Paul Veracka (Hus). 250/0PEN NOV: 1. Cody Dunning (Hon): 2. John Young III (Yam); 3. Russell Werd (Suz); 4. Mike Cromwell (Han); 5. Jim Pudney (Han). 250/0PEN AM: I. Steve Hunter (Yern); 2. Peter Katsoules (Yam); 3. Jason Doyle (Yern); 4. Tyler Kudlick (KTM); 5. Andy Masters (Han). 250/0PEN EX: I. Brock Sellards (KTM): 2. Ryan Mills (Hon); 3. Justin Buckelew (Suz); 4. Aaron Dieter (Hon); 5. Carlo Coen (Han). SCHBY 12S (12·15): I. Brian Murphy (Yam): 2. Thomas Addy (Hon); 3. Scott Sears (Suz); 4. Jay Niedzialkowski (Han); 5. Jason Michael (Kaw). CLGBY: 1. Paul Veracke (Hus); 2. Charles EUis (Suz); 3. Justin Murray (Han); 4. Bleke Ferrini (Yam): 5. Ryan James (Yam). 25+ AM: 1. Paul Schermerhorn (Yam): 2. John Durkot (Han); 3. Steve Dunton (Yern); 4. Stephen Westfall (KTM): 5. Matt Dwyer (Kaw). 25+ EX: 1. Don Schmidt (Han); 2. Jeremy Tiffany (Yam); 3. Randy Barker (Han); 4. Joe Celso (Hon): 5. Danryl Smith (Kaw). 30+ NOV: 1. Russell Ward (SOl); 2. Doug Foster (Han); 3. Dan Splane (Suz); 4. Adam Mulvaney (Hon): 5. Rodney Harris (Hon). 30+ AM: 1. Jared Bierly (SUl); 2. Mike Meleski (Yam); 3. Aaron Brushingham (Hon); 4. Joe BriIJo (KTM): 5. Paul Schermerhorn (Yam). 30+ EX: 1. Bruce Stratton Jr. (Hon); 2. Barry Carsten (SOl); 3. Randy B8rker (Han); 4. Joe Celso (Hon): 5. Danryl Smith (Kaw). 40.. : 1. Don Crippen (Hon); 2. Cub Dunning (Han); 3. George M8rtin (Han); 4. Bruce Stratton Sr. (Yam); 5. Elden Housinger (Hon). 4-STRK: I. Tom Burton (Yam); 2. Mike Meleski (Yem); 3. Ron Bush (Han); 4. Jeffrey Rossman (Yam); 5. Mike Cromwell (Han) (Left) Justin Buckelew (64) and Aaron Dieter (802) get airborne in Auburn, New York. Buckelew was the runnerup in the 125cc Expert class and placed third In the 250cc/Open Expert class; Dieter placed fourth in the 250cc/Open Expert class. ways even Sir Isaac Newton couldn't have imagined. Paul Veracka and Buckelew put on a classic mota battle until Veracka landed in a big rut and Buckelew blew past him. Sellards and Buckelew staged a two-bike breakaway, and while Buckelew could catch and challenge Sellards, passing him turned out to be a whole 'nother deal. Sellards posted 3-1 mota finishes, thrilling the crowd en route to winning first overall in the 250cc Open Pro-Expert class. Buckelew was a persistent competitor, earning second overall by chalking up 2-2 mota finishes. Mills capped off a great weekend of competition off by racking up 1-3 mota finishes and claiming third overall. eN Frazen Ocean MolD-X Park Auburn, Mew York Results: June 30, 2002 P/W: I. Caleb Schachtler (KTM): 2. Zachary Putmen (Yam); 3. P~t~r Schachtler (Yam); 4. Jllke Stout (Yam); 5. Jacob Schachtler (Yam). The 250cc/Open Expert class vies for the holeshot in moto one. cue I e n e _ S • AUGUST 7,2002 57

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