Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

there was nothing they could do about it. It tumed out that Young couldn't even catch the young phenom. He was challenged every step of the way. but Sani proudly took the overall c1Z1ss victory and set his sights on winning the evening's main event. There was also a 250cc class to be run. and several of the lOP 125cc riders were involved in that as well. Once again. Pestana and Davis found themselves out front and bat· tling each other most of the time. Pestana came out ahead on his Honda CRF450. though. and seemed a likely favorite going into the Bounty Hunter race. The Bounty Hunter main began with a sin· gle-file start that had the fastest guys in the back. Madera's Hinson took the lead in the first turn and tried to put some real estate between himself and the competition as quickly as possible. Sani also got a good start and soon found himself in second place. Hin· son crashed by himself in a turn a couple of laps in, however, and handed the lead to Sani. Davis methodically worked his way toward the front of the pack and got into second. behind Sani, several laps in. At that point, everyone was wondering if the lead Sani had built would be big enough to keep him in front of Davis. It was just assumed that a Pro like Davis would close with each passing lap. But he didn't. For a while, the distance between the two riders stayed the same. Then, almost unbe· Iievably, Sani started to stretch his lead out. Davis was never able to challenge. Pestana made a valiant effort to get into the mix, but he crashed in the late stages as he was trying to catch Davis. Similarly. Young had trouble coming from behind. After his early crash, Hinson remounted and rode a very respectable race, finishing fifth. Sani started the evening as what most con· sidered nothing more than an extra bike on the startmg gate. His win may have seemed unlikely to many on hand. but it was no nuke; because he spends a lot of time racing in Southern California. many fans in his own hometown don't know much about him. Maybe the Pros didn·t. either, but with this win. he proved he's a force to be reckoned with in Amateur motocross and that Honda's investment in him has been a wise one. He may have caught the lions off guard this time, but they'll see him coming from now on. Fresno County Fairgrounds Fresno. California Results: July 6. 2002 50: I. JeS5Y Nelson (KTM); 2. Michael Male (Cob): 3. Taylor Toole (KTM): 4. Jllke Mohnike (Pol): 5. Mlllson Cllrey (KTM). 65: I. Kyle K6Slnger (KTM): 2. DOllid Fee (Kow): 3. James Cui· bertson (KTM): 4. Trellor Allred; 5. Anthony Deos (Kaw). 85: I. Jeff AlesI (Hon); 2. Nicolas Boker (Yam); 3. Dustin Plpft (Hon): 4. Curtis Roe (Hon); 5. Justin Brasil (Kow). 125: I. Daniel Sanl (Han): 2. M1chllel Young (Vam): 3. Scott DlIlIls (Yllm): 4. Jeff Pestana (Vllm): 5. Chris Podergols (SUl). 250; I. Jeff Pestanll (Hon); 2. Scon Dollfs (Vam); 3. Billy Jure IIlch (Suz); 4. Joson Muntil (Vom): 5. Gar Gladders (Hen). BNTY H1'fTR: I. Don~ Sanl (Hon): 2. Scott DoIiIS (Yom): 3. Jeff Pestana (Hon); 4. Billy Jure'f1eh (Suz): 5. Casey Hinson (Suz); 6 M1chllel Young (Yam): 7. Gar Gladden (Hon): 8. Michael Fargher (Han): 9. Chris Podergois (Sw:); 10. Jason Mu~1 (Yom). WERA Vinta e Road Racing Round 12: Road AUanta Returning the Favor By STEVE STASER BRASELTON, GA. JULY 6 The day was hot and so was the competition at WERA Vintage's midsummer double-points event at the fast Road Atlanta track. The sun beat down, raising temperatures on the track to well over 100 degrees. The chases for the championships are also heating up. The season·ending Grand National Finals are held at this track in October, so some of the teams were dialing in their machines to be ready come this fall. In the days' first race, points leader Mark Morrow took the Formula 500cc win on his MRA Yamaha, over Quick Bikes' Dick Gruhn and Scott Bentley, on the Moto Carrera Yamaha. Vintage One saw current champion and points leader Buff Harsh take a nag-to-nag win on his Todd Henning Honda 350. Team Steve- O's Eric Cook, who's been playing second fiddle to Harsh all season, had a little something for the champ this time. Cook stayed with Harsh early on, dueling side by side down the back straight for the first three laps. but a loose left footpeg caused him to fade back to fourth. "I'm disappointed to finish back there, but very encouraged with the results of our new WKR motor," said Cook. "I think we're getting the power we need now." Kyle Campbell took second on his Hour Glass Racing Honda, over Royce Baton's Daytona Cycle Salvage Honda. The 350cc GP points leader, Steven Mahanes, took a hit in the points battle, as Doug Bowie brought his Cycle Specialties of Athens Ducati home first after a close fight with the GSA-GP Vintage Honda of Gary Smith. Bowie closed to within nine points of Mahanes in the championship chase. Road Atlanta: Steven Mahanes took his Crockett Racing 350cc Ducati to a third-place finish in the GP 350cc class at round 12 of WERA Vintage Road Racing action in Braselton. Georgia, but he still holds the class points lead. Race two featured one of the best battles and closely watched races for the championship in Vintage Two, with Tim Joyce and Harsh trading wins all season. Harsh leads the points chase by 12 over Joyce. On his D&D Cycles 500cc Triumph, Joyce opened the season with a surprising win over Harsh at Roebling Road in March. Harsh countered with a win at Joyce's favorite track, Talladega. Both recorded wins at separate tracks after that, Harsh in Indjana and Joyce taking a win in Louisiana. The stage was set for a classic battle between the two, and perhaps a preview of the Final. Harsh was thought to have the advantage here with the lighting-fast Honda, but Joyce grabbed the lead and pulled away from the surprised Harsh to take the win. "I'm taking that engine out and saving it for the GNF in October," said the elated rider. "He beat me at my track, so I thought I'd return the favor." Terry Scoggins took the Vintage Four win, over Harold Page and Eaton. Joe Pomeroy moved into second in the points standings with a win in Formula Two-Stroke. over Morrow and Steven Shoul. Joyce retumed in Vintage Three, this time on a Tom Sharpe Triumph 750. Joyce, the points leader in this class also, took the win ahead of a tightly fought race for second between Yamaha-mounted Jens Zastrow and BMW-mounted Bucky Sexton; Zastrow squeaked by for the spot on the final lap. Page took his Barnacle Bill's Leathers-sponsored FZ750 Yamaha to the win in Vintage Five, which featured the largest grid of the day, with 23 riders blasting off the line. Page took the lead away from Pirelli/plt Bull EXSOO Kawasaki jockey Jon Jarvis on lap two and pulled away from the pack. Jamie Miller worked his Yllmaha RZ350 around Jarvis to take second. Page moved to second in points behind Jarvis. The best race of the day came in Formula RD. as Gruhn and Vintage Specialties' Paul Garland went at it the entire race. The two were within a bikelength of each other all race long. Gruhn emerged from under the bridge with the lead and held it to the checkers. Garlands father, Lynn, took third and kept the points lead. Charles Dildy took over the points lead in 250cc GP on his BSA 250 with a second-place finish, behind Honda rider Gary Smith. Scott McCain came home third on his Bultaco. David Rutherford took 500cc GP honors on his Ted Hubbard BSA 500. Thomas Bentley was second but stayed in the points lead. Sunday's races saw Dale Burroughs take his Suzuki of Seneca GSX-R 11 00 to the win in Vintage Six, over Baxley Trailer Company's William Mayfield and Ward Cook's Fabshop Suzuki. Mayfield is still on top of the points race. In Vintage Seven Heavyweight competi· tion, Team Frost Racing Suzuki jockey Robert Wigdorski took the win. over Cook and the Team PCS Ducati of Keith Sanderson. Wigdorski holds a commanding lead in this class. In Vintage Seven Middleweight, David Skiles rode his Adams Motorsports Yamaha 250 to the victory, over two Kawasaki jockeys, Roger Shelton and Marrietta Motorsports' Randell Mason. Shelton still holds the points lead, though. Road Atlanta Braselton. Georgia Results: July 6, 2002 (Round 12) 250 GP: 1. Gary Smith (Hen): 2 Chanes Dildy (BSA); 3. Scott McCain (Bul): 4. Nathan McManus (H-D). 350 GP; I. Doug Bowie (Duc): 2. Oary Smith (Hon); 3. Steven MlIhones (Due): 4. Larry Cook (Hon): 5. Thomas Bentley (Yom). 500 GP: 1. Daliid Rutherford (BSA); 2. Thomas Bemley (Vom); 3. Dovid Cornelison (BSA). F·RD: I. Dick Oruhn (Yam): 2. Paul Oartand (Yam). F·500: I. Mark Morrow (Yam): 2. Dkk Onahn (Vam): 3. Scott Bentley (Yam): 4. Paul Garland (Yom); 5. RobertMacau!ay (Yam). F·2: I. Joe Pomeroy (Yam): 2. Marit Morrow (Yam); 3. St~ Shaul (Vam): 4. Scott McCain (Yom); 5. Bernard Hen*r (Vam). VINT I: I. Buff Harsh (Hen): 2. Kyie CampbeU (Han); 3. Ro~ Eaton (Hon); 4. Eric Coc:* (Han): 5. Steve Stner (Hen). • YIN! 2: I. rim Joyce (Tri): 2. Buff Hanh (Han); 3. Eric Cook (Hon): 4. Eric Smilh (Hon): 5. K"""'" _ (Hon). VI/'fT 3: 1. rim Joyce (Tn); 2• ..Ien:$ Zastrow (Yam): 3. Bucky Sexton (BMW): 4. Steven Mlnnlog (BMW); 5. Mark /'I\itchell (BMW). VINT 4: I. Terry Scoggins (Due); 2 Harold Page (Yam); 3. Royce Eaton (Due): 4 Dav5d Rutherford (BSA): 5. Bucky Sexton (BMW). V1J'fT 5: 1. Harold Page (Yom): 2. Jlimle MIller (Yam): 3. Jon ....... (Kow): 4. Jo< Porn""" (Yam): 5. Doug Bowie (Duel. YlNT 6: I. Dale Burroughs (Sw:): 2. William MayfIeld (Yam): 3. Ward Coc:* (Suz): 4. Robert WIgdorskf (Sw:); ,. Don Kinsey (Yam). VINT 7 H/W: I. Robert WIgdorsIu (Sw:); 2. Ward Coc:* (Sw:): 3. Kdh Sondenon (Duel: 4. Doug Slftle (5u.

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