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Yamaha Dealers Series Round 5: Glen Helen Raceway Park (Left) Terry Fowler leads Billy Frank in 250cc Pro action at the final round of the Yamaha Dealers Series. Both experienced some bad luck· and some good results: Frank finished first overall on the day, and Fowler finished first in the series championship. (Below) Sean O'Connor won the 125cc Pro class and captured that championship title at Glen Helen Raceway Park. STORY AND PHOTOS BY JOHN BETHEA SAN BERNARDINO, CA, JULY 14 " illy Frank seemed confused. He had just placed third in the second 250cc Pro moto on his Yamaha of Redlands four-stroke Honda and had ridden down the frontage road leading back to the pits. He was spewed through the gate into the pits, along with the rest of the riders. That's where he halted, right in the middle of the intersection, astride his bike like a motorcycle officer doing traffic control. Here it was, the final round of the Yamaha Dealers Series at Glen Helen Raceway, with another record turnout of 450 riders; the sun had just broken through an overcast sky that had kept the summer temperatures reasonable during the morning round; and yet Frank was still under a cloud. He glanced over both shoulders', as if he were lost and trying to make up his mind which way to go. He made an abrupt left and headed toward the finish-line area again, going "upstream" like a salmon, against the flow of exiting traffic using the back fire road. Arriving at the signup area, he rode into the spectator area and right up to the posting board, where, still in full gear and mounted on his bike, he rested his elbows on the handlebars and leaned over to scan the firstmoto results. You could almost hear his thoughts.... 'Chris Barrett, Honda ... he had just won the moto. Let's see, where did he finish in the first? Yeah, fifth. Now, when I crashed in second place, who took second? That would be Sean O'Connor. Let's see. Ahh, fourth in the first moto. That gives 'em both six moto points.... ' One could see the relief on his face, figuring his first-moto secondplace finish had given him the overall. "I really didn't know if I'd won or not in those fin.al laps," he explained before motoring back to the pits. "I was in second place during the race [behind Barrett] when I came in too hot into a turn and went over the berm. As I was getting back on, I was T-boned by Terry [Fowler]. It wasn't intentional - just racing." But that incident left Frank battling back for the remainder of the race in third. For those who have followed his racing career, Frank always seems to be swimming in bad luck, snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. A week prior, at round four of the series, it was a second-turn spill in the second moto that banged up his 44 AUGUST 14, 2002' cue • body, which was still aching at this outing. But, considering Billy would later add the Junior Vet Expert contest to his win list, he ended up a very happy fellow. Fowler had the same feeling the week before when he won two classes. However, this day started great but went downhill. In the very first moto out of the gate, the first 250cc Pro moto, he had the lead but was soon passed by Frank and then Barrett, and he eventually fell back to sixth without incident. "I wish I could blame it on bike problems or something," he explained before the second moto. "It just isn't there for me today, I guess." Then he had his incident with Frank and finished fifth in that round. It was a better ending for O'Connor, whose 4-2 finishes gave him third overall in the 250cc Pro class, and he added his second series win in a row in the 125cc Pro class - the class he had clinched a week earlier. Another rider who seemed a bit bewildered earlier in the day was Senior Vet Expert rider Ron Turner. After sweeping all his races thus far in the series, he was running along in the lead in his first moto until the final lap, when he suddenly came across in second. As he left the finish line, he, too, looked confused. At first, he just shrugged his shoulders, but a few seconds later he flashed a "2" with his hand, clenched his fist, and then flashed a "1," nodded his head, and sped back to the pits. All you need to know to decipher those semaphore signals is Turner's philosophy of racing: "A second is as good as a first in the first moto - as long as you win the second." "I just don't know how I did such a bone-head thing," he said after that sudden drop to second. "I came into a turn too slow and the front end just e n • _ s fell over. But it's good [the incident happened] in the first moto and not the second!" And, as he has done so often in his 31-year racing career, he won the final moto, got the overall - his 860th - and took yet another series championship, along with his dealer ~pon sors, John Burr Cycles of Fontana. eN 61en Helen Racewey Perk Sen Bementino, Califomle Results: July 14, 2002 [Round 5 of 51 P/W SHAFT: 1. Trisha Holland; 2. Aaron Bloomfield (Yam); 3. Joshua Hayes (Yam); 4. Matthew Perez (Hon); 5. Samantha Kiper (Hon). P/W STK (4-6): 1. Michael Garland (KtM): 2. Ryan Matter (KTM): 3. Maxwell Tedder. P/W MOD (4-6): 1. Cody Sloan (Cob): 2. Dean Spangler (KTM): 3. Bloke Green (KTM): 4. Apollo Santos (Cob). P/W STK (7-8): 1. Jeremy McCool (KTM); 2. Darrell White (Cob); 3. Ashton McMilhm (Cob); 4. Dalton Bechard (KTM); 5. Brendan Hernandez (KTM). P/W MOD (7·8): 1. Colt Hubbs (Cob): 2. Daniel Paluzzi (Cob); 3. David Meade (Cob); 4. Dillon Trotter (Cob): 5. Joey Gutierrez (KTM). 60 BEG: 1. Dakota Tedder (Kaw); 2. Steven Tokarski (Kaw); 3. Daniel Sanders (Kaw); 4. Nick Buccieri (KTM); 5. Joshua Eng (Kaw). 60 (0-8): 1. Jeremy McCool (Kaw); 2. Daniel Peluzzl (Kaw); 3. Dillion Trotter (KTM); 4. Colt Hubbs (KTM). . 60 (9-11): 1. Trent Pugmire (Kaw); 2. Jllke Canada (Kaw); 3. Johnny Jelderda (Kaw); 4. Terren O'Dell (Kaw); 5. Marcus Cerrlllo (Kaw). 80 BEG: 1. Myles Tedder(Yam): 2. Dakota Tedder (Yam): 3. Dillon Jones (Yem); 4. Daniel &rber (Yam); 5. Juenoho Otero (Kew). 80 (4~ 1 Ii: 1. Trent Pugmire (Kaw); 2. Donnie Kearney' (Suz ; 3. Johnny Jeldera (Yam): 4. Terren O'Dell (Kow); 5. Dustin Pipes (Hon). 80 (12-13): 1. Mike Alessi (Hon): 2. Jeff Alessi (Hon); 3. Ricky James (Yam); 4. Curtis Malins Jr. (Yam); 5. Matt Dowell (Hon). 80 (14-16): 1. Jarred Browne (Kew); 2. Nick Valdez (Kaw); 3. Chad Anderson (Yam); 4. Austin Brown (Yom): 5. Don Green (SUl). S/MINI: I. Mike Alessi (Hon): 2. Jeff Alessi (Hon); 3. Ricky Jernes (Yern); 4. Curtis Malins Jr. (Yom); 5. Chad Gores (SUl). TTR90: ). Steven Aries (Yam). 125 BEG 0- I: 1. Jelson Perr)' (Suz); 2. Chris Ayers (Yllm); 3. M8tt Arehart (Yam); 4. Jared Krause (Yom): 5. Jared Meadows (Hon). 125 BEG 0-2: 1. Matt Vanderwater (Yam); 2. Nick Byers (Yam); 3. Bryen Carr (Yem); 4. Aaron Heldreth (Yom); 5. Nick Hogan (Yom). ] 25 NOV: 1. Michael Ball (Vern); 2. Bnmdon Hiner (Yem); 3. Ryan Megderoski (Vam); 4. Jimmy Anderson (Y8m); 5. Tommy Remirez (Vern). 125 INT: 1. Cody Kr8uss (Yem); 2. Jared Minor (Yom); 3. Erik Meyer (Yom): 4. Josh Bagge (Hon): 5. Branden Milsteed (Suz). 125 PRO: I. Sean O'Connor (Yem); 2. Corey Mecomber (Yem); 3. Patrick Terry (Yem); 4. Joe Hargett (V8m); 5. D8vid Hughes (Yern). 250 BEG: 1. Robbie Goolsby (Yom): 2. Luddig Salberg (Yam); 3. Mett Venderweter (Yem): 4. WIlliam Garde (Hon); 5. John Foster (Yam). 250 NOV: I. Ryan Doly (Yom): 2. Josh Camden (Yam); 3. Brent Wne (Kaw); 4. Jeff Pllge (Yem); 5. Justin MoarszzIlek (KTM). 250 INT: 1. Andy Bakken (Yom): 2. Josh Bagge (Hon); 3. ErIk Meyers (Yam); 4. Brenden Milsteed (Suz); 5. Jon Simmons (Hon). 250 PRO: 1. Billy Fronk (Hon): 2. Chris Barrett (Hon); 3. Sean O'Connor (Y8m); 4. Terry Fowler (Yom): 5. Mike Sleeter (Yom). 4-STRK BEG: 1. Jey Sopp (Yom): 2. Evon Dietrich (Hon); 3. Richerd Byrd ~Yem); 4. Cain Smead (Yam); 5. Joseph Hernandez Can). 4-STRK NOV: I. B.J. Burns Yom): 2. Mark Stllltz (Yam); 3. David Morris (Yam; 4. Jim Harris (Yom). 4~STRK INT: 1. Cody Krauss (Yam); 2. Ben Remseren (Yam); 3. Brett Daugherty (Yam). WMN: 1. Jamie Pamlntuan (Suz); 2. Elizebeth Bash (Yam); 3. Tiffany Holtman (Yam); 4. Jessice Wagner (Hon); 5. Candice Motshagen (Yern). SCHBY: 1. A.J. Steinbach (Yam); 2. Kevin Hunter (Yam); 3. Randall Hall (Yam): 4. lac Wray (Yam); 5. Robbie Gatan (Hon). JR VET NOV: 1. Alex topata (Yom): 2. Chuck McCarty (Vam); 3. Steve Hix (Yam); 4. Jerad Wilson (Yam); 5. Ron Buccieri (Yam). JR VET INT: 1. Justin McCoy (Yam): 2. Tedd Fleming (Yam); 3. David Troost (Hon); 4. Bret Milan (Yom). . JR VET EX: 1. Billy Frank (Hon); 2. Terry Fowler (Yom); 3. Willy Musgrave (Yom). VET NOV: 1. Jey Sepp (Yam); 2. Lance Gorton (Yam); 3. Milton Mize (Hon); 4. Mike Altenhofel (Hon); 5. Brian Lee (Kaw). VET INT: 1. Todd Fleming (Yam); 2. Leo Saul (Yom). VET EX: 1. Willy Musgrave (Yem); 2. Mertln Klostner (Yom): 3. Phil Dowell (Hon).SR VET NOV: 1. T.J. King (Yam); 2. DllVid Lampman (Hus); 3. Scott Ferko (Yam); 4. Greg Byers (Yam); 5. Jim Bagge (Hon). SR VEt (NT: 1. Milton Mize (Hon); 2. Mike Altenhofel (Hon); 3. Kris Goolsby (Yern); 4. Bob Shimp (Yam); 5. Tony Schuler (Yam). SR VET EX: 1. Ron Turner (Vam); 2. Matt Tedder; 3. Bob Mllxwell (Hon); 4. Lee Bacon (Yam); 5. Jim Harris (Yam). series Ch8mpions P/W SHAFT: Aaron Bloomfield (Yern). P/W STK (4-6): Michael Garland (KTM). P/W MOD (4-6): Dean Spangler (KTM). P/W STK (7-8): Jeremy McCool (KTM). P/W MOD (7-8): Dillon Trotter (Cob). 60 BEG: Dakota Tedder (Kow). 60 (0-8): Jeremy McCool (Kow). 60 (9-11): Johnny Jeldero (Kow). 80 BEG: Dillon Jones (Yam). 8014-11): Donnie Keomey (SUl). 80 12-13): Matt Dowell (Hon). 80 14-16): Chad Anderson (Yom). S/MINI: Ricky James (Yom). 125 BEG: Chris Ayers (Yom). 125 NOV: Brandon Hiner (YlI.m). 1251NT: Jared Minor (Yom). 125 PRO: Sean O'Connor (Yam). 250 BEG: Robbie Goolsby (Yom). 250 NOV: Ryan Doly (Yom). 250 INT: Jon Simmons (Hen). 250 PRO: Terry Fowler (Yam). 4-STRK BEG: Jey Sopp (Yom). 4~STRK NOV: BrizlO Bums. 4-STRK INT: Ben Ramsaran (Yom). WMN: Elizabeth Bash (Yom). SCHBY: Randall Hall (Vom). JR VET NOV: Chuck McCorry (Yom). JR VET INT: Justin McCoy (Yom). JR VET EX: Willy Musgrove (Yom). VET NOV: Jey S0F.P (Yom). VET INT: Leo Sou. VET EX: Willy Musgrave. SR VET NOV: Greg Bye", (Yom). SR VET INT: Mike Altenhafel (Hon). SR VET EX: Ron Turner (Yem). ...