Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128167
,-------------------,0: ~ ~ > 0: 5 > '" ~ 0. Palmyra Racing Association: Bruce Stratton won seven of eight motos entered and three overall class victories at round 15 of Western New York Motocross Association action in Palmyra, New York. sunny California and raising his acclimation level and building up his skill level at the same time. In Open Expert competition, Stratton bat· tied bar to bar with Aaron Dieter throughout both motDS in an old· Yamaha-vs.-youngHonda duel. Dieter is consistently fast, espe· dally on his new Honda four-stroke, as he attempts to regain his national number, which was lost only due to injury last season. Yamaha powerhouse Brandon Kuhn was the wild card, mixing it up in moto one, and fellow Yamaha rider Casey Higgins followed suit in moto two. Stratton (I-I) chilled the field aboard his Yamaha for first overall, and head Honda honcho Dieter (2-2) sweated it out for second overall. Stratton let everyone know that the" A" in Over 25 A class stands for "Action!" Longtime WNYMA rider and the 2001 holder of the number·one Expert plate Joe Ellington was the next Yamaha rider to challenge Stratton. A bad start left New York's own "Rushville Rocket," Suzuki jockey Jeremy Tiffany, in sixth place, with a deep hole to climb out of in moto two. Stratton (1 - 1) doubled down and was rewarded with his second first-overall finish on the day, while Ellington (2-2) doubled out for second overall. Tiffany worked extremely hard to improve his first·moto finish and it paid off with third and third overall. In the Vet class, a tested yet rested Bart Lucas awaited his shot at his old friend 5trat· ton. Just last season, Lucas broke some leg bones as he went hell bent for the holeshot on this very track. That hell·bent, high-speed altitude going into turn one has been slowed with the addition of a nifty chicane located halfway between the gate and turn one. Stratton was once again up to yet another rider's challenge as he looked unstoppable in the heat. Stratton (1-1) took another first·overall finish and relegated Lucas (2·2) to second overall. However, in the 125cc Expert class, Strat· ton won moto one handHy and appeared to be well on his way to a clean sweep. Brandon Kuhn and Corey Kandefer shadowed Stratton in an attempt to learn his lines and wait for the opportunity to turn the tables on Stratton. That's just what happened in moto two, as Stratton lost his deal and Kuhn and Kandefer were looking to cash in. Kuhn, Kandefer, Hig· gins, Fred Roy, Kris Rourke, Jamie Robinson, and a host of other riders capitalized on Strat· ton·s miscue. Stratton (1-13) was lucky to hold on to eighth overall. Kuhn (2-1) claimed first overall, and Kandefer (3-2) made the day payoff with his third-overall finish. In 50cc action, it was a classic KTM·vs.· Yamaha shootout at Hogback Hill. Brett McMichael and Jason Chacho topped the Pee Wee (4-8) class on their KTM machines. McMichael (1- I) and Chacho (3-2) ruled supreme over some 15 Yamaha riders and two Suzuki jockeys. Chacho's KTM power would also propel him to posting 1- 1 finishes for first overall in the 50cc (4-6) class, over Yamaha hotshoes Nicholas Monachino, Justin Mays and Cody Marriott. • • . n • WHY WAIT? CALL! DON PEDEN & DONNIE LITTLE cue I e n e _ s AUGUST 14, 2002 55