Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

AMA Eastern Four-Stroke Nationals/Fall Classic MX Series Rounds 1/1 ; Budds Cree MX Park and cross-rutted. It was unfortunate for him, because he was riding strong and he would have definitely b~en tough to beat. He's a local guy, so I wouldn't have been too ashamed if he had won. He rode really well. In fact, it seemed as though everybody rode well here today." Finishing second overall in the Four-Stroke A/Pro class was the aforementioned Crine, who completed the opening lap of the first moto in fifth before qUickly moving past KTMmounted Mitch Dervin for fourth. Crine spent the remainder of the moto locked in a three-way battle with defending series champion Kelly Smith and BSY/Pro Circuit/ Yamaha's Tyson Hadsell. Crine held on for fourth at the finish. In the second moto, Crine rounded the first corner just behind Carpenter and his teammate, 2001 Western Region Champion Spud Walters, Carpenter Rolls On at Fall Classic Opener well as for myself." Carpenter started the first moto on the heels of Crossroad Powersports/ RRP/MSR's Damien Plotts. Throughout the moto, Carpenter hounded his fellow Honda rider, but he was never quite able to make a pass and he finished out the race just a few bikelengths down. "Damien got ollt there in front really quick," said Carpenter. "I rode hard and caught him, but I couldn't get by. He was flying. I rode faster today than I ever did before at the National here. I think he really raised his game for this event." Carpenter blasted to the holeshot in the second moto but was quickly passed by Shenandoah Honda/RRP/ MSR/Smith's Kevin Crine before the completion of the lap. Once again, Carpenter found himself chasing a fellow Honda pilot throughout most of the relatively short eight-lap moto. With just a few laps to go, Crine went down in a slick turn, handing the lead to Carpenter, who was already in position to take the overall victory. "It happened really fast," Carpenter said. "I think he just misjudged STORY AND PHOTOS BY JERRY ATHEY BODDS CREEK, MD, SEPT. 7-8 (If] aving recently wrapped up the W 2002 AMA Western Regional Four-Stroke National MX title, one might have expected Paul Carpenter to relax a bit once the east series opened up. Unfortunately for his competitors, that wasn't his plan. With a combined $12,000 purse on the line, Carpenter piloted his White Brothers/American Hondabacked CRF450R to a strong 2-1 showing to take the overall victory in the Four-Stroke A/Pro class at round one of the AMA Eastern Four-Stroke Nationals/Fall Classic Series by Yamaha, held at the picturesque Budds Creek MX Park. "I'm definitely happy to come here to Budds Creek and be able to win," Carpenter said. "There were a lot of fast guys here today, and the competition was really stiff. I'm especially happy for White Brothers, because they're a California company that's coming back east, trying to establish a presence. We got it done today. I'm really happy - for the company, as 40 SEPTEMBER 25, 2002' cue • • n e vv s (Left) Paul Carpenter put the nails in his competitors' collective coffin at round one of the Eastern Four-Stroke Nationals. He recently clinched the Western title and shows no indication of letting up. (Below) Jacob Saylor surprised pretty much everyone, Including himself, by winning the 250cc AlPro class at the Fall Series opener. It was his thirdever Pro race. before making an aggressive inside pass at the bottom of the first downhill to take the over the lead. With Carpenter in tow, Crine flawlessly circulated his home track for the next several laps before losing the front end in a slick corner and going down. Crine quickly remounted and finished out the moto alone in second. "I got off to a slow start today, but the second motos went decently," said Crine. "I'm kind of upset with myself about that second Four-Stroke moto, though. I should have won that. I had the front end slip out, and that was it - it just put me down. LuckUy, I got up quick enough to get second." Third overall in the Four-Stroke A/Pro class went to three-time and defending Eastern Four-Stroke Champion Smith. Smith, aboard a 3-D Racing/FMF /Dunlop-backed Yamaha, started third in the first moto, and that's pretty much where he stayed throughout the race, eventually finishing about five seconds behind the dueling Carpenter and Plotts. Smith suffered a poor start in moto two and spent the first few laps charging through the pack from just inside the top 10. A late-moto pass on JT Motorsports/Fastmann Racing/MX Bonz's Chris Schueler put Smith into fourth, where he would finish out the race. Fourth went to Plotts, but his overall result doesn't tell the whole story. After taking the first-moto win in convincing fashion over Carpenter, Plotts began the second moto in fourth. With Crine and Carpenter battling out front, Plotts came together with WaIters over a large tabletop, sending both riders crashing to the ground. Plotts quickly rejoined the race and

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