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/128174
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Arrowhead Motor Speedway: Josh Larsen won the run-off to become the flrst-ever track
champion at Arrowhead Motor Speedway In San Bernardino, ahead of Scott Brant (10).
Northern California's Jonathan Curry
topped Chad Newlee and David Lynch to
win Division Two. and Geoff Herkner put In
an outstanding ride to win Division Two B,
with Kim Stevens and Steve Nelson second
and third.
Joe Steffan, who has been a major player
all year long in Aat Track action, went wire to
wire to win the track championship. Elliott
Iverson held off Jimmy Wood to take second.
Tim Gomez was the top dog in the Junior
Speedway portion, but it wasn't an easy win.
as Krystal Cramer gave him fits all the
way. Justin Boyle came from long yardage
for third.
The Sidecars showed up for the final night
of the season. and Mike Fontaine and Scott
McElroy took top honors. with Joe Jones and
Brandi McElroy second. Rounding out the field
were Jeff Medberry and Kyle Schneider.
Dusty Phares was the Pee Wee winner,
topping Coby Herzog and Alek Lucero.
Arrowhead Motor Speedway
San Bernardino, Califomia
Results: September 4, 2002
0·1 fll'W..: I. Josh Ul'1etl (Jaw): 2. Scott Bmrt (aM): 3. Shawn
Jl\cConnell (GM): 4. Ed Castro (OM): 5. Bobby SchWllrt1 (Jaw); 6.
Bobby Krlpa (Jaw); 7. Bryan Yarrow (Jaw); 8. enE) Chris Kerr
(JawllBilIy HII~ (JlIw)/John DeFries (Jaw); 11. Sh• ..., Harmlltluk
(.hIw): 12. (TIE) Randy DiFrancesco (JlIw)/Jonllthan Cuny (Jaw): 14.
Richard Jones (Jaw).
0·2: I. Jonathan Curry (Jaw): 2. Chad Newlee (Jaw): 3. ~vld
Lynch (Jaw); 4. St~e Murray (Jaw).
0·2 B: 1. O«lfr Herknef (Jaw); 2. K1m
Stev~
(Jaw); 3.
~e
Nelson (Jew); 4. Craig Collier (Jaw).
SOCH: I. Mike Fontaine/Scott McElroy (Yam); 2. Joe
JoneI/Bfandi McElroy (Kaw): 3. .kIf ~/Kyle Schneider (Yam).
JR SPDWY: 1. Tm Ciomet (Jaw); 2. Krystal Cram@!' (Hon); 3.
Justin Boyle (Jaw); 4. Oario Galvin (Hon); 5. Jason Ramirez: (Hen).
FLT TRK: I. Joe Steffan (Yam); 2. Elliott Iverson (W-R); 3.
Jimmy Wood (Hon); 4. Dave Brant (W.R); 5. Devin Booher (Hon).
P(W: 1. Dustin Phare: 2. Coby Herzog; 3. Alek I..ucero.
PRO Top Gun Shootout
Thurston County ORV Parle
The Smail-Train
Thunders .at Top Gun
BY
LeE
lJvESEY
MCCLEARY, WA, AUG. 31-SEPT. I
Two·time World Four·Stroke Champion l.llnce
Smail led a pack of 22 professional riders
through the twisted DeVol·designed track at
Thurston County ORV track in McCleary.
Washington, taking first in all six motos in the
125cc. 250cc and Open Pro classes. Brandon
Thomas. Sean 'Sparky" Sparkman and Billy
Binckley each got holeshots, but Smail didn't
seem to like the roost and quickly blazed up
front in the early laps. Thomas and Binckley
rounded out the champagne spots on the
podium in 250cc action. Tracy Johnson.
Michael York. Paul Conner, Garhett Carter.
Konnrad Kuest, Joey Mancuso and Sparkman
filled out the top lOin the 250cc Pro class.
Smail did double duty for RMC Motor·
sports, coaching his son Justin Gnoinski to
sixth place overall in the 250cc Juniors and a
top·IO finish in the 125cc Junior class.
Wouldn't it be great to have a Iive·in coach of
Smail's caliber?
Top·three finishes by the Pros were not
enough to secure the top team spot. as Skagit
Powerspolts retained possession of the traveling trophy. Eastside Motorpsorts. Brothers
Powersports. and RMC Motorsports took the
remaining top spots. Team Just for Fun
placed sixth, with Spokane's Extreme Motor·
sports placing eighth. Tri·Cities' Team Camp·
74 OCTOBER 2, 2002' c u e I •
bell f, Bruce placed 10th.
Some 550 rider came from Washington.
Oregon, Idaho. Montana and Canada to com·
pete on 39 teams in the two·day event for
team trophies. bragging rights. and a ton of
loot. Factory contingency money was available for red·. yellow., green· and blue· bike
riders in the biggest race in Washington outside of the Washougal Outdoor National. The
Pacific Racing OrganizaUon event is the
largest team shootout event in the Northwest.
With team points on the line. riders had incen·
tive to finish all races, no matter what. Com·
petition was so keen that riders pushed bikes
to the checkers just to keep teams in the hunt.
Kiel "Wonder Boy" Krogstad looked a little
tentative in the 250cc Pro class. Krogstad
raced his first moto since suffering a compound fracture of his femur four months ago.
He gained confidence in each mota. and had
moved to fifth in the 250cc Pro contest until a
last·lap Iip·skid put him back to 10th.
Supermini racing was dominated by Ryan
Villopoto. Coming off an upset win over Mike
Alessi at Ponca City. the Poulsbo. Washington,
rider took first in all three motos. Port Angeles
Powersports' Jake "The Snake" Anstett kept
Villopoto honest in motos one and two, with
Tommy "Bad Boy" Weeck only five seconds
off Villopoto's lap times in mota three. l.llnce
Phillips and Nick "Sick Nick" Van Sickel
rounded out the top five.
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Thurston County ORV Park: Denise Bayless flew to third place in the Women's
Sportsmen class at the PRO Top Gun Shootout in McCleary, Washington.
No "red·flag" starts had been seen during
the spring or summer PRO series. but the
huge gate of 125cc Juniors had two in a row.
as riders tried to squeeze through the S·tum
first comer. Bikes were stuffed into hay bales
and in the trees as riders scratched for the
lead. Ricky Yorks of Skagit Powersports ended
up in the top spot. with Jake Cartwright and
Todd Nelson finishing the top three.
Kyle 'Vertical" Versteeg, Miles Warren and
Eddie Payne went one·two·three in all three
motos of the 250cc Intermediate class. Great
bar·to·bar racing took place between the gate
and the checkers, with all three riders fre·
quently in the air at the same time on the
jump·laced track.
Shiri Howell. Emily Norton. Denise Bay·
less, Jennifer Jordan, BrittaniZll James and
Kimberly Urquhart battled back and forth in
the Women's Sportsman class. Norton got her
Cliff's Cycle sponsorship after high-siding their
top male rider into a berm at Top Gun last
year. Norton. Howell and Bayless all ran neck
and neck for the better part of all three motos.
Leads changed frequently. with Howell fast in
the corners. while Norton and Bayless were
the better jumpers.
The three·moto format yielded a tie for a
first-to-worst-to-first combo. Tim Winter went
2-30-4 in the 125cc Beginner class for lOth
overall. while Tyler Kinkade went 1-22-2 in
Beginner Unlimited action for sixth place.
Cole Scott and Cameron Jungers went
one·two in the 60cc Open Beginner class for
Team Campbell f, Bruce. with Ryan Walsh
taking the last podium spot.
Jeffrey Allen. the 'Voice of PRO: was joined
by Extreme Motorsports' Tripp Rogers in the
tower. The dynamic duo kept the crowd
informed and entertained with their highenergy banter.
Sheila Wilson. Jessica Morehead and
Michele Versteeg kept the scoring and points
system going to track the riders' standings
and team points.
Andrew Denham and crew were busy all
weekend, keeping bikes runrung for the six
teams sponsored by Skagit Powersports. Rid·
ers on the winning Skagit Powersports Team
included Ricky Yorks, Tony Boughten, Rusty
Holland. Jordan Smith. Matt Oppen. Colton
Faciotti, Brahn Bjomson; Michael Simpson;
Alan Oudrnan Jr., Damien Walton, Nickolas
Van Sickel; Peter Collins and Trent Jones.
Thurston County ORV Park
McCleary, Washington
Results: August 31..september 1, 2002
so AUTO: I. Colby Coker (Hon); 2. JlIcob Carpenter (Yam); 3.
Seth Heikkila (Hon); 4. Tyler Rogers (Yam): 5. Sonttl Oeni. (Yam).
.50 BEG; I. Kolton Phillips (tITM): 2. Chance Blackburn (KTM):
3. Marcus AleJlllnder (KTM): 4. Shanae Santlbllnez (taM): 5. Talon
Grimm (KTM).
50 OPEN BEG: 1. Randy Marshall (taM).
50 OPEN JR: I. Vance Davis (KTM); 2. K}4e Slttman (taM).
50 lNT: 1. Trent Jones (Kew); 2. Blake Torok (KTM): 3. Devon
Moore (KTM): 4. Cody Politte.
60 BEG: L Trevioo Jones (Kaw); 2. Nkholu Oest.er (KTM): 3.
Chris Corsi (Kew): of, Chase UnderhUI (Kew): 5. Vana: Devbl (KTM).
60 OPEN BfQ: 1. Cole Scott (KTM): 2. Cameron Jungers
(KTM); 3. 5ryan Walsh (Kaw): 4, Benjamin B&ckman (Kaw): 5.
Clvbtopho< G...., (_).
""rio
60 JR: L Gerard Steinke (Kaw): 2.
Hoeg (K'TM); 3. Tmw.
...... (_); 4. ~ "'''''''' (_I; ,. I'looh McC«>ahy (lIT")
60 oPEl< JR; I. /O\ario Hoog (lIT,,); Z. R""" .lewd (_,; 3.
Damlen Watton (Kawl: of. DIllon Guzman (KTM): .5. Joth Smith
("wI.
60 1J"fT: 1. TommyWeedt (KTM): 2. Chris Howd (Kew).
80 BEQ: 1. John Buder (Yam); 2. Ryan KInkade (Yam); 3. Derek
Oate< I
); 4. Joe Dlck