Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Tony O. MX Schools/Suzuki Pennsylvania State MX C'ships Hurricane Hills Sports Center Walter zabrowskl(81Z) leads Thomas Addy (366, behind zabrowskl), Jason Doyle (143), Kevin Jenks (367) and the rest of the 125cc Amateurs at the 20th annual Tony D. Motocross Schools/Suzuki Pennsylvania State Motocross Championships. STORV AND PHOTOS Leavitt and Caleb had put quite a bit of distance between themselves and third place by the third lap. Caleb closed the gap on Leavitt and passed him for the lead in the corner before the front tabletop at the end of lap three. Caleb then held Leavitt off for exactly one lap, and then Leavitt repassed Caleb in the exact same corner in which Caleb had taken the lead the previous lap. Leavitt quickly pulJed away and had an eight-second advantage by lap five. The mud had taken it toll by then, with Rockwell pulling off due to a fried clutch. Jimmy Miller also retired to the pits. Leavitt won the moto with a 20-second lead, trailed by Caleb Miller, Nyzio and Phil Dowell. Honda pilot Dan Zabrowski proved to be the top mud rider in the 125cc Novice class. Joe Merrill was the second-best rider in the mud, with Joshua Ackley rounding out the 125cc Novice podium. The 125cc Novice class was by far the largest class of the day, with 37 riders registered, but only 30 of them showed up for their turn in the mud. Merrill led the pack off the start, with Justin Hicks, Michael Pagano Jr. and Zabrowski in tow. Zabrowski moved up quickly and was running third by lap two. Ackley moved up to fourth and Pagano dropped to fIfth. By lap three, it was impossible to read the number plates from fourth place on back. Merrill dumped it in the big sweeper before the huge Hurricane Hills step-up, which allowed Zabrowski to take the lead. Merrill remounted in second and Ackley was now third. Hicks was fourth and Frank Burns moved up to fifth. The mud had taken its toll by lap four, as bikes were down everywhere and just about every caution flag on the track was flying. Merrill mounted a last-lap charge and caught and passed Zabrowski with half a lap to go, but Zabrowski wouldn't give up and charged to a photo finish; Zabrowski jumped the finish-line double and Merrill didn't. The scorers gave the win to Zabrowski. Rounding out the top five were Merrill, Ackley, Hicks and Burns. Bv JIM P. SANDERSON CUFFORD,PA,SEPT.22 ust fewer than 300 motocross enthusiasts came out to the Hurricane Hills Sports Center for one of Hurd Motorsports' biggest races of the season, the 20th annual Tony D. Motocross Schools/Suzuki Pennsylvania State Motocross Championships. From a motocrosser's point of view, Mother Nature didn't cooperate, but from the local farmers' point of view, she did her best to alleviate the drought conditions that have plagued the Northeast for most of the summer. At least an inch of rain fell the night before the event, making the track an absolute quagmire. Only the best of the best mud riders would take home the 6-foot trophies for winning their respective classes. The track crew did what they could to scrape the mud from the track, but it proved to be pretty useless, as the mud was so deep and so slOppy that it just ran back on to the racecourse. The mud also made scoring extremely difficult, so promoter Tom Hurd decided that a one-moto format was in order. Still, it was extremely difficult making out riders' numbers even for just the one moto, especially in the 125cc Novice class. Team Green's Mike Leavitt topped the 250cc Open Pro/Expert podium, proving he's one of the best mud riders in the Northeast. Runner-up honors went to Yamaha pilot Caleb Miller, who battled with Leavitt, passing him on lap three and leading for a lap until Leavitt eventually got back around and pulled away for the win. Rounding out the podium was yet another Yamaha pilot, Dave Nyzio of Moosic, Pennsylvania. Both Leavitt and Miller led the pack out of the first turn in the 250cc Open Pro/Expert moto, with Jimmy Miller, Binghamton Honda's Scott Rockwell, and Nyzio trailing. Leavitt had the lead by the third turn and pulled away to a 2 1/2-second lead. By the start of lap three, the top three were unchanged, though Nyzio passed Rockwell for fourth. 52 OCTOBER 30, 2002' I: U a • • n _ _ 50 Suzuki pilot Charlie Ellis proved to be the top mud rider in the 125cc Pro/Expert class, with Jim McNeill finishing second and Leavitt third. Ellis led the 125cc Pro/Expert moto right from the get-go, with McNeill, Leavitt, Jared Kimble and Jed Schappert trailing. Just before the end of lap one, the top three were unchanged, with Caleb Miller moving up to fourth. Schappert held fifth. The top three were spreading out by lap two when Miller spun out in the corner before the downhill tabletop and decided he'd had enough mud for one day. Schappert was fourth and Kimble fifth. The top five spread out and they went to the checkers unchanged. Ellis won, with McNeill, Leavitt Schappert and Kimble trailing. eN Hurricane Hilll Sporta C8ater Clifford, Peoolylnnia Results: September 22, 2002 P!W: I. RJcky Benesky (KTM); 2. Jar.k &Ikovic (KTM); 3. Kevin Hick. (KTM); 4. Dolton Worthington (KTM); 5. Brett McMicho.1 (Vom). 50 (4-6): I. Brett McMicho.1 (Vom); 2. Jor.k Boikovlc (KTM); 3. Rowlond Popp (KTM); 4. Ricky Ben••ky (KTM): 5. K.vin Hick. (Hus). 50 (7-8): I. Joey P.t.rs (Cob); 2. Jok. Urich (KTM); 3. Ryon Froncis (KTM); 4. Troy Folrchlld Jr. (KTM); 5. Se.n Bollord (KTM). 65 (7-9): I. Fronk L.tli.rl (KTM); 2. Jom•• Doolittl. (Su.); 3. Sol Colo mit. (KTM); 4. Nick Mike Leavitt (113) and Caleb MlUer (703) lead the star1 of the 250cc Pro/Exper1 moto at Hurricane Hills. De.id.rio (Kow); 5. Joey P.t.rs (Kow). 65 (10-11): I. J•••• Kuzbyt (KTM); 2. Justin Moyloth (KTM); 3. Jon R.ber (KTM); 4. Sunny Drok. (KTM); 5. Kyl. GiII.spl. (KTM). 85 (7-9): I. Nick De.id.rio (K.w); 2. Fronk Lettieri (KTM); 3. James Doolittle (Suz); 4. Tyler Wozn.y (Kow). 85 (10-11): I. Morsholl Hurd (Suz); 2. Sunny Drok. (KTM); 3. Ju.tln Moyloth (5u.); 4. Nick McPhee (KTM); 5. Jon R.ber (5uz). 85 (12-13): I. Phillip Nlcoi.tti (Hon); 2. Mik. Picon. (5u.); 3. Mork Undsoy (Kaw); 4. Cory DeJory (Vam); 5. Abbl. Jo &rdo (5u.). 85 (14-15): I. St.ph.n Carlin (Suz): 2. 5.an Wallace (Suz); 3. David Karney (Yam); 4. Stevie Cook (Kaw); 5. Tommy L.wls (Hon). 85 (9-13): 1. Mik. Picon. (5uz); 2. Fronk Bum. (Kaw); 3. Christopher Cheney (Hon); 4. Marshall Hurd (5uz). 5/MINI: I. Mork Lindsay (Kow); 2. Phillip Nicol.tti (Hon); 3. Cory D.jory (Vam); 4. 5t.ph.n Carlin (SUI). 125 NOV: 1. Dan Zebrowski (Hon); 2. Joe M.rrill (5uz); 3. Joshua Ackl.y (5u,); 4. Justin Hicks (Yarn); 5. Fronk Bum. (Kaw). 125 AM: 1. Ja.on Doyl. (Vom); 2. Thoma. Addy (Hon); 3. Ryon O'Loughlin (5uz); 4. Jim Ayre. (Hon); 5. Donny Bucht.r (Kow). 125 PRO EX: 1. Chori•• E111. (5u.); 2. Jam•• McN.1I1 (Hus); 3. Mik. L.ovitt (Kow); 4. J.d Schoppert (KTM); 5. Jorred Kimbl. (Hon). 250 NOV: 1. Den Paroby (Yam); 2. Brad Ford (Hon); 3. Jom.s Teel (5uz); 4. Rolond Mill.r (Kow): 5. John ScesselTl!l: (Hon). 250 AM: 1. Dion Prlmloni (Hon); 2. Bobby Buti.r (Hon); 3. Ed Kowallck (Hon); 4. Vane. Lolly (5u.). 250 PRO EX: 1. Mike Leavitt (Kaw); 2. Caleb MJller (Yem); 3. Olive Nyzio (Yam); 4. Phil Dowell (Hon). WM.N: 1. Abbie Jo &rdo (Suz); 2. Christina Race (Kow); 3. Nancy N.wby (Ho"n). 5CHBY: 1. Joson Doyl. (Vom); 2. Thorn.. Addy (Hon); 3. Dan Zebrowski (Hon); 4. Donny Buchter (Kow); 5. Keegan Soum (Vom). CLOSY: 1. Chllrles Ellis (Suz); 2. Mike Leavitt (Kow); 3. Dov. Nyzlo (Vom): 4. Joe M.rrlll (5uz); 5. Jorred Kimbl. (Hon). 25+ AM.: 1. Frllnk Hughes (Yam); 2. Dian Primioni (Hon); 3. B.J. WlghbTIon (Vom). 25+ EX: 1. Dorryl Smith (Kow); 2. J.d Schappert (KTM). 30+ NOV: 1. Wllliom Fronk (Vam); 2. Jeff Co.. (5u,); 3. Bob Edwords (Vom); 4. Noncy N.wby (Hon). 30+ AM: 1. Brilln Sworen (Kaw); 2. Gregory Lyk.ns (Hon); 3. Mlk. 5hottuck (Hon); 4. K.vin Hicks (Vom); 5. Ed Kowollck (Hon). 30+ EX: I. Darryl Smith (Kow): 2. Phil Doweli (Hon); 3. Henry Lucio (Yam). 40+: 1. Mike Shllttuck (Hon); 2. Jerrett Newby (Hon); 3. Jom•• McGee (Vom). 4-STRK: 1. Wl!llter Zl!lbrowskl (Yllm); 2. Tim H.nry (Hon); 3. Jorrell N.wby (Hon). Charlie Ellis (380) shows Jim McNeill (921) how to ride mud In Clifford, Pennsylvania. Ellis went wire to for the win in the 125cc Pro/Experf class. wire

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