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AMA FMF/Honda of Houston Winter Series Round 1: Freestone County Raceway Bv lAbove) Kyle Cunningham got the holeshot in every moto he contested to take the win in the 85cc (12-13) and Supermini events (Right) Luke Tankersley used Polini power to gamer second overall in the 50cc Open class. He also finished third In the 5 t cc (7 -8) class. KAT SPANN AND SHELLV WATSON PHOTOS BV TIM WALLACE WORTHAM, TX, DEC. 7-8 Monda of Houston's Shaun Martin /JIJ was the only rider to top all three of his classes at the opening round of the third annual AMA FMF/Honda of Houston Winter Series, hosted by Tony Miller and his staff at Freestone County Raceway. Saturday's program ran without a hitch; however, intermittent showers attacked midmorning on Sunday, turning' the course from perfect and tacky to a mushy mess. True motoheads stood their ground and continued racing while others opted to make a lap and sit out the rest of their moto by the finish line. In true Martin style, Shaun raced every lap, and in one of his classes he had the field to himself as he attacked the challenging course. A former hare scrambles racer, Martin demonstrated different lines each lap, enjoying his ride as onlookers observed his technique in the muddier sections of the track. Saturday's course was perfection itself for the Minibike, Beginner and Women's classes. With seven riders on the gate for the 85cc (7 -11) class, Dylan Pemberton pulled the holeshot in the first moto, followed closely by Blaze Blackburn. After the first lap, Blackburn passed Pemberton to take the first-moto win, followed by Ethan Delcambre in second. The real battle of the race was between Ryan Eppers and Dylan Pemberton, with Eppers taking third and Pemberton fourth. Blackburn took control of the second moto by pulling the holeshot and never looking back en route to the win, followed by Delcambre, Eppers, Pemberton and Zachary Thompson. Blackburn again showed his control of his Kawasaki by dominating the 65cc (10- 11) class. Thompson took the holeshot on his KTM to challenge Blackburn in the second moto. However, Blackburn passed Thompson on the first lap and never looked back. Thompson was followed by JANUARY 15 2003' C C. James King, Cody Briggs and Ian Davis. Kyle Cunningham was on the gas in the 85cc (12-13) class. He not only pulled the holeshot in both motos, he also took the overall win. Hunter Inman gave Richard White a run for his money during the first moto, but White passed Inman on the infield corner right after the huge "Mammoth Mountain." B.J. Mashaw and Cory Perdue banged bars during both motos, with Perdue taking fifth in the first moto and fourth in the second. Mashaw had to settle for fifth overall. Matt Thweatt absconded with the holeshot in the first 250cc Open moto, with Ty Fletcher in the runnerup spot. Fletcher passed Thweatt just before the finish line on the first lap for the lead. Brant Ward gated third but moved quickly toward the front on lap three, passing Thweatt first and then catching up to Fletcher and passing him to become the new leader. Ward remained grounded as the riders began to spread out for the remaining two laps of the race. The second moto was raced under different track conditions, but that didn't stop Thweatt from taking the holeshot again. Fletcher reeled in Thweatt on the first lap to take the lead as Brant Ward once again got a less-than-stellar start, but once past the first turn, he picked up the pace to get by Thweatt and go after Fletcher. This time, Fletcher was determined to hold on to the lead, and he kept Ward at bay, despite Ward's attempts to pass. Ward fell and lost his position to Thweatt. Once he remounted, he wasted little time reeling in Thweatt again, and then he made a pass for second on lap three. By the time the final lap came to a close, Ward had reeled in Fletcher e n e _ s and made a pass stick to take the win and the overall. Ryan Bailey was the fastest fourstroke rider out of the first turn in the first Four-Stroke 201-650cc moto, but he lost the position to Lindsay Wadsworth and Dustin Hoppe on the first lap. Hoppe stalled his bike on lap two, which gave the number-two spot to Bailey, who was now followed by Shane Richardson. Tyler Schulz worked his way up to fourth by the end of lap two and remained there for the rest of the race. The second moto was delayed due to the course's being rerouted around the Mammoth Mountain. The rain that had set in made the Mountain precarious to attempt. Bailey once again got the holeshot but did a couple of doughnuts out of the first turn and lost the lead spot. Brandon Battson, Tyler Shultz and Tripp Ashley got by Bailey, but they all went down in the third turn, and that gave the lead to Hoppe. Richardson worked his way to second by the end of the last lap and held the position. Hoppe's win netted second overall after a fifth-place firstmoto finish, as Richardson claimed the win via a 3-2 finish. Bailey wrapped up third with a 2-5 tally. eN FreestDne County Raceway Wortham, Texas Results: December 7-8, ZDDZ [Round 11 51 STK (4-6): I. Jake Green (Cob): 2. Bradley Willig (KTM): 3. Blake Thurman (KTM); 4. Dalton Kennedy (KTM); 5. Jared Foster (YlIm). 51 STK (7-8): I. Brady Pier<:e (KTM); 2. Luke Tankersley (Pol); 3. Austin Cox (Cob); 4. Klay Stephenson (KTM); 5. Drew Armstrong (KTM). 51 OPEN (4·8): I. Austin Cox (Cob): 2. Luke Tankersley (Pol); 3. Drew Armstrong (KTM); 4. KllIY Stephenson (KTM); 5. Jake Green (Cob). 65 (7-9): I. Riley Pemberton (Kaw); 2. Brady Pierce (Kaw); 3. Luke Tankersley (Pol): 4. Vllnn Martin (Kaw); 5. RYlin Eppers (KllW). 65 (10-11): I. Bllile Bleckburn (Kew); 2. Zechery Thompson (KTM); 3. Jemes King (Kaw): 4. Cody Briggs (Kaw); 5. Ian Davis (KTM). 65 OPEN (7-11); I. Ryan Eppers (KTM); 2. Zechery Thompson (KTM); 3. Riley Pemberton (Kaw); 4. Venn Mertin (KllW): 5. len Devis (KTM). 85 8EG (7-11): I. Garrell White (Hon). 85 BEG (12·15): I. Blake Hubbard (Kaw): 2. Tyler Crosson (Hon); 3. Amande King (Hon); 4. Shane Samas (Kaw); 5. Drew Russell (Yllm). 85 (7-11): 1. Blaze Blackburn (Kew); 2. Elhzln Delcambre (Yam): 3. Ryan Eppers (Kaw); 4. Dyilin Pemberton (KllW); 5. Zachary Thompson (Suz). 85 (12-13): 1. Kyle Cunningham (Kaw); 2. Richard White (KllW); 3. Hunter Inmlln (KllW): 4. Cory Perdue (Suz); 5. B.J. Mashaw (Vam). Amanda King won the first 85cc Beginner moto, in front of all the boys, but her third-place finish In moto two only netted her third overall. 85 (14-15): I. Ozzy Barbaree (Suz): 2. Michael Kllsberg (Yam); 3. Maillchi Wlliker (Kaw); 4. Blllke Ledsome (Hon); 5. Cole Tllylor (Yam). JR S/MINI (9·11): I. Kenny Jones (Kaw); 2. Vann Martin (Kaw). SR 5/MINI (12·15): I. Kyle Cunningham (Kaw); 2. Ouy Barbaree (SUl); 3. Mlchllel Kasberg (Yam): 4. Ricky Grosjean (Kaw); 5. Cole Tllylor (Yam). 125 YTH (12·15): I. Ronny Jackson (Hon); 2. Charlie Martin (KllW); 3. Brllndon Thomas (KTM): 4. Illn Storm (Yam); 5. Eric Clevenger (Yllm). 125 BEG: 1. Turner Cavender (Yam): 2. Stephen Bruner II (Kaw); 3. Josh Hillmlln (Yllm); 4. Josh Paris (KTM): 5. Kevin Miller (Hon). 125 NOV: I. Chris Mims (Kaw); 2. Mike Harvey (Yam); 3. Brandon Thomlls (KTM); 4. Brett Delcambre (KTM): 5. Tyler Schultz (Vam). 125 INT: 1. Ronny Jackson (Han); 2. Rylln Haring (Han); 3. Tripp Ashley (Yam); 4. Jake Arrington (Hon); 5. Eric Clevenger (Yam). 125 OPEN (16-24): 1. Jake Arrington (Hon); 2. Mike Harvey (Yam): 3. Ryan Haring (Han): 4. Gary Harrison (Yam); 5. Undslly Wedsworth (Yam). 125 PRO: 1. J.J. Pecsok (Han): 2. Clayton Miller (Vam); 3. David Tarnow (KTM). 250 BEG: I. William Thomas (Vom); 2. Brody Erwin (Han); 3. Chris Johnson (Yllm). 250 NOV: I. Brandon Bllttson (Hon); 2. Michael Thacker (KTM); 3. Josh EdwlIrds (Han); 4. Deegan &ss (Han); 5. Joey Nichols (Han). 250 tNT: I. Brllnt Ward (KllW): 2. Brilln GlImer (Yam); 3. Ryan Beiley (Yam): 4. Brent Sandefur (Vam). 250 PRO: I. J.J. Pecsok (Hon); 2. Derek Gerdes (Hon); 3. Bleke Keeton (SUl): 4. Clayton Miller (Yam); 5. David T8mow (KTM). 250 OPEN AM: 1. Brant Wllrd (Kaw); 2. Matt Thweatt (Yam): 3. Ty Fletcher (Suz): 4. Micah Gaby (Vam). 4·STRK 201·650: 1. Shane Richardson (KTM); 2. Dustin Hoppe (Han): 3. Ryan Bailey (Yam): 4. Tripp Ashley (Vam); 5. Tyier Schultz (Vam). WM.N OPEN: J. Taryn Covington (Kaw); 2. Jenny Leonard (SUl). 25. NOV: I. Chad Anderson (Han); 2. Kenny Taylor (Han); 3. Richerd Winn (SUl): 4. Eric Pechacek (Hon); 5. Bill Clifton (Hon). 25. INT: 1. Brien Garner (Yem); 2. Dustin Hoppe (Hon); 3. Melt Thweett (Yam); 4. Franz Hyland (Vam). 25. PRO: I. Sheun Martin (Han). VET A 30.: I. Shaun Martin (Han): 2. Bart King (Hon). VET B 30.: 1. Franz Hyland (Vam); 2. Phillip Sherwood (Hon). VET C 30 ... : I. Jeff Bernier (Yem); 2. Michael Webber (Han); 3. Kenny Taylor (Han); 4. Dougl8s Cucovatz (Han); 5. Eric Pechacek (Hon). 35 ... : 1. Shaun M8rtln (Han); 2. Doug Kennedy (Han): 3. Phillip Sherwood (Han): 4. Steve Hill (Vam); 5. Michael Webber (Hon). 40 ... : 1. umy Morton (Y8m); 2. Rendy Skinner (Hon): 3. Chris Hllrvey (Yllm); 4. Arthur Young (Hon); 5. Jake King (Kaw).