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California Gold Cup Motocross Series Round 1: Los Angeles County Raceway Robert Goettling flew to the Over 25 and Over 30 Novice wins at the California Gold Cup Series opener. STORY AND PHOTOS By GREG ROBERTSON PALMDALE,CA,JAN.12 pwards of 600 riders converged on the J.B. Memorial Track at Los Angeles County Raceway in Palmdale for the opening round of the fifth annual Maxxis/FMF/California Racing Club/Maxima-sponsored California Gold Cup Motocross Series. Numerous riders signed up to do battle in more than one class, and a few came away with double-class victories. Bill Smith went four for four to top both the 125cc and 250cc Novice classes. Yamaha-mounted Beau Weigand aced both 85cc (14-16) races and then returned to split moto wins with Zach Osborne for the 85cc Open-class overall honors as well. Colby Raha piloted his KTM to a fourmoto sweep of the Pee Wee (7 -8) and Super Pee Wee fields, and Robert Goettling took home the first-place trophy in both the Over 25 and Over 30 Novice classes. Jesse Drake snared the holeshot in front of a full gate of 125cc Novice Division One competitors and ran out front until Smith and Mark Stultz dropped him a couple of positions after one lap. Smith kept Stultz at bay for the win, and Mike Lopez put a last-lap pass on Drake to take third. Smith made things easier on himself by absconding with the secondmoto holeshot aboard his YZF and motoring away for the win. Lopez charged up from his 10th-place start to go 3-4 for second overall. Brett Mountain came from even deeper in the field for a well-deserved runnerup finish in the moto to earn third overall on a 6-2 day. Scott Johnson, Adam Lane and Smith argued over the top spot for most of the first 250cc Novice moto. Smith held off Lane at the checkers for the win. Johnson was a close third, ahead of Brad Goolsby and Takayuki Mabuchi. Smith returned to dominate moto two aboard his Nationwide Cyclesponsored CR250 for a sweep of the class. Johnson made his way into second place for second overall. Jonathan Belding, Lane and Goolsby went at it over third for most of the moto; Belding got to the checkers first, but it was the 2-4 score of Lane that earned third in the final standings. Austin Brown led almost the entire first 85cc (14-16) moto, but Weigand slipped past him on the white-flag lap for the win. Eric Francis methodically worked his way up into a third-place finish, over Cory Costa and Justin Carmody. Weigand went wire to wire for the second- moto victory. Costa and Brown fought over second place; the nod went to Costa. Costa's runner-up performance couldn't quite top the 2-3 tally of Brown for second overall. Virginia's Zach Osborne was debuting a new 85cc KTM, and, along with Cole Seely, he ran at the front of the first 85cc Open moto until they got together on the last lap, handing the lead and the win to Weigand. Cody Jefferies had his hands full with Shawn Hayes and Brown en route to his second-place finish. Osborne got around a fast-starting Weigand to win moto two, but it was the 1-2 rides of Weigand that topped the field. The consistent 3-3 rides of Hayes earned him second, followed by Jefferies (2-6) and Roberto Jiron (5-4). Raha used consistently good starts aboard his Thousand Oaks KTM/Pro Circuit-sponsored KTM to outrun his competition in both Pee Wee (7-8) 65 OPEN: 1. Taylor Kellstrom (KTM); 2. Mason Sweeden (KTM); 3. Armando Aguilar (KTM); 4. ~IID5 Leedom; S. Brllndon &thwalt (Kew). 85 BEQ 0-1: 1. Joshua Lewrence (Yam); 2. Brandon Gillespie (Hon); 3. Luke Brehm (Suz); 4. Chris Green (Kew); S. Paul laRocque (Yllm). 85 BEG 0-2: I. Cody Murchland (Hon): 2. Tyler Pierce (Hon); 3. Kalani Wliish (Suz); 4. Cesey Meron (Kaw); 5. Brandon Toole (Hon). 85 BEG 0-3: I. Steve Borchert (Suz): 2. Jake Wheeler (Yem); 3. Ryan McAllister (Yam); 4. Brian Cavanaugh (Suz); 5. Ryan Gilbert. 85 (0-11): 1. Jeagher La Fountaine (Honl; 2. Johnny Jelderda (Kew); 3. Tyler Sjoberg (Kew ; 4. Armendo Aguilar (Yam); 5. Mason Sweeden (Suz . 85 (12-13): 1. Cole Seely \Suz); 2. Zoch Osborne (KTM); 3. Shllwn Hayes Kew); 4. Danll Drier (YlIm); 5. B.J. Bohrer (Yem). 85 (14·16): 1. Beeu Weigend (Yem); 2. Austin Brown (YlIm); 3. Cory Costll (Yam); 4. eric Francis (Suz); 5. Justin Carmody (Yam). 85 OPEN: 1. Beau Weigand (Yam); 2. Shllwn Hayes (Kaw); 3. Cody Jefferies (Suz); 4. Roberto Jiron (Suz); 5. Travis Bllker (Yam). S/MINI: 1. lZlch Osborne (KTM); 2. Beau Weigand (Yam); 3. B.J. Bohrer (Yllm); 4. Dana Drier (Yam): 5. Cody Jefferies (Suz). 125 BEG 0-1: 1. Brandon Garay (KTM); 2. David Boyle (Hon); 3. Michael Bartovsky (Yam); 4. Kevin McGerle (Yam); 5. Matt Babbitt (Suz). 125 BEG 0-2: 1. Broc Stewllrt (Suz); 2. Mike McCarron (YlIm); 3. Justin Sjobers (KlIw); 4. Cody Maness (Yam); 5. Larry Rhodes Jr. (KTM). 125 NOV 0·1: 1. Bill Smith (Yllm); 2. Mike Lopez (Hon); 3. Brett Mountain (Yam); 4. Mark Stultz (Yam): 5. Ryan Able (Hon). 125 NOV 0-2: 1. Ivan Shultz (Yam); 2. Sterling lepedll (Suz); 3. Masami Mabuchi (Yllm); 4. Andrew Vandenberg (Hon); 5. Antonio Martinez (Kaw). 125 INT: 1. Scott Howe (Yam); 2. Michael 1...lIPagiia (Suz); 3. Shawn TlIylor (Yam); 4. Anthony Charette (KTM); 5. Robert Skinner (Yam). 125 PRO: 1. Michael Young (Suz); 2. Dustin Nelson (Yam): 3. Adom Miller (Yam). 250 BEG: 1. Adllm Morillu (Suz); 2. Matt Seeley (Yllm); 3. Keith Kehoe (Yam); 4. DllVid McAninch; 5. Mark Young (Yam). 250 NOV: I. Bill Smith (Hon); 2. Scott Johnson (Suz); 3. Adam Lane (Suz); 4. Brlld Goolsby (Yam); 5. Jonathan Belding (Yam). 250 INT: 1. Michllel LllPaglill (Suz); 2. Scott Howe (Yam); 3. Nicholas Burson (Hon); 4. Shawn TlIylor (YlIm); 5. Adllm Gragg (Hon). 250 PRO: I. Dustin Nelson (Yllm); 2. Adam Miller (Yam); 3. Shane Smith (Hon); 4. Colin Couto (Hon); 5. Luke Orr (Suz). WMN: I. Alyssll Herrerll; 2. Kendell Clements (Yllm); 3. Nichole Welsbruch (Yam). 25 ... BEG: 1. Aaron Williams (Hon); 2. Dave Miller (Hon); 3. Jllrrod Dodson (KlIw); 4. Jeremy Hozen (KTM); 5. Jeremy Atwell (Yllm). 25 ... NOV: 1. Robert GoettJing (Yam); 2. Justy Mendibles (Suz); 3. Gabi Abayov (Y8m); 4. Martin Weekley (Yam); 5. Terence Trau9~ber (Kaw). 25 ... INT: 1. Ole Henden (Hon); 2. E:ddy J8Y (Hon): 3. Don Goettling (Yam): 4. Shy Moshe (Yam). 25 EX: 1. Dustin Nelson (Yam). 30 BEG: 1. John Sparr; 2. George Fuentes KaWj; 3. Mike Aldridge (Hon); 4. Gary Croskery Yam; 5. Augustine Herrera (Kl'M). 30. NOV: J. Robert Goettling (Yllm); 2. Joel Grandbois (Hon); 3. Deen Herrera (Hon); 4. Kenard Upscomb (Suz); 5. Joe Bein (Y8m). 30. INT: 1. Edd)': Jay (Hon): 2. Mike Giem (Hon); 3. Mike Ucitra (Suz); 4. Don Goettling (Yam); 5. Doug Ford (Hon). 40 ... NOV: 1. Richa;rd Marshall (Hon); 2. Brian Broussard; 3. Dean JenninQs (Yam); 4. Bob Blake (Kaw); 5. Olive Boston (Yllm). 40 ... AM: 1. Jeff Hllres (Hon); 2. Russ Schuoler (Hon); 3. Weston Reid (Hon); 4. Randy Winslow (Hon); 5. Reggie 1...lImson (Suz). 40 ... EX: 1. Jerry Black (Hon); 2. Bam Simons (Yam); 3. Joe Root (Hon); 4. Jim Latendresse (Hon); 5. Richard Bunch (Yam). motos. Darrell White and Starr Savage each had a runner-up finish, but a 21st-place and an eighth-place finish in their other motos, respectively, kept them from challenging Raha for the overall. Consistent 3-3 rides earned Nicholas LaPaglia the secondplace trophy, over the 5-4 score of Gunner Biggerstaff and the 4-6 tally of Bryce Cords. Raha was equally dominant in the Super Pee Wee class, where he let everyone else fight over second place. Garrett Jackson tallied a 3-2 score to edge out the 2-3 tally of Daniel Overton to get the job done. Goettling's win in the opening Over 25 Novice moto was pretty much uncontested, but moto two was a different story, as he had to overcome a poor start. Justy Mendibles got the jump out of the gate and couldn't be caught, going 3-1 for second overall, behind Goettling (1-2). Gabi Abayov rounded out the top three on 2-3 rides. Goettling's second overall win on the day aboard his Pit Pro/Saugus Suzuki/N-Style-backed YZ250 came in the form of a perfect 1-1 sweep of the Over 30 Novice class. Joel Grandbois (2-3) and Dean Herrera (4-2) argued over second place, and Kenard Upscomb (3-4) and Joe Bein (5-6) rounded out the top five. eN l Los Angeles County IlIIcewey 'ehnde'e, Celifomill Results; Jenllllry 12, 2003 [Heund 11 P/W HON/YAM BEG: 1. Phillip Post (Hon): 2. Ariel Atwell (Hon); 3. Kayla Henden (Yam). P/W HON/yAM ADV: I. Shelby Ward (Hon); 2. Cody Florill (Hon); 3. Tristan Morts (Hon). P/W B/BEG: I. Dillon Epstein (KTM); 2. Sean Kra;ft (KTM); 3. Amandll Baker (Kl'M); 4. Enrique Celstillo (KTM); 5. Austin Aguilar (KTM). P/W B/ADV: 1. Shane Miller (Cob); 2. Kevin Grimmett (KTM); 3. Giovanni Larin (Pol); 4. Nicholas Mercier (Pol). P/W (4-6): 1. Mike Victorian (KTM); 2. lac Commans (KTM); 3. Tyler Tungate (Pol); 4. Jose Cesa; 5. James Wilcox (Pol). P/W (7-8): I. Colby Raha (KTM); 2. Nicholas LaPagli8 (KTM): 3. Gunner Biggerstl3ff (Pol); 4. Bryce Cords (Cob); 5. StlIrr Savllge (Pol). S/P/W: 1. Colby Raha (KTM); 2. Garrett Jackson (Pol); 3. Daniel Overton (Pol); 4. Blake Campos (Cob): 5. Darrell White (Cob). 65 BEG (6-8) 0·1: 1. Dylan Brehm (Suzl; 2. Joey Sllvlltgy (KTM); 3. Bobby Abrams (Kaw ; 4. Connor Green (Suz); 5. Tyler V8nderlip (Kaw). 65 BEG (6-8) 0·2: 1. Quinton Bowen; 2. Austin Gibbons (K8w); 3. Brandon Green (Kaw); 4. Kyle Brakebill (Kaw); 5. Tyler Gibbons (KTM). 65 (6-8): 1. DlImion TlIckett (Kaw); 2. Garrett Jackson (Kew); 3. Colby Raha (KTM); 4. Daniel Overton (Kaw); 5. Blllze Raible (Kaw). 65 (9-11): 1. Johnny Jelderda (Kaw); 2. Mason Sweeden (KTM); 3. Armando AguiJa;r (KTM); 4. HlIyden Commans (KTM); 5. Tucker Hicks (KllW). IAbove} KTM-mounted Colby Raha ran away with the Pee Wee (7-8) and Super Pee Wee wins in Palmdale, California. (Left) Brad Goolsby 1886} absconds with the holeshot in the first 250cc Novice moto at Los Angeles County Raceway, ahead of Scott Johnson (810), Adam Lane 1101}, Martin Weekley 1333} and eventual winner Bill Smith 1191}. cue' e n e _ s FEBRUARY 5, 2003 53