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/128201
GFI Racing Winter Series South Round 3: Victorville Motocross Complex Cole Siebler came out on top In the 125cc Pro class at round three of the GFI Racing Winter Series South. STORY AND PHOTOS BY GREG ROBERTSON VICTORVIllE, CA, JAN. 26 [Ii) ound three of the GFI Racing/ ~Goat Eyewear/Pro Circuit/Motul/ Boyesen-sponsored Winter Series South traveled slightly northward to the Victorville Motocross Complex, located in Southern California's high desert. Two riders found the sandy, high-speed layout to their liking: Craig Decker and Cole Siebler walked off with the first-place money in the 250cc and 125cc Pro classes, respectively. Decker used a good drive out of the gate on his KX250 to edge out Jeff Eide, Scott Sheak and Adam Miller for the holeshot when the oneshot, 20-minute 250cc Pro moto got under way. Sheak had his CRF450R up to Decker's back fender after a couple of laps, while Sean Collier moved up into third, ahead of Miller and Derek Costella. Decker started to pull away from Sheak, and Sheak started to come under fire from both Collier and Costella a short time later. By midway, Collier and Costella were around Sheak, while Decker held a 10-second advantage out front. Collier and Costella went at it over second for the next few laps, and in their duel they managed to cut Decker's lead in half. Costella finally got the upper hand on lap 14 of what would eventually be a 16-lap race, but the veteran Decker had settled into a comfortable pace that couldn't be touched. Collier was a few seconds back in third, with Sheak an equal distance behind in fourth. Daton Beavers was all over Sheak during the final few laps and finished a close fifth. At one point, Eide dropped back to ninth but kept charging to work back up into a creditable sixth, with Takuma Kojima, Steven Haughelstine, Siebler and Miller rounding out the top 10. Decker was off to another good start when the 125cc Pros were let loose for their single 20-minute moto. Siebler was quickly up into second place, challenging Decker. Collier and Haughelstine traded third place back and forth early in the race. Siebler worked his way past Decker and ran out front for a couple of circuits before Decker returned the favor at the midway point. Decker's reign only lasted a lap before Siebler took over for good. Decker did his best, but Siebler kept him at bay all the way to the checkers for the hardfought first-place payback. Collier got the upper hand over Haughelstine for third, and Costella finished a close fifth, ahead of Beavers and Yoichi Takasu. CRF450R-mounted Josh Stice led the charge early in the opening 250cc Intermediate moto, ahead of Leo Tidwell, Andy Bakken and Micky Griffin. By the completion of lap two, Cody Baker was the runner-up In both the 50cc Stock and 50cc Open classes. Stice and Griffin were going at it over the lead and starting to distance themselves from the field. Griffin secured the position a lap later, and Stice went down off a jump a short time later. Griffin took the win with some 20 seconds to spare. Bakken benefited from Stice's miscue to finish in second place, ahead of Nicholas Burson, Donnie Weber and Jason Larson. The second moto was a battle over the top spot between Bakken and Griffin that lasted the entire moto. Griffin came up with a last-lap pass that stuck to claim the overall. Larson went 5-3 to edge out the 4-4 efforts of Weber for third overall. In the first 125cc Intermediate moto, Daniel Sani and Kelly Tedder traded the lead back and forth until Tedder encountered problems that left him out of the race. Sani continued on uncontested for the win. Bakken was all by himself at the checkers for second, and Weber, Cas Swift and Kevin Hunter rounded out the top five. Sani returned to go wire to wire for the second-moto and overall win aboard his CR125. Griffin recorded a DNF in moto one but came back with a strong runner-up finish in moto two. Bakken recovered from a fall early in Eventual winner Craig Decker (53) leads Scott Sheak IXI. Jeff Eide (961). Adam Miller (719) and the rest of the pack at the start of the 250cc Pro race at Victorville Motocross Complex In California. 36 FEBRUARY 19. 2003· cue • e n __ s