Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

AMA Western National Sidecar Motocross Series Warm-Up Round: Speedworld Motocross Park Wenzels Wax Wittmann Warm-Up ona Wasp By DUKE EARUMART wmMANN, AZ, FEB. 1 Allen and Bryan Wenzel drove their WaspYamaha to the overall win of the Championship class at the warm·up round of the newly formed AMA Western National Sidecar MX Series, held at Speedworld MX Park in Wittmann, Arizona. The brothers led every lap of the two motos, though not without a challenge from the EML-Jumbo-mounted team of Malcolm Upfield and Pat Holmes. Moto one found a combined gate of both the Championship and Heavyweight classes, the two classes offered in the AMA Western National Sidecar MX Series. With three Championship-class rigs and two Heavyweight rigs, the field roared off toward the first tum as the starter's flag waved. The sound and spectacle of big-bore sidecars charging toward the first tum is not to be missed. The Wenzel brothers immediately took charge, followed by the Upfield/Holmes team on the EML rig, A little way back was the leading Heavyweight team of Gary Cochell and Dave Boydstun on their Wasp-Yamaha, fol- lowed by another Wasp- Yamaha-mounted Tolomeo and thus setting the stage for the allimportant second moto. Moto two started as almost a carbon copy of the first, with all the rigs lunging for the first turn, but the Wenzel brothers got there first. Upfield f, Holmes settled into second, and the now-comfortable team of Borg f, Drury drove their EML into the third position. Cochell f, Boydstun and Bogus f, Tolomeo also settled into familiar positions in the Heavyweight class. Jumping sidecars is exciting to watch, and the three Championship-class contenders were not afraid to put some fresh air between their tires and the ground. The EML-mounted team of Upfield f, Holmes certainly provided some crowd-pleasing leaps, as did the Borg/Drury team. The Wenzel brothers' older Wasp Yamaha seemed to leap okay, but you could certainly tell it was an older rig when it landed with a heavy thud. At the end, it was the Wenzel brothers then retired with a DNF. At halfway. Smith led The opening round is at Honey Lake MX in the winning Cobra freight train that included Gage, Powell and Bryson Turner. Enterprise, April. FasTrac MX Park C'SHIP CL: l. Allen Wenzel/Bryan Wenzl!!1 (Wsp·Yam); 2. Mal· colm Upfield/Pat Holmes (EML-Jumbo): 3. Robert Borg/John Drury (EML-Hon). H/W: I. Gary Cochell/Deve Boydslun (Wsp-Yam); 2. John Bogus/Guy Tolomeo (Wsp·Yem). CAIRO, GA, FEB. I FasTrac MX Park hosted nearly 200 riders In moto two, James passed Waldner with a quick inside move for the lead. Waldner was unable to close back in, and James cemented the win when he put a lapper between them Pro rider Bobby Thompson, at round one of the second annual Riders' Spring Shootout won out again over Massey. Lynn Haven, Florida's Troy Balsters was fifth. acquired and very rapid EML- Honda outfit. Two turns into the moto, Upfield £, Holmes had their EML within striking distance of the Series. Dixie MX, County Line MX, and Riverside MX will also take part in the ambitious 13-race series. Cycle Nation of Tallahassee, YZ riders Brandon Devilbiss, Bruce McKay and Logan Arline led the way in the first 125cc D moto. Ryan Fillingim and Jared Roth joined Wenzel brothers, but as the first lap ended, the Florida, has stepped up to provide major sup- order remained the same. port for the series, along with returning spon~ Lap two found the Borg/Drury team making its way through the field into third place, sors Florida Motorsports, Buddy Cycles, Circle them for some close racing on lap two. Fillingim doubled to second and was gaining on Brandon at the flag. Local rider Arline B Contracting and First Communications. Stepbrothers James and Brandon Devilbiss was a solid third, ahead of Roth's CR125 and McKay. had the hot throttle hands in the 125cc C and 125cc D classes, respectively. The County put an immediate gap on the 15-rider field. Line MX-assisted duo rode their Yamahas to wins in both motos. Roth, Fillingim and McKay for second. Bran- At moto's end, it was the Wenzel brothers in front of Championship-class contenders Upfield f, Holmes, with Borg f, Drury in third on their EML-Honda. The Heavyweight class was an all-Wasp-Yamaha affair, with Cochell f, Boydstun taking the class win over Bogus f, Cairo. Georgia Results: February 1, 2003 (Round 11 P/W 50; 1. Scotty Haver (Yam); 2. Jecob Harrell (Yllm); 3. Walker Johnson (Yam); 4. Jorden Grehem (Hon): 5. Bennett Enfinger (Yam). P/W (4-6): I. Tllnnet Powell (Cob); 2. Joseph Spinks (KTM): 3. Bryson Turner (Cob); 4. Ryan (ochren (KTM); 5. DUBtln Jones {KTM}. P/W (7-9): 1. Jelt Johnson (Cob): 2. Gage Arline (Cob): 3. Mason Brown (KTM): 4. Nick Goodwin (KTM); 5. Sheldon Seele {KTM}. Devilbiss Boys Hot at FasTrac In the first 125cc C moto, Josh P. Adams led Ben Waldner, Michael Manley, Matt Massey and James Devilbiss. After doubling to second, James passed Manley for the lead in the fast whoop section at the end of lap two. He then rode unchallenged to the finish. Waldner put his YZ250F into second and then successfully battled with Adams and Massey to keep that position. Adam Barfield brought the lone Suzuki in fifth. Grimsley ran out front in moto two but Alabama's Sheldon Seale was the first KTM rider, going 5-5 for fifth overall. Speedworld MX Park Wittmann. Arizona Results: February 1, 2003 !Warm-Up Roundl on the final lap. In the race for third, Adams got close to making a pass for the lead several times, but each time the Wenzel brothers would squeeze out enough distance to hold their lead position. strong behind them. Grimsley moved out front finished up the same as in moto one, with from the tri-state area, as well as Canadian toward the leaders. Lap two also found Upfield f, Holmes having problems with a fading front brake that definitely slowed down their charge. As the moto wore on, Upfield f, Holmes Gage Arline and Blake Grimsley led moto one, with Evan Smith and D.J, Oakes coming on Cochell f, Boydstun taking the win over Bogus f,Tolomeo. team, John Bogus and Guy Tolomeo. The Championship-class team of Robert Borg and John Drury were at the tail end of the field as they tried to come to terms with the newly displacing the Heavyweights and moving Cobras dominated the Open Pee Wee ranks. taking the top four positions overall. but then barely held off a charging Smith when he had trouble in the whoops just before the checkered flag. Gage rounded out the top three, ahead of Tanner Poweil. taking the Championship-class win, followed by Upfield f, Holmes and the now-well-honed team of Borg f, Drury. The Heavyweights Riders' Spring Shootout Series Round 1: FasTrac MX Park By HUGH GATUN shot between the leaders on the whooped-out front straight. Cornelius followed him in for second. YZ riders Carl Drummond and Bill Russell overhauled a slumping Ayers before the checkers. Brandon got the moto-two holeshot and KX-mounted Chris Drew ran just ahead of don cruised to the win, Fillingim broke through for second, but Roth went down hard and scored a DNF. Arline finished just ahead of McKay. In the unpredictable 85cc Beginner class. only one rider who finished in the top five in the first heat cracked the top 10 the second time out. Chad Kearney doubled past Kawasaki rider Thomas Lau in moto one and pulled away for a commanding win. During moto two, he ran afoul of on-tr3ck regulations and was disqualified. After placing a solid third in moto one, Lau did not finish moto two, ending the night in 13th overall. Suzuki jockey Clay Jackson finished fourth in race one but placed 12th in moto two, relegating himself to sixth overall. John R. Broome could only muster an 11 th-place finish to go with his first·moto fifth, but, amazingly, he wound up fifth overall. Yamaha-mounted Blake Young was by far the most consistent rider of the 18 in the field. He moved to second on lap two of the first moto and stayed there to the finish; in moto two, he hit the first turn ahead of a five-rider pile-up and went on to score the win, and his 2-1 tally easily bested the field. Several riders with high points totals benefited from the second-moto shuffle: Honda jockeys Jonathan P/W OPEN: 1. Evan Smith (Cob): 2. Gage Arline (Cob): J. Tan· ner Powell (Cob); 4. Bryson Tumer (Cob): 5. Sheldon ~ale (KTM). MINI 4-STRK: 1. Jared Dllvis (Hon); 2. Austin Clark (Yam): 3. Jason Myers (Yam); 4. Kevin LeUI (Hon); 5. Cooper Holmes (Yam). 65 BEG: I. Alex Tyer (Kew); 2. Bailey Parker (Kew): 3. Jelt Johnson (KTM); 4. Benjamin Leu (Kalil); 5. Kevin Lelli (KTM). 65 (7-9): I.la<:k Bell (Kalil): 2. Matthew Creasy (Kaw). 65 (10-1 I): 1. Casey Smith (!

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