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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128205
AHRMAfThe Classic Motor Cycle/Metro Racing Dirt Track Series Round :2: Spring Garden Ranch But it was worth the wait, especially for triple-class winner Jim Monegan and for George Richtmeyer, who made his return to AHRMA racing with a pair of class wins. This was AHRMA's second annual visit to the wide, cushion-oval horse track, and it drew an extremely strong field of 175 entries. On a sunny, mid-80s day, it took 22 heats and five semis to get to the 10 main events. The action began with Classic 250. Mike Metzler put his BSA out front at the start, but on the third lap Ohio's John Bova got up to speed and took over the point. He opened a gap over mounted John Hoos and Bruce Argetsinger on a Royal Enfield. Can-Ams went one-two in Sportsman 250 as Jeff Metzloff led Monegan from start to finish. Bultaco rider Tim Swain was unchallenged for third. After a couple of seasons back on the AMA Pro circuit, Richtmeyer made a successful return to vintage racing. But the BSA-mounted Atherton made it difficult for Richtmeyer in the brakeless Classic 500/750 class, chasing the Triumph rider from start to finish. Pennsylvania's Carl Forkey rode his Triumph to third ahead of dirt track legend Ronnie Rail, aboard (Above) Triple class winner James Monegan (31 M) charges into the first tum in Seventies Singles with fellow Yamaha rider Mark Hawk (3T) giving chase. (RLeft) The Senior class charges into a tum: John Skinner (661, David Atherton (partly hidden), Merlyn Wertz (95C), Jim Monegan (31M) and laITY Weiss (8K). SPTSMN 250: I. Jeff Me'zloff (C·A): 2. Jim Manegen (C-A); 3. Tim Swain (Bul); 4. Leland Prewitt (Yam); 5. Bill Macqueen (C·A). SPTSMN 600: 1. Jim Manegen (Yam); 2. Dan Thompson (BSA); 3. Larry Weiss (Hon); 4. John Belliel Jr. (Yam); 5. Clay Pickren (Hon). SPTSMN 750: I. George Richtmeyer (Tri): 2. Fran Brown (Tri); 3. Barney Waldron (Y!lm); 4. Mike Scott (Yam); 5. Martin Lewis (Tri). VET: 1. Mike Scott (Yllm); 2. Barney Wcldron a tight battle among Metzler, Barry Baker, James Paden Jr. and Leland Prewitt. At the checkered flag it was Metzler continuing to hold down second spot, followed by Prewitt and Baker, while Paden suffered mechanical problems on the final lap and had to push across the finish line for 12th place. Monegan, of Twisp, Washington, got the first of his wins in the over-50 Senior class, but not without a serious scrap early in the race with David Atherton. Unfortunately, Atherton's race ended with a fall in turn one late in the race. Michigan's Merlyn Wertz was second after battling with Martin Lewis and Joe Gately. Mike Scott, of Coopersburg, Pennsylvania, ran away from the rest of the 35-and-older Veteran class. Fellow Yamaha rider Barney Waldron was second, chased by the Triumph twosome of Melvin Brown and Lewis Woods. The Dinosaurs took to the track in race four, and it was Triumph-mounted Craig Breckon cruising to the win. Beno Rodi and his Indian Enfield took second in a close race with Harley- 60 MARCH 19, 2003' cue I e a Harley-Davidson KR. Win number two for Monegan was in Sportsman 600, where the Yamaha rider was not seriously challenged. BSA rider Dan Thompson gradually distanced himself from an early-race battle with Larry Weiss and John BelIiel Jr. Jack Warren and his Triumph led from the start in Super Senior. Behind him Rail got his BSA past class champ Brown to earn second for the day. Sportsman 750 was a wild affair. The Triumph of Richtmeyer was never headed, but plenty of pressure was being applied throughout by Scott, Fran Brown and Waldron. When it was all sorted out, Fran had his Triumph in second spot ahead of Yamaha riders Waldron, Scott and Lewis. The Seventies Singles class took to the track as daylight was running out, but again it was Monegan running out front from flag to flag on a Yamaha. In a four-way race to the checkered flag it was Mike Caves in second over Tom Morgan, Billy Berger and Mark Hawk. eN n e _ s Sprinl bnIen Ranch De Leon Sprinl'. Florida Ra.ults: March 6, ZOO3 lRaund ZI151 DINO: L Craig Breckon (Tn); 2. Beno Roeli (Ind); 3, John Hoos (H-D); 4, Bruce Argetsinger (Enf); 5. Charles Goman (Tn). ClSC 250: 1. John Sova (Bul); 2, Mike Metzler (BSA); 3. Leland Prewitt (Tri); 4. Barry Baker (Bul); 5. Mike Landrum (H-D). ClSC 500/750: I. George Riehtmeyer (Tri): 2. David Atherton (BSA); 3. Carl Forkey (Tri); 4. Ronnie Rail (H-D); 5. Craig Breekon (Tri). (Yam); 3. Melvin Brown (Tri); 4. Lewis Woods (Tn); 5. George Mack (Yam). SR: 1. Jim Monegan (Yam); 2. Merlyn Wertz (Tri); 3. Martin lewis (Tri); 4. Joe Gately (Tri); 5. Larry Weiss (Tri). S/SR: 1. Jack Warren (Tri); 2. Ronnie Rail (BSA); 3. Melvin Brown (Tri); 4. Duwayne Montgomery (Yam); 5. Gary Brennan (Tri). '70S SNGlS: 1. Jim Monegan (Yam); 2, Mike Caves (Hon); 3, Tom Morgan (Hon); 4. Billy Berger (Hon); 5. Mark Hawk (Yam), Dirt-track legend Ronnie Rail (52) on a Harley KR in Classic 5001750.