Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

8TH Annual Spring Classic Lake Whitney Motocross ark 30 class, taking both motos by storm en route to the win and the overall, "I'm having a good time getting back into Amateur racing," commented Emig. "No factory rider has ever done this before, so there is some pressure from folks who expect me to go out and win every moto, but as long as I'm having fun doing this then I'll keep on going." Emig made the trip out from California in his van, privateer-style, eN lJIlce Whitney MX Park Whitney, Tuas Results: March &-9, 2003 Jeff Emlg drove a van from Califomia to compete at Lake Whitney. He won the Over-30 class. 51 (4-6) STK SHAFT lOlL: I. Thoma' Covington (Yam); 2. Jllmes Norris IV (Yam); 3. Coleman Martin (Yam); 4. Colin Price (Yllm); 5. Damon Holcomb. 51 (4·6) AMA STK: I. Adam Cianci.rulo (Cob): 2. Darren WlIlsh (KTM): 3. Hunter Brightwell (Cob); 4. Dalton Myers (Cob): 5. James Norris IV (Cob). Guy Cooper (491 got the holeshot in the Ove....25 Open class. Here, he IeacIs Spud Walters (21 and the rest of the pack. Matthew Lemoine won the 85cc (12-131 Stock class. bikelengths of Kyle Partridge at the finish line." The fun race for both Millsaps and Alessi was in the Mini Four-Stroke class. Millsaps had the lead into the final lap of the first moto, but the class was double-gated with the Women's 80-105cc (12-15), so lappers became a problem for the battling duo. "I could see about four girls in front of Davi and knew that lapped riders would be a problem," Alessi said', "I rolled over a jump in the last lap in the rhythm section and doubled the next one to pass Davi, who got stuck behind a lapper, and took the win when the door was opened." Millsaps had a great time in the race, "Carlos, my mechanic, has been working on my Mini Four-Stroke for eight months," Millsaps said. "We've been planning this race since last year. It was just a fun ride. I'm big for the bike and actually bent the rear axle in the wheel, which caused the rear brake to drag. But I held it wide open and just had a blast!" Sarah Whitmore enjoyed her week at Lake Whitney MX Park, walking Kyle Chisholm won the 250cc B Modified class. BRIEFLY••• away with four moto wins and two Championships in the Women 105cc, 125cc & Up and the Women A events. "I wasn't even planning on coming out here for this race," Whitmore said, "but a friend of mine was heading this way and said I just had to come, so I'm glad I did." Jeff Emig had a fun week at Whitney, Jeff slam-dunked the Vet Plus Nick Adams (1601 dominated the 250cc A, 250cc AlPro Sport and Four-Stroke (201-6501 A classes. 50 MARCH 26, 2003' eye I e n e vv s Lake Whitney hosted a record·breaking turnout of 2238 entries. including riders from 41 of the 50 United States. plus Mexico, Canada, Costa Rica and Great Britain. Texas had 478 entries to California's 395. Florida had 155 entered racers. while Colorado had 109, The most dramatic increases in entries by region were the Pacific Northwest and the far Northeast. Fiorida and California tied for the most Championships with eight each. Michigan came in third with five titles, followed by Texas with four and Georgia with three, This was the first time that MX Sports ran a Loretta Lynn's Area Qualifier alongside an Amateur Nationai-caliber event. although less than 25 percent of the total entered riders used the event to qualify for the 2003 AMA Loretta Lynn's Championship. Virginia's Zach Osborne debuted the KTM 85 SX in the 85cc (12-13J Stock and Modified events, winning the Modified event and finishing second in the Stock class behind Kawasaki's Matt Lemoine of Texas. KTM Sportmotorcycles vice president Selvaraj Narayana was present to oversee the performance of the little machine as well as offer a fully loaded KTM Factory Semi filled to the brim with parts in case someone was in need of repair. AMA's Steve Camagie was on hand at Lake Whitney to observe the event. Referees Tom Hudson and Tom Haring were kept very busy throughout the week, starting with practice infractions on Wednesday and carrying on with protests and teardowns. Six riders were penalized with a five-second delay off the gate of their first moto. Four riders in the 51 cc (4-8J Stock class were DQed for triple clamp and seat cover modification, while other disqualifications took place in the 85cc (7-1 n. 125cc (12- 15J Youth. 85cc (1 2- 13) and 125cc C Stock classes for everything from foot pegs to folding levers, seat covers and jumping under yellow and red-cross fiags. The track was kept in pristine condition during the event. as Guy Cooper and Larry Morton manned the bulldozers and Shaun Martin the John Deer tractor. "We really wanted it great for everyone.Cooper said. Seven Polinl riders were pulled from the gate and disqualified from competing on '03 Polinis in the 51 cc Stock classes. The Lake Whitney facility offered to run a 2003 Polini Exhibition. awarding each of the participating riders a trophy (picturedJ and a chance to display their skill on the new models,

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