Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

AMA/036 Moose Western Regional Cross Country Series Round 4: Phantom Hare Scrambles By CHRIS GHIONE PHOTOS BY MICHELLE GHIONE I. HOLUSTER,CA,MAR.16 ~TM-mounted Brian Sperle battled ~his way through the rain and mud and past all the other racers to the overall victory at the annual Phantom Hare Scrambles. The Faultline/Fox Ra c i n g / IMX/C Iu bmoto- sponsored Sperle showed that when the conditions get tough, he's one step above the other racers. The Ghostriders Motorcycle Club once again used Hollister Hills SVRA to host the fourth round of the AMA/District 36 Moose Western Regional Cross Country Series. Conditions at the start of the morning A/B race were excellent, but as more than 200 riders lined up for the start, dark clouds loomed overhead. In an interesting move, the event organizers provided two starting areas: Racers would start at the same time and make their way through two sections of equal length before merging together two corners into the race. After the courses merged, the riders would make their way around the muddy motocross track before heading out onto a course that had a lot of single-track and winding fire roads. When the shotgun sounded, Fairfield Cycle Center/GPR Stabilizers/ RG3 Suspension-backed Rod Kreiss took the lead aboard his Suzuki. "I got a very good start," Kreiss remarked. "I was, like, second into the first corner and, like, first out of the second, and I just pretty much led from there." The riders enjoyed great conditions for the first lap, but then the skies opened up, and the hard downpour would change the race dramatically. "The first lap, I was thinking to myself, 'This is going to be awesome!'" Kreiss recounted. "It was like one big motocross track - berms everywhere - but it started raining more and more, and it just got sloppy. The second lap was a completely different course than the first lap." When the going got rough, Sperle got going, catching Kreiss on the second lap. "Me and Kreiss had a pretty good battle for a while," noted Sperle. "I got around him, and then I pitted early. I got back around him and had a pretty good battle with him for a while, but once I got out in the lead, I didn't have too much trouble." A few laps into the race, it became apparent who the best mud riders in the District were. After a slow start, Team Green Kawasaki/Motul-sponsored Damien Galford had a great ride. "The start was pretty interesting," Galford said. "I got a two-kick start. I was lucky enough to pick my way through the pack on the MX track and not crash and just ended up staying solid. " Galford left the motocross track in about 15th and for the rest of the race gradually made his way forward. On the final lap, he moved past a couple of riders to take third overall. Shift/IMS rider Brian Butler also suffered a slow start, crashing three Rod Kreiss scored runner-up honors at round four of the AMAIDistrict 36 Moose Western Regional Cross Country Series in Hollister, California. times and getting run over on his first trip around the motocross track, but he charged forward and actually moved into second place for an instant before a front flat tire slowed him down. "I tried to pass Kreiss on the motocross track, because I didn't think he had goggles on, and I wanted to roost him, but he did have goggles on, so he passed me when my front tire went flat," said Butler of his short stint in second place. After finishing the final lap with a flat tire, Butler slowed down slightly but still managed to come home in the fourth position. Taking fifth was MSR/NorCal Motorsports/Goat-backed Rob Zimmerman. The Yamaha rider held the fourth position until he was passed by Galford on the final lap after a short battle. "The last lap, I saw Robbie," recounted Galford, "and I just kept catching him and got behind him, and he looked back and saw it was me, and after that he put the hammer down, so I lost my chance, and the sneak attack was over. Finally he just made a mistake, and I went by him when he was picking his bike up." Sixth went to Suzuki rider Jeff Bauer, who rode solidly from the start. After a slow start, Kawasakimounted Craig Wesner battled his way up to seventh. Bryce Olsen was eighth, followed by his fellow KTM jockey James Ptarcinski. Rounding out the top 10 was Yamaha pilot Theron Miller. The top B rider of the day was Honda rider Kevin Hunt. The afternoon C race was held in torrential rains and had to be shortened, but cue I e despite that fact, more than 200 racers still lined up to take part. The fastest was Honda-mounted Kenny Link, who finished as the event's overall winner. eN Hollister Hills SVRA Hollister, Califomia Results: March 16, 2003 (Round 41 0/A: 1. Brian Sperle (KTM); 2. Roderick Kreiss (Suz); 3. Domien Galford (Kaw); 4. Brian Butler (Hon): 5. Rob Zimmermlln (Yam); 6. Jeff Bauer (Suz); 7. Craig Wesner (Kl!w): 8. Bryce Olson (KTM): 9. James Ptarcinski (KTM); 10. Theron Miller (Yam). A 200: 1. Jllrnes Ptarcinski (KTM); 2. Theron Miller (Yam): 3. Curt Wilcox (Kaw). A 250: I. Brian Sperle (KTM); 2. Rodenck Kreiss (Suz); 3. Damien Galford (Kaw). A OPEN: 1. Jesse Achoa (KTM); 2. Jeriah Gurley (KTM): 3. Jesh Poggi (KTM). A 4·STRK: 1. Russell Pereira (Yam): 2. David Fish (KTM): 3. Steve Bonita (Hon). A VET: I. John Side)' (Yam); 2. Brian Jelich (Hen): 3. J.R. Mason (Su,). A SR: 1. Dave Wood (KTM); 2. Mike Scott (Yam); 3. Kenneth Netto (Yllm). A S/SR: 1. Pete Prichard (KTM); 2. Jerr)' John:;on (Hon); 3. Eugene Price (Sw.). A GENTS: 1. Fred Climeron (TM): 2. William Saltzman (Hus): 3. Willillm Craig (KTM). B 200: 1. Brent Dixon (Hon); 2. Jared Orock (KTM): 3. Charles Rand (Ka..). B 250: 1. Grant Glen (Kaw); 2. Jared Washabaugh (Kaw); 3. Walter Lunn (Yam). B OPEN: 1. Joel Burkett (KTM); 2. Craig Hill (Hen): 3. Kelly Knipe (KTM). B 4·STRK: 1. Kevin Hunt (Hon); 2. Spencer Weinstein (Hon); 3. Michael McMahon (Yam). B VET: 1. Mark Silva (Yam); 2. Shannon Poore (Yam): 3. Marc Palmer (KTM). B SR: I. Curtis ReIchlin (KTM); 2. Steve Matlock (KTM): 3. James Lewis (Hon). B S/SR: I. Bob Bowers (KTM); 2. Jonathan Spilker (Suz); 3. Michael Schultz (KTM). C 200: 1. Thomas Simontacchi (Suz); 2. Alan Leslie (Suz): 3. Darren Scott (Yam). C 250: 1. Kenny Link (Hon): 2. Jason Voss (Hon); 3. Ryan Schaffler (Hon). OPEN: 1. Brian Nute (Yam): 2. Gary Winnie (KTM): 3. Chris Jest (KTM). C 4·STRK: 1. Jason Marsh (Kaw); 2. Cameron Nienkark (Hon); 3. Andrew Rewinkle (Yam). C VET: 1. Antonio Nunez (Yam); 2. Rob Miller (Yam): 3. Eyvand Fortney (Kaw). C SR: 1, Brent Bradley (KTM); 2. Patrick Haskins (Yam): 3. Brad Dixon (Hon). S/SR: I. James Brindos (Kew); 2. M)'keal Clark (Yam); 3. Greg Loscher (Han). GENTS: 1. Paul Wennl (Yam); 2. Robert Wells (Yam); 3. Marc Tucker (Yam). C WMN: 1. Jennll Pinto (Hon). e e e n e _ s: • APRIL 16. 2003 57

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