Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Albany Motorsports Park: Ryan Thompson was the top Intermediate-class performer at the season opener in Albany, Oregon, snaring the 250cc and Before The HiII-elass wins at the event that doubled as round 12 of the CMC Northwest Winter Series. 250 INT: I. Ryan Thompson (Hon); 2. ~nny Costa (Yam); 3 Adam Metzler (Suz). 250 PRO: I. Jason Malthews (Hon); 2. Devin Watson (KTM). OPEN AM: I. David SplIrks (Yam); 2. Jeremy McUsin (yam): 3. Glynn Higgins (KTM). WMN: 1. Trad Aeming (Yam); 2. Heidi Koerschgen (Hon); 3. Van~sa Viter (Yam). 8TH JR: 1. Nick Rendklev (Husl; 2. TllIvts McMackin (Yam): 3 Kyle PlIchmayr (Sull. 8TH INT: 1. Ryan Thompson (Hon); 2. Ryan H~e CHon): J. Devin Wlltson (KTM) UTH JR: 1, Olin G~n (Hon): 2. Traci Fkming (Yam) OTH BEG: I. TC!d Baker (Vam); 2. Richard TunneU (Yam); 3. Mel Taylor CHon). OTH JR: 1. Marvin Gulhng! (Yam); 2. Scott Srmth (KllW); 3 Kyte Brooks (Hon1 OTH MY: I, ~ Hurlburt (Hon); 2. Mike Marlow (Hus); 3. Chns Clark (Hon) OfT Afl\: I Bnan Barber (HuI): 2. TM)' Brooks CHon): 3. Steve Fidler (Hon). orr Il'tNY: 1 Jamie Claassen (Suz); 2. Glynn HigginS (KTM); 3 Greg Gates (Hon). 50.. : l. RIck Radmllcha (Sol): 2. Karl K~~n (Hon) 4-STRK: 1. Ross MIner (Yam): 2. Danny Costa (Yam): 3 Justin Green (Yam) Missouri Hare Scrambles Championship Series Round 2: Finger Lakes State Park Stone: 20 Years Later By FRANK LEIVAN COLUMBIA, MO, MAR. 16 When Doug Stone crossed the finish line at Finger Lakes State Park to claim the overall victory at the second round of the Missouri Hare Scrambles Championship Series, a little bit of history was made. Two decades earlier at the same track, Doug's father, Roger, won an MHSC round - making the Stones the only father-son combination to have overall victories to their credit from the same venue. The winner of the 2003 event was stoked with his latest victory. "Today makes all of my training through the winter worth it," Doug said. Although the Donnell's/Scott/Dunlop/ Stoneworks Suspension-backed rider took the holeshot on his Honda, he missed a turn during the first lap and was shuffled back to fourth place. By the halfway point of lap two, though, Doug was again in the lead and setting the pace. Although Doug had challengers along the way, the CR250 pilot was the guy who put it all together, taking the fourth MHSC win of his career. Notoriously muddy, the MXP-promoted event this year was as close to perfect as you can get at this venue. Most of the 8.4-mile trail had great traction, but there were a few mudholes and sections that became rutted, giving the riders opportunities to capitalize on others' mistakes. There was also a motocross section that was extremely hard-packed, making for a variety of conditions. Doug turned lap times of just over 21 minutes most of the day, making for a six-lap race and an average speed of just over 24 mph. After becoming the self-proclaimed "Holeshot King" of 2002, Doug picked up right where he left off last year and took his spot out front, ahead of the 14 other AA riders. Hot on his heels was KTM/Jones Powersports-backed Joe Kopp, who had a weekend 64 APRIL 16, 2003' eye I e off from his National dirt-track schedule and decided to spend it racing in the woods. Team Green/Factory Effex/Moose/Renthal/Pro Circuit-sponsored Chris Nesbitt got going in third, with Aaron Shaw and Caleb Wohletz getting off to good starts as well. Halfway into lap one, 10-time and defend· ing series champion Steve Leivan joined the fray on his SCR/Yamaha WR250F and moved into fourth, which soon became third. Kopp took over the lead on his 200cc KTM when Doug blew a corner, and Nesbitt and Leivan were able to get by before the eventual winner could get back on track. The motocross track favored Doug, and the former pro motacrosser moved around Leivan and then Nesbitt to complete lap one in second place. Kopp overcooked a comer a few miles into lap two, and Doug was back in front. At that time, the pace became what Leivan called "obnoxious." For the next two laps, Doug inched away while Kopp, Nesbitt and Leivan fought among themselves for second. When Kopp and Nesbitt both stopped for gas after three laps, Leivan took advantage and took over second. During lap four, Doug and Leivan posted times that were nearly identical, allowing Doug to maintain his 20-second lead. It was during the fifth lap that Doug put some real breathing room between himself and Leivan. Another consistent lap by the leader, combined with Leivan's taking a pit stop for fuel and then making a blunder in a rutted creek crossing, gave Doug nearly a one·minute lead with a lap to go. Kopp was another minute and 15 seconds back in third, while Nesbitt was out of the race completely, due to a bent chain guide that resulted in a derailed chain and a subsequent DNF. Shaw had ridden his Kawasaki into fourth after breaking free of a battle with Wohletz, who held fifth on his Red Bull/ EVS/Sprocket Specialists/Surdyke Motorsports/Flatland Racing YZ250F. n e _ s Finger Lakes State Park: Doug Stone roosts his way to victory at round two of the Missouri Hare Scrambles Championship Series in Columbia. Doug's last lap was as solid as the rest, and the 29-year-old racer rolled on to victory and served notice that he's a force to be reck0ned with in 2003. Leivan managed to whittle a few seconds off of Doug's lead by the finish, but he ended up 52 seconds down on his way to the runner-up finish aboard his Answer/GPR Stabilizer/Arai/Race Tech/FMF -supported thumper. Third went to Shaw, who capitalized on a bit of misfortune on Kopp's part to grab the final spot on the podium; a pair of consis· tent results places the always· smiling Shaw in the points lead. Wohletz equaled a career·best fourth overall, while Anthony Meyer made his AA debut a good one by grabbing fifth on his YZ250F. Career bests were also turned in by DeVol/iMS/Smith/Monster Energy's Tracy Bauman and A-class winner Sammy Gosnell, who rode their KTMs to sixth and seventh. respectively. Kopp lost a sure podium just miles from the finish when he got some wire hung up in his front wheel and finished the day in eighth. Finger Lakes State Park Columbia. Missouri Results: March 16, 2003 (Round 2) O/A; I. Doug Stone (Hon): 2. St~v~ Leivan (Yam); 3. Aaron Shaw (Kaw); 4. Caleb Wohl~tz (Yam): 5 Anthony Meyer (Yam): 6. Tlllcy Bauman (KTM): 7. Sammy Gosnell (KTM); 8 Joe Kopp (KTM): 9. David Tllylor (KTM): 10.l..lIrs Valin (Hen). AA: 1. Stev~ l~lvan (Yam): 2. Aaron ShllW (Kaw): 3. Cal~b Wohletz (Yam): 4. Anthony Meyer (Yam): 5. TrllCY BatJmlln (KTM). A: 1. Sammy Gosn~1I (KTM); 2. David Taylor (KTM): 3. Josh Murray (KTM): 4. Gary W~th~rell (Kaw): 5. K~vin Boyl~ (Hon). 2.00 B: 1. Zack Bryant (SuI); 2. Midla~1 Hamilton (Kaw); 3. Andrew Smith (KTM): 4. Brandon Vaughn (KTM): 5. Greg Slg'oVlng (KT"'). 250 B: I. David Wilfong (Kaw): 2. Danny Crawford (Hen): 3. Todd Corwin (KTM): 4. Adam Ashcroft (KTM), 5. Joe Wolf~ (Yam). oPEN B: 1. Jay Waalen (Can); 2. Charles Thlel~ (Yam): 3. Marty Smith (KTM); 4. Raymond OsIa (KTM): 5. Barry Crilwfoo:l (KTM). 4-STRK B: 1. Rillph G~rding (Yam): 2. Michael W~~ (Yam); 3. Glen Osia Sr. (Suz): 4. Mlcha~1 Brady (Yam); 5. Tim Stilponski (Yam). VET: I. Robbie Reed (KTM): 2. Mik~ MKk (Yam); 3. Matt WetS (KTM); 4. N~al Soenksen (KTM): 5. Chris Huff (YlIm). SR: I. Brltd Bam~tt (Yam): 2. John N~berry (KTM); 3. K~vln Harman (KTM); 4. David Dant (Kaw); 5. Carl Dobson (KTM). S/SR: 1. Rick Whelov~ (KTM): 2. William Guff~y (Y~ml: 3. Charli~ Buck (Hon); 4. Bob ClIpling~r (Yam); 5. Frank l~ivan (Yam). JR: I. Adam GuU~y (SU1); 2. Cem~ron Mlttelb~rg (Y~m): 3. Dustin Healy (Yilm); 4. Matt Barg~r (Yam); 5. Cotlin Johnson (Kaw). WMN: 1. Amandll Lappe (KTM): 2. MIchele Eld~m (KTM). 200 C: 1. Ryiln Portell (KTM): 2. Shlln~ Roberts (Yom): 3. ChrIs Hink~1 (KTM); 4. lanc~ Hees (KTM); 5. J~ff Thorp (Kaw). OPEN C: 1. Charl~s Hoormann (Kaw); 2. DlIv~ Schreln~r (Y~m): 3. Bryan Roy (Kaw); 4. Bitt Braham (Kaw): 5. Dustln Matrtlis (Hon). BEG: I. Douglas Ke!th (KTM); 2. Tim Gust (Han); 3. H~ath Hannaford (Kaw): 4. Eric Cam~ron (Yam); 5. Rick Surrl!! (Hon). MXWest Spring Series Round 4: Fernley International Raceway Garrison Troops to 2 in his Pro Debut By ROBERT BEAUPRE: FERNLEY, NV,MAR. 16 The northern Nevada race season is fully under way now, and the racers who made the biggest strides in speed over the winter are becoming apparent. Yamaha rider Bobby Garrison is one of the riders in this category, as he made an impressive entrance to the local Pro ranks by winning both the 125cc and 250cc classes in Fernley. Garrison enjoyed some success as an Intermediate in 2002, including a seventh· place finish in the 250cc class at Loretta Lynn's. However, while he planned another attempt at the Intermediate class this year at Loretta's, protests regarding his speed have recently led him to make the jump to the Pro class. Garrison proved up to the new challenge on this day in Fernley, though, as he rode to wins in three of the four motas he contested. Garrison's only defeat came in the first 125cc mota. when the YZ250F -mounted Tommy Jean grabbed the holeshot. ahead of Justin Mastalka and Garrison, who were both also aboard YZFs. Garrison lost the front end while giving chase on the first lap and was forced back to third in the moto. Meanwhile, Jean pulled an early lead, ahead of Mastalka, only to have it evaporate in the late laps when Mastalka made the pass. Jean held on for sec· ond, ahead of the charging Garrison. The second mota went a little differently. Garrison grabbed the lead and headed out for the overall win. Garrison kept strong momen· tum all over the track through a number of unique outside lines. Jean managed to hold off Mastalka for the second-place spot in the mota and on the day. Mastalka came in just behind Jean for third overall. The 250cc Pro class was all Garrison's, as he rode to a 1-1 score, ahead of Big Valley Honda-backed CRF450R rider Kenny Lash, who posted a 2-2 tally. Garrison's rides were impressive on this day, and his presence in the class will undoubtedly complicate the plot in the growing Pro field in northern Nevada, The 125cc Intermediate class is typically one of the biggest and most closely contested classes at any MXWest race, and Fernley usually draws a particularly large field. J.L. Bitz, a rider who recently moved to an RM 125 from a VZ8S, emerged as the winner at this round. He faced off against what has become a laundry list of would-be winners in the Intermediate

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