Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128212
" FORTH WORTH, TX, MAR. 14-16 ore than 2000 riders came from across the country for the 27th annual GNe International Motocross Final, but it was one rider, Mike Alessi, who dominated the racing action. Alessi led the list of multiple-class winners, taking five class wins in five attempts for a perfect weekend of racing. Alessi took home championships in the Minibike (14- 16) Stock and Modified, Minibike (7-16), 100cc and Mini Four-Stroke classes. No one manufacture dominated the event; Honda and Suzuki each scored 11 class wins, ahead of Yamaha with 10 and Kawasaki with nine. Leading the way in the heats of the Minibike Open class were Mike Alessi, Ryan Villopoto and Jason Lawrence, who each won their respective divisions on the way to the main. With Alessi dominating the class as of late, many looked to Team Green's Ryan Villopoto in hopes of giving the Honda rider a serious challenge. The main event did not disappoint, with Villopoto taking the holeshot and early lead ahead of Alessi. His lead, however, was shortlived, as Alessi quickly made the pass and then set the pace for the rest of the mota. With Alessi and Viilopoto out front, the rest of the field was left to race for third. Team Green rider Dennis Japan held down this position for the first half of the mota, ahead of Bradley Graham. Graham took the position on lap four and M 58 MAY 7, 2003' cue I e nev.er Ipoked back, riding to third overall after placing second in his division. Jonon would hang on to fourth in the main, but a fourth in his division race would bump him back to fifth overall behind the 2-5 of Grantom. "I got a second-place start, and I passed Ryan over the first jump," Alessi said. "I pushed hard for the first two laps, and then after that I rode like 60 or 70 percent and just won the thing. " Brian Johnson nailed the holeshot in the first mota of the 250cc Stock Expert class ahead Nick Adams and Teddy Maier. Maier left the race early when a mistake in the whoops left him on the ground, allowing Brian Gray and Thomas Hahn to move up. Adams slid out on the second lap and found himself in fifth, moving Gray and Hahn into second and third, respectively, while Adams was left to battle with Ryan Sipes. Adams would come roaring back and two laps later was back in second. Johnson still maintained a healthy lead out front, and Adams would have to settle for second. Gray finished the mota in third, while Sipes passed Hahn at the halfway point to move into fourth. Ryan Sipes grabbed the holeshot in the second mota, with Vernon McKiddie and Nate Larsen in tow. First-mota winner Brian Johnson found himself in sixth early in first lap but quickly moved into fourth to protect his chance at the overall. Sipes was beginning to put some ground between himself and McKiddie, while n e _ s Johnsorr passed .Lacsen' to ~o~ve into_ third. As the mota neared the halfway point, McKiddie was beginning to feel pressure by Johnson. Johnson made the pass on lap five, which all but guaranteed him the overall. The laps clicked off without incident, with Gray giving MeKiddie a run for third place as the mota neared completion. When the white flag came out, Gray looked like he was going for broke, going to extreme measures to get around McKiddie. McKiddie did a good job holding Gray off until a single mistake in the rhythm section allowed Gray to get around. McKiddie settled into fourth, where he would finish the mota, giving him fourth overall. Gray's 3-3 was good for third, while Johnson's second-place finish gave him the overall ahead of Sipes. Thomas Hahn rounded out the top five. "I knew I only had to get second because Ryan finished behind me, Gray took third, and Nick was no where in sight," Johnson said. "From last weekend [Lake Whitney] to here, we made a lot of changes. The suspension is a lot lighter, we did some gearing changes, and everything is real good right now." Polini led the way in the Super Teeny Mini class, with Joshua Greco taking the win ahead of Kody Kamm. Both stormed to victories in their respective divisions, and the main event was no different. The rider on the move was Grant Ransdell, who put in a tremendous effort after starting outside the top 10. The KTM rider came charging through the pack to move into fourth by the time the white flag came out. Ransdell continued his charge all the way to the checkered flag, picking up third and finally second place. Greco took the win and the overall, while Ransdell's 4-2 earned him third behind Kamm's 1-3. Gavin Trettel's 3-4 gave him fourth overall, while Tyler Stewart's 2-8 rounded out the top five. Ashley Baham took the holeshot in the first mota of the Ladies Pro class, but Dee Wood took over early. Kirsten Raemisch followed her lead, passing Baham in the whoops. Sarah Whitmore got a bad start and found herself struggling to make her way to the front. Whitmore moved into fourth by the end of the first lap but had her eyes on the Yamaha of Wood. Whitmore made short work of Marisa Hampshire and, after pressuring Raemisch briefly, made her move into second on the third lap. Yamaha's Whitmore had really good comer speed and seemed to be carving seconds off of Wood's lead each lap. By the time the white flag came out, only a bike length separated Whitmore and Wood. Whitmore was closing in fast, but the two were beginning to make their way into back markers. Whitmore was on the back fender of Wood until a mistake slowed her pace and gave Wood the break she needed to take the mota win. Whitmore would still finish second ahead of Madison, Wisconsin's Raemisch. Fourth went out to Hampshire, while Tara Gieger rounded out the top five. The second mota looked a lot )ik the first, with Wood jumping out to the lead early while Whitmore struggled. Wooc1.quickly opened up a large