Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Yamaha Day of Champions Frozen Ocean Moto-X Park VerockoJl ors en Kawasaki jocke)' Paul Veracka topped the 125cc Experts at the Yamaha Da)' of Champions at Frozen Ocean Moto-X Par1< In Auburn, NewYor1<. ~@~~@ U[fu@ @@W*'-~ STORY AND PHOTOS BY LARRY WOOSTER AUBURN, NY, JUNE 29 he Yamaha Dealers' Day of Champions sealed the deal on another super Weekend of Champions event at one of New York's premier motocross facilities, Frozen Ocean Motocross Park. The focus on this day would switch from the tighter supercross track to the big, long, loamy motocross track. Once again, Stone's Snow Sled of Newark, Sled Shop of Binghamton, Precision Cycle of Auburn, Lane's Yamaha of Watkins Glen, J&J Yamaha of Sherburne, Glider City Powersports of Elmira, Fred's Sport Motors of Syracuse, Chenango Import Motors of Yorkville, CNY Power Sports of Cortland, Bethany Yamaha of Webster, and Action Motorsports of Brewerton would all ante up more than $5000 in cash and loads of motocross gear to be given away, along with the 4-foot trophies. This day's "terra firma fiesta" would be the normal two-mota format, giving any rider taking a dirt siesta mucho time to get back up and try to make a good showing for himself. The Denman family had the track in mint condition, while the local Yamaha dealers' pot of gold had the starting gate full of 125cc Pro riders, all primed and ready for action in mota one. Paul Veracka and "Fly in' Ryan" Mills went bar to bar through the wide, sweeping left-hander, with both Brock Sellards and Thomas Burton side by side with their front tires midtank on the leaders. Veracka grabbed hold of the lead over the big tabletop jump, with Sellards, Mills, Charles Ellis, Mike Dougherty, Dave Ginolfi, Caleb Miller and Aaron Dieter scrambling for second through eighth. Like a cat, Sellards stalked Veracka, and he pounced when the opportunity arose to take the lead cleanly. Mills was next to challenge and pass Veracka, on the next lap. Sellards, Mills and Veracka set the pace with a classic textbook example of a three-bike breakaway, while another three-bike battle raged behind them, involving Ellis, Dougherty and Dieter. This is Flyin' Ryan's home track, T and he used his knowledge of the course and some octane to ignite a sweet-and-sour pass on Sellards sweet in what the move looked like, sour in that, a short time after making the pass, Mills' Amsoilsponsored Honda suffered a mechanical meltdown while he was leading Sellards. Barry Carsten was busy making passes, rocketing his way up to the fifth spot and still climbing. Sellards took the win in mota one, with Veracka, Carsten, Dougherty and Elljs rounding out the top five. Mota two looked like a heavyweight night at the fights. Both Mills and Sellards failed to answer the call to the gate. At the drop of the rag, Carsten and Ellis won the drag race into turn one, but it was Veracka who took the lead as the Suzuki-mounted duo swept too wide to protect the ~ got a grip on things and was tearing his way up to challenge for fourth. Veracka had a stranglehold on the lead, and Ellis was looking good in second place when, with less than 50 feet to go, Ellis either stalled his bike or it completely died on him, dropping him back quickly. Green Weekend will be held September 6. Frozen Ocean hosts another big day of motocross competition on September 7, with a Kawasaki Team Green/WNYMA points race. FI'lIZH Dc..n Mota-X Parte AlIbam, New Yorte Results: June 29, 2003 Veracka (2-1) laid claim to another first-overall finish. Carsten (3-2) earned second overall. Dougherty (4-6) garnered third overall OPEN P/W (4-7): 1. Zachary Putman (KTM); 2. Keith Mulvaney Jr. (KTM); 3. Dllniel Netti (KTM): 4. Austin Littler (KTM): 5. Angelo Komuda (Cob). 51 (4·6): I. Derick Gracey (Yam): 2. Ducati Bowers (Yam): 3. Brian Fnmceschelli (Suz): 4. Tyler sroell (Yam): 5. Tyler Field (Yam). P/W SR (7·6): 1. Kyle Pollak (KTM): 2. Paul Tirado (Cob); 3. Brett McMichael (KTM): 4. Brian Despaw (Cob); 5. Hunter Yorker (KTM). 65 MINI (7·9): 1. Brandon Mays (KTM); 2. Andy Bristol (Kaw); 3. Caleb Schachtler (KTM); 4. Jesse Spelling (KTM): 5. Phillip MancheSler (KTM). 65 MINI (10·11): I. Malt Babbitt (Kaw): 2. John Borek (KTM); 3. R.J. Beck (Kaw): 4. Tyler Matteson (Suz); 5. Zachary Rosch (KllW). 85 MINI (7-11): 1. Ryan Blizzard (Hon); 2. Matt Babbitt (Kaw); 3. John Vergalito (KTM); 4. Tyler Matteson (Kaw); 5. Brandon Mays (Suz). 65 MINI (12·15): I. Michael Picone (SUl); 2. Phillip Nicoletti (Hon); 3. Mark Lindsey (Kaw); 4. Chad Dunning (Kaw): 5. Cory Dejong (Hon). MINI (12·15) NOV: I. Joshua Emmi (SUl); 2. Derek Lacelle (Yam); 3. Bryan Ricci (Yam); 4. Kelsey O'Hara (Yam); 5. Shawn Hillman (Yam). OPEN MINI (10-15): I. Michael Picone (Suz); 2. Cory Dejong (Hon); 3. Phillip Nicoletti (Hon); 4. Mack Lindsey (Kaw); 5. Colton Harrison (Kaw). 125 NOV: I. John Burlew (Yam); 2. Jake Pollock (Hon): 3. Nick Lacerenza (Suz): 4. Josh Morse (Yam): 5. Matthew Kellogg (Hon). 125 AM: I. Matt Eastman (Yam); 2. Peter Katsoules (Yam): 3. Alex Sigismondi (Kaw); 4. Frank Bums (Kaw): 5. Nick Kruger (Yam). 125 EX: 1. Paul Veracka (Kaw); 2. Barry Carsten (Suz); 3. Mike Dougherty (Yam): 4. Aaron Dieter (Yam): 5. Dave Ginolfi (Yam). 250 NOV: I. John Kernen (Kaw); 2. Kyle Lewis (Hon): 3. Darren Austin (Hon): 4. Brad Ostrander (Yam): 5. Jason Chekansky (Hon). 250 AM: 1. Malt Eastman (Yam); 2. Alex Sigismondi (Kaw): 3. Nick Kruger (Yam); 4. Cody Dunning (Kaw): 5. Tyler Kudlick (KTM). 250 EX: 1. Barry Carsten (Suz): 2. Charles Ellis (Suz): 3. Ryan Mills (Hon): 4. Bruce Stratton (Hon); 5. Jack Carpenter (Hon). SCHBV: 1. Alex Sigismondi (Kaw): 2. Frank Burns (Kaw): 3. Troy Bapp Jr. (Hon): 4. Cody Dunning (Kaw); 5. Cory Dejong (Hon). ClGBY: 1. Jack Carpenter (Hon): 2. Josh Sterritt (KTM); 3. Nick Kruger (Yam); 4. Jason Fox (Hon); 5. Jon Dockray (Yam). 25. AM: 1. Joe Brillo (KTM): 2. Steve Raymond (Kaw); 3. Jim Pudney (Han): 4. Frank Walpole (Kaw); 5. Matt Dwyer (Yam). 25. EX: 1. Bruce Stratton (Hon); 2. Jeremy Tiffany (Yam); 3. Scott Phelps (Kaw); 4. Randy Barker (Han); 5. Joe Celse (Yam). 30. NOV: I. Anthony Komuda (Hon): 2. Robert lynch (Suz); 3. Mark Emmett (Yam); 4. Robert Prockrup (Yam); 5. Daniel Cole (Han). 30. AM: I. Don Crippen (Han); 2. John Young (Yam); 3. Nick Smith (Yam); 4. Joe Brillo (KTM); 5. Steve Rllymond (KllW). 30+ EX: 1. Barry Cllrsten (502); 2. Don Schmidt (Yam); 3. Scott Phelps (Kaw); 4. Randy Barker (Hon); 5. Darryl Smith (Kaw). 40.: I. Mike Murry (Hen); 2. Don Crippen (Hon); 3. Peter Rosch (Suz); 4. Joe Dibella (Hon); 5. Rich Field (KTM). for his efforts. Dieter (4-6) took fourth overall, and Ginolfi (7-7) rounded out the top five. The 250cc/Open Pro clash of the titans was an instant classic. Veracka and Sellards dominated Bruce Stratton (861 eighty-sixed the rest of the Over 25 Pros for the overall class victor)' with a 1-1 tall)'. inside line. The crowd once again saw the big class of Pros at high speed, the class in mota one but then failed to either answer the call to the gate or did not finish in mota two. Barry Carsten (5-1) had a solid weekend, taking first overall in this class, with Ellis (6-2), Mills (4-5), Stratton (3-6) and Jack Carpenter (8-3) rounding out the top five overall fjnishers. up close and personal, with Veracka The Over 25 Pro class was also a classic confrontation, with Stratton, leading Ellis, Justin Murry, Bruce Jeremy Tiffany and Don Schmidt Stratton, Dougherty, Carsten, Sonny Nighman, Miller, Ginolfi and Fred Roy, followed by a gaggle of other riders. Carsten recovered some lost ground, moving his way up to fourth, and Dieter dialed it back in while recovering from a horrible start. duking it out in mota one, but after mota two it was Stratton (1 - 1), Tiffany (2-2) and Scott Phelps (5-3) taking the top three overall spots. The next big supercross event at Frozen Ocean is the Jon Rightmire Memorial Race on July 26, and the Ellis went to work on Veracka, Supercross Summer Classic Pro while Carsten made the pass on Night will be held on Wednesday, Murry for third. Meanwhile, Stratton August 20. The Kawasaki Team cue I e eN n e _ S • JULY 23, 2003 57

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