Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

AMA Progressive Insurance Dirt Track Grand Championships Illinois State Fairgrounds more title in his grasp in the 65cc DTX 7-11 class. Martin pressured Hayden Gillim and on the last lap made the pass to take the win and the Grand Championship. Later in the awards ceremony, Martin received the AMA Progressive Insurance Youth Dirt Tracker of the Year Award. The chase for the 85cc Modified 12-15 Grand title came down to the final race. With only one point separating class leader Cody Anselmi of Lodi, California, from Austin Greenland of Spring Mills, Pennsylvania, the winner on the track woul also earn the championship. nselmi got out front e.arly and e.n ured several red flags to win t race. Unfortunately for Greenland, he was involved in a couple df t e red flag incidents, dropping hi to the back on the restarts. Greenland did soldier on to a seventh-place finish, but in the end it was Anselmi with the race win and the title. Austin Greenland's persistence was rewarded in the 85cc DTX 9- 13 class. A fourth-place finish would mean Greenland had captured the title over second-place Brad Baker of Chehalis, Washington. Greenland, however, had more red flag woes. But he clawed his way back to the front to finish an incredible second and win the title over Baker, who did his part by winning the race. Baker got his due in the 85cc Modified 7 -II Premier class. Baker only needed an 11 th to win the Championship. But, tossing caution to the wind, he motored to a thirdplace finish to take the title. FRIDAY, PM 250CC AND UP TT With fourth of July fireworks booming over nearby downtown Springfield, the 250cc-and-up group took their tum on the well-lit IT track. The TT marked the third of four races for this division. The Grand titles would be decided Saturday on The Mile. In 250 DTX action, Jesse Janisch of Hartford, Wisconsin, kept his win streak alive with an early pass on Gary Conklin for the lead. As the laps wound down, Clayton Riggle of Chillicothe, Missouri, worked his way to second and on the last lap tried to pass Janisch for the win, to no avail. Janisch grabbed the lead in 250cc Mod final via a great holeshot. He led to the checkers and notched the double win. With the victory, Janisch moved into a second-place tie in points with Sam Halbert. They trailed points leader John Lewis, who finished fourth, by eighth points. One of the shining stars of the week was Aaron King. Under the watchful eye of his father, factory Harley rider Rich King, he has shown skills and talent of a future Pro. Aaron won both the 400cc Mod and 450cc Mod features, leading every lap in the process. He led the points in both classes to that point but then elected Evan Baer, Cycle News Fast Brain Award Winner The Cycle News Fast Brain Award rewards academic achievement and racing skills. This year's winner, Evan Baer, earned a perfect 4.0 grade average in sixth grade and had several solid finishes at the Grands. "I really try hard on the track and in school." said Baer of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvnia. Although he likes math and social studies in school, he dreams of becoming a professional dirt tracker like his older brother Shawn. "I really look up to him a lot," Evan Baer said, "I want to thank him for all his help this week." Baer, who will be in seventh grade this fall, has been racing since he was 4 years old. At the Grands he competed in the 85cc Mod and 85cc DTX classes on a Yamaha YZ, earning a fourth-place finish. "I really want to thank Cycle News for this award," Baer said. "It's real neat." 22 JULY 30, 2003' cue I e nevvs not to run The Mile. Ricky Marshall demonstrated speed and style as he decimated the competition in the 600cc Mods. Marshall jumped out to a big lead early and just kept pushing to the checkers. Having won all three 600cc Mod races, he held a 22-point margin over Robert Jones. Jones would have to win and Marshall not make the final on The Mile to dash Ricky's title hopes. Multitime Grands Champ Royal Adderson, who traveled a long way from Calgary, Canada, won one for the old guys in the 40+ Open class. Adderson battled with "Movin" Mike 'Caves of Galesburg, Illinois, for most of the race and held on to win his third final of the week. In the 505cc Pro Sport race, Dustin Crow of Peoria, Illinois, battled with last year's Horizon Award winners, Logan Myers and Nick Cummings. Crow used his considerable TT skills to hold off the dynamic duo of Myers and Cummings, who finished second and third. SATURDAY, 250 CC AND UP MILE The Springfield Mile has a long and storied history. From 1937 to 1954, one race crowned the AMA Grand National Champion, and that race was held on The Mile at the Illinois State Fairgrounds. Today, The Mile would crown Grand Champions in 1 I classes. The finals kicked off with the 400cc Mods, and Nichole Cheza from Clio, Michigan, ended the week as she started, with a victory - but it was hard-fought. Cheza was challeged by Matt Rogers of Yassar, Michigan, but she would not back down. In a heady drafting war, Cheza used all of her experience to hold off Rogers. With her second win, Cheza was crowned the Grand Champion in her last Grands as an amateur. - In tile highly contested Vet 30+ class, a five-rider lead pack diced until the crossed flags, when Dan McKim of Flint, Michigan, took the point. While McKim scooted out the front door, a classic mile drafting war raged, with four riders swapping positions behind him. At the finish, McKim had a good lead as Kevin Snyder and Gene Atherton earned podiums. Snyder's second was enough to clinch the class title. Kevin was also awarded the inaugural AMA Vet/Senior Dirttracker of the Year. The 250cc Mod was another great ;ace, with a six-rider lead draft through the halfway flags. Three-wide racing in the corners was the norm. As the pack stretched out, Blake Young took the point but was hounded by Jesse Janisch, John Lewis and Ricky Marshall. After a wild last lap, Young led off turn four to win by half a wheel over Lewis and Janisch. The second-place finish allowed Lewis to clinch the title. The Pro Sport race was another battle royal between Nick Cummings and Logan Myers. By midrace Scott Schinn of Abingdon, Illinois, joined the fray. Lead swapping continued all the way to the checkered flag as Schin led off turn four only to be passed by winner Cummings and Myers right before the line. Throughout the week, the Pro Sport class was very competitive, but it was Cummings and high point man Myers who impressed. Ricky Marshall was strong on The Mile. In the 505cc Mods, with the title on the line and a 10-point deficit, Marshall led a seven-rider pack early and pulled off the win ahead of Blake Young and Nichole Cheza. With the win, Marshall won the Grand Championship. In the 600cc Mod class, Marshall got the holeshot and didn't look back. Marshall posted victories in all four 600cc Mod races to claim the Championship in that class also. As the

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