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/128228
Gene Romero's West Coast Flat Track Series Round 5: Salinas Sports Complex • rIC er rea By JILL CARRERA SALINAS, CA, AaG. 3 fter clinching the 2002 West Coast Flat Track Championship Series number one plate without a single victory, "Mr. Consistency" Kevin Bricker finally put it all together and took home his first career WCFTS win during round five of the Gene Romero series at the Salinas Sports Complex. Ricky Smith's beautifully prepared and maintained deep cushion TT shed a different light on the series action. The only day race on the schedule saw some changes as Diaz Racing/Peninsula Tires' Jesse Sanchez set fast time in the Open Pro class, with Rod Spencer fastest in the Saddlemen Open Vintage class. Bennet Motorsports/Tommy's Glass' Tom Carriger pulled away with Open dash win, as did Rod Spencer in the Open Vintage dash. In the Open Pro main event, Carriger hit turn one first, followed by the Moto MD.com/Pro Beauty-backed Bricker and David Brown. On lap two, Rod Spencer laid it down in the sweeper, and in a seperate incident Jesse Sanchez also hit the dirt. Out came the red for a complete restart. Carriger again tried to snag the holeshot on the restart, but instead he got tangled up with someone else's handlebars, and a major pile-up took place. Paul Herman and John Hlebo III were also involved, but fortunately A 48 AUGUST 20, 2003' eye I e aIna no one was injured. Everyone lined up for a complete restart. This time Bricker and Sanchez blew into turn one, with Bricker holding the point. Sanchez tried to make a pass in the hairpin turn but couldn't make it and got off hard. Everyone missed him, but a handful of riders went off the track, and another red flag came out. The fourth and final start would put Bricker all alone on the front row. He hit turn one first followed by Tony Souza, Kenny Carlotta and Ken Netto. Bricker gapped the field as Carlotta moved past Souza into second place. Chris Canepa was on the move as he passed Jeremy Hannah for fifth and worked on Netto. After a hairy, front-straightaway hay bale ride, Canepa finally got Netto for third. At the halfway flags, 17 -year-old Carlotta put the pressure on Bricker, but the reigning champ and current series points leader .had an answer to every challenge, and he pulled away for his first WCFTS win. Canepa made a last-lap pass on Carlotta for BY MIKE KIBBY PHOTOS e ce • (Leftj Reigning West Coast Flat Track Champion Kevin Bricker eamed his first career series win at the Salinas TT. Bricker also extended his series lead in the 2003 points battle. (Below leftj Rodney Spencer Jr. (8) came from behind to eam his first career WCFTS victory, in the Honda Top Gun 450 class. (Below) Chris Rudy won the Vintage Open Twins exhibition aboard a Harley KR750. n e _ s