Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Nathan M.ulholl dnd (Yam) ; 4. Ky lc Hen enbow (Yam) ; 5 , .Jonme Branscom (Han ). 125 NOV: I. Tc1Tl.'f1CC Birch (Yam ); 2. Brandon Beh* (Kaw); 3. De...n Bra ssf~d (Suz ); 4. Jeremy Nobi (Yam) : 5. M.itch~ Kcnnedy i (Kaw). 125 ( 14· 24 ): I. TrcvOf , \onb (Suz ): 2. HUtlt~ Meyer (Yam) . " 125 ( 12· 15) : I. Hunter ~er (y am ): 2. Kyle Cohrs (Ka w); 3 Kyle Caldt-rini (Yam) : 4. Qumn Oondth an (KTM) . 5. Rustin Meyer (50<) . 250 A: L Trf (Yam ): 2. Kyll! CaldH1nl (Y4m ): 3 . O .. oo Don.1than (tIT M); 4 , RustJnMe-yer (Sw ). u OPEN ( 14 -24) : 1. Danny BaJlll (Han). WMN A: I. Glad Umbaugh (Suz) : 2. A!ySM WNI ver (Yam). W/I\N B: I. Jt.'My Mortrner (Y4m ); 2. OlIwn o,...enby (Yam, : 3 i dfiU1y BeriOl!tt (Yam) . worthy ($uz): 2. Chnstel AIIn'! IHon t: 3 WMN NOV : I. SIIro/lh E1 Chelsea El lis I Kitwl: 4. .knnif~ Schacht (Yo/Im) : 5. If'ticia Jlmt"Oel (Yam) . VET A: I. Glen Goodell (Yam); 2. Jim Eckert (Han): 3, Brian Sharp (Y4m ): J . Kirk Hunter (Kaw): 5. PM r Bannister ($w). ... VET B: I. John RyclO (Hon) ; 2. D4 n~1 Nic...y (Han) ; J . Brett l Schock (Hon) : 4. De...id MeMecM n (Han): 5. Jed Heinz (Suz). VET NOV: I. Scott Mormon (Han): 2. Jl"S5t'Bran!ifOfd (Hoo): 3 Jrff Kreh lu!> I Vam ); 4 . Arn .. Summe rs (Hon ): 5. Sco tt H4wkins !> lHon), SR A; I. Bna n Sha rp (Yam ): 2. Jim Ecke rt (Han) : 3. .Jemes M.4 son (Yam); 4. Peter Bannister (Suz: . ) SR B: 1. Joh n McGray (Yam) : 2. GIn'! Sharp (Hoo) : J . Gldd Lim tM" baugh (Stu): 4. Ian Chri!> (Han ); 5. P4tric:k ~ (Yam) . SR NOV : I. Dennis Goodhue IHon ); 2. AI4n Hill (KlI w): J . Bruce Cummin s ( Sw:): 4. ...k:meph Schr rbf'n III (Han ): 5. Jim Brodigil n (K"w). S/SR; I. Mieh" e 1 Kish Sr. (Han ): 2. Dwigh t ClltalllllO (yllm) : 3. William Ostoff (Yam): 4 ~ Been (Yam) : 5. Gene Lcces (Han) , Rocky Mountain Enduro Circuit Round 9: AvalancheEnduro Schmelzle Rocks 'n' Rolls at the Avalanche ! By BILl. KAMIN IGNACIO, CO . AUG. 24 Fres h from a few weeks of racing in It aly , Ron Sc hmelzle picked up his seventh first-pla ce finish and his third overall victory of the seaso n at the inaugural Avalanche E nduro . Schmelzl e rod e his Co lorado Powe rs po rt s YZ250 to a fina l sco re of 18:546, w it h AA co mpetitor Dave Neumeister close behind at 20: 648. Looking less like a finisher and m ore like a m an about to sta rt a race , Sc hmelzle said , "T his was a reall y good endu ro, bu t k in d of sho rt and pr ett y easy ." Pointing to a massive rock for mation high abov e th e w o od s wh ere th e co urse had run , he added, " If th is were m y eve nt, I'd run everyone up th ere." Th e Av alan ch e was a qu alifi er-styl e eve nt. Prom ot er B r ett Crai g d e sc r ibed it o n th e printed route shee t: "Th is is a nontimekeep in g event . How ev er . du e to th ose of yo u wh o ca n' t figure out a nont imekeeping event, this is infor m ation needed to pr ogr am your co m puter." Th e c o u rse co ns is t ed of thr ee sec t io ns. with tw o loops for the C rid ers. and three for A and B riders. A ll thr ee sta rts and th e gas stop were loc at ed near the pi t area, making th e whole even t c on venien t and somewhat more v iewer -f riendly than the typi ca l enduro. Th e first section bega n on th e m otocross tra ck, and co nd itions made for great spectating fr om th e beginn ing. The ar ea had been i nundated w ith r a in on Saturday . and it remained very muddy o n Sunday m orn ing . Riders on th e first row set the tone for the da y . Four -Stroke A rid er Stuart Hamer went ove r the bars in a muddy rut before the sec ond row had even left th e gate. Th ereaft er , rid ers learned to tipt oe thr ou gh the moto cr oss c o u r se and then g et o n the ga s wh en they were dumped into a grassy meadow and th en into the woods . Co nditions c h an g ed fr om groomed -bu t -g reasy hardpac k to slippe ry rocks as the sing le-track undu lated in and ou t of the trees. A fter 5.5 m iles at a 30· mph pace. Sch melzle was the only rider wh o li mited his loss to one poin t. A 4 .8 7 -m ile rese t allowed vi r tua lly everyone to rest before beginn ing sectio n two. Th e sun was out. and the co urse was dry in g o ut fast . bu t t he slippery fir st hu nd red ya rds of the seco nd section stil l cla ime d m an y co m place nt riders. If the mu d didn 't get them . th e deep ru ts di d, T he shon. muddy stra ight led bac k in to th e wood s. w ith a sm all po nd hidd en near thi s juncture t o claim anyon e who cut th e inside too short. Th e wooded tr ail was open and fast , not too rock y or ti ght. Th is section wa s sho rt and swee t: only 1.5 5 m iles at gO mph . Thi s tim e . qu it e a few rid er s held th ei r losses to one point. Ag ain , an ad equa t e reset gave everyone a rest bef or e th e start of section three . Th e th ird res ta rt funn el ed ride rs immediately into th e Avala nch e Enduro: John Blyt he wa s the Senio r A wi nner at the flrs t-ever Ava la nc he Endu ro, ro und nine of the Roc ky Mountain Enduro Circuit, In Ignaci o, Col orado. woods and back onto single tra ck at a 36 -mph pa ce. A holeshot here was m ore importan t than in th e earlie r sections . This trai l threw in m or e Challenges for the Colorado racers, who tend to expec t lots of abuse. It was na rrower and rockier . with more twisting hillclimbs on the now-loose dirt and rock s. Half the riders blew a tu m and created an altern ate. th ou gh longer. line through one area . at a co st of pr ecious ti e-break er seco nds . The fin al spec t at or-fr iend ly secti on wa s an abrupt roc k st ep -dow n that was most challenging on th e muddy first loo p , A few q uick swit chback s in th e woods. and the final c heck out appear ed. On c e aga in . there was plenty of ti me to ga s up and rest before the sta rt of the sec ond loop. Rep eat and repeat again. and you 've ridden an enduro. All in all, it was less than 90 minutes and fewer than I B m iles of raci ng per loop . Everyone was fres h at the end of the day . whic h was still lun ch time for m ost. Scoring was handled q uick ly and profes sio na lly, wi th fewer complai nts tha n at m ost even ts. "Eve ryo ne th at helped put in 110 perc ent ," Craig sa id, "a nd th at is wh at m ade th is rac e a success. Wendy Craig . Curt Lar sen, T om Mac Na ma ra, Eri c Westo ver and T ro y D yer we re the heart and soul of thi s race." Cra ig added a big thanks to Ste ve and J en Rum or. wh o allowed th e event to be held at the Ava la nche Ranch . T he plan fo r next year is to ex pand t he event to i nclude tr ail s on 2000 ad d itiona l ac res . Craig also wants t o have a m ini enduro, pit -bike raci ng . and a liv e band for Saturday n ight. "This was a WORCS-quality eve nt ," said the 250cc A -class winner , Er ic Bailey , who has been riding the WORCS ci rcuit this yea r . "I t would be tough if it were dusty. but it was exc ell ent.. Th e Avalanche was a grea t end uro. even for an expe rienc ed pr om oter. but it was simply outstanding for an inaug ural event. Ava la nc he Enduro Igna ci o . Colo rado Resu lt s: A ugust 24 , 2003 (Round g) O/A EV£I'fT: Ron Schmelzle (M ) (Yam ). O/A A: e...n Ja n smll (4 ·STRK) (Han). AA. 1. Daw...Nf'Umf' isteJ (KTM) : 2. M.4rk Ste... ns (Han): 3 . Brett : e Dooley (Yem ): 4 . Lance Bros!> (Yam) 0PEl'1 A: 1. Phillip We9, (Yam); 2. ~ffThOf'SOf'j (Yam): 3. ..Jeremy Henley (KTM): 4 John Leue (KTM): 5. .k1fMark_Ic:Z (KTM). 200 A: 1. Bill RlJdecky (Kaw); 2. Gabnel ReQ$ IKTM): 3. Ke...n i De...s ( KIM) . , 2S0 A : I . Eric Bai ",y (KTM ); 2. Mark McDonoug h (K1 M); 3 Tayl or Hetttner (Yam ): 4 . MaUh....... Glenn (Hen): 5. And y Melton {Han} . VET A: I. Craig Huston (KTM): 2. R... McKinney (Ycl ) . . m 4 ·ST RK A: I. Craiq Jon.. ~ (Yam) ; 2. Dason Rapp ( Han ): 3. Dc sun Wi lkin son ( Han): 4 _ Erik Nijk amp (Yam) ; 5 . Stua rt Hemer (Hon) . SR A: I. John Blythe (Yern); 2. T.J . Montgomery (Yam): 3. Gary Miller (KTM); 4 Dan Ddll... (Yam): 5. Greg Gibson IKTM). y a /A B: I. AI Griffin f250) (Yam). OPEN B: 1. Ian FountaIn (Yam) ; 2. Da 1d Scbedle (K TM); J . Don CNm (Han); 4. Bryant Cop" (tIT M); 5. Da id Smolj an (Hon). 200 8 : 1. Donald Peirrl. (KTM) ; 2. Jitk~ Heydn'! IGG}: 3. .Jeson SIIndder (KlIw); 4. Od...d McMililln (KTM); 5. Tyler And~rson (KTM) . i 250 B: I. John Ham s (Yam ): 2. CurtiS Rudl {H ]: 3. Neil Hanon r num (Kaw); 4, Mikl!"Hefftnto (Kaw): 5. Allin Hennc rn (Hon). VET B: I. Cory Schmidt (KTM): 2. Bobby Hank ins (KTM): J . Jeremy JoU (Han) : 4, Clay Calkins (Han ): 5. P... ter Schm idtmann ..y (tIT,,). SR B: I. Mark B..rry : 2. Bobby Pennell (YlIm); 3. Alli n Beye r (KTM): 4. PetE'Ekhme (KIM) : 5. Bllrry SchDll!" (Yam ) r S/S R (LONG): 1. Jd ry P..nn..y (KTM); 2. ~I cln Christy (Han): 3. I... r Rudi (KTM) : 4. W... s Willis (Kaw). e s O/ A C: 1. Rt'f'd Galbraith (VET) (K" w). OPEN C: I. Foresl Smith (KTM): 2. Child Zimmerma n (KTM); 3, Bill fl ynn (KTM): 4, JI!'SSo:! Jermings (KTM): 5. Mik...Baehli (KTM) . 200 1. Jack son D4...s (Kaw); 2. A llin Pilibosian (Kaw ); 3. i Gary Smith (KTM); 4. Eric Kelly (Sw): 5 , Scott Balbln (Kclw). 250 C; \. Greg Jackson (KIM): 2. Kipp HdftnE'r (Yam) : 3. Mati Halker (KTM); 4. Adllm Pennell (Han): 5. Tra...s Hamer (Hon) i n 4·STRK C: I. Darrell Judy (Sw:); 2. Erik J... sen (Han); J. John Jennings (KTM): 4. Rick Willi s (Han): 5. BlayOf' Patrick (KTM) VETC: I. DUclne HulSE' (Sw:): 2. Larry McKinn..y (Hon) ; J . MiII!'S Pttples (KTM) : 4. EddIe St~ard (Yam): 5. Rich"r d Goble (Sul) . SR C: I. Chris Miller (GG); 2. R ust~, Riggs (Han): 3. Ste... n Nyl!> e (KTM ); 4 . Larry McConnell (KTM) ; 5. .Joey If'eth (Kew). S/SR (SHORT): I. How " rd Utsry (Hon)~ 2. RIchar d Bon in.. i (Yam); 3. Gordon Solladlly (Hon): 4. Bob McDowell (Yam) : 5. Da...d P"tercT (Ka...). LnS : I. Ashley McKtt... r (Hen ): 2. Mane Kuriander (Kaw): J. e KimtM-riy Van Dyun (K.l w): 4. Kali COJ)"(Han) . SPTS/I'\N; I. Bill KafTlln (Hon) : 2. TIm Brown (Han) : J. Da...d i V..." Dyun (\'(T.~) : 4. Rick y V"" Dy", (Han). ldson (Han ). S/6O: I. Douglas Sandefer (Kaw): 2. Marv Don.1 c: w MX West NevadaS Championship Series tate Round 3: F ernley International Raceway The Fast Few in Fernley t he fr on t agai n soo n . Justi n Sou le , wh o re ce n t ly m ade the m o ve up fro m th e BOcc cl ass, to ok third o ve rall after tw o rac e-lon g batt les with KTM pil ot Rory Kr ein . Fi nall y , th e Pro classes feat ur ed another tw o -cla ss swee p, as B obby Garri son , wh o r ec en tl y rod e to a t op -f iv e Pro- cla ss fini sh at Pon ca Ci t y . swe p t th e 125c c and 250cc cl asses. B y R OBERT B EAUPRE FER NLEY , NV, A UG.24 With the number of sta ndo ut perfo rm anc es at r ound thr ee o f th e M X W est N ev ad a Sta t e Cham pionship Series in Fern ley , Nev ada. it' s hard to sett le on whi ch was th e m ost impres sive . Th e loc al races in northern Nev ada hav e br ed a lot of str ong rac ers lat ely , and heated ba tt les hav e re su lt ed t hr ou gh out th e r ac e sc hedule. Th e BOcc Interm ediate an d Supe rm ini win ner, T yl er York , is am ong this crop of rid ers wh o hav e raised th e an te loc ally. No one ha s see n Yo r k at a n M X W e st r a c e in a f ew m on th s, but it's ob vious that he's been doi ng his ho m ework e lse w he re . York battl ed h is CRB5 to th e fro nt of eac h cl ass against fell ow fast locals Ry an Ea ger and Zac h Field s, wh o swa pped second - an d th ird -plac e fin ishes in the tw o classes . (Eager t oo k second in t he Intermediate cl ass. whil e Fields lan ded behind York in the Supennini race. ) York m ay be a few yea rs away fro m moving up to the 125cc class. but his current trajectory should ma ke him an ins tan t contender wh en he does . T he In terme diate classes ha d their own ca nd idate fo r best pe rfo rmance, as Su zuki pilot J. L. Bilz won both the 125cc and 250cc divisions. Bitz's 1- 1 sco re in the 250cc class ma de th ings fai rly anticli mactic, even th ou gh he rode a bo rro wed 250. A aro n Har vey and Reese Zun ino took seco nd an d th ird , respec tiv ely . Bi tz found no easy win s in the 125cc divi sio n' however, as he had to settle for seco nd in t he first m ot o wh en K awa saki ri d er Wes Peebl es led th e rac e fro m stan to finish. Th e seco nd m ot o almost look ed lik e it was going to be a repeat of th e fir st. until Peeb les suddenl y ca me around trailing Bitz o n th e last lap afte r lead ing all of the m oto up t o that point. Thi s allowed Bitz th e room he needed for th e m oto win and the ov eral l. It wa s cl early a frus trating race for Peebl es, but everyone on hand cou ld see that these two w ill surely m eet at cue I e Fernley International Rac ew ay : Nic k Baug h (371) leads Ju st in Mast al ka (813) In th e fir st 125cc Pro moto at round three of the MX West Nevada State Championship Series In Fern ley , Nevada. n e vv s O C TO B ER 1 , 2 003 67

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