Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

GPR/AMA District 37 Big 6 GP Series Round 6 : Prospectors California Grand Prix Naughton Strikes.It Rich at Prospectors! Robert Na u ghto n struck gold in the 250cc Expert and Vet lOver 30) 250Cc c la s ses at the Prospectors Ca lifornia Grand Pri" S T O RY AND P HO T O BY K A N D Y TH ORNTO N GORMAN, CA, NOV. 1·2 e s p i t e a lower -than -ex pected turnout due to the rec en t catastrophic wildfires in Southern Califo r n i a , the Pro sp ec t o r s MC p ut o n an extremely well -run eve nt fo r the final round of th e GPR/AMA Di stri ct 37 Bi g 6 Grand Prix Ser ies. Th e 18th annua l Californi a Grand Pri x was held at th e Hungry Vall ey SRVA. Heavy rains Fr i da y night we re both a bl essing and a curse fo r thi s year 's course. The rain turned Saturday m ornin g 's races into mud bog s, but by midaft ern oon and on Sunda y , t he m o i sture mad e f o r epic ra cing cond it io ns, especiall y in the back secti on s. Amer ican Suzuki r ider Robert Naughton struck go ld in two di vis ions at th e Pro sp ectors eve nt. Naughton was u n ab l e to m a k e Saturd a y 's Unclass ifi ed ra c e, so he wa s at a clear d isadvanta g e in his firs t ra ce on Sunda y m o rn ing - t he 250cc/FourSt roke race . " T he gu y s b eh in d m e that w e re pass i n g m e h ad b e en ar ound t h e course and must ha ve been thinking , 'Wh at the hell is N au ghton doin g?' !" exclaimed Na ug hto n. " I d id n't know where I was go ing! I was m iss ing tu rn s and slo wing down f or j umps yo u d idn 't need to slow down fo r!" Naughton was in third pl ac e com in g into the fi rst turn . and he quic kl y m o ved int o se co nd o v era ll, behind M ark T ill e y , and f irst in the 250 cc Expert class . Abo ard hi s GPR/ Max xis/ Arai RM250 , Na ug hton was m ov ing up on Ti lley's rear fen der for the overall wh en T illey's Dirt B ik e Maga zin e/GPR/ IMS/ Go at- b ac k ed Honda su ffered a rear flat at the end of th e second lap. " I was out far enough in front of eve ryone else whe n I got the flat tha t I wa s able to hang on to th e overall ." T illey stated . In a d di tio n t o t h e 25 0c c /Four Stroke ov erall , Tilley fin ish ed first in the F ou r-Strok e Expert d ivision , while Jason Trubey an d Quin n Cod y finishe d second and th ird , respe ct ively . N o t o n ly d id Na ughton win the 25 0cc Ex pe rt division, he we nt on to d om in at e t he Vet (Over 3 0) 250cc class ju st two races lat er. " It all c ame togethe r f or th e Vet race," said Naughton . " I th ink I coul d have ran better in the 250cc race if I had known wh ere I was going' " Willy Simons pulled the ho leshot . for the Vet division and finished sec on d , behind Naug hton , w hile Sean B ra d le y rounded out the podi um in D OP E N E X : 1. Mark Till ~y ( Ho n); 2 . Mik e Ch ild ress (K aw) ; 3 . Bob Rob ert s (Ya m) : 4 . Elmer Sy mons (KTM) ; 5 . Be Harris (Yam) . 4 -STR K BEG : 1. Beau Briggs (Ya m) ; 2 . Da vid Stupin (Yam) : 3. Joey Hall (YlIm) ; 4. Rob (0,1( (Yam) ; 5 . Norm Ge rwien (KTM) . 4 -STRK NO V: I . Steve n Tho mpson (Hon); 2. Bryan Norm an ( Hon); 3 . K irt Co thran (Ya m); 4 . Rhyan Marshall (Yam) ; 5 . Scott Ly nch ( Hon). 4 ·STRK INT: I. Jeremy Ferr o (K TM) ; 2. J oshua Coffey (Yam); 3. J eff Trulove (KTM) ; 4 . Nick Sweany (Ya m); 5 . Mark Bo wen (Yem). 4· ST RK EX : 1. Mar k T illey ( Hon ) ; 2 . J ason Trubey (Yam ): 3. Quinn Cody (Hon) : 4 . D.J . Sweany (Ya m) ; 5 . Br ett Dau ghert y (Ya m ) . D / S PT NOV: I . Ric k Kanatzar (KTM) ; 2 . J on J ohn son ( KT M) ; 3 . Mi k e Ferro ( Ho n) ; 4 . Randy Sno dg rass (Suz). WMN NOV: 1. Kassan dr a Kehoe (Ho n ); 2. Ma ya Foos (Yam); 3 . Cen dy Dau gh ert y (Ka w) ; 4 . A ly ssa Princ e ( Suz); 5. Desire e Gill (Hen} . WMN INT: 1. Kend ra Hoover (Yam ) . WMN EX : 1. Ke lly Yan cey ( KTM); 2 . Amy Ha sten (Yam) ; 3. A rni e Mann ( KTM). 30+ 25 0 BEG : 1. Donny York e (KTM ) ; 2. Brian Jessop (Yam) ; 3. Rog er Curry (Suz) ; 4 . Bri tt Hesse (Ha n) ; 5. Mark A hrens (Ya m) . 3 0+ 250 NOV: 1. A ndrew Gaiger (Ha n) ; 2. Mark Co nnell (Suz); 3. Ed Patt erso n ( Hon); 4. M ik e Sa nder (Ya m) ; 5 . Joe McK immy (Ya m) . 3 0 + 250 I N T : 1. B r ia n Dic key (KT M) ; 2. Ca m eron Rob ins on (Suz) ; 3. Mark Bo we n (Yam) ; 4. Chris Be rry (Y am); 5. Richar d Cha ndler Jr . (Yam) . 3 0. 2 5 0 EX: I. Ro bert N aughton (S uz) ; 2. Willy S i mo ns ( Ya m ); 3 . Sea n Brad l e y (Y a m) ; 4. Pete Fel dma n ( Hon) ; 5. J ohn Rudder ( Yam ). 30 . OPEN BEG : 1. Mi ch ael Smith ( Ya m) ; 2. Ron ald J ones ( Hon) ; 3 . Ge ne Sc he les t (K T M); 4 . Mike Murphy (KTM) ; 5. Nic k Kollor (KTM) . 3 0. OPEN NOV: I. J aso n Nye (Yam) ; 2. Pete Sta nk is (Y am); 3 . Mark Anderson (Han) ; 4. Kev in Motti (Hon) ; 5 . Scott Lync h (Hon) . 30. OPEN 1 : I. Da m n Hoeft (YlIm ); 2. Brian l'1T Sweany ( Han ); 3. Doug F ord ( Ho n) ; 4. T on y Bienert ( Hon) ; 5. Tom Miller (Yam ). 30. OPEN EX : 1. Rick Da niel ( KTM ) ; 2. Jerry Black (Hon); 3. Paul Shafer (KTM); 4. Lester Lehigh ( Kaw ) ; 5. J on Parks ( Hon ). 4 0. 2 5 0 BEG : 1. Brad Si lbers tem ( Yam ); 2 . Brian Jessop (Yam): 3 . Keith Martin ( KTM ); 4 . Fran k Rayburn ( Ho n) . 4 0 . 2 5 0 N O V : I. Dave Bender (Han); 2 . Ed Patterson ( He n): 3 . Do ug Fo rsyth ( KT M); 4 . Vic to r lyles (Ya m) ; 5 . Da vid Myers (Ya m) . 40. 250 I NT: I . Jon W hitcomb (Y a m); 2 . Ca meron Robinson (Suz); 3 . Michael Sey mour (Hon) ; 4 . Robert De pue ( Hon ); 5 . A lbe rt Ba lderama ( Han ). 40. 250 EX : 1. Wi lly Simons (Ya m) ; 2 . John Langham me r (Yam ); 3 . Andy Sega le (Ya m) ; 4 . John Rud de r (Ya m) ; 5 . La rry Gross (Yam) . 40. OPEN BEG : 1. Ro na ld Jones ( Ya m ); 2 . Gregg Doyle (Hon) ; 3 . John Mo rgan ( Han ); 4 . J im Johnson (Y am) ; 5 . George Zamora (Suz). 40 + OP EN N O V : 1. Er ic Bjork lun d (Hon ); 2 . Doug las Weber (Han); 3 . Pete Stenkis (Ya m ); 4 . Brian Wofford (Kaw); 5 . Ron Bai ley (Ya m) . 40. O PEN INT: 1. Brian Ca m pbe ll ( KTM ) ; 2 . G le nn Page ( Ho n); 3 . Pet e Bender (Yam) ; 4 . Greg Bender (Yam ) ; 5. Stev e Souise (Yam) , 40 . O PEN EX : I. Jerry Bla c k (Hon ) ; 2 . Ri c k Dan iel ( KTM ) ; 3 . J im McGra t h ( KTM) ; 4 . Lee Ba con (Yam) ; 5 . Fred Hatch (Ya m) . 50 ... 250 NO V : 1. J ohn Mc El h enn ey ( Ha n) ; 2 . Harold Kla us ( Hus ); 3 . Mike Dav is (KTM) . 50. 250 IN T: I. Ray Sim mon s (KTM ) ; 2. Roge r Van Matre ( Kaw) : 3. Tom Purdy (Yam) . 50. 250 EX : 1. Larry Kleinschmidt ( Yam ); 2 . Kei th Jones ( G G); 3 . Mike Boat ( Ya m ) ; 4. Tim Br idwell (Kaw ); 5 . Gary Rickaby ( KTM ) . 50... O PEN NOV: 1. Tom Vo tava (Yam) ; 2 . Terry Caldwell ( KTM ); 3 . Ken Feulner ( Ho n); 4 . Dan Ubby (Han) . 50 . OPEN INT: 1. Mike Ferro ( Ho n); 2 . J ack Garland ( Hon ); 3 . M ic h ael M ills (Ya m ); 4 . Wayne Rutledge ( Han ) ; 5 . Les Oldenbrook (KTM) . 50. O PEN EX: J. Buddy Bo sh ( KTM) ; 2. J im Sandefer ( KT M) ; 3 . T .V. Ho lmes ( K TM) ; 4 . Dan iel Do wding ( Ho n) : 5 . Ste ve Free man (KTM) . 60 . EX : 1. Pau l L eo s ( Hon) ; 2 . Norm G aiger (Hon); 3. A rt More (Yom); 4. Larry Mason (Hon) ; 5. Do n Vo ye r ( Han) . C lSC NOV: I . Tom M c E lh e n n e y ( Hon ) ; 2 . Ja mes Howard (Ma i); 3 . Darrell Allen (Yam) ; 4. Jim Johansen (Yam) ; 5 . John Mc El he nney (B ul). CLSC 1l'1T I. Don n Sarian (Han ); 2. Da n Le wis : (Can ); 3 . Rob Ki lli an ( Hon ); 4 , Dan A llen (Yam ). CLSC EX : 1. Ji m McG rllth ( Hu s): 2. Rick D aniel (Yam); 3 . Rick O 'Donnell (Suz ) ; 4 . Jeff Dillon (Ho n) ; 5 . Rudy Abe le (Mai). Vl NT NOV : 1. Patrick Cook ( Hon); 2. Nik A be le ( M ai ); 3. T erry Caldwell (H o n) ; 4 , Willia m Cook (Yam ); 5 . James Mooney ( Ho n) . VI NT EX : I. Buddy Bosh (Cl); 2 . Bru ce Leo na rd (Yam); 3 . J ack Ga rjian (Hod ). S D H CK : I. David Kro hn / Gary Cess ( Ha n) ; 2. M i ke B u rns J r. / Ma tt Si do tti (EM l ) ; 3 . M ark Mc Da de/Scott McDade (EML) . SAT U/CLFD : I. M ik e Childress ( Ka w) ; 2 . Zac k Dod son ( Ka w); 3 . Joshu a Coffey (Ya m); 4 . J u st in Week s (Yam); 5. Bobby Bon ds (Kaw) ; 6 . N ich olas B u r son (H an ) ; 7 . J e r r y Bl a ck ( Ha n) ; 8 . Rya n Abb atoye ( K a w); 9 . Do u g Fo rd ( Ha n ); 10 . Joey Lan za (K TM ). T E A M R A C E : I , J oey Lanz a/ Bo b b y Bo nds ( KTM) ; 2 . Scott Myers/Mark Tilley (H an ) ; 3. Quinn Co dy/ Ken dall Nonnan ( Ho n); 4 . Mike Childress/ Ross Garcia ( K aw); 5. Ryan Abbatoy e/N icholas B urson (Kaw) . in Gonnan. third. With wins in both of his classes , Naughton wrapp ed up the num berone p lates for both the 25 0c c Ex pert and Vet 2 50cc Expert Div ision s. "I d id n ' t kno w about this series until I signed with Su zuki , and it was part of the contract ," said Na ughton . " T h e B i g 6 does a n incre di ble j ob putti ng on a rac e series." The $3000 -purse Team Race fea tur ed some great racing ac t io n on the first lap b et w een the KTM team of Joey Lanza £, Bobby Bo nd s and the Honda team of Scott Myers £, Tilley . " Bonds got a gr eat start," rec all ed Lanza . "H e was fi rst into the fir st co rner, and T ill ey squeaked by h im in t he second co rn er. Bonds got T illey back rig ht aft er th e first tabletop, an d Bonds ca me in with a 10 - to 15 -sec ond lead." Lanza mainta in ed that lead, and th e FMF /GPR /G oat -ba cked KTM t eam eventually stret c he d it out to an a pproximatel y t wo - mi n ute gap a nd we re no t thre at en ed for the re mai nd er. Myers £, T il l ey fin ished seco n d, a nd thi r d we nt to Q uinn Cod y £, Ken dall N orman , aboard the CRF450R . L a r r y Kl e i n sc hm id t and K e i th Jones have been go ing bar to bar all yea r in the Magnum (Over 50 ) 250cc Expert d ivisio n, and their points race for t he number -one pla te came down to the last race of the series . " K eith Jon es and I ha ve been bat tling a ll y ear ," Kl ein schmidt said . " I g ot o ff th e lin e in a bo ut fourth a nd was leading all th e Magnums through th e end of th e motocross section . The Open bikes got by me. I was ham mering it really hard, because I knew it was up to Jones or I for th e championsh ip for the year. " K l e ins chm i d t was the vic to r at th is round , abo ard hi s IM S/GP Rsp onsored YZ 250F . J o nes fin ished seco nd on h is Sio Pl astering Gas Ga s. Another g ood battl e too k plac e in th e Vet ( O ve r 30 ) O p e n an d 250c c Novi c e r a c e. Honda j o ck ey An drew Gai g er t o ok t he first turn in fourth , but b y th e time he fi nis he d th e m ot o cros s sec t ion , Gaig er w as first ove rall an d fi r st Vet 2 50cc Novice. Jason Nye was second overa ll. " I just couldn't c atch th is guy [Ga iger)," st ated Nye. "I wo uld see a littl e bit of dust around t h e corner. thinking I w a s g et ti n g c l o se, and wh en I tu rn e d the co rne r . he was gone." Gaiger stuck to his p ac e a nd fi n ished first o ve ra ll for the Vet Novice lin e and first Over 3 0 2 50cc Novice. Nye finish ed second overall and first in th e Vet Open Novice d ivisio n. With app roxi mately 8000 partic i pa nt s in the GPR AMA Di stri ct 37 Big 6 Grand Prix series, the part icipatin g Big 6 c lu bs a re lo o k in g f orw a rd to exp andi ng the series in 200 4 . eN Prospectors California Grand Prix Gonnen. California ResulU: Novembe r 1-2. 2003 [Round 6 of 61 M INI BEG : I . Kelly Po stel (H an ); 2 . Kenny Arimot o Jr. (Ya m) ; 3 . Jack Gattoni (Yam): 4 . Justin For syth (Hon); 5 . Sean Foo s (KTM) . MINI NOV: I. Tyler Sj oberg ( K a w ); 2. David Sjoberg ( Kaw) ; 3 . Brian Ne lson ( Han) ; 4 . Chris Bell (Ya m) ; 5 . Mi chael Vanderlip ( Hon). MIN I INT: 1. Jared Brown ( K a w ); 2 . Richa rd Chand ler III ( Yam) . MI NI EX : I . Chris Dvoracek ( Han) . 200 BEG : I. William Shue (Hon); 2. Nik Abele (Hon); 3. Matt Collins (Kaw) ; 4. Luke Beere (Hon); 5. Scan Hoi sbroo k (Ya m ) . 2 0 0 NO V : I . A d a m Lan e (S uz); 2 . D a v id Robertson (Ya m): 3 . Rhyan Ma rshall (K TM) ; 4 . .Jered Brown (Kaw) ; 5 . Brad ley Fo rsy th (Yam). 200 INT: I. Jeff Trulove (Yam); 2 . Josh Hagey (Hus); 3 . Mason Partain (K TM) ; 4. Bra d Price (Yam); 5 . Jeff Maginn ( Hon). 2 0 0 EX : 1. Kendall N o rm an ( Hon ) ; 2 . Joey Lanza (KTM); 3 . Dav id Rees ( KTM); 4 . Nichole s Burson (K ew ): 5 . Ryan Abbatoye (Kaw ) . 250 B EG : 1. Christopher Schmidt ( Han); 2 . Ryan Hauser (Ya m) ; 3 . Rick Watson ( Ho n); 4 . Gabriel Slepln (Yam) ; 5 . Robbie Thompson ( Hon) . 2 50 NOV: I. Rob bie Goolsby (Yam) ; 2 . Ry an Wi lson ( Ho n ); 3 . Jonat ha n Hi ggi n s (Han) ; 4 . Chris Be rry (Yam); 5 . J ac ob Hulsebu s (Ya m) . 2 5 0 INT: I . Ma rcus Sh ay (Ya m) ; 2 . Larry Gro ss (Yam); 3 . K ri s Ne lson ( Ka w) ; 4. Ch ris Hern an d ez (KTM); 5 . Matt Sales (Kaw) . 250 EX : 1. Robert Nau ght on (S uz); 2 . N ich olas B u rso n ( Ha n) ; 3 . Brent Hard en (KTM ) ; 4 , Mik e Child ress (Yam); 5. Brenda n Lu t es ( Hen) . OPEN BEG : 1. Bria n J a c qu emi n ( Han) ; 2 . Sha nno n Bu rk s (Hon); 3 . Keith Ma rtin ( KTM ). OPEN NOV: 1. Robbie Goolsby (Yam) ; 2. Ja cob B onn ett ( Y a m) ; 3 . Bi lly B r o w n ( H o n ); 4 . T i m Brew ster (Ho n); 5. Ma rtin A tk ins ( KTM). OPEN INT ; I. J ere my Ferro ( K TM) ; 2 . Ch ri st opher Sa (Han); 3 . Aaron Griffin (Kaw); 4 . Kr is Nelson (Kaw ); 5. Ty ler Sm ith (KTM) . cue I e n e vv s NOVEMBER 26 . 2 0 0 3 37

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