Wild West Nationals
Round 2; Mesquite Moto-X Park
Hall Shuts the Door
By DICK
GOODWIN
MESQUITE, NY, MAR. 28
W.
ld Wesr events attract a lot of
motocross racers. That is espedaUy true
on the opening weekend. Among those many
racers, there are sure to be some with outstanding talent and determination, and this
weekend opener was no exception.
Levii Hall and Zachary Fussell, live-wire
Junior Cycle hocshoes looking to get into shape
and crank up to Nationa l pace for the upcom ing
World Mini Gr an Prix, pu t on an impressive
display of raw spe ed and skilled riding in the
60cc (9-1 1) class. The awesome display 0 1 highnying jump ing and lightning-fast track moves
prod uced the bes t racing 01 the day.
Fussell d re w lirst blo o d , jump ing ou t in
Ircnr of Hall, Slade Sobotka, Caden Hadley and
the rest when the gate d rop ped for moto one .
Fussell and Hall wasted no time bursting o ut to
a big lead, w hile Had ley passed Sobot ka for
thir d and set his ow n spac e . f ussell and Hall
locked elbows (or the entire race, never more
than inches apart. A close and exciting race
saw Fusse ll grab a narrow win ov er Ha ll.
Hadley finished a distant and lonely third , way
ahead of Sobo tka and the rest 01 the pack .
Hall returned the favor; just edging fussell
and Hadley lor second-hall holeshot hon ors.
Just when it looked like another battl e roya le
was in the making. Fussell went down in a
comer and remounted in last place, going from
hero to zero. Hall was free to build a huge
lead, which he promptly did, with Hadley - the
only other racer even close to his speed chasing . Fussell was raging through the pack,
but the grrt of a monster lead to an equat rider
was going to be a tough nut to crack. Hall
cruised home with the win , which would earn
him the overall 60cc (9-1 I ) crown . Fussell
uno.""",
l . Gauge Moody (Kaw): 4.
(Kaw ). 65 (9-1 1),
I. Austin Borns ( Kaw); 2. Cody Thomas (Suz): J. Josh Hinds
(Kaw ); .. . Aust in Wel ls (SUI); S. Job Ca stillo (Hon) . 6S
OPEN : I. Austin Burns (Kaw); 2. Kohl Hopper (KTM); J.
Cody Thomu (Su z) ; .. . Aust in We lls (Su z); S. Corey
Markham (Suz). 85 BEG: I. A.J. Sullivan (Suz): 2. Cody
Katsilas (Yam); J . Garrett MaKwell (Sur ); .. . Tanner Pitt s
(Kaw ); S. Job Castillo (H on ). 85 (7·1 1): I. Dillon
Huddleston (Suz); 2. Aust in Bums (Kaw); 3. Kohl Ho ppe r
m); S. Mile s Shugg (Yam). 8 5
(Kaw) ; .of . Cory Porter (Ya
( 11.11): I. Taylo r Robert (Ha n); 2. Micha el Hall (Ka.w); 3.
Da vid Arche )' (Ha n); .. . Douglas French (Han); 5. Brodie
Prather (Kaw) . 8 5 (14. 16): I. Buddi Bruner (Kaw); 2. Jeffre ),
Jenkins (!n (Hen ): l . ..... Erele (Yam); 4. BNn Pen""" (Yam)
:
5. o.n. 5hirra (Kaw ). 15+ INT, I. SheaBenencoun (Hen ):
2 . Danny Madlen (Hen): l . Mochael Wood (Yam) ; 4 . Chad
Faber (Hen): S. jolh Holliman (Kaw). 15 + PRO, I. IGpp
Posey (Yam ): 2. Josh Borges (Hon); 3. Chad Wallwork
(Kaw ). lO + IR: I. Randle ...... (Kaw ); 2. 0uIIy W.......
(Kaw): l . Jon Youngblood (Yam): 4 . Nigel Tuckey (Hen ): S.
Brandon Potts (Yam). 30 + INT: I. Shea Bettenc::ourt (Hon);
2. JUltin 5amplon (Kaw ): l . Mike Christophenon (Hen): 4
Bobby Street (Hon ); 5. Russ Smrth (Han). 30 + PRO : I.
Chad WoIIworit (Kaw): 2. Cole WaIIworit (Yam): l . Rodney
C~ (lUiw). 4 0+ B: I. Jim Richardson (Han); 2. Terry
Fornoc (Hon); l . Todd Hiclu (SUI); 4. Rhett GreenhaJgh
(Yom): 5. nn Mdn5ulIMn
(Hen): 2. RY" RKhoen (Yam): 5. No
Thompson (KTM ). 125 PRO, I. Kyle Partridge (Su.); 2.
Beni _
(Su.): I. IGpp """" (Yom): 4 . Ke.tn Roberts
(Yam); S, 80 Kasper (Yam 250 BEG: I. Timothy Une
).
(Hen): 2. ]>me> Jenson (Yam l . Joe Lece-e (I(aw); 4. jolh
):
Thomas (Han); S. Derek Dahl (Han). 150 JR: I. Tysan
Coleman (SUI); 1. Nick De Carlo (SUI); 3. Jeue Bowler
(Su.) : 4. Chad De c.no(Sul ); 5. Rondy Gmnun (Sul ). 150
Pro-class short t racks, nailing both hole shots
and cree p ing away from run ner-up Mike
Hacker in eac h eve nt. Billy Gruwe ll jammed
into third in the Pro rank s. holding 011 Bristol,
Cheza and Michae l Evilsizer for the spot.
Ladd's Op en Pro w in sec ured his high. point
tally on the year and netted him a free pair of
leathers, co urt esy of Ste ve Nac e Racing, Fast
Plates and Max Leathers.
Th e re mai nde r o f the Ladd raci ng team
lared we ll also, as Mike Ladd made easy work
of t he Sen ior class on t he sho rt track; Supe r
Se nior w inne r De nnis Po rter hel d 0(( Ch ris
Gr isso m , Ed Clark and Da vid Alle n lor t he
ru nner -up spot. April Ladd carried the checkers
after wins in the Women's sho rt track and TT
and the XRI00 Stock short !rack, and she was a
clo se second in the X RI00 Stock TI, beh ind
winner Scott Lann .
Lann woul d also pull Mad Dog duty, but he
was no match for Stevie Nace, wh o swep t both
drvisions. Nace aJso took wi ns in the 250cc Pro
and O pen Pro -Am TIs.
The 200cc finals all belonged to Jell Carver,
who rode like he was o n rails. Carve r tallied
wins in bo th the short trac k and TT in both the
Amat eur and Pro -Am mains. Michae l John son
www.cyclenEWs .com
was the o nly rider to kee p him in sight. as he
scored a tr io of runner- up spots. Carver also
led the way in the as cc TT, with Johnson taking
a narr ow victory in the short track.
N ick McFadde n wa s nea rly perfec t in the
50cc division, winning both Shaft classes and the
Chain-d rive TT. Ethan Gillim to pped the 50cc
Chain short tra ck.
RESULTS
Short Trade
50 S HAFT: I. Nick Mcfadden (Yam); 2. Jaco b Manis
(Yam): l . Luke B;onl (Yom) : 4. B.yoeI HeNlen (Yom ). 150 AM, I.)om I.MnpIOn
(Yam); 2. Chu Landers (Yam) ; 3. Ch ris Grissom (Suz); ...
Many All.... (Yam 150 PRO , I. Nicole Chen (Hen); 2.
).
Stevie Na ce (Yam) . T R: I . Colby Chandl er (Han) ; 2.
NatNniel Vowell (Yam ); l . Austin Zentmeyeo- (Hen): 4. 0.""
Allen (Rot). OP EN AM: I. Chaz Landen (Yam). OPEN
P RO-AM: I. Aaron Ladd (Han ); 2. Mike Hacker (Hon); l .
CYCLE NEWS • MAY 5,2004
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