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/128326
AMAlWMA National Pro Motocr oss Championship S er ies Round I: Glen Helen Raceway Park Whitmore's Thirst for Victory! By JOHN BETHEA SAN BERNARDINO, CA, MAY 8 he boygan. Michigan's Sarah Whitmore. the runner-up in the points chase for last year's WMA National Championship, admitted she inherited the victory at the opening round of the 2004 campaign at Glen Helen Raceway. Then , two hours after she took the checkers, she collapsed on the podium. "I was really stupid ," she said, obviously weak and confused. " I didn't drink anything. and I'm shaking. and I have a headache, and I'm about to pass out right now.;" And then she began to slump. and was caught by a Yamaha official standing beside her. This was in contrast to the composure she displayed earlier on the racetrack w hen she C came out charging in the opening sejvc at the first round of the Women's Motocross Association's six-race series. A hard-charging Jessica Patterson of Tallahassee. Florida, captured the holeshot in the 20 -m inute~plus·two .lap race and was beginning to run away with it when Whitmore began a nearly race-long battle with AGPracing.com/Thor/Yamaha teammate Tania Satchwell for second place. For three laps, Patterson was the picture of a runaway triumph on her Yamaha 2S0F when she suddenly veered from the track heading into one of the steep uphills and pulled to a stop, and she then began pushing the bike dejectedly toward the finish. She hadn 't qu ite made it to the halfway mark, and she knew a DNF was in order. "I was just trying to run my race ," she said. " My bike started to act up out there , going slower, and it wouldn't make it up the hill, so I just cut it off." She didn 't yet know the compression springs had broken. but she did know she had no shot at the overall. For two laps , Satchwell and Whitmore Francis (Hon) ; 5. Cameron Reas (Kaw). 85 ST K ( 12- 13): I. Bubba C ros by (SU1) ; 2. PJ. La rse n (Kaw); 3. Ta ylor Johnson (SU1); 4. Les Smith (Sut.); 5. Taylor Futrell (KTM). U/L MIN I (1 - 11): I. Sean Cunningham (KTM); 2. Presto n Tho mas (Kaw) ; 3. Maso n Gragg (KT M); 4 . Zac h Hyatt (KTM); 5. Ch ris Marie (KTM). U/L MIN I ( 12- 15): I. P.J. Larsen (Kaw); 2. Les Smith (SUI); 3. Taylor Futrell (KTM); 4. Bradley Bollmann [Suz]: 5. Shawn weech (5U . 115 A: I. l) Phillip Mye rs (Yam); 2. Kyle Preston (SUI): 3. Brian Murphy (Yam); 4. Doug Earls (Kaw); 5. J.T. Smith (Kaw). 11 5 B STK : I. Dustin Walker (Kaw); 2. Levi Kilbarger (Yam); 3. Tommy Wr ight (Yam) ; 4. Scott Simon (Kaw); S. Shane O'Bamcn (SUl) . 125 C STK: I. Matthe w Vonlinger (Hon); 2. Dylan Muehlberger (Hon); 3. Brad Rakott (Kaw); 4. Chris Dills (SU1); 5. Mark Prazjer (Yam). 125 ST K (11 -15) : I. [ase Lew is (Hon); 2. Jaco b Mille r (Hon ); 1. Levi Kilbarge r (Ya m); 4. Tolland Weems (SU1); S. PJ. Lar se n (Kaw) . 25D/O PEN A STK: I. Kyle Preston (Suz); 2. Brian Murp hy (Yam); J . A1eunder Hunter (Yam -1 . Phillip Mye rs (Yam); S. ); RyanStanesu (Su'l). 15 0/0 PEN B ST K: I. Shane O 'Banion (Suz); 2. Scott Simon ( Kaw) ; 3. Chris Todd (Yam); 4 . Brandon Abbe lf (Y am); S. Juon Tucker (Su'l). U /L AlB: I. Michael Tester (Yam); 2. Jerry Sneed (Hon); 1. Christopher Nelson ( Kaw); -1 Michael Mitchell (Yam); S. Toby Leaf . (Ho n). U / L C : I. Ch r istopher Tyler (Ka w ); 2. Jo na h Clon inger (Yam); 1. Just in Sample s (Yam); 4. Pete Petree (Hon); S. Clint Harbison (Y . U/L 0 : I. Wesley Yonce am) (Yam 2. MIke Brown (Suz ); 1. Brian Reed (Yam); -1 Cody ); . Ellis (Hon); 5. W in Kester (Hon ). GRLS (9- 13) 65 -105 : I. Shel by Dors ey (Sut ); 2. Callie Stanle y (Kaw); 1. Re be cca Sheets (Suz) ; -1 . Alexandra Athe n on (Kaw) ; 5. Julia Kizer (Su'l). W MN (11+) 99 + : I. Ama nda Cla r k (SU 2. 1); Shelby Rolen (Hon); l . Jessica Gracy (Hon ). battled for the lead , often side by side , but the native of New Zealand finally lost the fight and slipped to runner-up status with two laps to go , admitting later that her "hea d was not in the right place" during the moto, and Whitmore took the narrow victory. Tarah Gieger of Puerto Rico settled for third. Fourth was jessye Davis of Sykesville , Mary land , on a CRF. The top-finishing Suzuki came in fifth, ridden by Jacki Short (nee Hudson), who recently wed Andrew Short. Two hours later, with repairs made , Patterson was back on track, but she didn't get the Sick Racing Ho leshot award like she had in the first start; th at ho no r went to Maple Park, Illinois' Philo Petricig, who had finished ninth in the first race, but Petricig toppled over the handlebars w hile leading lap one. She remounted and eventually finished 12th. Whitmore took over at that point and led until lap two , when Patterson sped by for good. "I had a pretty good start and battled with jessica for a little bit , then let her go, " Whitmore said. "She deserved the win today; she was the fastest rider on the track by far." By now. Whitmore knew she didn't have to ace the mota to win overall. Instead , she rode smoothly in second for the duration , w ith Satchwell finishing th ird. CN GLEN H (LEN RACEWAY PARK SAN B ERNARDINO , CAUFORNIA RESULTS : MAy 8, 2004 (ROUND 1 OF 6 ) O/A: I. Sarah 'Whiunon! (Y am); 2. Tania SatdJwoefl (Yam) ; J. T...... Gegeo- (Hon ): 4. )add Shan: (Suz) 5. 5te1y"'" (Hon) : : 6. Eliubeth Buh (Kaw); 7. Kaide Garrett (Y am); 8. Jessica Patte rson (Hon); 9. Philo Pe tricig (Hon) ; 10. Jessye Dav;s (Hon): II. Caputo (Cob); 12. Bonnie WMch (y.,,): 13. Marisa Hampsh ire (Y ; 1"1 . Shin Howell (Kaw); 15. am) T""", Moddeo (Suz). J"""'''' District 17 AMA Motoc ross Planet Extreme Wilcockson Takes Two at Planet Extreme By NIKKI DURANCZYK MASON, IL, APR. 24 nly a few years old , Planet Extreme is fast becoming o ne o f the top motocross facilities in th e Midwe st . The pits include camping ho ok ups, ind o o r restrooms and showers , a playground, and a sw im ming po nd . Planet has also added a stad ium -style track for Saturday night racing. The motocross track is fast and smooth, w ith long straightaways and big sweepers that wind through the hills. The obstacles are safe and fun for ride rs of all skill leve ls and O Sarah Whitmore won the first moto and stayed cool in the second stanza to overall the first round of the AMA!WMA National Pro Motocross Championship Series. include ta bletops , downhill an d up hill jumps , and rocker w hoops. Saturday 's fo recast was gloo my, and it had rained all week, but the racers at Planet were treated to an exce p tio na l track. At inte rm ission , ho w ever, a light sprinkle started and woul dn't stop. Midway t hro ugh the second se t of mo tes , the rest were canceled because of slick cond itions . jo shua Wilcoc kson was o n t he gas a nd finished first in two of the biggest classes o f th e day, 85cc junio r and Mini One. james Gresham, Adam Monroe, Victo r jenkins and john Kindle w e re also double-class w inners. In Mini One competition , Tre vor Renko picked up the flrst -rnoro holeshot. followed by Wilcoc kson , Bla ke Shilling and Jo ey Crain. Wilcockson mo ved into the le ad on lap one, followed by a hard -charging Shilling . At t he finish, it w as W ilcockson , Shilling and Crain. Shilling jumped out to the second-moto lead, followed by Wilcoc kson , Crain and Dad e Noones. Wilcockson pressu red Shilling and passed him for the lead on lap two. Shilling kept www.cuclenews.com WHcockson in his sights. but at the end it was Wilcockson wit h the win , fo llowed by Shilling and C rain. Th e Open/Four- Stroke A and B classes gated together. Gresham rocketed o ut to the fron t , followed by Sco tt Dixo n and Mo nroe . Monroe ke pt Dixo n withi n striking distance but couldn't ma ke a move. At the checkers, it was Gresham and Dixo n finishing one-two in the A class , fo llo w e d by Monroe, Catlin Utterback and jenkins in the B portion. Gresham got another great start in moto two , followed by Monroe and Dixon . Dixo n pressured Monroe for three laps until Monroe fell in a tight tum, opening the door for Dixon . Monroe re mounted quic kly and ke pt his lead over Utt erback and jen kins. Gresham captured the mota w in and t he overall, followed b y Dixo n. and Monroe took the B overaJl. Monroe also collected both 12Scc C moto wins . Mon roe nabbed the first-more holeshot, followed by Utterbac k, Kasey Gilbert and Lawrence Fitch . Utt erback was pushing hard to catch Monroe b u t came up short at t he CYCLE NEWS • JUNE 2, 2004 49