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Chaparral Pro-Am Challenge MX
Glen Helsn Raceway Park
Alessi Unchallenged
at the Challenge
By JOHN BETHEA
SAN BERNARDINO, CA, DEC, 19
M
ike Alessi debuted the super-hard-to-get
2005 KTM 250F at Glen Helen Raceway's
Chaparral Pro-Am Challenge, and he was all
grins after posting a two-moto sweep that left
everyone else far behind.
"The bike is awesome," said Mike, just back
from a successful trip to Europe where he
rode the four-stroke to a win in England and a
runner-up finish in France. "1 can almost
guarantee that a KTM will get a holeshot in
every moto in the outdoors next year, whether
it's me or my teammates!"
On this day, racing in both motos for half
the $4000 purse, he sped away in each.
In the first moto, Honda's nm Weigand and
Dylan Lord and KTM's Jeff Alessi hooked up in
a white-knuckler for second that wasn't
decided until the final turn. The trio stayed
within a few seconds of each other until late in
the contest, when Jeff, riding a two-stroke
against the Honda 2505, began to fade.
"I didn't feel outpowered by them," said the
younger Alessi, "but when I'd catch them,
they'd pull away again."
Weigand and Lord engaged in a battle of
wits, each trying to outguess the other With a
lap to go, Lord made the pass, but Weigand
stuck close. Weigand had recently spem 10 days
in the hospital with a pancreas problem; after
going more than a week without food, he'd
spent the last few weeks "overtraining," and his
anns began to seize midway through the race.
Nevertheless. he somehow found himseK in the
right place at the right time in the last tum and
regained second within 75 feet of the finish.
"T~e whole moto, I was trying to figure
how to get by him," said a frustrated Lord.
(Suz): 2. Nick Cerqua (Hon); 3. Hugh Smith (Ka.w). 80 BEG
A: I. Jacob Ngo (Hon); 2. Dustin Uhler (Hon): l. Miguel
Cerna (Yam). 80 (7-11): I. Kohl Hopper (Kaw); 2. Austin
Burns (Kaw); l. Anthony Defazio (SUz.). 80 (12-13): 1.
Michael Halt (Kaw); 2. David Archey (Hon): 3. Taylor Bates
(Yam). 80 (14-16): I. Buddi Bruner (Kaw); 2. Calvin
Cheatham (Yam); l. Collin Randel (Suz). S/MINI: I. Michael
Hall (Kaw): 2. Buddi Bruner (Kaw): 3. Cole Martinez (SUl).
B/BK OPEN: I. David Moskat (Hon); 2. Coleman
Manchester (Hon); l. Carl Roth (Hon). B/BOY: I. Tom
Kieran (Yam): 2. Craig Goodnuff (Hon): l. Jason McCoy
(Hon). 125 BEG: I. Austin Park (Yam); 2. Patrick Brooks
(Kaw); 3. Bradley Shilts (Yam). 125 NOV: I. Colton
Boulanger (Kaw); 2. Carl Roth (Hon): 3. Michael Loder (Yam).
125 INT: I. Rhett Urseth (Kaw); 2. Austin Schnurr (Hon): 3.
Curtis Smith (Hon). 125 PRO: I. Chris Blose (Yam); 2. Shaun
Kalos (Kaw); 3. Danny Almond (Yam). 150 BEG: I. Eddie
Smith (Hoo): 2. Aaron Uhler (Suz): 3. Eddie Giton (Hon). 250
NOV: I. Ryan Sipe (Yam); 2. Evan Womble (Hon): l. Jake
Bartholomew (Yam). 250 INT: I. Tyler Johnson (Suz): 2.
Willie Smaln (Hon); l. J.B. Gasperone (SUl). 1S0 PRO: I.
Shaun Kalos (Kaw): 2. Chris Blose (Yam); l. Brandon Schlensig
(Hon). WMN: I. Jacqueline Strong (Yam); 2. Lanae Richter
(Hon); 3. Christ)' Brosius (Hon). SCHBY: I. Rhen Urseth
(Kaw); 2. Austin Schnurr (Hoo): l. Curtis Smith (Hoo). 25+
BEG: I. Eddie Smith (Hon). 25+ NOV: I. Mark Winslow
(Suz): 2. Javier Espinosa (Hon); l. Jayson Crotteau (Hon).
25+ INT: t. J.B. Gasperone (Suz); 2. Jeff Parr (Hon); l. Trent
Paulin (Hon). 30+ BEG: I. Ben Armour (Hon); 2. Eric
Weustenhoefer (Suz); 3. Curt Fackrell (Yam). 30+ INT: I.
Tim Wussow (Yam): 2. Todd Smith (Yam); 3. Jeff Parr (Hon).
30+ PRO: I. Shaun Kalos (Kaw); 2. Danny Almond (Yam); 3.
Coleman Manchester (Hon). 40+ NOV: I. Steve Brown
(Yam); 2. John Pesqueria (Hoo); l. Frank Behr (Hon). 40+
INT: I. Tony Nicks (Kaw); 2. Bryan Park (Yam); l. Tim
"and suddenly I got a jump on him, and coming
into the finish line, I came off into the soft stuff
and he got the inside, and I had nothing to do."
Their second face-off meant more
frustration for Lord, who tangled with Kyle
Mace and Gerrit Ordelman in the second tum
and had to spend much of the moto catching up
to Weigand and jeff, who were in tum trying to
keep pace with Yamaha rider Xavi Hernandez,
who was a solid second, behind Mike. Relatively
unknown to his opponents, Penis. California's
Hemandez had started poorly in moto one but
came from behind to garner seventh. His mototwo run showed his strength.
On the final lap, Lord finally caught jeff
coming out of turn one, but he dipped his rear
tire and went over. Weigand's arms were
tightening again, but his $1000 paycheck eased
his aches and pains.
Privateer Honda rider Robert Memoli put
together a fistful of strong performances.
showing that his days as an Intermediate are
numbered. He won the I 25cc Band Four5troke B events with sweeps and aced the first
250cc B outing, only to be eased out of the
overall when he placed third in his second
moto .. behind fellow CRF riders Chad
Anderson and jeff Loop.
eN
GLEN HELEN RACEWAY PARK
SAN BIR_NO, CAUFORNIA
RESULTS: DlCEMIIR
19, 2004
SO SHAfT; I. Otl, ChandIe, (Yom). SO STK (4-6), I.
Jerred Flowers (Cob). 50 STK (7-8): I. Blake Green
(Cob): 2. c.m...oo _
(KTM); J. Blake _ n (KTM);
4. Ricky Johnzon (Hoo); S. Oalw Hawez (Hoo). SO MOO
(4-6)' I. Maxwell Tedde< (Kaw). SO MOO (1-8), I. joze
Ceja (KTM); 2. Punky Jones (KTM). 65 BEG: I. Kyle
llr.okel>lH (Kaw); 2. "'moo McMillan (Kaw); 3. CaMlen Mala
(KTM). 65 (4-8), I. joze Cejo (KTM); 2. Toiztan Pozt (Kaw);
3. Ryan Surnn (Kaw); 4. Maxwell Todd..- (Kaw). 65 (9-11)'
I. Max Annie (Kaw); 2. JatOb Partndge (Yam); 3. Donny Fbh
j,. (Kaw). 85 BEG, I. COOy Re
(Yam); 2. J...-ett Loop
(Hon); 3. Jesse Johnston (Yam);
Kyle Yarnell (Yam); 5.
Kennedy (Yarn). 40+ MSTR: I. Joe Schneider (Hon); 2. A.J.
Harry (Yam); 3. Todd Smith (Yam).
Sunday
P/W BEG A: I. Turner Gasperone (Suz). p(W BEG B:
I. Coy Dugan (KTM); 2. Austin Pugh (Cob): J. Keaton Swane
(KTM). P/W (4-6): I. Jeremi Williamson (KTM); 2. Mark
Worth (KTM); 3. Taylor Howard (KTM). P/W (7-8): I.
Bailey Bruner (KTM): 2. Thunder Ralston (Cob): l. Carter
Griffin (KTM). P/W OPEN: I. Jeremi Williamson (KTM); 2.
Thunder Ralston (Cob); 3. Carter Griffin (KTM). 60 BEG: I.
Jordan Warner (Kaw): 2. Taylor Smith (Kaw); l. Collin
Anderson (Kaw). 60 (6-8): I. Anthony Defazio (Suz); 2.
Bailey Bruner (KTM): 3. Cody Stanley (KTM). 60 (9.11): I.
Austin Burns (Suz): 2. Kohl Hopper (Kaw): l. Corey
Markham (Suz). 60 (Il-Il): I. Michael Hall (Kaw); 2. Cole
Martinez (Suz): 3. DaVId Archey (Hon). 80 (14-16): I. Buddi
Bruner (Kawl: 2. Calvin Cheatham (Yam): l. Collin Randel
(Suz). S/MINI: I. Michael Hall (Kaw); 2. Buddi Bruner
(Kaw); 3. Cole Martinez (Suz). B/SK OPEN: I. Derek
Vusovich (Yam): 2. Brad HoUman (Yam): 3. Willie SmOlin
(Hon). B/BOY: I. Craig Goodnuff (Han); 2. Tom Keiran
(Yam): 3. Jason McCoy (Yam). 115 BEG: I. Dylim Raymond
(Yam): 2. Jeremy Ray (Hon); 3. Brent Eckert (Yam). 125
NOV: I. Ryan Bishop (Suz); 2. Chase Sims (Ka.w); l. Grant
Bolzan (Yam). 125 INT: I. Clay Higgins (Kaw); 2. Rhett
Urseth (Kaw); 3. Tyler Johnson (Suz). 125 PRO: I. Chris
Blose (Yam); 2. Brandon Schlensig (Hon): 3. Tyler Johnson
(SUl). 250 BEG: I. Eddie Glion (Hon): 2. Tommy Kieran
(Yam): 3. Aaron Uhler (Hon). 250 NOV: I. Evan Womble
(Hon); 2. Jake Bartholomew (Yam): 3. Marc McCombs (Hon).
250 INT: I. Austin Schnurr (Hon): 2. Willie Smaltz. (Hon); l.
Brad Hoffman (Yam). 250 PRO: I. Chris Blose (Yam); 2.
Brandon Schlensig (Hon); 3. David Hoskan (Hon). WMN: I.
Jacqueline Strong (Yam): 2. Chmie Brosius (Hon); l. Lanae
Richter (Hon). SCHBY: I. Clay Higgins (Kaw): 2. Curtis
Mike Alessi (8001 leads "mystery man" Xavi Hernandez (41 In the 125cc
Pro Invitational race during the motocross portion of the Chaparral Pro-Am
Challenge in San Bernardino, California.
Max>< Umboume (!