Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Gene Romero's West Coast Flat Track Series Round I: The Pavilion Halberot Draws First Blood! By CLAY LIGHT SALEM, OR, FEll. 26 T he first of nine rounds of Gene Romero's West Coast Flat Track Series took a diff....ent kind of a twist - geographically speaking ~ as the series, now in its eighth year, had previously always kicked off in the Golden State. However, this year's opener was in Oregon. inside the brand-new Pavilion arena on the Oregon State Fairgrounds in Salem. In the end, last year's Open A-class champion, Washington's Jethro Halbert, prevailed. The first in a series of main events was the Classic Vintage Twins, and right off the bat, Chris Fitzhugh established himself. The former National number 49 plate hold.... still had all of the right moves to secure his lone victory in a three-class effort on his part, edging Steve Hall for the win. Tom Miller, riding a 1972 6SOcc Yamaha, wasn't far off the leaders' pace and finished third, ahead of Todd Tracy and Dale Parks. Fifteen riders lined up for the Top Gun 450cc final. Dustin Pruczinski pulled the trigger the fastest to lead Brendan Bergen, Rod Reynolds, Yamaha-mounted Joe McCoy and the rest of the field on the opening lap. Bergen and Reynolds clung to Pruczinski's rear wheel for much of the race until the Yamaha rider opened up a slight gap on the duo to secure the win. Reynolds, McCoy, Anthony DeMario, Derrick Oquist, Chris Foster, Nick Ohge, Amy Pruczinski and Nevada's Jamie Nicely completed the top 10. Ricky Henson, Hall and Dam DeMario headed up the Saddleman's Vintage race following the unleashing of the IS-rider field in the final. Utah's Kit Farley and Fitzhugh ran fourth and fifth, but all of the action was waged up front, as Henson had Hall all ov.... him; Hall couldn't get around Henson, as the Idaho rider slammed the door shut on Hall's attempts and narrowly won. DeMario was also impressive, sticking close to the lead duo to place third, ahead of Fitzhugh and BSA-mounted Farley. Halbert, aboard a Honda CRF450R, sat on the pole position for the K&N Filters Open A main event, and he used it to garner the lead coming out of turn one. Ryan Anderson initially put pressure on Halbert but gradually fell backward through the ranks. Early on in the 16-lap final, Halbert put huge ground on the competition, while Sam Halbert, Jesse Sanchez, Eric Rickman, Andel"SOn and Pruczinski jockeyed for positions on the dry-slick one-twentieth-mile track. Jethro enjoyed nearly a full straightaway lead, while Sam headed up the Rickman/Sanchez/Beau Brown swapfest, which Brown, from nearby Newberg, would settle into aft.... shoving a wheel und.... Sanchez with two laps remaining. Brown kicked In the afterburners to narrow the gap on Sam, but Sam refused to budge and trailed his brother Jethro at the finish. Brown, Sanchez and Rickman completed the top five. Shawn Raggio placed sixth, ahead of Anderson, Mike Rush, Kenny Carlotta and Henson, who filled out the top 10. CN THE PAVlUON SAUM, 0lII00N RESULTS: FEBRUARY 26, 2005 Novice racers Nick Ilussy (812), Zeupai Mao (399), Matthew Williams (363), Daniel Huddleston (317), William Smith (123), Ilryan Lewallen (59) and Ilrett Preuss (25) lead the charge toward the first turn of the first-ever AttackMX race, in Phoenix, Arixona. AttackMX Speedwor/d MX Park AttackMX Begins BIGI By KEVIN KELLY PHOENIX, AZ, FEll. 13 \ A fhat do a Ford F-3S0 power-stroke dually, V Va motorcycle of your choice, a 7x 14 enclosed trailer, $35000 in Visa cards, and the I25cc Novice class all have in common? That's SO what everyone in the motorcycle industry might have asked themselves when AttackMX announced its ambitious new prize structure focused around amateur motocross riders. Surprise, Arizona, played host to the "mother of all amateur races" on Sunday, February 13. The winner received a Ford F-350 power-stroke truck that was trailered in with doughnuts lined up across the odometer. The second-place finisher picked up a bike of his choice, and the third-placed rider picked up an enclosed trailer. Those finishing fourth through 15th scored Visa cards worth up to $4200 (for APRIL 13, 2005 • CYCLE NEWS (ROUND 1 Of 9) OPEN A MAIN: I. Jethro Halbert (Hon); 2. Sam Halbert (Hon); 3. Beau Brown (CCM): ... Jesse Sanchez (Rot); 5. Eric Rickman (Rot); 6. Shawn Raggio (Hon); 7. Ryan Anderson (Rot); 8. Mike Rush (Hon); 9. Kenny Carlotta (Hon); 10. Ricky Henson (Yam); II. Rodney Reynolds (Hen); 12. Chris Fitzhugh (Rot); 13. Jethro Halbert won the K&N Open A main event at the opening round of Gene Romero's West C_st Flat Track Series in Salem, Oregon. Dustin PnKlinski (Yam); , ... Jeff Hiatt (Rot); 15. Tim Ricketts (Rot). VINT A MAIN: I. Rklt (Hon): 8. Nick Ohge (Hon); 9.1Vrry Prucz.inski (Yam); 10. Jamie Nicely (KTM); II. Michael Torrisi (Hon); 12. Chad Undsey (Hon); 13. Elliot Oquist (Hon); I.... Garrett Hopkins (Hon): 15. Jim Torpey (Hon). CLSC VlNT TW A MAIN: I. Chris Finhugh (Tn); I. Steve Hall (Tri); 3. Tom MiHer (Yam); ... Todd Tracy (Yam); 5. Dale Parks (Tn); 6. Greg COl( (Yam); 7. Steve Barker (Yam); 8. Dan Dickenson (H-D). fourth place) and at least $2000 (for 15th). 50 basicalty, a rider could have finished midpack in the Novice class and scored a smooth three G's. As the gate eased its way toward the ground in what seemed like slow motion, parents and friends all made the sprint from the starting line to the best line of sight. On lap one, the leader was Nick Bussy, followed closely by fellow Yamaha rider Will Smith. Bussy and Smith continued to motor away from the rest of the field, and at one point Smith looked ready to take the keys to the new truck away from Bussy. However, Bussy kept calm, wanting to keep those keys buried deep in his pocket. Meanwhile, something was happening further back in the pack. David Snow had gone down early in the mota, but he was making some noise, passing riders so fast that they didn't even know who he was! As though this race had been scripted by the Novice moto gods, a lapped rider held the middle line going into the final turn, which was a left-hander that took riders up about three feet to a roller and the checkers. Snow now had the lead, but Bussy was all over him, and the lapper split the two front-runners, forcing Bussy to the inside and Snow to the outside. When they exited the corner, they were side by side, drag-racing up the hill with their bars tangled. Snow pinned it and leaned to his left; Bussy crashed through the checkers, giving Snow the win - barely. It was a crazy day, with crazy prizes... and an even crazier ending. The Ford F-3S0 powerstroke truck was awarded to David Snow - who actually turned out to be Alex Snow, a Pro-caliber rider from Great Britain who had entered the race under a different name, listing Greenville, Texas, as his hometown. AttackMX "reacquired" the truck and presented it to its rightful owner, Nick Bussy of Oak Hills, California. The next AttackMX race. featuring $100,000 in prizes, is set to go off at Lake Elsinore, California, on April I. Hopefully it won't prove another "A.pril Fools" kind of day. For more information, visit www.anackmx.com. RESULTS 125 NOV: I. Nick Bussy (Yam): 1. William P. Smith (Yam): 3. Brett E. Preuss (Hon); 4. Bryan Lewallen (Yam); 5. Steven Stultz (Suz): 6. Kyle Heeter (Yam); 7. Lane Morrison (Hon): 8. Eric Ambrosi (Hon): 9. Corey R. Ford (Yam): 10. Ryan L. Romey (Yam): 1 I. Daniel Huddleston (Suz): t 1. Kenny Bates (Hon); 13. Michael W. Fermoile (Yam); 14. Robert D. Witzig (Yam). Florida Motocross Series Round I: Thundercross Motorsports Park Red is Hall's Color By CRAIG AND ANGELA JOHNSON OKEECHOIlEE, FL, FEll. 13 he seventh annual Florida Motocross Series kicked off at Thundercross Motorsports Park. Sunny skies and temperatures in the low 70s and a penectly prepped track greeted some 434 riders. The series keeps getting bigger and T better every year, and this year Suzuki concingencies will be paid at seven of the 14 rounds. The following day would be Valentine's Day, and one red rider on a Honda received three early gifts. Derek Hall won the Junior Mini, 85cc (12-13) and Supermini classes. Hall was the class act of the 85cc ranks, winning four out of five motos.

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