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/128388
OvEr ThE Hili Gang National FernlEY IntErnational RacEWaY PHOTO BY JEFF ROEHM Taylor Tuned In at Fernley By CHRIS CUMBO i NY, tAAY 28 29 /Ii. t the Over The Hill Gang National at /"\Nevada's Fernley International Raceway, Larry Brown won the first Over 4S Expert mota. When the gate dropped for mota two, Jeff Blix, who had set up camp upwind of the dust from the Fernley track, was lust behind Ted Netti. Blix overjumped the tabletop near his camp and sailed Into first. His lead was short-lived, however, as the hard-charging Brown passed Blix at the third tabletop after a long straightaway. Tim "Con" Alarcon kept the pressure on Brown until the end. "I love this track dearly, and Brown, Can and Netti are a big challenge," Blix said after his first two matos. "When I had the lead, I got nervous and got arm pump. When I was in second, I felt better. Everything was going okay till this here tabletop. I hit a kicker and got squirrelly and landed on my head." After many attempts, Alarcon won mota four, but when all was said and clown, the overall finishing order was Brown, Alarcon and NeW. "Brown is boss," Blix said afterward. Andy King gave a loud "Yee-hah!" when he led all the talented Over 30 Intermediates into the first berm and bounced over into the second one. King won both of Saturday's motos. King has been cross-training by swimming; a couple of weeks earlier, he'd taken second at the Rolling Rock Supercross Party's swim event. "The only rider I'm worried about is Robert Callahan," King said after Saturday's races. "I'm going to give Callahan some respect and try to get ahead of him tomorrow." King did just that, winning Sunday's motos convincingly. Over 38 Expert Chuck Bennett won mota one, with Dwayne Taylor second. In mota two, Over 38 Expert Billy Carlson nabbed the holes hot, In front of Pat Samudio. Michael Renner held third. However, moving up from about sixth was Taylor, who rode smoothly, with his eyes looking far ahead, observing if there were any weaknesses in the next upcoming rider. On the fourth lap, Taylor took over the lead. Bennett increased his speed, but the tight turns behind other riders only seemed to slow him down again. Bennett set himself up again for the triple jump and flew past other riden. Kon Baur sat in fifth at the end of Saturday's motos. When the gate dropped on Sunday, Taylor and Baur accelerated off the elevated concrete starting pad, turning sideways. The startled riders flinched long enough for the two riders to hook up with Samudio in turn one. Baur pulled ahead in the mythm section. Meanwhile, Larry Brown (149) battle. with the Over 45 Expert. nm Alarcon (101), Jeff Blix (3) and John Handelin (132) at the OTHO National In Femley, Nevada. Brown won th.... out of four mota•• Tom Baker and Bennett were exchanging paint, moving up into third and fourth, respectively. Taylor took second. Taylor said the key to this track was riding the whole track and using the outside lines. Baur had the last mota fogured out, as he led Robert Roehlk, who got his best start of the weekend, but Carlson moved Into Roehlk's front tire up the face of a jump, and Roehlk went down. Bennett was in a good position to win the overall, and he tripled into second. Bennett was all over Baur, but he hit a bush, and then bounced into an old track sand berm and fell. "I didn't have to pass him [Baur] for the overall." Bennett said, "but I wanted to, because it's not racing unless you wanna win." Taylor was the top Over 3B Expert overall, followed by Baur and Bennett. 01 SlTARS/Three Brothers Racing Supermoto Series Round 4: Buttonwillow Raceway FERNID INTERNA1IONAL RACEWAY FERNID, NEVADA RESULTS: MAy 2B-29, 2005 BEG: I. David Null; 2. Chris Oyer, 3. Jason Rogers. NOV: I. John Griego: 2. Chrystal ponsock; l. Victor ~ . INT, l. Mdy KJnc. 2. Ilol>en Callahan; 3. John Case. EX: I. Damlon Baker; 1. Aaron Mattson; l. Rob Bleskey. PRO, I. Justin Masalka: 2. S.... Nebon; 3. Swn StiIImod<. 3B+ BEG, l. l.aoTy Mutick; 2. leny _ ; 3. Greg Webb. 38+ Nov, I. Tay Burgess; 2. Stacey _ 3. Ric RDnci. 3B+ INT, l. Jell Roehm; 2. Jim Koschelia; 3. Joe Crouch. 38+ EX, l. Dwayne T.,.....; 2. Kon B....-: 3. Chuck Bennett. 38+ PRO, l. Mm. johnson. 45+ BEG, l. o...... Ellis; 2. Marl< Cody; 3. VIC Marshall. 45+ NOV, I. Ed Shennan; 2. DennIs Foster: 3. Greg Chapel. 45+ 11m l. Glenn jenn;np; 2. M;ke EIIls; 3. 0.'" Cumbo. 4S+ EX, l.l.aoTy Brown; 2. Tim Alarcon; 3. Ted Ne"l. 4S+ PRO, l. Marl< Anderson. KIDS SUP, I. Rkky Goddaro; 2. Bm loa; l. justin Roehlk. BEG SUP: I. Watt Van Olden: 1. Dane Dressler; 3. Jeremy R;a1s. NOV SUP, l. F....,k Cody; 2. Kenn)' Ca"er: l. Forrest Heston. INT SUP: I. Ryan Hazen; 2. Greg Chapel; 3. Marl< Jones. EX SUP, I. Ted Neal; 2. Aaroo Mattson: 3. Greg l.epesh. 'na PHOTO BY JAMEY BLUNT Pearce, Howard, and a Piece of History By JAMEY BLUNT BUTTONWIllOW, CA, MAY 29 upermoto history was made on this day. One hundred and fifty-seven entrants were part of it, as this was the first time a Supermoto race had ever been held on the go-kart track at Buttonwillow. Don Canet, no stranger to doing things first, created a 17-turn, .79-mile racetrack, complete with a dirt section courtesy of Warren at Buttonwillow. This being a new track to everyone, it was a level playing field for all 12 heat races. By I:30 in the afternoon, the grids were posted, and we were off to the mains! In the Vet Over 35 main, Steve Isenhower did what he had been doing all day and nailed the start. Isenhower led the 22-rider pack, followed by James Borgman and Mike Deloach. But the rider to watch was Clawson Honda's Don Howard, who got away in sixth but by lap two of I I was up to fourth and charging. Three laps in, Howard took over third, as he was a full two seconds faster than the rest of the field. Another rider on the move was Kerry Edwards, advancing from a mid pack start. On lap five, Borgman took his tum at the front, but not for long, as Howard came through on this same lap. Once up front, Howard was gone. At the finish, S 46 JULY 27, 2005 • CYCLE NEWS the order was Howard, a recovered Isenhower, Edwards (with a great ride), and Borgman. It's been years since a two-stroke machine has won an Open Expert final in Supermoto racing, but history does repeat itself sometimes. The very first STTARS number-one plate holder, Rick Pearce (who has the honor of having the only Supermoto bike in the Honda museum), was just the guy to attempt this feat; his weapon of choice, a Pro Honda Oils/Avon Tires-backed Honda CRSOO. After running away with the heat race, Pearce shot to the front in the main, but Joker Machine/SDG's Justin Ross, after his heat-race defeat, had regrouped, and he was up to the challenge. Three Brothers Racing/Bates Leathers' Scott Simpson ran second. Ross was third. CTi2's Mike Ulrich was fourth but exited the hunt five turns in with a tip-over. And let's not forget Howard. Two laps in, Ross was up to second and closing ground on Pearce as the front two began to pull away. Simpson was in third but would soon have to deal with Howard, who was already up to fourth. Also on the move were Brian Barton and Canyon Honda's Scott Podergois. By lap seven of 12, Howard had taken over third, while Ross had caught up to Pearce and Justin Ross (319) ond Rick Pearce (132) split victories ot round six of the STTARS/Three Brothers Rocing Supermoto Series. Ross topped the 4S0cc closs, while Pearce set the track record in the Open Expert contest to best Ross for the win. was pressuring. What this pressure did for Pearce was push him to the fastest lap of the day, at one minute and 5.32 seconds. Lap after lap, Ross showed Pearce a wheel, but he just couldn't find a clean way around. At the stripe for the final time, Ross made a run and finished beside Pearce's rear wheel. Another four seconds back came Howard, followed by Simpson, Barton and Podergois. Pearce left with the track record - another bit of history. CN BUTTONWIUOW RACEWAY BUTTONWlUOW, CAUFORNIA RESULTS: MAy 29, 2005IRouND 4) MINI·MOTO Jft: I. Ryan Cooper (Hon); 2. River McDougall (Hon); l. john Rjess (Hon). MINI·MOTO 65: I. Zach Warnock (KTM): 2. Justin Ducut (KTM); l. Ryan Matter (Hon). MINI·MOTO 85: I. Tyfer Odom (Kaw); 2. jessie Garda (Hon); 3. Cristian Olguin (Kaw). MINI·MOTO 110: I. Chamler Gregg (Kaw); 2. Ryan Cooper (Hon); l. Gregg Riess (Hon). MINI-MOTa MAX: I. Joe Auzenne (Hon); 1. Brad Rudy (Hen); 3. jonathan Kearns (Hon). BEG: I. Palmer Lancaster (Hon): 2. Scott Kennedy (Hon); 3. Michael Johnson (Hon). NOV: I. Graham Gustin (KTM); 2. Chris Borgman (Yam); l. Palmer L..ancaster (Hon). INT: I. Steve Isenhower (Hon); 2. Brian Barton (Hon); l. Mike Deloach (Hon). 250: I. Frankie Garcia (Hon); 2. Gabriel lJmon (Hon); 3. Eric Caro (Yam). 450: I. Justin Ross (KTM). OPEN: '- Rick Pearce (Hon); 2. Justin Ross (KTM); 3. Don Howard (Hon). SPTSMN: I. Jeff Dages (Yam); 2. Jack O'Dell (Hon); l. Randy Oi Frances (Yam). VET 35+: L Don Howard (Hoo); 2. Steve Isenhower (Hoo); l. Derry Edwards (Hon). VET 45+: '- Tim McArdle (Hoo); 2. Ernie Lyles (Hon): l. Mike Hendrix (KTM).