PHOTO BY ClAY LIGHT
Dlno Daze Vintage Motocross
Happs Inc. Clubgrounds
Raines on Parade at Damp Dino Daze
By CLAY LIGHT
ETHEL, WA, JUNE 5
B
ack in 1975, Washington's Doug Raines was one of the fastest
riders on the AHA National 125cc motocross circuit. Riding
a Kawasaki, Raines was a consistent top-10 finisher week after
week, until injuries slowed his budding career. Some 30 years
later, Raines made his vintage motocross debut at the 21 st annual
Dino Daze Vintage Motocross in Ethel, Washington, and at the
completion he had captured the overall Over SO class win
aboard a 1974 Yamaha MX360.
Rain throughout the week prior to the event had the hosting
Tacoma Motorcycle Club reflecting on last year's muddy fiasco,
although this year the race stayed away for most of race day.
Raines, the former National number-24 plate holder, grabbed
the lead at the start of the first combined Over SO/Over 60
moto, followed by Husqvarna rider Jack Gillette and Ossamounted Leland Loper. Raines opened up a large lead aboard the
Bench Racer Magazine-backed Yamaha and never looked back.
Gillette finished some 10 seconds behind Raines but ahead of
Over 60-c1ass winner Loper, Charlie Branstetter, and Dick
Stidham, the second-placed rider in the Over 60 class.
Moto two was much the same, as Raines scooted well ahead
of the field and finished there to cap off a I-I sweep. Gillette, a
regular AHRMA competitor, placed second to Raines and second
overall in the Over 50 class, followed by Loper, who again won
the Over 60 class, ahead of Stidham (2-2). Branstetter's
consistent 3-3 placings netted the Honda CRI25 rider third
overall in the Over 50 class.
CZ-mounted Brett Giboney and Honda rider Andrew Sullivan
went head to head in the two combined 250cc Sportsman
intermediate/Four-Stroke motos. The two traded the lead several
times throughout each moto, the best of those battles being in
the opening moto. in the slightly messy conditions, and riding the
same CZ-powered GS that his father. Rich. raced in the early
19705 while campaigning the Trans AHA Support class. Giboney
grabbed the lead. only to lose it to Sullivan - and then get it back a
couple of laps later. Sullivan, though. got past Giboney late in the
race, narrowfy edging Giboney at the finish line.
One of the day's largest classes was the Over 40 class, with
16 riders. In the end, it was CZ rider Mark Sullivan posting dual
moto wins to capture the overall win. Sullivan grabbed the lead
at the start of the opening moto and was never seriously
challenged. Troy Luchini ran second to Sullivan in the early
stages, although two other Expert-ranked riders moved up to
pressure Sullivan: Husky rider Dirk Murphy, and Keith Webster,
who rode a 1974 Honda CR2S0. Sullivan scored a moto-two win
in a repeat performance of the first moto, while Murphy and
Webster would again move up to trail Sullivan and place second
and third overall, respectively. Luchini (4-4) and Erik Sullivan
(5-5) completed the top five overall.
AJS-mounted AI Moore won the Premier SOOcc class, beating
Matchless rider Ron Predmore to the finish in both motos. John
Van Golen (3-3), Jody Heinnman (4-4) and Lee Frost (S-S)
completed the top fIVe overall.
CN
HAPPS INC. CLUBGROUNDS
ETHEL, WASHINGTON
RUULTs: JUNE
5, 2005
Vi°taae
XR1S ADULT, I. Scott Topp;ng (Hon): 2. Jeff Pugfl (Hon): J. Randy Brown
(Hon). XR75 KIDS: I. Keaton Branstetter (Hon); 2. Derek Murphy (Hon); 3.
Cody Topping (Han); .of. John D~e (Hon). PRE-1970 NOV: I. Tom McAlrtster
(CZ); 2. John Feldman (Bul): J. L=y Robe'" (CZ). PRE-I970 INT, I. Harl<
H ........ (Tn); 2. AJ H..... (Due): J. Harl< B.... (CZ); •. Scott ...... (0,,). PRE·
1970 EX: I. DiM< Hu.-phy (0,,): 2. Nei Gie
(Hu,); 2. Jake Ow..,. (Yam): J. John Haberi>oKh (Hon); •. John Feldman (Bul).
11:5 INT: I. Owies Branstetter (Hon); 2. Chris Kerber (Hon); 3. Jeff Anderwn
(C·A); •. Marl< ..... (Yam). 250 NOV, I. Jeff Nebon; 2. David Wheeler, J. Kyle
Devereawe. (SuI); 4. David Mott:erer (Mai); S. Nathan Schibig (Hon). 150 INT: I.
Brett: Giboney (CZ); 2. Matthew Sullivan (Pen); 3. Scott Baker (Oss); 4. Jeff Shelton
(Hon); 5. Ilnd ...... (0,,). 2S0 EX, I. Harl< Sullivan (Suz); 2. Hike H.mn (Kaw);
Former AMA National star Doug Raines made
his vintage motocross debut at the 21 st annual
Dina Doze and carded the overall Over 50
Expert-class win.
3. Andrew Sullivan (Hon); 4. Randy Brown (Hon). 2-STRK NOV: I. Jol1n
HeAll"'" (CZ); 2. Randy H", (CZ). 4-STRK OPEN, I. And...., Sullivan (Hon):
2. Klaus Hohman (BSA); 3. Chris Kerber (HOfl); .of. Mark Mittman (Tn): S. Robert
Gcavely (Hon). PREM 500, I. AJ t1ooo'e (AJ5); 2. Ron PnKl"""" (Hat): J. John Van
Golen (Mat); 4. Jody Heiottman (Mat): 5. lee Frost (oAIS). 30+: I. Brett Giboney
(cz); 2. Matthew Sullivan (Pen). 40+: I. Hark Sullivan (eZ); 2. Dirk Murphy
(Hus); 3. Keith Webster (Hon); 4. Troy Luchini; 5. Erik Sullivan. 50+: I. Doug
Raines (Yam); 2. JKk Gillette (Hus); 3. Klaus Hohman (BSA); 4. Eric Forester (Ric);
S. Chm Kert>..- (Hon). 60+: I. Leland Lop..- (0,,); 2. Dkk Stidham (Yam); J.
Rlclw'd Sullivan: •. Ron I'n>d"""" (Hat): 5. Gonlon OeM (BuI).
Evolution
115 NOV: I. Brandon Buder (Hon); 2. Charlie McAJlrster, 3. Bill Wolfe (Hon);
4. Jake Owens. 115 INT: I. Tom Miller (Hon). 150 NOY: I. Jeff Nekon; 2. David
Hoetder, 3. Steve Wagner. 250 INT: I. Mmhew Sullivan (Mai); 2. J:vnes Ochs
(Hon): J. Erik Sullivan (Hus): •. Lyndell Raphael (Hu,); S. Bnd ..... (0,,). 250
EX, I. Ben Sullivan (Hon): 2. Leon eapp. (Yam). OPEN NOV: I. John Z;ndt; 2.
Steve Schibig. OPEN INT: I. Randy McAllister (MaI); 2. lyndell Raphaej (Hus); 3.
Tad Dean (Hus); •. Ben Sullivan. OPEN EX: I. Leon eapp. (Yam): 2. Tracy Smith;
3. Dave Row (Yam); 4. Mike HarTin (Kaw). 4-STRK: I. Tom Sheard (Hus); 2. John
Gellenbec.k (Yam); 3. George Fuller (Hon); 4. Mark Mittman (Yam).
PHOTO BY JAMEY BLUNT
Eddie Mulder's West Coast Vintage Dirt Track SEries
Round 3: Tulare Cycle Park
Bonsey Makes It Two at Tulare
By JAMEY BLUNT
TULARE, CA, JUNE 11
ulare Cycle Park has undergone some changes, first and
foremost being new ownership. Rick Hollenbeck has taken
over the helm from Steve and Robin Monger. Hollenbeck's first
order of business has been to reshape the oval racetrack, making
it wider and faster, which became apparent to the 163 participants by the conclusion of the 22 heat races. Not to mention
that after sunset, this perfectly groomed track would become
even faster as the moisture came back to the racing surface.
Ten riders staged for the Works Performance/Barnett Modern
2SOcc main, a class for machines from 1979 or earlier with no
water cooling. Off the line, Jeff Lessley put his Bultaco up front,
followed by Yamaha-mounted Marc Lyons and Joe Meyer. Malcolm
Roe, on a very unusual machine (a class-A speedway frame with a
Bultaco engine), was away in fourth. On the third lap of six,
Lessley's hand shot skyward, indicating a problem. Lyons, who'd
been hounding Lessley just a bikelength and a half back, shot into
the lead. This in tum moved the entire fleld up one spot. At the
front, Lyons was gone, as he put in his best lap at 20.12 seconds,
picking up the victory by more than nine bikelengths over Meyer.
On the last lap, Jason Lessley moved into third, over Roe.
Remember the name Stevie Bonsey; if all goes according to
plan, great things will come from this IS-year-old young man.
The KlH Racing rider kicked things off in the Tuff Plates/Motion
Pro Open Amateur A main. where he made short work of
Garrett Slate, Patrick McNamara and Andy Wood.
T
50
AUGUST 10, 2005 •
CYCLE NEWS
In a class by himself, Bonsey was ready for the Digger Helm Pro
600cc main. The field of 14 had qualified through three heat races
and a semi. Bonsey shot into the lead, but on the first trip down the
back chute, Ron Wood's Racing rider Alex Wood got squeezed out
and went down hard, bringing out the red flag. Then, just after the
red flag, two more riders collided in tum one, with Classic SOOcc
main-event winner Joel Kath getting the worst of it.
On the restart, Bonsey picked up where he'd left off: up
front. Donnie Harrell jumped in behind in second, followed by
Don Howard, Joe Hemandez Jr. and David Brown. lap two saw
Bonsey put in his fastest lap of 18.0 I seconds as he inched away
from Harrell. On lap three, Howard bobbled between turns
three and four, giving the front two a gap.
At the halfway point of this IS-Iapper, Bonsey had a twosecond gap over Harrell. By lap 10, Bonsey was into lappers, but
he had little problem getting around them. Brown challenged for
the fourth spot but came up short; however, he would leave with
the points lead by virtue of Bonsey's only having ridden two
rounds of the series.
After the rAce, Bonsey attributed his new found speed to
KLH and the C&J-framed bike.
"If the track's smooth, it works so good," he said. ''Also, I've
been doing a lot of trail riding at Clear Creek. I got a little tired at
the end, but I'm happy."
CN
TuUUII (YCII PARK
TUlARE, CAUFORNIA
RlSULTS: JUNE 11, 2005 (ROUND
3)
YTH 50: ,. Kevin Alcorn; l. Douglas Manhire; 3. joshua Pen. YTH 60: I.
At just 15, Stevie Bonsey has won two of the
fint three Digger Helm Pro main events at Eddie
Mulder's West Coast Vintage Dirt Track Series.
Bonsey also tapped the Open Amateur field of
30 riders.
Dougtas Manhire; 2. JMed Slate; 3. Bronson Bauman. YTH 80: I. Michael Avila; 2.
Briar Bauman; 3. Evan Stafford. 150 OPEN A: I. Lauren Wallace; 2. Patrick
McNamara; l. Kayt KoIkman. 150 OPEN B: I. Dennis Trentman; 2. Justin Petz: 3.
Joe Heyeo-. 500 SUP k I. Joe 5teflen: 2. Ron t1ooo'e; 3. Jeff Gonzalti. 500 SUP
B: I. Brad Rudy; 2. Kerth Tennrs: 3. Mike WIne. PRO 600: I. Stevie Bonsey; 2.
Donnie Harrell; 3. Don Howvd. OPEN AM A; I. Stevie Bonsey; 2. Garrett Slate;
3. Palridc: McNamara. OPEN AM B: I. Mike Dillard; 2. Bill KOUtlNn; 3. Fr.mk.ie
Garda. OPEN AM C: l.
Jerry Van
Ness; 2. Dennis Treoonan; 3. Steve Baker.
VET k I. Hike Vot3l; 2. Cn;g Johrnon; J. Joel Kath. VET B, I. Chuck Hono.mlth:
2. 0.;, _
J. Joe Sueben. VET C, I. Gar( Ritd>ie; 2. 0.;, H...: J. Doyle
Wh... SR: I. Bob Sally: 2. Bob G......... SR NOV I SlSR: I. Hickey Ahola; 2.
Me' Stoner; 3. Roy Burris. DINO: I. Mike O'Neil; 2. Marsh Runyon. CLSC 250:
I. Todd Vaughn. CLse 500: I. Joel Kath; 2. jeff Leuley; J. D.vKl Bmwn. MORN
250: I. Hare Lyum; 2. Joe Heyer, J. J-> Leuley. MDRN 500: I. Keith Tenn~.
MDRN 750: I. Donnie Harrell: 2. Joe 5ueben; J. Bob Sally.
