Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
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PHOTO BY CLAY LIGHT Gene Romero's West Coast Rat Track Series Round S: Cottage Grove Speedway Rush is Gold at Cottage Grove By CLAY LIGHT COTTAGE GROVE, OR, JULY 29 C ifornian Mike Rush scored his latest win in tyIe on Cottage Grove Speedway's quarter-mile oval, as the Californian used his frontrow starting position to work his way Into the lead shortly after the start of the Open A main to post a convincing win at round fove of Gene Romero's West Coast Flat Track Series. Nearly everything went right for Rush on this night, as he eclipsed the evening's second-fastest time dUring qualifying and won the second of four heat races, as well as the Dash For Cash. Californian Paul Herman beat Brad Spencer and Dam DeMario to win the Vintage-class Dash For Cash. Herman had earlier won one of the two heat races (the other was won by Spencer) to sit on the pole position for the I 1rider main event. Herman's choice of the outside line on the front row aided in Spencer's getting the holeshot, although after one lap Herman had rallied past Spencer, and he then built up a large advantage - one which would earn him a win. Spencer had equal ground on a battle for third place between DeMario and Paul Rusin, which DeMario would narrowly win. Steve Hall and jeff johnson were the fifth- and sixth-place finishers, respectively. Nevada's Jamie Nicely sat on the pole for the 12-rider Top Gun 4SOoc main event, but Brendan Bergen jumped into the lead at the end of the opening lap and remained there all the way to the finish. Bergen built up a large lead in the process, while brothers Elliot and Derick Oquist from Oregon spent much of the race fighting for the runner-up laurels at the head of a fIVe-way battle. Derick barely edged Elliot at the finish to net second, while Elliot, Nkely, joe McCoy and Nick Ohge trailed. Former National number holder Chris Fitzhugh had a busy night, as he contested three classes, riding back to back in two main events and several qualifiers. Fitzhugh's best results came in the Vintage Twin main event. as the Triumph rider won, although Steve Hall held the lead until a mechanically-induced DNF aided in Fitzhugh's taking the win. Kam Todd placed second, slightly ahead of his brother Koby. Rush took the lead at the start of the 15rider Open A main, trailed by Marty Weisler, Ryan Anderson and Shawn Raggio. Anderson qUickly swooped past both Raggio and Weisler for second, but just after moving into the Mike Rush won the ()pen A main event at Cottage Grove Speedway, site of round five of Gene Romero's West Coast Flat Track SerIes. position, Anderson's machine expired, and his night was over. Weisler was again recipient of second place, and he followed Rush all the way to the line for his first podium finish in the series. Oregon's Beau Brown posted one of the evening's most spirited rides, coming from a seventh-place start to overtake a handful of riders in the late stages and net a third-place finish. Washington's Eric Beers was right in the thick of things and finished fourth, ahead of Derick Oquist, Raggio, Tim Ricketts and Ficzhugh. CJI Gene Romero's West Coast Flat Track Series Round 6: Southern Oregon Speedway ConAOE GROVE SPlIDWAY COnAGl GROVE, 0uG0N RESULTS: JULY 29, 2005 (ROUND M". 5) OPEN k I. Rush (Han); 2. Many _ 1. Beou Iln>wn (CCM); •. Eric Been (Yam); 5. Derick 0qU1st (Han): 6. Shawn Raggio (Hon); 7. Tim Ricketts (Hon); 8. Chris Fitzhugh (Rot); 9. Elliot Oquist (Hon); ID. Adam Saberda (y...). TOP GUN 'SO: I. Brendan Be<,ten (Hen): 2. Derick 0quIst (Han): 1. ED... Oqu" (Hon): •. Jame Nkely (K1l'1): •. Joe McCoy (Yam): 6. Nick Ohge (Han): 7. Matt P'nhe;", (Han): B. Pow! Warne (Han): 9. Tm Navam> (Han); 10. Jim " " - (Han). VlHY: I. Paul Hemlan: 2. Bnd Spencer; 3. Oom DeMario: •. Paul Rusm: 5. Steve Hall: 6. jeff Johnson: 7. Dennis Pinheiro; 8. Drummond Evans; 9. Okk Wall; ID. Chrio Finhugh. VlHY 1W: I. Chrn Finhugh (Tn): 2. Kam lOdd (Yam): 3. Koby lOdd (Yam); •. Steve H'" (Tn). PHOTO BY CLAY LIGHT More Gold for Rush in the Rush for Gold! By CLAY LIGHT MEDfORD, OR, JULY 30 C alifornian Mikey Rush struck southern Oregon gold at round six of Gene Romero's West Coast Flat Track Series on the quarter-mile oval at Southern Oregon Speedway, near Medford. It was an incredibly successful weekend for the teenager, who was also victorious the previous night at Cottage Grove Speedway. Rush held off Oregon's Ryan Anderson to win the K&N Filters Open A main event, enabling him to also take a commanding 2S-point lead in the series over his next-closest competitor, Sam Halbert. Much like the previous night. Rush won his heat race. although Anderson went one step further, as the Rotax rider from Portland topped the first of three Open-class qualifiers, set the evening's fastest time during times trials, and then fended off Rush and fellow AMA Experts jeff Hiatt, Shawn Raggio and Eric Beers to take home the top money in the three-lap Open Dash For Cash. And, in what was also a carbon copy of the previous night, Californian Paul Herman picked up a win in the Vintage class, beating fellow Golden State riders Dom DeMario and Steve Hall, who rounded out the podium. Herman, 72 riding a C&j-framed, Yamaha-powered single, motored to a win in the first of the two Vintage-class preliminaries, though he had the pesky Yamaha-mounted Hall to deal with. Honda-mounted DeMario devoured the competition in the second heat race, finishing just ahead of Tim Whitebread. Brendan Bergen, who made the trek with his family from their home near Fresno, was also a repeat winner. The Califomian won the first of the two Top Gun 450cc qualifiers, finishing ahead of Oregon's Nick Ohge and Califomian Joe McCoy. Nevada's Jamie Nicely piloted his KTM to a win in heat two; Nicely, a former AHA Professional, has enjoyed a successful campaign this year. Nicety beat Oregon's Matt Pinheiro and Californian Paul Warne in his win and placed fourth in the final. behind runaway winner Bergen, McCoy and Ohge. McCoy had an incredible ride. coming out of turn one in ninth but then picking off rider after rider to trail Bergen at the finish. Californian Robert Cunnington posted a win in the Open-class semi, riding one of the most unique machines in the field. The Soocc Buellpowered motorcycle has only one cylinder and has a sound all its own. Cunnington led EUiot Oquist, Vor·mounted Adam Saberda, and SEPTEMBER 14,2005 • CYCLE NEWS Ryan Anderson set the evening's fast time during qualifying, won the Dash for Cash and placed second in the main event at Southern Oregon Speedway, site of round six of Gene Romero's West Coast flat Track Series. Washington's Hiatt into the IS-rider Open A main, which took the top four qualifiers. In the Open A main, Rush and Anderson put on one of the closest battles of the weekend. The two were never far apart; had Rush made a mistake, Anderson surely would have capitalized. However, the 18-year-old didn't make a mistake, and the wily 31-yearold veteran had to settle for a second-place finish. Derick Oquist, Beers, Cunnington, Shawn Raggio. Elliot Oquist, Adam Sabedra. Troy Renfro and Matt Pinheiro completed the top 10. eN SOUTHERN OREGON SPEEDWAY MEDFORD, OREGON RESULTS: JULY 30, 2005 (ROUND 6) OPEN A: I. Mike Rush (Han); 2. Ryan Anderson (Rot); 3. Derick Oquist (Han); 4. Eric Beers (Yam); 5. Robert Cunnington (Bue); 6. Shawn Raggio (Han); 7. Elliot Oquist (Han); 8. Adam Sabedra (Vor); 9. Troy Renfro (Hon); 10. Matt Pinheiro (Han). TOP GUN 450 A: I. Brendan Bergen (Hon); 2. Joe McCoy (Yarn); 3. Nick Ohge (Han); 4. Jamie Nicely (KTM); S. Elliot Oquist (Han); 6. Matt Pinheiro (Hon); 7. Paul Warne (Han); 8. Tim Navarro (Hon); 9. Joe Pickle (Han); J O. Clifford Keith (Yam). VI NT A: I. Paul Herman (Yam); 2. Dom DeMario (Han); 3. Steve Hall (Yarn); 4. Jeff Johnson (Yam); 5. Paul Rusin (Yam); 6. Tim 'vVhitebread (Yam); 7. Drummond Ellis (Yam); 8. Tom Miller (Y",,): 9. Kam Todd (Yam): 10. KobyTodd (Yam).