Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Gene Romero's West Coast Flat Track Series Round S: Grays Harbor Raceway PHOTO BY TRISH HALE in sixth, holding off much Rush to Victory! By JOHNNY GUITAR ElMA, WA, AUG. 13 G ene Romero's West Coast Flat Track Series, presented by Bob Lanphere's Beaverton Honda and Renton Motorcycles, slid into the three-eighths-mile at Grays Harbor Raceway for the final leg of the Northwest tour. The track proved to be very challenging, as it eventually offered a high line and a low line. The riders had to negotiate a somewhat inconsistent surface, which made the track very tricky to ride. Sam Halbert found out just how tricky the track could be in the K&N Filters Open-class Trophy Dash. Halbert snatched the lead and looked like a sure winner until a major bobble sent him all the way back to fifth. Scooter Vemon took full advantage of Halbert's miscue and went on to win the Dash over Kyle Ragsdale, With Jethro Halbert finishing third. There was lots of shuffling in the first tum of the K&N Filters Open-class main. Ryan Anderson shot out of turn two and immediatefy went about stretching out his lead. Behind him, the Halbert brothers and Mike Rush were working their way forward after poor starts. Scooter, the Halberts and Rush were waging a major fight over second. Positions changed allover the track until Rush finally escaped that battle and tried to catch Anderson. By then, Anderson had almost a fullstraightaway lead, and Rush had a long way to go, but he methodically closed the gap and found himself within striking distance with three laps to go. With two laps to go, Rush found just enough traction to outdrive Anderson and steal the lead! Now Anderson had his hands full with Jethro and just barely held him off at the finish. Rush scored an bigger motorcycles on his Factory Bultaco lookalike. Herman was not about to give up the lead, and he won comfortably over DeMario. with Hall third, Pruczinski fourth and Beach fifth. Brandon Bergen knew that with a win on this day he could clinch the Top Gun 4S0cc-class championship, so he shot into the lead and outstanding come-tram-behind victory. while did his best to run Anderson, Jethro and Sam rounded out the top four. Vernon overcame a crash in the semi to take a strong fifth. The Saddlemen Vintage main saw Paul Herman jump into the lead, with Steve Hall and Dom DeMario in hot pursuit. Hall was riding steadily and smoothly, but DeMario managed to find a way around him to claim second. Making a rare appearance, Steve Pruczinski used the low line to work his way up to fourth. Gary Beach held down fifth on the first twin-cylinder, his trusty Triumph. Roger Landberg was dotng an outstanding job away. Nick Ohge held down second, just ahead of Castle Rock winner Mike Ru.h topped the Open class at round eight of Gene Romero'. We.t Coa.t Flat Track Serle•• Amy Pruczinski. Lap after lap, Amy was all over Ohge. and the constant pressure pulled both of them closer to Bergen. Despite Ohge and Pruczinski's best efforts, Bergen won with room to spare, proving aI himself a true champion! GuYS HARBOR RACEWAY EIMA, WASHINGTON RESUlTS: AUGUST 13, 2005 (ROUND 8) TOP GUN 450; I. Brandon Bergen; 2. Nick Ohge; 3. Amy PruCl.lnski; 4. Vince Holt; S. Jon Yucha. OPEN: I. Mike Rush; 2. Ryan Anderson; 3. Jethro Halbert; 4. Sam Halbert; 5. Scooter Vernon: 6. Brandon Bergen; 7. Derick Oquin; 8. Kyle Ragsdale; 9. Nick Ohge; 10. Elliot Oquist. OPEN DASH: I. Scooter Vernon; 2. Kyle Ragsdale; 3. Jethro Halbert; 4. Mike Rush; 5. Sam Haiben. DASH: I. Paul Herman; 2. Jim Monegan; 3. Steve Hall; 4. Dom DeMario. VINT: I. Paul Herman; 2. Dominic DeMario; 3. Steve Hall; 4. Ste....e Pruczinski; 5. Gary Beach; 6. Roger Landberg: 7. Tom Miller; 8. Frank Mock; 9. Drummond Evans; 10. Ed Mock. PHOTO BY ETECHPHOTQ.COM Dunlop/WERA National Endurance Series Round 7: Summit Point Raceway Vesrah Victorious in West Virginia By DAN SCHMITT SUMMIT POINT, WV, AUG. 6 he temperature was near-perfect for eastern West Virginia in early August for the seventh round of the Dunlop/WERA National Endurance Series. When AI Wilcox flew the green nag to start this six-hour event, it was 84 degrees. Tray Batey, on the Vesrah Suzuki, led the field of 40 teams, with the Yamaha RI of Team Velocity running second. Behind this duo, Bell's Arnchu Racing, Red Star, Dalke Motorsports, Team Xtreme/Maxxis and Wilke Racing jockeyed for position. At the top of the first hour, Vesrah continued to lead, with Velocity running second. Army Of Darkness charged to third, with Arnchu fourth. The Superstock teams, running with stock fuel tanks, began to make their first of many pit stops. One hour and 40 minutes into the race, the red fiag flew after Jamie Miller of Wilke Racing highsided coming out of tum fIVe. Both he and his bike were on the track. After a long delay, the teams charged into the first comer again. Vesrah and Velocity led, with Amchu third and Red Star fourth. Notorious P.I.G. led the lightweight Superbike class with a'iap over Ghetto Customs and Blue Ridge Performance. During the fourth hour, Dalke Motorsports T 62 had a shockingly slow pit stop for both tires, and Dixie Mafia charged into the lead in the Middleweight Superstock class. Team Velocity Racing had a great pit stop, changing both tires and refueling in one minute flat, but this allowed Vesrah Suzuki to stretch out their lead. Team Xtreme/Maxxis and 5 ISO Racing moved up to sixth and seventh, respectively. Light Smith Racing moved its Yamaha RI into the top 10. The race to watch on the track became the battle for third place overall among Bell's Arnchu Racing, Red Star, and Army Of Darkness. Twenty seconds separated these three teams, with the horsepower advantage going to Arnchu on the 7SOcc Suzuki, but the local track knowledge belonging to Army, on their 600cc Suzuki, and Red Star, on the 600cc Yamaha. Notorious increased their lead over Blue Ridge. Dixie Mafia held on to their lead in the Middleweight Superstock class. It became a sprint to the end during the sixth hour. Army was out, and Arnchu and Red Star were going at it. Back and forth they went, an hour of leather-swapping racing. Team Xtreme/Maxxis ran securely in fifth, and another battle developed for sixth, among Dalke, 5150 and Dixie. This trio was on the same lap, just seconds apart from each other. At 5 p.m. the checkered flag flew, and Vesrah claimed the victory. It was a flawless SEPTEMBER 21, 2005 • CYCLE NEWS Joe Prussiano helped bring the Red Star Yamaha R6 to victory in the Middleweight Superstock class at round seven of the Dunlop!WERA National Endurance Series. race, making up for the their last two disasters. Velocity did everything right and earned a well-deserved second. The Yamaha of Red Star was screaming as it crossed the line .594 seconds ahead of Bell's Arnchu Racing Suzuki. Dalke took the victory in their class, over Dixie, and the gang from Notorious P.I.G. lined the hot pit. celebrating their victory at their home track. eN SU_IT POINT RACEWAY SU_IT POINT, W£5T VIRGINIA RESULTS: AUGUST 6, 2005 (ROUND 7) O/A: I. Vesrah Suzuki (502); 2. Team Velocity Racing (Yam); 3. Red Star (Yam); 4. Bell's Amchu Racing (Suz); S. T""", Xu.me/Maxx. (Sri0<6 PI.G. (Suz). lIW S/BK: I. The Notorious P.I.G. (Suz); 2. Blue Ridge Performance: 3. Ghetto Customs. H/W S/BK.: I. Red Sar (Yam); 2. MRP Motonpom (Kaw); l. Velocity e- Rodng (Suz). HIW 5/81(, I. Y...... S

• Cover