STTARSI3 BrothEl'S/KTM Supermoto SEries
Round 7: Buttonwillow RaCEWay Park
Garcia Brothers Button
Down Four at Buttonwillow
By
GREG FERENSTEIN
BUTTONWILLOW, CA, AUG, 14
The kart track at Buttonwillow Raceway
I Park was host to round seven of the I 1race 5TTARS Supermoto Series. Many of the
top Pro riders were not In attendance, as they
were getting their bikes ready for the following
weekend's AMA National at Copper Mountain,
but Beginners, Novices, Intermediates, Vets
and minibike riders showed up in force.
Fourteen-year-old "Flying Frankie" Garcia has
been on a steep learning curve this season. His
speed has progressed to the point that he would
surely be one of the top riders in the AMA
Supermoto Lites division if only he were old
enough to meet the minimum age requirement
for the class. At. Buttonwillow, Garcia and his Pinit
Motorsports-prepared Honda CRF250 took not
only the 25Occ-class win but the 45Occ-class win
as well. A win in the prestigious 450cc class is a
major accomplishment on its own, but to do it
with a 200cc disadvantage is something that
rarely happens.
The Pearce family was well represented at
Buttonwillow, with four generations in
attendance. Rick Pearce's father, two sons and
grandson were all on hand to make up the
four-generation racing team. Rick led the
Pearce family's efforts with a win in the Openclass main event. 10 see Rick powerslide out of
the corners is a thing of beauty. Watching his
mighty CRSOO lay down black-rubber arcs as it
powers out of the corners is one of the things
that makes 5upermoto such a great spectator
sport. The win didn't come easily, as Ryan
Abler and Garcia weren't far behind as they
fought tooth and nail for the second-place spot.
Garcia, again on his CRF250, pressured Abler
in every comer, but he would have to settle for
third, as Abler was able to hold on to second
place aU the way to the checkered flag.
In minibike action, it was the Garcia kids yet
again. Frankie took the Mini·Max class, over
fellow CRF 150 rider Ricky Wells, while
Frankie's younger brother Jessie Garcia topped
Tyler Odom in the 85cc division. But the race
of the day, the one that had everyone on their
PHOTO BY GREG FERENSTEIN
feet cheering, was the Mini-Moto Jr. class, for
racers 10 years old and younger. Seven-yearold River McDougall simultaneously
entertained and frightened the crowd with his
incredible comer speed and wild two-wheeled
slides. The XR50-mounted speed demon
crashed in a slippery corner after exiting the
dirt section, but with a little help from
onlookers, he was back on the bike and qUickly
charging toward the front of the pack at what
looked like an even faster pace. A second crash
a couple of laps later put an end to River's
rampage, as he wasn't able to rejoin the race.
Fast, smooth and consistent riding by John
Riess handed him the win, over Ryan Cooper,
Bronson Pearce and John's younger sister
Jennifer Riess.
eN
BUTTONWIUOW RAcEWAY PARK
BUTTONWILlOW, CAuFORNIA
RESULTS: AUGUST
14, 2005
(ROUND
7)
MINI 1ft, ,. JoM Riess (Hon); 2. Ryan COOl"" (Hon); J.
Il (Han); J. G,"llI Rieu (Hon); 4. Jo.... Rieu (Hon); S.
Bronson Pearce (SDG). HINI-MAX: I. Frankie Garcia
(Han); 2. Rkky WeJI> (Hon); J. Cha'""" G.ea (Hon); 4. Bin
Marion (Hon); 5. John Overman (Hon). BEG: I. Chris
Stevens (KTM); 2. Chris Pimentel (Hon); 3. James Hours
(Hon); 't. Martin Ryder (Yam); 5. Mike Hobbs (Yam). NOV:
I. G......... Guotin (KTM); 2. Michael Johnson (Han); J. Ed
Paulsen (Hon); "I. ScOtt Kennedy (Hon); 5. James Mours
(Hon). INT: I. I(oy;n Vouen (KTM); 2. Ryan Able, (Hon); J.
5ean McDougall (Hon); 4. Brian Barton (Hon); S. Tim
Dunlop/WERA National Endurance Series
Round 8: Talladega Grand Prix Racetrack
CRF250 rider Frankie Garcia (24)
hounded CRF450·mountecl Ryan
Abler (418) relentlessly In their
battle for second spat in the 450cc
main event at round seven of the
SnARS Supennoto Series.
MeNdle (Han). SPTSMN: I. Jack O'Dell (Han); 2. John
5tanley (Hon); 1. Jeremiah Allen (Hon); 4. Ken Walsbrot
(Suz). lin 35+: I. M;ke Deloach (Han); 2. TIm McArdle
(Han); 3. Steve benhower (Hon); 4. Dante _
(KTM);
S. 5'..... Panlw (KTM). 250: I. _
Garoa (Han); 2. Ed
Paulsen (Hon); 3. Tyler Odom (Hon); 4. Chris Pimentel
(Hon); S.jessIe G¥cJa (Hon). 4511: I. _
GMda (Han);
2. TIm McArdte (Hon); 3. Scott Simpson (KTM); 4. Chad
Freeman (Hon); S. Kevin Vossen (KTM). OPEN: I. Rick
''eane (Han); 2. Ryan Able< (Hon); 3. Fnnkie Ga,da (Han);
4. Chad F.eonw1 (Hon); 5. Kenny Heess (Hon).
PHOTO BY ALBERT HICKS
Velocity Takes Over
By
DAN SCHMITT
TAUADEGA, At, AUG. 20
I
t was hot and humid as the 33 teams charged
off the line with the flip of the green nag in
Talladega, Alabama, site of round eight of the
Dunlop/WERA National Endurance Series. Ben
Thompson took the early lead on the Red Star
Yamaha R6, but Tray Batey, on the Vesrah
Suzuki GSX-R I000, overtook him before the
end of the first lap. Mark Crozier took second
the cross flags were shown to mark the
halfway point of the race.
Bikes began to hit the pits again, and it was
not a pretty sight for some of the front-running
teams. As Phil Caudill handed the 5150 SU2uki
over to Justin Marm, they couldn't decide
whether to change the rear tire or not. This
indecision cost them an extra minute in the pits
and dropped them to 13th overall. Arnchu had
a slow pit stop, and Army Of Darkness gained
Darkness, Dixie Mafia and Team Xtreme
a position on the track. Zyvax's pit stop was so
slow, changing both tires and taking on fuel,
that one could have smoked a cigarette during
their time in the pits. Velocity Crew Racing
Maxxis jockeyed for fourth.
took advantage of the disarray in the pits and
Batey made his once-in-a-decade mistake
when he tried to pass Ghetto Customs on the
Suzuki SV in the first comer on the nonexistent
inside line. Batey ended up knocking himself
out, and the Vesrah Suzuki ended up laying on
moved up four poSitions to run sixth overall.
The final pit stops of Red Star and Team
Velocity Racing determined the final outcome.
Velocity was spot-on with a very quick pit stop
for a Superstock team and gained some time on
the track. This brought out the red flag and a
Red Star, who also had a qUick pit stop. With
complete restart.
This time there was a scuffle for the lead
among Team Velocity, Red Star and Arnchu
Racing, and this threesome went at it for five
this twosome running away with the race,
during the fourth lap on the Team Velocity
Yamaha RI, as BeWs Amchu Racing, Army Of
laps. Finally, Crozier took the lead for Velocity
and began to stretch it out.
Red Star held a one-lap advantage over
Vesrah Suzuki ran steadily, making up a 35-lap
disadvantage to charge to 23rd overall and only
22 laps off the leaders. With minutes to go, Red
Star was only 22 seconds shy of Velocity, but
they had to make a splash-and-go pit stop, and
this move put them one lap down on Velocity.
class rivals Army Of Darkness. The boys from
With the wave of the checkered flag,
Georgia, Team Xtreme/Maxxis Tires, held
Crozier wheelied across the line, giving Team
VelOCity Racing their third overall victory of the
year and moving them into first place in the
overall points standings. With only three races
down a solid nfth, as 5150 Racing and Ed Bargy
Race School Endurance swapped positions a
few times in their personal battle for sixth as
38 SEPTEMBER 28, 2005 • CYCLE NEWS
Team Velocity Racing (3) scored their third overall victory at round eight of
the Dunlop/WERA National Endurance Series.
left in this I I-race series, Vesrah Suzuki will
have to win all three to retain the National title.
':Again. we just did everything right," said
Chuck Ivey of Velocity, "and we were ready to
take advantage of any situation that came our
way. We've got a great crew, and we get the
job done right."
TAllADEGA GRAND PRIX RACETRACK
TAllADEGA, AlA8AMA
RESULTS: AUGUST 20, 2005 (ROUND
eN
8)
CIA; I. Team Vclodty Racing (Yam); 2. Red Star (Yam):
3. Army Of Darkness (Suz): '" Team Xtreme/Maxxis (Suz); 5.
Velocity Crew Racing (Suz); 6. Wikle Racing (5uz); 7. Dalke
Motorsports (Suz); 8. Ed BarX)' RS Endurance (Suz); 9. Dixie
Mafia (5uz); 10. D&D Racing (Suz). LJW S/BK: I. Blue
Ridge Performance; 2. Collegiate Bookstores; 3. Deals Gap
Racing. M/W S/BK: I. Red Star (Yam); 2. Army or
Darkness (Suz); 3. Velocity Crew Racing (Su2). H/W S/BI<:
I. Team XtremelMaxxis (SU1:); 2. Wilde Racing (Suz); 3. Ed
Bargy R5 Endurance (5u2). M/W S/STK: I. Dalke
Motorsporu (Suz); 2. Dixie Mafia (5uz); 3. Double Vision
Racing. HIW S/STK: I. Team Velocity Racing (Yam); 2.
5150 Racing; 3. B.P. Pipeline.
DUNLOP/WERA NATIONAL ENDURANCE
SERIES POINTS STANDINGS (After 8 of II rounds):
I. Team Velocity Racing (819); 2. Vesrah Suzuki (781); 3. Red
5tar (722);
