PHOTO BY JOHN BETHEA
AMA Yamaha California state Championships
Glen Helen RacEWaY Park
Back Into the Breach...
By JOHN BETHEA
SAN BERNARDINO, CA, OCT, 1·2
t was almost a war. The bruised, bloody and
I
broken got off their cots just one more time
and did battle for the AMA Yamaha California
State Championships. The most visible fight on
the track was between Micky Griffin and Jeff
Loop in the 250cc Expert class.
"It began on Saturday," says Griffin, "when
he [Loop] crashed and kind of threw his bike
into me."
By Sunday, their conflict had escalated.
"First, I had to go get all new parts for my
clutch," said Loop, who lost the first day's two
motos, "but today I pulled a holeshot, and in
the second tum Micky canne in and stuffed me,
trying to take me out, so going up the hill, we
started rubbing plastic, and for three laps we
were hitting each other. He gave me a couple
of dirty moves, so I had to give 'em back."
Was this out of anger?
"No, I thought it was fun racing."
"Nobody's getting hurt; [we] keep it safe it was fun," answered Griffin, who lost the
bout but was back at it again in their finale,
again taking the lead midway through lap one
and holding it for three laps despite intense
pressure, only to have it yanked away with less
than two laps to go. This time, Loop didn't
hang around for more but sped away for a
comfortable victory and one of his two
championships over the weekend.
Loop's Four-Stroke Expert win was much
easier.
Dane Jackson had similar skirmishes with
not one but two riders: Phil Thorstensen and
Justin Workman. During day one, Jackson sat
on the starting gate between back-to-back
motos, disgusted with himself. He'd just lost his
fim Four-Stroke Intermediate encounter with
Thorstensen.
"I just tightened myself up, went a little
mental, and started making mistakes," he
admitted. "Frustrating."
He, too, rebounded and capitalized on
Thorstensen's own woes to win the class.
On Sunday. Thorstensen crashed in the first
moto.
"I don't remember much, and I was just
dazed from there," admitted Thorstensen,
who, later in the aftemoon, added that he was
"still wobbly and my head still aches."
But in the last moto of the meeting,
Thorstensen still got the jump on the field and
Ryan Sipes, sporting his new outdoor
National number 36, grabbed the holes hot in
the first round of the 12Scc Pro class. Donnie
Adams, Jon Boruff and Justin followed. Justin
attempted to pass Boruff and slid down to
fourth. Meanwhile, Ryan stretched out his lead
and remained the front-runner for the moto
win. Boruff, in third, closed the gap to Adams
and made his move into second. Adams battled
Boruff throughout the remaining laps, trying to
regain the spot, but he was unsuccessful. The
final lap saw Adams make one final attempt to
pass Boruff, but he had to selde for third in the
moto, with Justin taking fourth.
54
held off a charging Jackson at the end.
Jackson, who won the title, was more
jubilant over his 125cc Intermediate victory,
which he eked out two turns from the
checkered nag when he and Workman
crunched together in the "AJessifTedesco" tum.
Neither would shut off, and Workman
shrugged it off after overshooting the berm and
hitting some bales.
"Did a little flip over the bars," he said. "At
least we didn't stand on each other's front
wheels."
Novice racer Donnie Kearney is back on
track after his own bout with medical
problems. Alter winning championships in both
the I 25cc Novice and Four-Stroke Novice
classes, he reports that the heart problems that
kept him out of racing for nearly a year have
been diagnosed and repaired.
"We thought it was a heart attack," said the
13-year-old, "but it was just the muscles in my
chest rubbing against the heart."
These two wins and a recent second at
Ponca City helped his family decide that he'll
tum Intermediate after the holidays.
eN
GuN HELIN RACEWAY PAlIK
SAN BERNAJlDlNO, CAUFORNIA
RESULTS: oeroaER 1·2, 2005
Sotunlay
50 SHAFT: I. Bruton Taylor (Yam); 2. Chase Whitton
(Hon); 3. _
H_oo (Yam). 50 STK (4-6), I. Pari (KT11); 3. Nathan Hamlin (Cob); ~.
Maxwell Tedder (Kaw); 5...... ""'" (Cob). XRSO, I. Chase
Whlttoo (lion). as BEG, I. Kyle Annstrong (Kaw); 2. c.no.
'"'" III (KT11). 65 (4-8), I. J.... Grodridd (ICTM); 2. Punky
]one> (KTM); 3. Sed< _ , _ (KTM);~. Maxwo' Tedder
(Kaw); 5. _
Keete.- (KTM). 65 (9-11), I. Ryan Roble>
(KT11); 2. Cody 5""" (KT11); 3. ""'too McMillan (Kaw); ~.
Lone Gardnoo- (ICTM); 5. T,...,.;. Console (Kaw). as BEG, I.
Teren Salinas (Suz); 2. Zane O'Brien (Suz); 3. Travis Console
(Kaw); 4. Christopher Goukf (Yam). 85 (4~11): I. Bryce
Stewart (50%); 2. Chris Camllo (K.>w); 3. Blaze Ra;bIe (Hoo);
4. Vincent Yacovelli (KTM); 5. Tristan post (Kaw). 85
(12-13), I. Dakota Tedder (Kaw); 2. Scott...."ti.,; (Kaw); 3.
Kyle WoIack (Suz); 4. Jorcbn Bums (Kaw); 5. Dillion Kuntz
(Kaw). 85 (14-16)' I. Geow);
~. Bobby Youngs (Hon); 5. C"'" 0 - (Yam). 4-STRK
tNT: I. Phil Thorstensen (Yam); 2. Dane jackson (Hon); J.
Justin Worilese (Vamp.
Scott Noble (Yam); J. Jamie Okkson (Yam); 4. Daniel Barber
(Yam). IR VET NOY, I. Rob Costa (Hon). JR VET EX, I.
C"'" McCall (Hon). VET NOY, I. Khanh Le (Hoo); 2. j,m
Boren (Yam); J. Jay O'Brien (Hon). VET INT: I. Justin
McCoy (Yam); 2. Chuck Penny (Yam); 3. Wesley Turner
(Han). VET EX: I. Craig McCall (Han). SR NOV: I.
Robert Broguiere (Han); 2. John Agostini (Yam); 3. David
Blosser (Yam); 4. Michael H.Uion (Yam); 5. Maurice Diamond
(Hoo). 5R INT, I. Jm Ilonon (Yam); 2. a.Kk Penny (Yom);
J. Frank Wright (Yam); 4. Mike Nash (Suz); 5. Brad Stewart
(Yam). SR EX, I. Marl< Dwyer (Hoo).
Sunday
50 SHAFT: I. Braxton Taytor (Yam); 2. Brandon
Hanton (Yam); 3. Chase Whltton (lion). 50 5TK (4-6), I.
Pari<... Wdbanlu (lem); 2. Chu Vasquez (Cob); 3. Wes'on
G;em (Cob). 50 STK (1-8), I. jose Cej. (KT11); 2. Cole
Gard.., (KTM); 3. Maxwell Tedder (Kaw); ~. Jake Koehnke
(KT11); 5. T..... Hoffman (Pol). 50 HOD (4-6), I. Pari (KT11); 3. Maxwell Tedder
(Kaw); ... Nathan Hamlin (Cob); 5. Carlos Rios III (KTM).
XRSO: I. 0Iase ¥/hilton (Hon). 65 BEG: I. Carlos Rios III
(KTM); 2. Kyle Armstrong (Kaw). 65 (4-8): I. Seth
Hamishleger (KT11): 2. Ilnden Keeler (KTM); 3. Punky]one>
(KT11); ~.]ana G",,'rick' (KT11); 5. Maxwell Tedd..- (Kaw).
65 (9·11), I. Ryan Robles (KTM); 2. Cody Sloan (KT11); 3.
Ashton McMillan (Kaw); 4. lane Gardner (KTM); 5. Travis
Console (Kaw). 85 BEG: I. Teren Salinas (Suz); 2. Travis
Console (Kaw); J. Zane O'Brien (Suz); 4. Christopher Gould
(Yam). 8S (4-11): I. Bryce Stewart (Suz); 2. Chris Carrillo
(Kaw); 3. Ryan Robles (KTM); 4. Tristan Post (Kaw); 5.
Vincent Yacovelli (KTM). 85 (11-13): I. Dakota Tedder
(Kaw); 2. Scott Aptlnl (Kaw); 3. Jon!an Bum. (Kaw); ~. Kyle
WoIack (5..); 5. Dollas Leedom (Kaw). 85 (14-16), I. T......
Bak... (Yam); 2. Geow); 2. Cody Gasper (Hoo);
down the front spot.
Justin passed Ryan on the final lap of the
moto, but Ryan pull alongside him and the pair
rode in unison. On the final portion of the track,
Ryan took charge again and widened the gap
between himself and his brother. The checkered
flag and the overall went to Ryan, with the
younger Sipes earning the runner-up honors for
the moto, followed by Boruff and then Adams.
AJex: Hunter shot out of the gate in the first
250cc Pro moto, chased by Ryan Stanesu,
Adams, Heath Lyons, Ryan Sipes and Justin
Sipes. Hunter stretched his lead, while Adams
worked his way into second and Justin moved
J. Sandy Vance (Han); i. Angelo YacoveUi (Han); 5. Jarrett
Loop (Hon). 115 NOV: I. Donnie Keamey (Suz); 2. Matt
Lee (Hon); 3. Scott Noble (Yam); ~. Andntw Couto (Suz): 5.
Joseph Sample (Yam). 125 INT, I. Phil Thontensen (Yam);
2. F,eddy Sanche% (Hoo); 3. Dane Jaduon (Hoo); ~. Anthony
Cicalese (Yam); 5. Daniel Hamilton (Hon). 11$ EX: I.
Andrew Gutman (Kaw); 2. Jued MI"", (Yam). 250 INT, I.
Justin Workman (Han); 2. Matt Vanderwater (Hon); J.
Dalton Baillie (Hon); ... Freddy Sanchez (Han); 5. Bobby
Hesse (Hon). 250 BEG: I. Jeff Whitton (Han); 2. Jake
M>alIo (Yam). 2SO NO'" I. Bobby Youngs (Hoo); 2. Chad
McMillan (Kaw); 3. M!chael Qulro% (Yom); ~. C"", a-er
(Yom); 5. Kenny Ucoo (Yam). 250 EX, I. jeff Loop (Hon); 2.
Micky Griffin (Yam); J. Jared Minor (Yam). 4-STRK BEG: I.
Bryan Hum (Yam); 2. Jeff Whitton (Hon); J. Ryan Krafrzik
(Hon). ~-STRK NOY, I. Oonn!e Keamey (Suz); 2. Andntw
CoutO (Suz); 3. Bobby Youngs (lion); ~. Justin F~k (Hon); 5.
Ene BaJIejos (Yom). 4-STRK INT, I. Dane Jaduon (lion); 2.
Shaun Highham (Yam); J. Justin Workman (Han); ... Matt
Vand«water (Hoo); 5. B..- (Yom);~. pm;. D!dley .....,
(Hon); J. Chuck Penny (Yam). VET EX: I. Craig McCall
(Hon). SR NOV: l. Robert Broguiere (Hon); 2. MichaeC
HilUon (Yam); 3. Qav;d Blosser (Yam); ~. john Agosti.,; (Yom);
5. Maurice D!amond (Hon). SR INT, I. Chuck Penny (Yam);
2. MIke Nash (Suz): J. Brad Stewart; 4. Jim Boren (Yam); 5.
Fnnk Wright (Yom). 5R EX, I. Marl< Dwyer (Hoo).
California State Champions
50 SHAFT: Braxton Taylor. 50 STK (4-6): Parker
Wdbanks. 50 5TK (1-8), Cole Gardnoo-. 50 MOD (~..),
Parker Wilbanks. 50 HOD (7~8): Cole Gardner. XMO:
Chase Wh",on. 65 BEG, c.no. '"'" III. 65 (4-8), Punky
Jones. 65 (9·11), Ryan Roble>. 8S BEG, le.-en Sal.,.,. 85
(4.1 t): Bryce Stewart. 85 (12-1l): Dakota Tedder. 85
(14·16):TravtsBaker. SlMINI:TravisBaker. 125BEG:Jeff
Myers. 115 NOV: Donnie Kearney. 115 INT: Dane
Jackson. 125 EX: Andrew Guzman. no BEG: Jake ArbaIIo.
250 NOV: Bobby Youngs. 150 INT: Man Vanderwater.
250 EX, Jeff Loop. ~-STRK BEG, B'Y'" Hum. 4-STRK
NOV: Donnie Kearney. 4·STRK INT: Dane Jackson.
~·STRK EX, Jell Loop. WMN, Melka ComeI!u.. SCHBY
(13-16)' Anthony Ck.Jese. IR VET NOV, Rob Costa. JR
VET EX, C"'" McCall. VET NOY, Khanh Le. VET INT.
Justin M<:Coy. VET EX: Craig McCall. 5R NOV: Robert
Broguiere. SR INT: Jim Boren. SR EX: Mark Dwyer.
up to third. Justin then took second and closed
the gap to Hunter. Justin surprised Hunter at
the checkers as he flew by for the mota win.
"I would have passed him sooner, but I slid
out," Justin said. "So I sneaked by him right at
the checkered."
Adams finished third. With two laps to go,
Ryan Sipes collided and became tangled with
another rider's bike, eventually finishing a
disappointing eighth.
''At amateur races like this," Ryan Sipes
explained, "I like to try different stuff on the start
to see what else might work. You can't afford to
try new things at the pro races. So I tried
