Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

AMP Red Bull Outlaw Winter Nationals Rounds 1-2: OK Corral PHOTO BV SPIKE ESKINSIPHOTOS BV SPIKE The Legend Returns! By BOB OERTLE HARRAH, OK, OCT. 29-30 H ope you're not one of those suffering from the "Shoulda Been There" blues after missing out on a wild time at the OK Corral on Saturday night, where the "Woulda Coulda 5houlda" ...happened! Those too young to remember but who may have heard tales of the indoor races in the Harrah-McCloud arenas had a chance to reljye those times on Halloween weekend. The OK Corral in Harrah, Oklahoma, put some big smiles on the faces of the people who were there back in the early 1970.. And those who missed out still have a chance to be a part of new era of racers and fans at Harrah. This event featured good racing and brought up lots of memories, but most of all there was a large and friendly cheering crowd, some great food and lots of fun! Randy Cleek's sister Terri and his mother were on hand for the opening ceremonies and a "Tribute Randy Cleek." Cleek won the very first race held in the arena back on December I, 1974. In fact, that night he won all three Expert classes: I25ee, 250ee and Expert. The dignitaries of Harrah Dirt in attendance included Ronnie Jones, Scotty Adams, Garry Baehler Dan and Vicki Mahony. Orbin Adams. Scott and Eddie Deubler, among others. Retired K&N Yamaha International Trials rider '0 Kirk Mayfield was also on hand. AMP 2005 and defending 85ee-c1ass champ Austin Medrano topped the 125/250ee Amateur class on Saturday night and the 85ec class on Sunday night. A.J. Eslick was present on Saturday, and everyone in attendance knew it, as he won the hard-fought Open Pro Singles event. Justin Elswick kicked butt in both the 125ee/250ee and Open Amateur classes on Sunday night. Bull Haynie came out of retirement to win the 250cc Pro class, and he also contested the Open Pro Singles main event. Hope Robinson got the loudest cheers on Sunday as she won the Pee Wee B main event. Harrah's "First Race Riders Club" was in attendance, including Scott Adams, Scott Deubler and Frank Bardaro III, among others. Bardaro won his first dirt-track race, joining a long list of first-race riders and winn~ at the OK Corral. Nathan and Anthony Varano, defending 65ee and I25/250ee champions, respectively, competed on both days. There were Guy Cooper Xtremes on the premises, and the crowd got a close-up of an awesome crash on the front straight involving one X,reme rider. (The downed rider was okay.) Six Vintage Twins were there, and Triumph ruled! Frank Bardaro rode the wheels off his Triumph to win the Vintage Amateur Twins contests on both days. The event had 132 entries, and the bleachers were full with lots of race fans. One very lucky lady spectator won another chance at winning the $25,000 jackpot. The next race at Harrah - the third and fourth rounds of the AMP Winter Nationals will be held November 19 and 20. CN OK CORRAl HARRAH, OKtAHOMA RESULTS: OCTOBER 29-30, 2005 (ROUNDS 1-2) Saturday P/W A: I. Nathan Varano (KTM): 2. Hope Robinson (Han); 3. Trey Van Curen. P/W 50 B: I. Hope Robinson (Hon); 2. Tanner Snell (Hon): 3. Darren Van Curen. 65: I. Frank Ban::laro III: 2. Nathan Varano (KTM). 125/250 AM: I. Austin Medrano (Hon): 2. Justin Elswick (Hon): 3. Travis Whitaker (Yam); 4. Colton Renick (Yam); S. Anthony Varano (Hon). X·TREME UW: I. Joey Brown (Hon): 2. Willie Morse (Xtr); 3. Mark David: 4. Bobby Fannon (Xtr); S. Donny Milam. 150 PRO: I. Bull Haynie (Hon); 2. Michael Carr; 3. John Castle (Hon). VINT AM TW: I. Frank Ban::laro (Tn); 2. Ron Stone (Tri); 3. James Eslinger (Yam): 4. Craig Watson (HoD). 600 PRO VINT: I. Bill Walker: 2. Jimmy long (Yam); 3. Kevin Ellingsworth (Hon); 4. Fred Mears (Kaw); 5. Eric Colvin (Muz). OPEN AM: I. Jason Walker; 2. Anthony Varano (Hon); 3. Kenny Castle (Hon); 4. James Eslinger (Yam); 5. Jerry Buie (Yam). OPEN PRO SGL HEAT I: I. Bret Sowders (Rot); 2. Danny Eslick: 3. Chance Osbum (Yam); 4. Jimmy long (Yam); 5. Bull Haynie (Han). OPEN PRO SGL HEAT 2: I. A.J. Eslick (Hon); 2. Jared Enright (Rot); 3. Bryan Collins (Hon): 4. Shane Pettis (Hon); S. Jeff Bostic. OPEN PRO SGL MAIN: I. A.J. Eslick (Hon); 2. Jared Enright (Rot); 3. Danny Eslick: 4. Jeff Bostic: S. Bret Sowders (Rot); 6. Chance Osburn (Yam): 7. Bryan Collins (Hon); 8. Bull Haynie (Han); 9. Jimmy Long (Yam). Sunday P/W 50 B: I. Hope Robinson (Hon); 2. Tanner Snell (Hon); 3. Darren Van Curen. P/W A: I. Hope Robinson (Han); 2. Nathan Varano (KTM); 3. Trey Van Curen. 65: I. Nathan Varano (KTM): 2. Hope Robinson. 85: I. Austin Medrano (Hon); 2. Nathan Varano (KTM); 3. Hope Robinson (Hon); 4. Gunnar Durham. 125/250 AM: I. Justin Elswick (Hon); 2. Austin Medrano (Hon); 3. Travis Whitaker (Yam); 4. Fred Mears: 5. Anthony Varano (Hon). X·TREME l/W: I. Jared Enright; 2. Walt Enright (Kaw); 3. Mark David. Over The Hili Gang Nationals Final Round: Glen Helen Raceway Park Austin Medrano (7) topped the 125/25Occ Amateur class on Saturday night and the 85cc closs on Sunday night at the first two rounds of the AMP Red Bull Outlaw Winter Nationals. VINT AM TW: I. Frank Bardaro (Tri); 2. Ron Stone (Tr~; 3. James Eslinger (Yam); 4. Craig Watson (H·D). 600 PRO VINT: I. Bill Walker: 2. Jimmy Long (Yam): 3. Kevin Ellingsworth (Hon); 4. Fred Mears (Kaw): 4. Eric Colvin (Muz). OPEN AM: I. Justin Elswick (Hon): 2. Anthony Varano (Hon); 3. Travis Whitaker (Yam): 4. Kenny Castle (Hon): S. James Eslinger (Yam). OPEN PRO SGL: I. Bret Sowders (Rot): 2. Jeff Bostic (Yam); 3. Chance Osburn (Yam); 4. Jared Enright (Rot): 5. Justin Elswick. PHOTO BV STEVE MIZRAHI Zamora Zaps 'em, Currie Closes 'em Down By CHRIS CUMBO SAN BERNARDINO, CA, OCT. 22-23 T here were 260 riders from four chapters in attendance at the final round of the Over The Hill Gang Nationals, held at Glen Helen Raceway Park. "I'm going to try to win," Over 38 Novice Mark Davies said. "I'll get ahead and brake late, just before the uphill." But Michael Long got the holeshot, and John Farr took it up the hill. Pete Anagnos later led, until Phil Currie put a block·pass on him at the steep, short tabletop. Mark Bellman had lined up way outside. "I want to go high on the Talladega turn so I can have the inside, up 'he uphill," Bellman had said. Nine other riders had a better idea, and Bellman had to battle his way up to third. By the third lap, Currie was in first, with Anagnos still right behind him. Tay Burgess stayed with the front-runners even though a fall by Farr almost knocked Burgess off his rhythm. Davies was fifth, his best mota finish. Currie was confident his 756 Dunlops would hook up the hill. "I like catching the inside berm and floating wide, keeping my momentum up," Currie said just before the start of moto two. 56 "I'm getting first," Bellman predicted from his spot on his gate. "I'm going to see how it goes," Burgess said. Burgess got the holeshot, and Bellman tucked in until the off-camber uphill, where Sellman lost his balance and held up the other 28 riders. 8ellman quickly got back on the gas. He chased down Burgess and won, though not without some late-race pressure by Currie. "I was sleeping on the gate," Currie admitted. "I passed 10 guys staying inside around Talladega. Down the hill, I stayed way left. That's how I make qUick work ofother riders." Burgess pressured Currie around the track until Hank Kokosenski showed off his riding skills and captured second, his best mota finish. Currie won moto three by passing contender Bellman down the hill while Bellman was mixed in with a pack of riders. Burgess came out swinging in mota four and developed a nice lead. Bellman charged but stalled. Anagnos finally made the pass happen in the back section for first. Currie's tallied points bested the rest. "I had the gas and brain on," Currie said. In the first Over 45 Novice mota, Art Flores beat David Blosser around the first tum. When Flores blew a berm, Greg Lorio bolted in. Murray Armstrong charged up from seventh NOVEMBER 23, 2005 • CYCLE NEWS Mark Bellman (747) leads Phil Currie (572), Pete Anagnos (516) and the rest of the pack en route to the second-moto win in the Over 38 Novice class at the final round of the Over The Hill Gang Nationals. into second. It was a supermoto race around the Talladega tum, and Armstrong won. Suzuki rider Terry Adams got the mota-two holeshot, but Armstrong batted forward again, taking different lines. Lorio outrode the competition on day two. Over 30 Novice rider John Griego won both motos on day one, after he and Walt Van Olden had some fun mota-skirmishes. Griego got the mota-three holes hot, but Vietor Machado soon took the lead - until Van Olden knocked him off his perch and won. David Zamora put the power down to capture second. Zamora worked hard in race four. On the last lap, Van Olden got hung up by a lapped rider, and Zamora powered around for the overall win. "I got poor starts every moto," Zamora said afterward, "but I kept my arms up and kept charging. There was a three-way tie. I was nervous going into that fourth moto. Now I'm CN going to the Intermediates." GLEN HELEN RACEWAY PARK SAN BERNARDINO, CAUfORNIA RESULTS: OCTOBER 22 AND 23, 2005 (FINAL ROUND) KIDS SUP: I. Chris Barr; 2. Quinn Davis; 3. Dylan Bennett: .... Matt Torres. SUP: I. Rob Healy; 2. Pat Samudio; 3. Kyle Yarnell: 4. Eric Rizzo. 30+ BEG: I. Rick Haines; 2. Brad Huber: 3. Matt Eggley: 4. David Null. 30+ NOV: I. David Zamora; 2. Walt Van Olden: 3. John Griego; 4. Chrystal Ponsock. 30+ INT: I. Curt Bennett; 2. Bryan Gambill; 3. Robert Callahan; .... Bernard Daily. 30+ EX: I. Damien Baker; 2. Scott McCollough; 3. Paul Kuehnel; ... Tony Fagundes. 30+ PRO: I. Shawn Wynne. 18+ BEG: I. Herb Uoyd; 2. Steve Todd; 3. Danny Welch; 4. Steve Landsberg. 38+ NOV: I. Phil Currie; 2. Pete Anagnos; 3. Mark Bellman: 4. Tay Burgess. lB+ tNT: I. Rudy Chavez..; 2. Jeff Roehm; 3. Craig McCarley; 4. Bill lea. 38+ EX: l. Michael Raschke; 2. Mike Giem: 3. Tom Baker: 4. Kon Baur. 38+ PRO: I. Michael Johnson: 2. Matt Tedder. "5+ BEG: I. Christina Ellis; 2. Rick Farr; 3. Kelly Stuen; 4. Dave Watt. "5+ NOV: 1. Greg Lorio; 2. Murray Armstrong; 3. Terry Adams; 4. David Blosser. 45+ INT: I. Bruce Ashmore: 2. Chris Cumbo; 3. Dan Townsend; 4. Jim Pierce. 45+ EX: L Robert Stone; 2. Tim Alarcon; 3. Jeff Blix: 4. Rick Wade. -45+ PRO: I. Rob Healy; 2. Paul Needles; 3. Randy Law; 4. Mike A1tenhofel.

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