Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128605
AMAlDistrict 3& Western Regional Cross Country Championship Series Round 4: Reno-Fernley Raceway Rimbender brings out the real McCoy down into a few miles of sandy washes before open· ing up into a long section of wide-open fire road that brought the riders back to the pits. "It was totally epic," Team Green/Moose/Faultline Suspension-sponsored Craig Wesner said of the course. "You could just lean it over and pin it and not worry about falling out of the groove." After lap one was complete, Husky-mounted Dennis Belingheri was in the lead, with Aftershocks/ Smith-backed Honda 650 rider Cole Marshall looming just seconds behind. Belingheri continued to increase his lead until a flat tire on his second lap dropped him out of contention. By the end of the third and final lap, Zimmerman and McCoy had made their way to the front of the pack Reno-Fernley Raceway: Ed McCoy rode to first overall and were within seconds of at the Rimbender Hare Scrambles in Fernley, Nevada. each other coming into the home check. Riding with a rear tire flat, ZimmerBy MICHELLE LEE AND CHRIS GHIONE PHOTO BY MICHELLE LEE man held off McCoy for as long as he could, but with just a few turns to go, FERNLEY, NV, FEB. 27 Zimmerman made a slight bobble he Nevada desert supplied perfect and McCoy was able to make the weather for District 36's Rimbenpass and take the overall victory. der Hare Scrambles. Racers Inc./ "I was coming into the finish there, Racetech/Maxima/Dunlop-backed Ed and I saw Eddie McCay behind me... McCoy took the overall win literally and I overshot the corner and he seconds ahead of his teammate, Racpassed me, and that was that," said ers Inc./Cycle Gear/Arai/MSR-backed Zimmerman, who was still happy Rob Zimmerman. The race, which about his second-place finish and placwas put on by Sonoma County Sport ing first in his class after a start that left Cycle Association, was round four of him last on his line and then dashing the Moose Western Regional Cross into the home check with a flat tire. Country Championship, and the first After a somewhat slow start, race of the year at Reno-Fernley McCoy was able to make a charge Raceway. forward on the final lap. Showers the night before left the "I just rode hard all day, and that rocky desert ground saturated just last lap was my best lap and I caught enough to keep dust clouds down, up," said McCoy. "I got around everyleaving the 22-mile course a highbody ... I got behind him [Zimmerspeed, traction-friendly ride. man] and I knew I had wanted to get The Le Mans start sent some 78 around him, figurjng I could because racers dashing to their bikes. Hondaof the flat." mounted Senior A rider Cliff Bagot G&B Kawasaki/Moose/IMS/Faultquickly grabbed the holeshot. Howevline Suspension-backed Damien Galer, once out on the course, positions ford was able to hold on to third changed rapidly as many riders fell place, despite some minor mechanivictim to the treacherous course. cal problems that left his vent hose In what is becoming typical for kinked. races in Fernley, the first half of the "I looked down and there was no course was made up of fast, rocky gas in the gas line," noted Galford. "I sections that forced riders to stay on noticed my hose, and I untwisted it their toes. The course then proceeded real fast." Galford and Marshall went back and forth for much of the day, but Galford was able to outlast MarsQhal1. "Me and Cole were freight-training together, and then I stacked, and then about a quarter-mile later Cole was stacked, so I went by him," reported Galford. Galford's third place overall was good enough to take the top spot in the 250cc A class. "My style suits me up here in the desert," said Galford. Marshall finished the day in fourth, followed by Kawasaki rider Rod Kreiss in fifth. Just slightly off the lead pace in sixth and seventh were Honda-mounted Ray Geimer and Husky rider Travis Sluder. Finishing in the eighth and ninth spots were Allan Zuckswert and Chris Maas, who battled for the B-class overall. Zuckswert narrowly took the class victory. Rounding out the top 10 was second-placed Vet A rider Ron Picken. The current District 36 Cross Country champion, Team Green's Craig Wesner, succumbed to a broken rear-axle bolt, and he was left stranded out on the course. Only after another Kawasaki rider who had been done in by a flat tire noticed Wesner's predicament and offered him some parts off his very own bike was Wesner able to get on his way. Wesner eye I e n e __ s Reno-Fernley Raceway Fernley. Nevada Results: February 27. 2000 IRound 41 O/A: 1. Ed McCoy (Yam); 2. Rob Zimmerman (Yam); 3. Damien Galford (Kaw): 4. Cole Marshall (Han); 5. Rod Kreiss (Kaw): 6. Ray Geimer (Han). 7. Travis Sluder (Hus); 8. Allan Zuckswert (Yam); 9. Chris Maas (Kaw); 10. Ron Picken (KTM). A 250: 1. Damien Galford; 2. Rod Kreiss; 3. Ray Geimer. A 4·STRK: 1. Rob Zimmerman; 2. Cole Marshall; 3. Lance Mandarino. A VET: I. Ed McCoy; 2. Ron Picken; 3. Nick Thom. A SR: 1. Scott Cowan: 2. M~rk Maldonado; 3. Pete Hansen. A S/SR: I. Peter Prichard: 2. Rodger Mercer. S 200: I. Matthew Teegarden: 2. Sean Berryman; 3. Kevin McGovern. B 250: 1. Chris Maas; 2. Jason Alesi; 3. Jason Frei. S 4·STRK: 1. Allan Zuckswert; 2. Theron Miller; 3. Larry Ogden Jr. B VET: 1. Steve Claar; 2. Jerry Gage; 3. Bret Ajax. S SR: I. Michael Bou: 2. Dana Reed; 3. Jim Rigsby. S S/SR: 1. Jeff Hollfelder: 2. Gary Landaburu; 3. James Long Jr. e 200: I. Billy Rcy: 2. Gianni Veslito: 3. Matthew Stephens. e 250: 1. Randy Collins: 2. Den Merrick: 3. Merl Jessop II. e OPEN: 1. Bryce Olsen; 2. Joe Ofulin: 3. Justin Bradley. C 4-STRK: 1. Gary Quigley: 2. Rich Ogulin; 3. Chris Wilcox. C VET: 1. Stewart Ferrte; 2. Walt Lope: 3. Peter Sienas. C SR: 1. Jay Williams; 2. Steve Pasero; 3. Mike Janopulos. C SSR: 1. Donald Chase; 2. Steve Campbell; 3. Gregory Loscher. C GENT: I. Bob Collins. Motorama Short Track Trail-Way Speedway Price - Master of Motorama T 64 MARCH 22, 2000' was still able to pull off a fifth-place finish in his class. "Looks like I'm gonna have t? fire my mechanic," Wesner joked. Of the 50 riders who made up the C race late, in the day, first place overall went to Bryce Olson, with Gary Quigley, Rich Ogulin, Chris Wilcox and Christopher Otis rounding out the top five. CN By LEN BREECH HARRISBURG, PA, FEB. 18 W hile Chris Carr has been called the "Prince of Peoria" for his win streak at the classic IT race, Malaga, New Jersey's Georgie Price has to be calJed the "Master of Motorama" for his streak of wins at the short-track portion of the annual short-track, arena- Trail-Way Speedway: Georgie Price (71) led Bob Sweeten (behind Price) and Ace Phillips (32A) all the way to the checkers for the 600cc A win at the 22nd annual Motorama in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.