Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

AM A USA MegaSeries/AMA Tecno sel Caro lina Ultra Ser ies Round 6 / 5 : Mu ddy Cree k Raceway B y B A RB A RA W I L LI A M S PH O T O S B Y L O RE N W IL LIAMS BLOUNTVILLE, TN, APR. 30 evin Walker proved once again t h at he is th e c u rrent k in g o f Muddy Creek by ruling the 125cc A , 2 5 0 c c A a nd Ove r 25 A c lasses . W al k er w o n e ve ry m ot o, cl ear in g a l mo st $1000 for an af t ern o on o f nea rly flawless ri ding. Backed by Ya ma ha Corporation , Ya m ah a C y cl e C ent e r , S i nisal o , Gaern e, Sco tt USA , Pro -Action, Dun can Racin g, Mo to Planet, TAG , Hammerhead Graphic s and Ballzee, Walker ex te nded h is M egaSer ie s po ints lead in all three classes . More than 800 riders co nverged at Mudd y Cre ek f or roun d si x of th e AMA USA M egaS e r i es , co m bi n e d wi th round five of th e AMA Tecnosel Car oli na Ultra Ser ies. Contrary to the week 's fo reca st , th e weather was perfect for the who le week end , ca using a sli g ht d ust prob lem f or Sa tu rda y 's pr a c t i c e , wh ich w as c o rrec t ed for Sunday's racin g. " W e h ad a g ood c ro w d," n ot ed Victory Sp o rts promoter Sa m Ga m m on . " It was mor e t ha n we h a d ex pec te d , but ma ny of th e rid ers ha d been off for Ea ster and the sunshine helped to bring them ou t. " W al k e r d id no t c l ai m eve r y hol esh ot , bu t he t o o k over the lead early in each m oto . However , hi s v ic t o r ies we re no t a f o regone concl u s io n . Tr ia d Po w e rS p o rt s jProt e l j 50 M AY 17, 2 0 0 0 ' cue I e Jim Neese (8 6) was a ll ov e r Kevin Wa lk e r (8 59) at Mud d y Cree k , but Walke r stayed in 'front, na ilin g the 125 c c A, 250cc A and Over 25 A victories. . O 'N ealjPJ1 jFMF's Jim Nee se appl ied unr elenting pressur e aboa rd his VPE · tun ed Yam ah as throug hout the day . T he normal o rder of th ings had Walk er and Neese pulling away from th e rest of th e fi el d in eve ry case, w ith Suzu k i of G a st on i a ' s Jim C h est er lead ing th e charge in pursuit . The on ly bob bl e th at Walker ma de all day came in the last few turns of the seco nd 250c c A m oto , when he d id a class ic tank-slapper. T he tw o time O ver 25 National champ simply poured on m ore gas and rode ou t of it . Neese was frus trated at b e i n g stuck in second pla ce ; several times du ri ng th e afternoon he was abl e to ge t a w heel o n W a lk er but had the door slam med in his face eac h time. Nee se si ts seco n d t o Walker in MegaSeries points in all three cl asses . Th e ga p i n 12 5cc A p o i n t s i s th e widest - nearl y 20 points before this race. Less than fiv e poi nt s sep arated th e two pro mot ocross ers in 25 0 cc A and O ver 25 A , so those cl asses will be the ones to wat ch. On the beginning of lap two of the second 125c c A m oto, coming ac ross Muddy Cr eek's ve ry t echn ic al m ogu l section , Ultra Series po ints leader Jim Ch ester was bunched w it h the lead ers, Wa lke r and Neese . Sudden ly Ch ester's n e vv s Suzuki turned left , wen t down the on g embank me nt and disappeared . "M y 125 threw the rod : Ch est er ex p lai ned lat er. "I k ind of d idn't m ind th e rest , since I've been sic k all week w it h f o o d p o isoni ng or a sto ma c h virus or som ething." Chest er st ill co m m ands the U ltra Se ries p oints lead in th e 12 5 c c A , 250cc A and O ver 2 5 A divisi ons . A s Chester m ade h is " ex it , sta ge left ," Hans Ne el stepped in to fill th e g a p , r i d i ng h is J im ' s Ho nd a / E VS j Th orjBridgesto ne jPro - A c tio n CR 12 5 to th ird in the moto and third ov erall with a 6-3 ta l ly . Shawn Prath er' s Hond a carried him to f ourth v ia 5 -4 p l acin g s, and French im p o rt L eigh Lar eserv ee co mpleted the top fi ve in 12 5c c A wi th 7 -5 fi n ishe s. Neel shook off a fi rst -moto 250cc A c r as h to n o t ch a seco n d - moto fou rt h bu t st ayed out of the to p five ov e r a ll. A ft er W alk e r , Neese a n d Ch es t e r , F l o r id a ' s Budd y D u ff y ea rne d fo u r th ov e ral l. D al -K aw a's Paul Justus of Hender so nv ill e, North Carolina was fifth overal l. Pro -Acti o n jFM F j Atlas Ho n da j Fox 's Ron " W ireh ea d " J o nes c el e brat ed his b irth d ay by walk ing away wit h wins in both Over 40 m otos and runnin g a cl ose sec ond in O ver 35 to Suzuki of Gastonia 's Bi ll y Li les. W ireh ead is a lw a y s c o mpet itive , and hi s O ver 35 battle wi th Li les ke pt the crowd gues sing . Du ring the sec o nd m oto , Da v id A lbert J r. m ad e a gu tsy m ove on Muddy Cr eek 's tri ck y back sec tion to pa ss th ree rid ers at o nce an d t ak e ove r t hi r d. Albe r t' s H u sk y p u ll e d up t o wi thin a f e w leng th s of lea ders Liles and J o nes, but there wasn't eno ug h time fo r hi m to mount a ser ious cha rge. Sevie rv il le , T enn essee's J eff D od gen , li ke Albert , ca m e o u t of t h e woo ds t o rid e at Muddy Cre ek aft er an absence of several years. N either rider appear s to have lost much m ot oc ross ab il it y : Dodgen finished fo urt h overall with c onsist ent 4 -4 pla ci ng s. "I took off fo r five ye ars afte r o ur y oungest b o y was born ," expl ained Dodg en . "I d idn 't eve n to uch a bike . His olde r bro th er rides now , and I go t t o missin g it, so here I am. " J ones owned th e Over 40 contest, pu tting t ogeth er tw o perfect m ot os in front of Ch et M alito of Mar shal , Washington, wh o was ru nn er - up w ith 2 -2 pl aci ngs. However, J on es and Malito we re the only co ns iste nt top -five rid - e r s , ow i n g t o f i rs t -moto p il eu p s . Hager Ka wasaki 's Ric k Ca t uc ci o (3 4 ) rode to third , over Ultra Series reg u lars St ua r t Eng lish ( 4 - 8 ) and Thomas Perki ns J r. (8- 5 ) . eN Muddy C reek Raceway Blountville, Tennessee Results : April 3D, ZOOO[Round 6/51 50 (4- 6 ) : 1. Will iam Dic k son (Co b); 2 . Trevor Barrett (Cob) ; 3 . Chri s Goodwin (Cob) : 4 . J o sep h Bean (Cob) : 5. Donald Till ey (Cob ). 5 0 ( 7 · 8 ) : I. Bra dley Bu nc h ( Cob ) : 2 . Cody Robb in s (Co b) : 3 . Parke r Br own (Cob ) ; 4 . Set h Quesinberry (KTM); 5. Sean Cun ningha m (Cob ). 50 H O N.: 1. Dam on Ga i n ( Ho n ) ; 2 . J or dan Matusevich (Hon) ; 3. J alen Shuffle r (Hon); 4 . Wade Collin s (Han ); 5. Ja m ie Hodge (Hon) . 50 SHAFT: 1. Co dy Grag g (Ya m ) ; 2 . Tre vor Barrett (Yam) ; 3. J esse Turn er (Yam ); 4. Mich ael Hall (Yam); 5. Au stin Smi th (Yam) . 60 ( 7 · 9 ) : I. T y ler B rig ht ( KT M ) : 2 . Col t on M a y nard ( KT M) ; 3 . A u st in Stro upe ( KT M ); 4 . Cam eron Stone (KTM ); 5. Tayl or Futrell ( KTM) . 60 (1 0·1 1): I. Br oc Ti c k le (KTM ): 2 . Du st in Rowe ( KTM ); 3. Devon Plac tdes (Kaw); 4. Aryton Dunk el (Kaw); 5. Corey J ohn son (KTM). 80 0 : 1. Tyler Bai les (Kll W 2. Matthew Welbo rn ); (SUl ) : 3 . Br adley Bya rs (SU1) ; 4 . A itch We lb o rn (Suz): 5. Chris King (Suz). 8 0 (7· 1 1): I. Justin Sipes (Kaw ): 2. Cha d M. Wage s (SU1); 3. Jas e Lew is (Han) ; 4 . Davin Price (SUl ); 5. Justin A shburn (Kaw). 80 ( 12· 13) : 1. Travis Flowers ( Ka...... ); 2. Kyle Orr (Ka......) ; 3. Bradley Richard (SUl); 4. Chris O sborn e (Suz): 5. Chris Todd ( Kaw). 80 ( 14 · 15) : 1. Ryan Sipes (Ka w ): 2. Step hen Shoa f (SUl ); 3 . Ore...... Ask ew (Yam ); 4 . Matt Miller (Suz): 5. Malcolm Klepp (Hon) . a l l M.INI: 1. Justin Sipes (Kaw); 2. Drew Askew (Yam) ; 3 . Stephen Shoaf (SUl ); 4 . Chad M. Wage s (SUl ); 5. Chri s Todd (Kaw ). SC HBY: 1. Matt Barn es (Ka w); 2. Ryan Si pes (Kaw) ; 3. J ason Wiley (Yam); 4. Blake Hovis (Hon) ; 5. Matt Mill er (SU1). 12 5 A : 1. Kevin Walker (Yam ); 2. Ji m L. Neese (Yam) ; 3. Hans Neel (Han); 4. Richard Prather (Han) ; 5. Leigh Lereservee (Yam) . 12 5 B : 1. Matt Barn es (K aw ); 2 . Doug Ea rls (Suz); 3. Jo shua Sum mey (K aw ); 4. A aron Stanci l (Yam ): 5. Cody Watford (Suz). 125 C: 1. Mart y Smith (Kaw ); 2. J ason Tuc ker (SU1) ; 3. Ry an Bu rkett ( Yam) ; 4 . Mic hael Mit c hell (Yam) ; 5. Adam Smi th (Yam) . 125 D: 1. A lex Fullerton (Yam) ; 2. Christo pher Nels on (SUl ) ; 3 . Casey Rob in son (SUl ); 4. Chri s Hayes (Yam) ; 5. Jeffrey Coates ( Yam) . 250 A : 1. Kevin Walker (Yam ); 2. J im L. Neese (Yam) : 3. J im Chester (Suz): 4 . Budd y Duffy (Suz): 5. Paul Justu s (5 02). 250 B : 1. J o shu a Summey (Kaw ) ; 2 . Da nn y Sm ith (Han ); 3. Ada m Overca sh (Han); 4. Nicholas Vargo (Han ); 5. Cody Watford (SUl) . 25 0 C: 1. B.J . Huntsinger (502); 2. J eremy Hill (Han) ; 3. Dusty Tindell (Yam); 4 . Micha el Clam pitt (SUl ): 5. Jaso n Parker (Han). 250 D: 1. Matthew Moorefi eld (Kaw ); 2. Ryan Adkins (5 02): 3. Rodney White (Hen): 4 . Michael Cox (Hon): 5. Chuck Greer (Suz). 2 5 + A : t. Kevin Walk er (Yam) ; 2. Jim L. Neese ( Yam ); 3 . J im Che ster (SUl ); 4. Richard Prath er (Hon): 5. T roy L. Crisp (Hon ). 25 + B: 1. Mitchell J ones (Han); 2. Frank Koenig J r. (KTM) ; 3 . Matt Summers (Kew) : 4 . Chad Perry (Kaw): 5. Chuck L. Coope r (Suz). 25 + C: 1. Jason Parker (Han); 2. A llen Bro......n ( SU1) ; 3 . Ray m on d Cante rbury ( Yam); 4 . Br ia n Calhoun (Hon) ; 5 . Mike McMenam in (Yam ). 30 + A : 1. Will iam U les (502); 2. Aaron Bollinger ( KT M ); 3 . Albe rt M c Co y ( SUl ); 4 . M ike Ga rrett (Yam ); 5. Kev in Blaloc k (SUI ). 30 + B : 1. Fran k K oe nig J r . ( KT M) ; 2 . J e ff To m li nson ( Yam ) : 3 . Do n Bla ndi ng J r. ( Ho n) ; 4 . David Albert J r. (Hus); 5. Steven Lewis (Yam) . . 30 + C: 1. Greg Blevins (Yam ); 2. J effrey Fields (Han ) ; 3 . Steven Ratliff (Yam); 4 . Wade Garla nd (Kaw); 5 . Mich ael Robinson (SUl ). 35 +: 1. Will iam Liles (SUl); 2. Ron Jon es (SUl ); 3. David A lbert Jr. (Hus); 4. J effrey Dodg en (Yam); 5. Chet Malito (Kaw). 40 +: 1. Ron Jo nes (SUl ); 2. Chet MaHto ( tcew): 3. Rick Cetuccic (Kaw) ; 4. Stuart K. Engli sh (Hon); 5. Thom as R. Perkins Jr . (Suz). 48 . : 1. Ste ven Lew is ( Yam ); 2 . Gary Bai sden (SUl ); 3. J ohnny Gibson (Yam ); 4. Ted Sho rtr idge (SUl); 5. David Hayward (Hon). 4 ·STRK: 1. Wesley McCo y (Ver): 2. David Al bert Jr. (Hus}: 3. Jeff Tomlinson (Yam) ; 4. J effrey Belch er (Yam ); 5. Christopher Wright (Yam) . OIL AM : 1. J .R. Carter (5 02); 2. Matt Summ ers ( Ka w); 3 . Kory Cun n in gh am (Yam ) ; 4. M icha el Robinson (Suz) ; 5. Dusty Tindell (Yam ). a ll C/D: 1. Jer em y Hill (Han) ; 2. Adam Sm ith (Yam); 3. Tr ey Meek (Yam); 4 . J esse Bak er (SUl ); 5. Kenneth Smith (Yam ).

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