Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

"It was re ally a good da y to ride , and I had fun , " sa id the D i c k so n M o t o r s p o r t s and O f f Road G r o u p / W ind/ WM P/C em oto -ba ck ed Sa m p son , wh o ma in ta ined t he l e a d for three of th e fo ur lap s raced and won w ith a min ute -a nd -a -h a lf l ead over Allen and tw o m in utes ahead of Mike M c C r ea ; t he KT M - m o u nt ed w inn e r rod e fa st an d sm o o th ly t h ro ug ho ut the ev en t b u t c l ai me d , " I had m y usu al bad st art ." A sl ight hesit at io n took pl ac e as t h e gre en flag ra is ed . J ef f Cr egg eased h is Yamaha out fro nt first bu t faltere d , so A llen dug deepe r and garnered th e hol eshot. A ll en was the firs t r i de r in to th e woo ds , fo llo we d b y Cregg , Lance Sm ith and the rest o f th e AA r id er s . A sho r t t i m e l at e r , Sm ith suffered t wo fla t ti res and wa s fo rced to th row th is rac e away . Mean whil e, Allen and Cregg batt led for th e lead. Th e Sa rge' s C y c l e s / O a kl e y / Moose/P ro A ction of K entuck y jWER supported A ll en co nti nued to lea d th e enti re fi rst la p and clai med the fastest lap time of 28 :44 . Cregg was d ir ectl y be h in d hi m , and they set a qu ick p a c e for the nex t 11 m il es. Meanwh ile, Sampso n was picking off AA rid ers and by th e end of the fi rst la p he wa s withi n four seconds of the two leaders. "I almost qu it th e ra ce , bec au se I was ge tti ng hot and dizzy," said Allen, w h o had bee n ba ttl in g a col d all we ek , " so o n th e sec ond la p , I l et Cregg b y and th en Sam ps on . Afte r th at, I threw up , but I felt m uch bett er afterwards , so I k ept raci ng ." On the second lap , almo st 60 lap per s st rug g le d t o g et u p a b ig h ill , an d th ey were in no hu rry to m ak e a mo v e , so Samp son p i cked a good lin e and m aneu vered h is b ik e in to first p lac e o vera ll. Cli m b in g the h ill and try in g to avoid lap pers, Cr egg hit a l og a nd w en t d own hard . B oth Sam pson and A llen checked t o see if he was okay , and w ith his assurance that he was, they c on ti nued t o rac e, no t stopping for any thi ng else except gas and the checkered fl ag. The AA class defini tely tr aveled a lonely ro ad, as non e of them enco unt ered an y o f th eir cont ende rs. T he y mos tl y battled fat igu e or th e el em ents. Sam pson led the rac e w ith a lead of m o re th an a m inut e on A llen for the last three laps. Except for the first la p , t he AA were spaced any wh ere from 30 second s t o a m in ut e and a half apart. Third place in th e AA class went to McCrea. " I didn 't have an y problems , and I ca n 't c om p lain ," he said . " I got beat fair and squa re , a nd I h ad a good enjoye d it ," F roman sai d. Although th e two r iders did n ot en counter eac h othe r on the t ra c k , the y appear to be fighting a battle for th ird p la ce in the AA cla ss fo r th e seaso n . T he next cl ass to ent er th e sc ore t ent was th e Four -Stroke A cl a ss , w ith Cli nt Rob inson as the leader. "I didn't do too well on th e start," Rob in son ad m itted . " Cl ay Hedgepath go t th e holesho t, and I was th e fo urth b ik e into th e woods." Robinson follo wed T eam Gr een 's Harvey Wh itak e r for a wh il e un t il Whitak er t ook a ba d li n e and w rec ke d. T hi s was a gra nd vi ctory for Ro b i nson , sin ce Wh i t ak er wo n t he fi rst three rounds in th e Fo ur-Stro k e A class . A c lose b attl e too k pl ace in th e 250cc / Ope n A cl ass between Suzuk i j o cke y T immy P'Po o l and W esl e y Don aldson. "I was putting m y gas cap on wh en Timmy P'Poo l flew by m e," cla imed N ieh au s Cy cl es/Mom and D ad -sup porte d D on a ld so n claimed . " I was ri gh t be hi n d h im for t he rest of the race , but I si mply co u ld n o t get around him ." P'Pool was nin th overall and fi rst in the 25 0cc/ Open A class. Don aldso n fo ll o wed t wo sec o nds la ter to cla im 10th overall and seco nd plac e in the 250cc/ O pen A cl ass. CN Pe.ry 's Racing Haw .nwald, T. nn. .... R. sults: November 19, ZOOO (Round 41 O /A : 1. M ike Sam pso n (K TM); 2 . P.A . Allen (Suz); 3 . M ik e McCre a ( Ka w); 4 . Ch ad From an (KT M); 5 . John Roth (Yam); 6. Cli nt Robinson (Suz); 7 . Harve y Whi tak er (Kaw) ; 8 . Ja son Wofford (Yam ); 9 . Timmy P'Pool (Suz); 10. Wesley Donald son (Hon) . AA: I . Mik e Sam pson (KTM) ; 2. P.A. All en (Sua): 3 . Mike McCrea ( Kaw); 4, Chad Fr oman (KTM) ; 5 . J ohn Roth (Yam ). 250 /0PEN A : I . Timmy P'Pool (Suz): 2. Wesley Donald son (Han ); 3 . Billy Cooper (Kaw) ; 4 . J ason Di ck ey (Suz); 5 . Br ent Mercer (Yam ). 4 -STRK A : I. Cli nt Robinson (Suz); 2. Herv ey Whit ak er (K aw) ; 3. Ja son Wofford ( Yam); 4 . Mart y Michels (KTM); 5. Jos h Scott (Hus) . 0 · 200 A : I. CI.y Hedgep ath (KTM); 2. Derek Bratc her (KTM ); 3. J im Bates (KTM) ; 4. Jo hn Lenard (KTM); 5. David Durkee (KTM) . SR A: 1. Scott Martin ( Kaw); 2 . Philli p Barker ( Ha n) ; 3 . Pau l Mic hel s ( Ha n) ; 4. Gar y Co pe la nd (Kew) : 5. Gary Horton (Kaw). VET A : I . Ja ck Bail ey; 2. Mark Wood (Hon) ; 3. Wyles Griffi th (KTM ); 4. Billy J o Proffitt ; 5. Mark Guy (Vam) . 2 5 0 B : I . Scott K i rc h o ff ( Ha n ) ; 2. Jason J ennin gs { Kew}; 3 . Ed Bce rdwine (Kaw) : 4. Danny Ruhling ( Yam) ; 5. Bradl ey Hick s (KTM) . 4 -STRK B: 1. Mark McK enzie (Yam); 2. Da vid Dougherty (SOl); 3. John Rawling s (Yam); 4. Dean Grewe (KTM) ; 5 . Steven Holcomb (Yam). OPEN B: I. David Taylor (KTM) ; 2. Rog er UtUe ( Yam); 3 . Rob ert Jacks ( Ha n) ; 4 . Bra d Bradley (V. m ): 5 . .Jeck Bailey (Hon) . 0 -200 B : 1. Heath Rob in son ( K a w); 2 . K ip Hayn ie (Yam): 3. J ohn Glaus (Yam) ; 4. Budd y Wya tt (Hon): 5. Sean Sanber (Vam) . VET B: I. Greg Elrod (Ka w) ; 2. Kelly Work ing (Kaw) : 3. Rick Sills (Hon) ; 4. Mik e Bertoldo (KTM); 5. Ruel Jones (Han) . SR B: I . Ro yce Wyatt (KTM) : 2. Jerry Cas t leman (Kaw); 3 . Michael Schrinsher (KTM) : 4. Tom m y Todd (Hon); 5. Paul A llen (KTM ). S/SR : t. Leon Parker ( Yam); 2. Emmitt Co x ( Vam) : 3. John Giles (KTM) : 4. Don Rye (Kaw) ; 5. J erry Bennett (Hon) . 250/0PEN C: I . Eric Meeks (Suz); 2. Tim Kelly (Hon ): 3. Dale Morris (K.w) ; 4. Kenny Jedd (Kaw): 5. Chris Webb (Vam ). 0 -200 C: 1. Charles J aghab (Kaw); 2. Brandon Rainey (Kaw); 3. Mik e Hamilton (Ka w ): 4 . Natha n Hamm on s (KTM); 5. An drew Stanfi ll (Han) . 4 -STRK C : 1. Jo hn Da vi s (Yam ) ; 2 . Ma rk Wimsatt (Yam) : 3. Brandon Wofford (Yam ); 4. Kevin Aysc ue (Suz); 5. flUk e Hanbaker (Yam) . VET C: 1. Brook Bark er (KTM); 2. Greg Brannon (Kaw); 3. J eff Holl and (Hon) ; 4 . Clin t Voung (Hus) ; 5. Mark Fly (KTM). SR C: I. Ste ve Midd lebrook ( Yam ) : 2. J am es Miller ( Ho n); 3. Bi ll Sm it h ( KTM) : 4 . J oh n Ka m (Vam); 5. Joe A llen (Kaw} . BEG 2 ·STRK: 1. Dennis Buttler (Han); 2. Ronnie A tki ns ( Han ); 3 . Ch ris N unnery (KTM) : 4 . J am es Gehringer (KTM ): 5. Robert Rogers (Hon) . . BEG 4·STRK: I. Phill ip Bla nk enship (Hon) ; 2. Howard Ban k s (SOl); 3. DWight Yampert ( Hon) ; 4. Kevin Buechel (Han ); 5. Darrell Bark er (Suz). race." Nearl y a minute and a half la te r , Rive r Ci ty Cycles /C ycle Path -sup po rt ed Cha d F roman p l ac ed fourth overal l. "T his race was pretty c alm , and I 92 J AN UARY 3 , 2001 • cu e • e n e VIl' s O 'Neal eMA MX series E vent Argyll Cycle Park Bainbridge Wins at O'Neal CMA MX Bv MIK E V A N C IL DIXON, CA, NOV. 19 i c k Ba inbr idg e b r ou gh t h i s Ya m a ha f our - stro k e fr o m Fort Bragg and set abo ut sho w ing eve ry o ne how quick ly a seriou s rider on a pur p o se-built moto rc ycl e ca n ge t aroun d a d iffi cu lt m otocro ss co urse . A c tu all y , B a inbr id g e w a s n o t t he fastest in pra ctice, as he was still ge t t ing us ed to t he l o n g , c h a ll en g i n g tra ck ; the fa stest in pr a c t i c e w a s D er ek Currie , on his f our - s t r o k e N Husq varna. T he first-mot a holesh ot belon g ed t o Shawn Parks , on h i s S uzuk i RM t w o - stro k e , and h e h e l d t he p o in t halfwa y th rough lap on e. T he n Ba in b r i d g e pow ered b y o n t he front stretch . Currie held th ird at the end of la p on e, an d he took over second a bout 300 y ards in to lap two . T h e fo u r - stro k e ri d er s b eg an t o ut il i ze th eir advan t ag e o ver Pa rks and the o ther 25 0 c c r i der s, i ncl uding two In t e rm ed i at e r id e r s a n d seven No vi c e entra nts . Currie made severa l vali an t attem pts t o pa ss, but he fell ba ck steadily throughou t mota o ne. He di d m an ag e t o ke ep Parks beh ind h im , an d that was th e order at th e checke rs . In mota tw o , though so me riders ch arg ed th e g at e wi th ro lling st ar t s, Bain br idg e got the best st art . Novic e r i d e r D a nn y Rob ert s p ow er ed h i s Yama ha tw o -stro ke into second plac e on the trac k and was in the m iddle of an Ex pert sand wich for a w hile, with Curri e chasing him in third . Cu rrie got b y an d set o u t after lea de r B a in bridg e. Parks slipped bac k as far as sixth . Ba inbridg e kept hi s fast p ac e throughout the mota, avo id ed m i s t akes and passed ba ckma rkers w ith ea se. A t th e end of the mota , Ba in b ridg e bega n to st y le off the j umps and rea ll y bu st the berms and k ic k up b ig roosts exi t in g th e h igh -ban k ed , 180-deg re e t urns . A t th e checkers, Bainbrid ge perform ed a huge kicker in hono r of h is d oub l e mota wins . Cu r ri e w a s a so lid seco nd . Th ir d pl a c e fi ni sh e r Par k s ca me t o t he check ers beh ind Novic e rid er Roberts and Int erm ed iat e rider Tony Evan s, who w ere both vi ctor iou s i n thei r resp ective classes with doubl e m ota w in s. In the 12 5 c c B eg inn er class , 23 ri de rs li ned u p to do battle. In the first mo ta , Jus tin B a d e snared the holeshot but was quickly overtaken by fellow Ya maha r i d er Br ian Ch a ic edi s . Honda CR pilot Trav i s Ku n selman g ot good dri ves off th e c o rn er s an d w ent from th ird to first befo re th e sec o nd lap w as very old . Jere ll Martin, on his RM Suzuk i, took third aw ay fr om Bad e. Kunse lman held strong an d ro de t o v ic tory . On th e w h ite-flag la p , th e lea ders w ere Kun se lman , Ma rti n , Ch a i c edis and Honda jockey Cla y Ba tes , wh o had made a late-r ace charge toward th e fr o nt. Th e w in we nt t o Kun selman . Martin earned second , third went to Ba tes, fourth went to Kawasak i jock ey Ry an Smith , an d Chaic edis w as fifth . In the six - lap seco n d m ota , t h e fates of t h e mota- o ne le a de rs chang ed dr asti call y . Chaicedis snared the ho lesh ot whe n Bates went d own on the start , but he was overt ak en by Sm ith before th e lap ended. T he sp ill at the st a rt d et un ed B at es , and he was una bl e to p arl ay h is fi r st -m o ta third into any thi ng rese m bli ng a good overall. Co m ing up to j o in the front r u n n e r s was Yam ah a ri der Jason Ro m ero , w ho had fi nishe d a lowly 14 th in mota one . The fro nt-runners on la p three m anaged to hang on to th e ir positions to th e fin ish. Ho nd.a mounted A .J . Ca vagnaro powered up to fourth pl ace by la p three , tryi ng to im p rove on h is first -mota sixth -p lace fi nish . Kunselman , who had wo n the fi rst m ota , was m ired back in seventh at th e halfw ay po int of mota tw o. A h igh - sp eed b attl e ens ue d b et w een l e ad er S m it h a n d ch alle nger Chaicedi s, bu t by th e end of lap fou r Sm ith had stret ch ed o ut h is ad van t age over Cha lcedi s. Rom ero conti nued to be strong in third. Sm ith kept his Kawasak i in the fa st lin e th rough o ut th e last couple of laps and put a lot of distanc e betw een h imself and Ch aiced is. T hen c ame Rom er o, fo llowed by Ma rt in . Honda ri der James St ewart had o nl y placed 26th in m ota one, bu t he turn ed up the wick for a fifth -place fin ish in th is m ot a . Sm ith took the chec kers stil l pu lling aw ay from runne r -up Chaiced is . Romero was th ird. Fo urth an d fifth belonged to Martin and St ewart, res pecti vely . The o vera ll class v ic tory we nt t o Sm ith , sec ond to Ma rtin and th ird to Chaicedis. Kunselman 's 1-6 ta ll y garnered fo urth ov erall , w h i le Cav agnaro 's 6- 7 sc o re gav e h im fifth overall. CN Argyll Cycle Parle Dixan , California Results: November 19, zoao 50 BEG (0· 6) : I . Zeck Sandeno (Yern ]: 2. .Jake Beev er ( KTM ); 3 . .Iez ml n locks (Hon) ; 4 . Jonah Lock s (Suz); 5. Darie n Pacini (Suz). 50 B EG ( 7· 8): I. Cal vi n LaCu rell e (Co b) : 2 . A nd rew T ayl or (Cob) ; 3 . Dr ew Thom as (Cob ); 4 . Michael Fo ster (ATK) ; 5. Nick Feren (KTM). 50 NOV (0 -6): I. Brad Vincent (Hus). 50 NOV (7 -8 ): I. J ared Ney (Cob ).

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