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Cycle News 2025 Issue 20 May 20

Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles

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Nichols Nails Glen Helen MotoFest G len Helen's second annual Stopwatch National kicked off the MotoFest over the May 17-18 weekend. The $100,000 Pro payout enticed many racers to attend during the off weekend and use the event as prepara- tion just before the start of the Pro Motocross schedule. Colt Nichols walked away with much of the purse money, as he swept Thursday's and Saturday's motos with 1-1 results in the 450 class. Dilan Schwartz also cashed in with a 1-1 win in Saturday's 250cc Pro Showcase. Thursday's Stopwatch Nation - al set the tone for the weekend. With over 40 entries, the name itself alluded to the yearly tests that take place at Glen Helen, but for the second year in a row, the track dropped the gate and made it an official race. Nichols used the larger 450cc power on his HEP Twisted Tea Suzuki to grab the holeshot down the dragstrip start line and jumped out to the early lead. Amateur standout Enzo Temmerman followed closely in tow and kept Nichols honest for the entire first moto. The two front-runners separated themselves from the rest of the field and finished first and second to start the day. Ju - lien Beaumer battled back from a bad start to finish third. Nichols again controlled all the second moto, leading all 15 laps of the 30-minute-plus-two- lap race. A 1-1 result for Nichols earned him $10,000 for a quick Thursday at the office. "Honestly, I was lucky I was on a 450," Nichols said. "I had that advantage going up the hills and everything, and I was kind of dogging these guys right in here. They were riding good, and it was fun racing the younger guys. Just mixing it up and getting gate drops was cool. Nice to go 1-1, and battling with the young guys was fun." Behind him, Ryder DiFrancesco crossed the line in second after a spectacular crash into the crowd ended his first moto. The Troy Lee Designs GasGas rider is back from injury and used the race to prepare for next week's round of Pro Motocross. A 43-2 score on the day put him just outside of the purse-paying positions, as he finished 21st overall. Beaumer again started outside the top five but slowly chipped away at the podium. He ended the day with a pair of thirds, which landed him in second overall and a $5000 paycheck. Enzo Temmerman rounded out the podium, going 2-5 for third overall. The Team Green Kawasaki rider earned $3000 in the process. Saturday's Pro Showcase saw the action continue with 450cc and 250cc motos taking place and a healthy payout for both classes. Nichols got right back to his winning ways and led every lap of the first moto en route to another victory. BarX Yamaha's Derek Drake kept Nichols honest in moto one and set the fast - est lap of the race while giving chase. The two battled for nearly the entire race, with Drake even- tually slipping up in the closing laps and taking second. Grant Harlan held on for third after duk- ing it out with Brad West. Moto two of the 450s was an- other Nichols show, as the Suzu- ki rider ran away with his fourth and final win of the weekend. Nichols led every lap of every gate drop and walked away with another $10,000 check for his efforts. Drake finished second WIND IN THE P50 Colt Nichols was the big winner at Glen Helen's MotoFest after sweeping all four motos.

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