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/1542350
Odk H Do.otur. TX MOTOCROSS trou e Nelson TAme Texas 3Oth Annual FMF GNC lnternational Motocposs Final "l 8ot a bad start," Cunningham said. "l spun off the gate but was able to make a pass on Hunter [Hewift]. I blew by a Honda and then went off the track and lost two spots, but I was able to come back and take third.'' The 125 lntermediate Stock race was held under completely different condi- tions than Stroupe's other mces. lt was slated as the second moto off the Sate Saturday morning on a soft and slightly muddy course, and Sroupe was heard saying, ''l do good in the mud!" Les Smith Erabbed the holeshot with Lemoine and Stroupe in the hunt. Stroupe blazed his way through the middle of the Wiseco Dozen and met Lemoine at the exit, having already passed Smith. Stroupe took the lead, as Lemoine went down, and he never looked back. ''l'4y front end went out from under me in the tirrn," Lemoine said- Lemorne remounted to finish the lap in l5th, but he put his head down and charged through the pa€k, Dungey took hold of the situation and found himself in second, while Lemoine picked off riders like apples off a tree to linish third- Stroupe's foufth win came much later in the day after a four-hour deluge ofthun- derstorms and much different track condi tions. Once again, he proved his point that he could definitely ride in the mud. Jessy Nelson made his way to the podi- um for the fourth time on Saturday in the sixth moto after the big sweep of thun- derstorms moved through. His previous three titles were fortunately won on Frjday's premier course. The stars of tomorrow in the Pee wee rank were spread out among a large field with no one rider dominating rhe event. But from the look of it, Sean Cantrell, Hayden lustice, Conner Mitchell and Coleman Martin have a promising future. Cll OaK Hru MorocRoss PARX DEcarut, TExas Rrsurrs: MaRCH l4-t8, 2006 l^/ t::::::., I::I" 'f;;: l\:ri':.iir;ii*; tional Motocross Final at Oak Hill I'totocross Park, with North Carolina's Stroupe claiming championships in the l25cc Stock and l'4odified lntermediate, l25cc Open, and 99-250F Schoolboy ( l2- l5) l'lodified classes, and California's Nelson topping the 65cc ( I 0- I l) Stock and Modified,65cc Open, and 85cc (7- I l) Modified classes. Other top riders included Stroupe's fellow Team Green Extreme teammate l*4att Boni, who was one ofthree riders to earn Triple Crown honors. Boni earned his three overall wins in the 250 Pro. 250 A modified, and 125 Pro classes. Honda's Tyler Bowers claimed rhree champi- onships of his own in the 250 lntermediate l'4odilied. 250 Open, and 450F Four-Stroke Non-Pro Modified divi- sions. while Terren O'Dell was the flnal Triple Crown winner with overall wins in the 85 ( l4- 15) Stock, 85 ( l4- 15) l'4odilied and Supermini classes. All of the final motos started on Friday morning after a rigorous week of qualify- ing. The Larry Morton-prepped course provaded grear challenges for each and every class and included a wide array of sandy loam lines and safe jumps and land- ings- ln the events that were division races, the plate was wiped clean from the qualifiers and consolation races, with the flnal moto being all or nothing from start to finish. The only Olympic scoring used was in the classes that held less than 40 riders on the gate. Even then, the second motos were held over to run with the remaining main events. Tevin Tapia set the pace in Friday's pro- gram winning the flrst race on the agenda, the 125 Novice modified class, by grab- bing the holeshot and taking it all the way in for the win. Tapia repeated his perform- ance in the Stock I 25 Novice race. but not before Cody Espudo bear him !o the firsr turn. Tapia went on to pass Espudo and take his second title of the event- When the second moto came to the gate, it pretty much summed up what Team Green Extreme had planned for the GNC race. At rhe start, Team Green Extreme's Stroupe shot toward the firct turn like a cannonball, with American Suzuki's Ryan Dungey drafting off Stroupe as he exited with the first turn. Dungey was pushing Stroupe hard and, at one point, Dungey led our of the back section of the track, with Stroupe in second and Stroupe's teammate Mat Lemoine in third. The pace continued into the final lap when Stroupe pulled out the stops and made a last-ditch effon for the lead, getting around Dungey with an inside move at the exit of the split lump in section 10. ''l thought lhad the inside covered," Dungey said. "When we came over the jump I knew thatAustin was going to push the envelope and he did. lt was a great race. I had fun!" Stror-rpe stamped out his name again later in the morning in the l25cc Open, but not until after Justin Warkman grabbed the holeshot. Stroupe passed Workman in quick fashion and pulled away, leavingWorkman to battle with Ben Evans. ln the meantime, the top l0 remained tightly packed with positions changing on every lap. Lemoine worked his way up into the top five behind Yamaha's Kyle Cunningham and Team Green Extreme's Hunter Hewitt- Lemoine took second away from Evans, then Cunningham moved up a notch into third when Evans cross-rutted and dropped off the pace. 50 (4-6) STOCK SHAFE l. Ladry s.n8er (Y2m)r 2. Chandler stumiEr (Y ); l. D&iEl S,rE (Yam)r 4. Losa Johnson (Y!m):5. Bryron Taylor (Ym). 50 (4-6) STOCK L Se& Cantrell(Cob)r 2. T&ner Slak (Cob)r l. Hryd€n justi.e (Cob): a Caris Keee (Cob):s. Zay Solis (Cob) 50 (4-6) MoDIFIED: l. HaydenJurrice (cob):2. sean Cantrell {Cob)i 3. Ladry Sonter (Pol)i 4. Garson KeM. (cob)i s. r er 5Etk (cobl. 50 (7-8) SToClc l. Elake Gran (Cob); 2. Mark wortn (Cob); l. Donn), Brown (KTH)i4. BennyBlo$ (Pol); 5. l'lawell Tedder (Cob). 50 (7-8) MOOIFIEDT l. Conner l'1ir.helr (Cob)i 2. coleman Manr (cob): 3. stephen Gret hen (cob): a. Andrew SeSdia (KTle1): 5. I'lark wonh (Cob). 50 oPEN (4.9): r. Conmr ParEn (KTM): 2. BrarE Gren (Cob): l. conrer Mnchell (Cob)i4. Andlw Pierce (KrH)i 5. coleman Hanin (cob). 65 (7-9) fiocK: l. Connq Pearcn (KTH):2.Iq,lor witt (fi|'1)i 3 Oarian Robinson (KTr'l)i 4. Thomat Covingron (fir4):5. Adam C6n.iarulo (Kaw). 65 (7.9) ilODlFlED: I ldam Cia.ciarulo (Kaw)i 2. Connor PeaBon (KTM);1. D Fobns (KTr4):4.JatE 8is8le (Krm)i 5. Ta/lor witt (KTM). 65 (10-ll) sToClC l.lay Nelion (fi1',1): 2.lun,n tummers (KIM): L za.har/ Bell (Kaw)i a. Kodr Kamm (KrM): 5 loey Sahts/ (KrM). 6s (10-ll) MODIFIED: l. J6ry Nelron (KTM); ?. t ^\ 4 I I fltr BY KAI SPANN PHoros BY Sxmro Garol nnSuER zoo lF-E;l|It" ' 1 t)' t.\ Gr' t I erl'l*T ( .t h. a a a x a \ \ 4 f n Jessy Nelson wqs no shonger |o the GNC podium. A ^ -lRrt'- , , -'l ,\ j '' r'.'. t 50 APRIL5,2W6 . CYCLE NEWS l (trch t 4- 18, 2006 md Jesry Nldbom lnffi Mg eft @k Dm GNG Fh6fl \: 6r$ / $ .a Austin St oupe come owoy wilh four lillG! o, the Oqk Hill's GNC finol. I I, I ; thc Prc clorr roundr lhq firul turn during whot wq5 o very bury week of rocing.