Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

, EVENTEI Am€rican Euzuki Battl€ Ol Th€ Stat€s Thor UnitEd Stat€s M€ga SGriEs AMA South€rn AlFStars Tour SAS South€rn Spin-Off Scri€s Rounds 8/6,E: LazU Rivcr MX Ranch PHOTO 8Y GABY CRiOEB Wqlker ot lozy Sets the Poce River lY a Series l6ad6r Tanner Earhart posted a l-2 score to claim the Sold in the 50cc (7€) class, over Grayson Graham (2-3) and Alan Sparks (6- l)- For more info, see wwwsrs-r.c"-. GJI LaEY RrvER ,YlX RaNcH CHArswoRrH, GronclA REUns: APR[. 30, 2006 (RouNos 8/6/2) CHATsWORTH, GA, APR. 30 /\ large number of talented nders tumed ou! fto compete for the $3OOO cash purse, so it was no surprise to see ferocious competition in the 6ree Pro divisions at tazy River l4X. Ten- nessee s Kevin \ryalker eamed the lion's share of the purse via his four moto wins in l25cc and 250rc A racint. Transplanted Canadian D€rrick Fisher v,ion th€ Four-Stroke Pro motos- The event's official title was'American Suzuki's Battle of the States" (Georgia won over lennessee) but the racing vvas much more than thac lt was also round eight of the Thor US HeEa Series, round six of the AMA Southern All-stars MX Tour. and round t\,vo of the SAS Tour's Southern Spin-Off Series. And, with more than 600 entrants from nane states on hand for the weekend, lt was no surprile to see plenty of great racing throuShout all the classes. Fox and Oakley provided the Senerous holeshot awards. During rhe l25cc and 250cc A contests, Walker claimed just one holeshot, but he charged !o $e front each ume. nettnS perfe.t scores in both classes aboard his Yamaha/Fox/Big Gun/Liquid Performance/ Serious Racewear-backed machines. walker's speed is doubly impressive when you consider the fact that he is 36 yea6 old! (walker also won the Over 30 Expert division and is the F1ega Series points leader in allthree classes.) The f,nal 250cc A moto was one to remember. V6lker dropped his bike durinS the opening lap, getting baak under way in sixth. He soon moved into second and then closed the 8ap on race leader Fisher. Lrnder pressure, Fisher crashed into the ONF column, handing tfie win to V/alker: Kentuch/'s Shane O'Banion, Ohio's Matt Shue and Geortia s Auston Albers all rode well and each had turns on fie podium in thei. respective A classes. Champion Cyalet' Derek Rogers won both motos in the Schoolboy Two-Stroke division, ahead of Zach Alvear and Matt Bell. Rogers then squared off with Honda pilot Ty'er Horne for a close match in the l25cc B class. Rogers Srabbed the lead in moto one and won by several seconds ahead of Home. Home got the holeshot in moto ftvo while Ro8ers got away midpack. The finish was close, but Horne held the advantaSe and netted the overall, ahead of Rogers. Horne also won the Four-Stroke Amateur class. One of the hiShlithts in the Mini rank came in the 85cc (12-13) class, in which Mega Series points leader Oustin Jones of North Carolina matched wheels wifi Tenness€e's Adrian Moore. Their first-moto dice was decided ofl $e last lap. wh€n lones went by for the win. l4oto tlvo w.s another close match, with Jones holding off Moore for the moto win and a perfect score. Ohio's Steven l'lages set a blistering pac€ aboard his Pirelli/FlylFM F/U FO-backed Kawasaki and won all Iour motos in the 85cc ( l4- 15) and Supermini class€s. Multiple-clai5 winner Kevin Wolkcr (859) leods runner-up Mott Shue in Over 30 Expert rocing ol lhe Borlc Of The Stotes evenl ot Lozy River Ili.X Ronch in Chqtswodh, Georgio. lorh Mayberry (Hon). W.lN 65-105: l. Sheiby DoEEy (Suz)r 2. Li.&ay Bntt (snz); 3. o iElG spdk' {s@):4. L.ila Mullen {suz): s. Abi8iillek5 (Yaml. wrfl 8t.125: l. sh.iby RDlen {suz)r 2. Shelby Do6ey (suz)i L Nablh Clhe (suu)i 4. Stephanie Robinete (Yad) SCHBY z-STRX ( I 2- l5): L oerck Ros€6 (fi|'l)i 2. Zachary Alvd (Yn)r 3. tlaEhew Belt (Suz)i .1. steven M,s* (Kaw); 5. Jonarhzr Foske, (Hon). I a.24 CLGEY I . Rre SEn6u (&r); 2. J6fi surdett (K ); 3. Levi Lons (s!!)i a. Ky'e o&dr Guz): s. Chri' Palfrer (Suz). 25+: I K4ln Co2.dd (Su2)i 2 la(k srcokl (S{z)i I Chad ArteEo (K )i4. Ro&'eyArdeMn (Kaw)r 5. Trey Hall (Hon). 25+ E* L rutt Shue (Su1): 2. Ktu swfty (suzl l. J.-I smith (Kaw)i 4 Ch.n6 Kepling€r ll (Ym); 5. Lur/ Spdkt (suz). !0+: L Kevin Co2add (S@): 2. tefi shi€lds (Krw)i 3. Chad andeMn (Kaw)r a. J&k 8r@Is (Suz)r 5 ShM Gil6 (suz). 30+ Ex: | . Ksin w.lker (Ym)r 2. traft shue (sE); 3. Kris swey (Suz). l5+r L Tommy Martii (suz)i 2. Larrl sp.rlc 6u!)r L leffrey leks (Yam): 4. Rollie S6l€y {Suz):5 Ionr r.d.ir (Hd). 4O+: l. Tommy Mni. (s!z); 2. Dedl sim' (&w); L Corcy SaJmo (5u); ,t- Gary slmn€r {Sul)r 5. Ed@rd lonNn (Hon). 4l+: l. Chu.k P.lmer (Ym)i 2. Darell Sim, (Kaw) l. Corey Salem (5uz);{. Bill,ohm6 (Hor)r5. OavirSummB l:rn). sP,cL OPEN BE6: l. I'li.h*lTerry C/h)i 2. Ad Ter/ (Hon). S?CL OPEN AM: L Euls Coe (Yan)i 2. Owen Caner (Ym): l. Stepl's Palmer (Hon) BY GaRY Cf,TDCR STTARS/B Broth€ps Racing Southwest Senies Round 3: Grang€ Motor Circuit ls€nhower's rear wheel, allowing Pearce back by forthird. By now Ross had an eiSht-second 8+ at the front, and h was growing- lsenhow€r was all over the place and would eventual| drop back to fifth, but the damage was done: Roas won by more than l5 seconds, whh Welsh in second, Hensley pickint up his pace for a great ride to thard (on ont a 25kc bike), arld Pearce in fourd!. Tlventy-two riders staSed for the lntermediate main event. Justice Bro'r Ricky Wells (ihe AI4A U.S. Youth National Speedway Champion) launched into lhe lerd from the pole positioo. CFle Gear's Paul Lan€ eras away in second, with Tim }4cArdle third, lames I'lours fourth and Cole Cates fifth. with one lap in the record book, W€lls dr€dy had a six-bikeleh8th gap at the front, and he continued to pull away. Halfway through the third lap, t4cArdle made a move on [ene to take away s€

• Cover