Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

aEVENTEI Lor€tta Lunn's Amat€un National ArEa Oualifi€n Nonthw€st and SouthwEst PHOTO BY VICKTWOSICK Hon€U tak€ Motocross Park I Hill Tops the Loke MILFORD, CA, MAY 6.7 nver the last f've vears. Larrv and Lrse \Jwosick have, bv fa', stepped,p tte game when it comes to motocross tracks around the United States. Lassen County's Honey Lake Motocross Park has established itself as one of the most eminent {acililies in the country How- ever, when it comes to hosting a national-cal- iber rrce, they raise the bar yet one more level. Wi.h what is now beinS hailed as the premier round of the AMA/Air Nautiques Loretta Lynn's Amateur Nationals qualifyinS schedule, Honey Lake played host to 1220 qualifiers. lt was a star-studded event, with the likes of leff Emig and Jeff Ward an attendance. For the younger generation of up-and-coming motocross srars, Supercross and Freestyle enthusiasr Tyler Evans was on hand as a rookie to the Park s old-school layout. The rider du jour was Josh Hill, makinS the lonS haul from Southern California. Along wilh some of the best amateur riders in the United States, Hill lined up for the l25cc A Pro-Spon Stock class, hopin8 for a spot in the coveted finale that takes place at the Tennessee ranch of country-music legend Loretta Lynn. when the gates dropped for moto one, the riders were neck and neck, vying for the holeshor, whrch wenr ro Honda rider Devrn Sullivan. Unfortunatel). for Sullivan, this would be his only opponuniEy to have the entire field behind him, as Hill took the early lead by means of a tiSht inside pass around Clubhou.e Corner, taking Suliivan sli8htly by surprise. As the riders headed up MX395, Hill opened up what would be an almost five- second lead by the completion of lap one. Sulliv"an was left to ward off Carols Gonzalas. Kevin Rookstool and Ryan Beat. Sullivan and conzales battled back and forth. Sullivan gaining speed and momentum on the off- camber section and finall), cruising over the finish line to secure second, behind Hill. Gonzales, Rookstool and Keefe were third, founh and fi{th, r€spectively. l.loto two's holeshot went to Hill, as his first-moto finish granted him an outside gate pick, and his strate8/ was ro be at the front of the race ri8ht oll the bat. Hill had Sullivan Nnd ao a88relsive Gonzales riSht on his back fende( rhe dree mere feet apart around Clubhouse Corner and Lhen up l'1X395. Hill surged ahead as the riders made rheir way down the downhill, ridinB without error, and he complet€d moto two once again at the front of the pack. As Sulliran made a wide turn down the Honey Lake moguls, Gonzales sneaked past him and sailed over the finish-line iump a split- second ahead ofa somewhat surprased Sullivan- Hill ( l- l) took the class crown. Gonzales (3-2) was second overrll- Sull "n (2-3), Rookstool(44) and Ryan Beat (6-5) rounded out the top five. The weekend set an attendance record for a Loretta Lynn's area qualifler, and the ReSional scheduled for later in the month is much anticipated. Larry and Lise Wosick have been workinS with grert sponsors such a5 Fox RacinS, Scott USA. Pro Circuit. American Suzuki. and John Asgua8a's Nu88et Hotel and Casino, as well as the local community, to buiid a wodd-class facility. Everyone left happy and healthy! Cl{ :; The 6(kc Slotk closs sloges for lheir mo,lo dl the big Lor€llo Nctiionol Areo Gluqlifier dt Honoy take trtotcross Pork in Mi Lynn's Amqteur l{ord, Colifornio. Ho EY LAxr, oro(noss PanK ,rtEoRD, CauroRNra RrsuLIs! llaY 6-7, 2OO5 t1alterpooli !- Colby Rahaj a. Z..h.ry Conhanri 5 Bd'doh OriE6. 65 rnoo O-l r) (NW): l.l6yNekoni 2, Cnns Alldrcdge; 3.1*. Mohnike: 4. Blake tillr 5. Coltry F!h.. 65 irOD (7-ll) (Sw)r llesyNelson I Chnr Alklrqdgei l. Hunte. EvaBoni ,1. Colbt i.h!; 5. Conner Htchell. 85 MOD O-ll) (NW): r.Jessy N€Esr2. Austj. Politellr;3, Colby 8ahai,l. Bady KsEl:5. HichaEll.ae. I5 Hoo (7-l l) (SW): l- Jery Nelro.; 2. Corb) tuha: l. Hufrer Evdon: 4. Ddio Hrriman: S. Aunin Heft- Bi HoD (12-13) (NYv). l- chrir Plourei 2. Aaron Simino6:3. sr-dd B6dyi ,t, David Meder 5. Dyle Lae a5 HoD (12-ll) (sw)r L Lrndon Currier:2. David r'1ead6: I Alsrin Ull.i(h: 4. l-evii H.ll: 5- EEreft Holcomb. a5 Hoo (l+15) (Nw)r L ab. Sjobe.gr 2. l'lkha€r Lelb: 3. Ky'. Eitle: 4. Oylan Schmoke: 5. zact P.ddi€. 85 MOD (ra-lt) (s\iv} L Gred Steink.j 2. ach Psdliei 3. oyr.n &hmoke: ,1. Nath& Teel: 5. Myles Tedder 105 s/HlNl ( 12- t D (r.ff). L 'ry's Siobersi 2. Oean wlefl l. BEnd6 Eaayi 4. l",lknael Isb;s. Ky'e Ersl!. 105 S/HINI (12-15) (sw), l. L.ndon Corier; 2.8.ando. B.ady: 3. Ev.rett Hol.omb: l. Vh@t \.acdelli: 5. Drvid Okon. 125 HOD ( 12-15) (NW): L Ben Uma/: 1. Tom.ry w...k I t'lichal Hall:4. Hunter Hewitt: 5. Taylor Bittn.r t25 MOD (12'15) (sw} L TomEv w*k; 2 l'li.hael H.ll l. T.y'or Bismli 4. Jake AEtetti 5. Ty'er sio6ers. 125 AfRo-SPT (sw): t. DEvin Sullivanr 2. Kevin Rookttooli 3. Jarrod Erowre;,1, Tyle.vosj 5. llan:T€dder 125 s HoD(Nw): L Tye Han6: 2. Aron Ha er; 1 Beh L.may; 4. Sean Bdlshagen;5. D.nielHendnx. 125 C MOD (Nt9: l. Rtky Rin&roi 2. dy Rolsl: I Rf.n Ttei56: t. Bhndon oPEN sUP 50 (NMA): l. Conner Hi!.hellr 2 le$e PHOTO BY DAVE HOENIG/FLAITHA( FOTOS Return of o Chompion! /\ cAsru Roc(. wA, MAY l3 -he 2m5 Cisde Rock din-rrack season roared to life whh the I return of Washington's own Smokin .loe" KoPp. The ra(e track underwent a complete remod€ling 2 l/2 years ago and now features a great quarter-mile o\ral, in addidon ao an entirev n6w TT course, which is very similar to the oriSinal track from the 1 960s and 7Os. Kopp had n€ver ridden the new tracks, and he decided this would be a tood tune-up fo. the AMA Grand National events to b€ held here Au8ust l2- 13. At the start of the 450cc Pro main, Sam Halbert shot into the lead, while Kopp vras stuck in traffic. Halb€n set a torrid pace and tried to break away, but Kopp got clear of traffi. and made up Sround in a hurry. At the checkers, the photo finish went to Halben, with Kopp no more than half a bikelen$h behind! Ajter havint a discusslm with hE longtirne tuner Denq/ Lopp, Kopp €lected to slvitch bikea before de Opeo Pro rnain 3nd had to staft from the third row. Halbert once qtain bliEed th€ start, lvidr Ky'e Ragsdale slottint into second. The lo(al Pro6 have a lol more l+s on these n€\,y track fian Kopp does, and it sho\./ed, as KoPP had to work had to get up to rhird by dle end of the race. Halb€n remained undefeated, and Ragsdale finished a solid second. when it comes to 25tkc f,at-track racint in the Northwest. there are two names that really stand out Brad Baker and.J.D. Beach. When these two are on the track together, they realt put on a show! The 250cc Four-Stroke main saw Baker leadint, with Beach in his shadow. lYickey Fay.,r. ran a solid $ird. Baker held the lead all th€ ,,vay, with Beach in second and the ever- improving Fay ifl third. Baker again went to the front in the 25(kc DTX main and, despite Beach's best etrorts, Baker won it. Eeach was second and Jake Burton was a solid third. ln Over 30 action, wily veteran Hatt Schweitzer iumped into th€ lead, ahead ot lohn "Showtime" Bredlleld, with Haflk "The C.ank" Miller in third. Schweitzer is known for being very smooth and consistent; Showtime is knolyn for beinE the exaat opposite. ln the €nd, smooth won out over kamikaze, as Schweitzer breezed to the win. gredfield survrved in second, wirh Miller finishinE third. The Evolution class ofrers a wide v-.riety of machines. Two- strokes, four-strokes, racint frames and stock frames all comp€te, and it was Kenan Dunaan in front when it counted, ahead of Drummond Evans and Garry Boller. To reserve your National tickets, call 54 I /3 I 8-0493. GJl Joe Kopp rcrurncd to Co5ile Ro.k Roce Pqrk os the new dirt.trotk seoron got under wqy, CasrrE RocK RlcE PanK Casru RocK, W^sHrxcroa.r REsurrs: ,vlaY 13, 2(X)6 50 (4-8): l. srandon s

• Cover