Well, boys and girls, the season is over. The dust has settled, there is no more mud on the tires and the bikes are (mostly) back in one piece before a winter rebuild. It’s time to reflect and be thankful that most of us made it through the season without a serious injury, and that while there were a few minor and one or two more serious injuries, nothing proved too serious, and thankfully nothing was fatal. In the coming weeks, I will be doing a full series recap, but for now, I still need to offer the play by play on what ended up being one of the most shocking races of the season!
Starting with the Youth classes, not many were sure how many Youth riders would turn up; Wheatley is a very far way from home, and Monday was a school day after all, but all of the usual faces were there. Jesse Grummet took another win on his TM, though he wasn’t allowed to walk away with it, as Chris Cuthbert-Castelo didn’t make the big trip just to let someone else win. Chris ended up in second place for his trouble, while Mitchell Lawson took home a solid third. There were only four competitors, with Connor Brogan rounding out the pack aboard his KTM.
The Novice A field, as usual, was packed, with local boy Brandon Tiessen took home the victory with an amazing ride, gapping second place Jacob Farber by a good margin. Series points leader, Greg Filer, made the trip, knowing that second place Mark Koens was as hungry for a championship as he was. For his trouble, Filer finished third, and received 10 points, more than enough to keep him out of Koens’ reach. Both Filer and Koens will make the move next year to the afternoon classes, taking on a new batch of bikes in the Intermediate class, filling the void left by the top two finishing Intermediates.
The Ladies class was a shocker, with local girl Renee Freeman taking on not only her class, but working her way into the Novice A class, aboard her Suzuki rocket. Amanda Hutchinson finished second, riding a solid, but somewhat distracted race, while Rachael Comisky finished third. Ainsley Farr, who suffered mechanical failure at Wilberforce that hadn’t been repaired yet, had more bad luck, crashing and injuring herself. She rode what would be a safe race, knowing that she had the championship in her pocket already.
Super Elmo Rutnik took home another victory, securing his spot as Super Vet Champ, in front of Steven Hart, an equally talented rider. Rutnik finished first in seven out of nine races, finishing second at Barrie and receiving no points at Wilberforce. Brian West, over-all third place finisher, came in second in the race, gaining 12 points to put him in front of fourth place Brian Holloway. David Filer, father of Novice A Champion Greg Filer, took home third for a fifth place finish over all.
Vet action belonged to the strong at heart. First belonged to Leon Manning; he took his first win away from dominant forces Wayne Brogan and Keith Billings, who have dominated the top spots on the podium all year. Dennis Imeson came in second, aboard his #977 Husquavarna. The final spot on the podium went to Jeff Green, of Essex, on his #992 Honda.
The afternoon classes saw a few upsets. In Vet Expert class, Tim McIntosh had his best finish of the year, taking the top spot on the podium. Don Given, the 2008 Vet Expert Champion, took the number two spot and Paul LaChance made his podium premier in third place.
Payton Gagnier of Bell River took the Intermediate win on his #153 Yamaha, ahead of Jason Griffeth of Bowmanville. Local boy, Mike King, of Leamington, took home the final spot on the podium on his #140 Yamaha. With Filer and Koens entering the class next year, Michael Jonker and Christian Birker, the juggernauts who have been battling back and forth all year for the #1 spot (Jonker took the over all), will move up into the Expert class.
Expert class was more of the same. Chad Burdford took another win, adding to his streak, winning 5 out of 9 races, coming in second once. Brandon Lawson took the second place, and Frank Cantin took the last spot on the podium. Burford, the top finisher in Expert, will move up to the Pro class next year, along with Frank Cantin.
And now we’ve reached the Pros.
Everyone knew, going in, that Jake Stapleton and Brian Wojnarowski would be first and second, but the question was who would take the #3 plate. With Stapleton absent (due most likely to a hand injury sustained at the Corduroy Enduro), stakes were higher. If Mike Vandenhoek could get those 15 points from the win, he would put himself in front of Linton for the #3 plate. Unfortunately for Linton and Vandenhoek, Aaron Wilkins was back, and the holeshot machine that he is, he took a big lead right off the start. Following Wilkins were Wojo and Vandenhoek, with Chris van Hove, local boy Brad Dixon and Linton trailing behind.
Tragedy struck Vandenhoek again; the sand was thick and took its toll on his GasGas’ air filter. Vandenhoek was forced to pull off, much to the disappointment to his crew, but also to Linton, who had been trailing behind, but fighting to get back up to Vandenhoek.
Wojo took the win, van Hove took the second and local boy, Brad Dixon, took the last spot on the podium.
For next year, this is what your Pro line up looks like:
#1 – Jake Stapleton
#2 – Brian Wojnarowski
#3 – Tyler Linton
#4 – Mike Vandenhoek
#5 – Chris van Hove
#6 – Aaron wilkins
#7 – Kevin Cockayne
#8 – Jonathan Ryan
#9 – Bryan Marshall
#10 – Mike Bond
#11 – Derek Arnold
#12 – Brad Dixon
#13 – Dustin Heacock
#14 – Darryl Forsbrey
#15 – Jeff Pillon
#16 – Tom Farr
#17 – John Head
#18 – Wayne Carrol
Chad Burford and Frank Cantin will have their choice of numbers between #19 and #79.
It was a hell of a season, ladies and gentlemen, and it looks like, for next year, it just might be an even wilder ride. So enjoy the off season, sleep in on Sundays, and know that come next May, we’ll be back to do it all over again.
Congratulations to the Champs; Jesse Grummet, Greg Filer, Ainsley Farr, Elmo Rutnik, Wayne Brogan, Don Given, Michael Jonker, Chad Burford and Jake Stapleton.
Cheers to an awesome season.
I'm having technical issues with my photo host at this time, but pictures will be up shortly. I'd like to thank everyone who has given me support this season, and all the riders who have tolerated me as their paparazzi. Stay tuned for some easter egg content, prints, calendars, posters and other goodies.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
May the Force be With You
Wilberforce, Ontario hosted the second last hare scramble of the year in the CMA series. Special thanks go out to Bruce Moffit and the Holton Off-Road Riders for setting up the 13 kilometre loop through sand, up and over hills, between trees and around a freshly groomed motocross track. The dirt in the woods was soft and loamy, great for traction, bad for durability. By the time the big boys in the afternoon came through the woods most of the dirt had been worn away, exposing rocks and roots, making for one bumpy ride.
Youth action had Jesse Grummett, a rider who has caused much controversy, finish outside the top three. Chris Culbert-Castelo took another victory home, with Mitchell Lawson sitting pretty in second place, both in the race and in the over all points chase. Zach Lewis took home his first set of points since Burnt River, with another third place finish.
A note on Grummett, regarding the controversy about his alleged course cutting: whether or not he is cutting the course, I do not know, and I will not enter into this debate. In an attempt to remain neutral on most controversies I kept my mouth shut on the Oshweeken event where Pro rider Jake Stapleton was put down a lap and had a water bottle thrown at him. I also tend to keep my mouth shut when I hear off colour comments about Pro riders and families taking up spots on gasoline alley. I’ve also refused to make comment on racers roosting and racing through gasoline alley. I draw the line at accusing a young rider of cheating with some very derogatory names. You know who you are; I’ve heard Grummett called words I could not in good conscious repeat.
I don’t know if he’s cheating, or if he’s not, either way, he does not deserve the backlash that he has received.
The many steep elevation changes caused more than one endo, but lessons were learned. Rachel Chomsky, of the Ladies’ Class, learned the hard way what pulling the front brake while going down hill will do when she sent her TTR-125 down one of the steep rock hills. She got up, though, and still managed to finish the race. Rachel finished second behind Amanda Hutchinson, who took her second first place trophy home. Points leader Ainsley Farr had a short race, when she cracked her water pump and had the pleasure of pushing her bike out and through the rough and rocky course.
Rachael keeping 'er on two wheels in another difficult, rocky section.
Novice A saw new faces up on the podium, with Glen Young of Pickering taking the victory on his KTM. Nick Barker of Aurora took second place home in front of many elated friends and family who, after an entire season of racing, were happy to see the #462 KTM up on the podium. Third place belonged to Fabio Vettorello, who has now worked his way into third over all in points, moving past Zac Bauman. In spite of less than stellar performances by points leaders Filer and Koens, they still hold the number one and number two spots, all but insuring that they’ll be moving up into the Intermediate class next year.
Steve Hart, amazing rider he is, showed that with age comes wisdom, skill and a toughness derived from years of riding. He won his first race of the year at WIlberforce, and he did it with cracked ribs! Rick Hone took home second place, inching closer to Brian Holloway, who sits currently in third. Mark Zimny, aboard the # 625 KTM, took home his first podium position, a solid third place.
The Veteran class saw another victory for Wayne Brogan, followed by a solid second place finish by Steve Young. Clinging to the podium after finally arriving in St. Thomas, Steve Tustin took home third place, making for one talented podium. Brogan, much like Rutnik, has had an all but perfect season, having come in first in every race with the exception of Barrie, where he finished third.
Who says you have to be young to go fast?
Steve Hart, cracked ribs and all, won his first race, and did it in awesome style!
In the afternoon, Don Given took home the medal in Vet Expert, squeezing Dave Nelson out of the first position and forcing him to settle for second. Paul Andratis took home third place, rounding out the podium.
The Intermediate class once again belonged to Michael Jonker, who took home his fifth first place trophy in as many races. Congratulations, Michael! We’ll be looking forward to seeing you race in the Expert class next year! Following Jonker was Jason Griffeth of Bowmanville in second place, and Steve Oomen of Palgrave making his series and podium debut in one shot.
For those of you who don’t remember, Oomen was the Novice A champ from last year. Clearly he hasn’t been sitting back this summer and has stepped up his game for the Intermediate class.
The big news comes from the Expert class, however, as points leader Chad Burford did not get on the podium! For what ever reason, he wasn’t “feeling it” and pulled off near the end to have a freezie. Chad, only you could make that sound good! That said, Burford will be moving up next year into the Pro ranks, and rumour has it the man with the wild hair will be running some very original equipment.
The pink thing is a freezie.
James MacPhail of Oakville took home the first place trophy, and the medal that went with it. Not only is this MacPhail’s first win of the season and his first podium, it is the first time he’s received points since Barrie! Congrats, James! Second place went to Brandon Lawson and third belonged to Torin Linton, who scraped by without getting lapped by older brother, Tyler Linton, Pro #7, as they both came through the barrels, third in their classes!
Congrats to the Linton Brothers!
As already stated, Brian Wojnarowski was out this round, so it was up to Mike Vandenhoek, Chris van Hove and Tyler Linton to step it up a notch and battle hard for those valuable 12 points. Mike Vandenhoek and Chris van Hove were off to an awesome start, chasing down leader Jake Stapleton and charging hard, battling for that second place finish, while Tyler Linton, who was last off the start, had to ride his way through the pack, spending the entire first lap riding in the dust and fog of the riders in front of him.
Vandenhoek ran out of luck once more, though, and was forced to pull off when he destroyed something in either his radiator, or his cooling pump. For all he tries, poor Mike just can’t catch a break. 
Tyler Linton moved into third place in the race, and in points standings, with Chris van Hove taking home second.
Jake Stapleton ran a classic race, almost lapping up to the hard battling Linton boys, which would be third place in his own class! That’s a Ricky of a ride there, if I can go so far. Congratulations, Jake. You’ve got the number one plate!
In the current Pro standings, Jake and Wojo are locked in as first and second, no one is a position to challenge either of them. Third place Tyler Linton has 60 points, Mike Vandenhoek has 57 and Chris van Hove has 42, with Kevin Cockayne in fifth with 37 points. It will all come down to Wheatly in the first weekend of October. Linton will want to hold on to that #3 plate, but Vandenhoek and van Hove won’t be willing to settle for #4 and #5 so easily.
If you’re free on Sunday, October 5, come out to Wheatly and watch to see who gets crowned as the #3 rider in the Canadian National Hare Scramble series!
In the mean time there’s the Parry Sound Grand Prix September 13 and 14, and on the 20 and 21 the Corduroy Enduro is being held.
Chris van Hove, showing us how a properly balanced diet can lead to excellent results.
If I don’t see you at the events, I’ll see you in the woods!
Photos; again, please don't steal these from me. I work hard for them, and to make you all look good. It's a labour of love, and if you steal from me, I'll hate you.
Photos
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
When the Satins Go Marching In
The St. Thomas round of the CMA National Hare Scramble was a much welcomed change from the mud of Oshweeken. While there were multiple water crossings and many small mud holes, it was still a much drier, much tackier track, and most riders were very pleased with the lay out.
The morning classes took off on a modified version of the course that cut out many of the trickier sections, including the large down hill section about after the start and the some of the water crossings.
Still, morning riders encountered tough terrain and some slick spots, especially just after the water crossings, where over anxious riders with wide open throttles chewed deep ruts into the river banks. According to more than one rider, the water wasn’t the problem, it was the muddy banks.
Jesse Grummett took yet another win aboard his TM. Caleb Bauman made it three for three with a third second place finish in as many races. Chris Culbert-Castelo managed to push his Kawasaki onto the podium.
Jeff Orr of Georgetown came out of nowhere aboard his #413 Honda to steal the win away from point’s leader Greg Filler, who took home second for his trouble. Third place belonged to Fabio Vetterollo. Though, by the way #395 Mark Koens and #384 Patrick Plante were battling, you’d think that they were challenging each other for the lead! The two bikes rode together for most of the race, trading places and plastic for the better part of the two hours.
Of the Ladies class, Ainsley Farr took another win, with Rachel Comisky taking second. The two Yamaha girls showed that smaller wheels doesn’t necessarily mean they can’t over come the water.
Keeping the Super record, Elmo Rutnik put in a spectacular run to put that #699 KTM at the top of the podium. Brian Holloway of Parry Sound made his way back to the podium after three rounds off the block. Frank Sutton, of London, made his first appearance on the podium aboard his #692 GasGas.
In Vet action, Wayne Brogan went for an even 100 points, taking his sixth first out of seven races. Steve Tustin, of Gilford, made his first podium finish aboard his Kawasaki, stealing second away from Husquavarna rider Steve Young, who took home the third place trophy.
In the afternoon riders encountered deep ruts, exposed roots and sections where the loamy earth was stripped into a single line.
Vet Expert Randy Zuest took another win aboard his #309 Husquavarna. Keeping with the brand, second place Paul Andratis, of Simcoe, Ontario, took another second, after a #2 finish at the Ant Hill. Dave Nelson managed to keep the #328 KTM on the podium, but just barely, taking home third place.
The Intermediate class saw Michael Jonker take home another first place trophy with his #127 KTM, all but guaranteeing his place in the Expert class for next season. Marcel Filion of St Catherines put his #178 Honda on the podium for the first time since Port Colborne, capturing another second place. Steven Bond finished in third, improving on his previous finishes.
Chad Burford took home another win, collecting another 15 points, earning an even 90 points so far this season. Leigh Boerkamp made another appearance, and improved on his third place finish at the Ant Hill, taking home the second place trophy. Torin Linton took home third, but is still 9 points back from Lee Hill in fourth and only 2 points ahead of Brandon Lawson in sixth.
It was another blue and orange podium in the Pro class, with Stapleton coming back from his sixth place finish in Oshweeken for another first. Brian Wojnarowski managed to put more points between himself and Mike Vandenhoek, securing his #2 plate for another year before heading off to Greece for the ISDE, finishing in a solid second place in front of Chris van Hove and his #1 KTM, who took home third. Aaron Wilkins ran another amazing first half, running in the top three for most of the first hour, before fading back to fourth.
Drama in the Pro ranks happened again, but this time it didn’t involve spectators, scorers or Jake Stapleton. In the first corner a pile up occurred when the #5 KTM belonging to Kevin Cockayne and the #7 Honda of Tyler Linton collided. Linton’s foot peg apparently punctured the KTM rad, ending Cockayne’s race day before it even started.
Will the real Mike Vandenhoek please stand up?
Again, I've made all the photos from St. Thomas available, but please respect me and my work. I walked the entire track to get these photos, walking through mud, crossing the river and up and down some steep hills, so please don't steal my photos.
http://s48.photobucket.com/albums/f218/GrayerGray/St%20Thomas/?start=all"
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Mid Week Update
I know I haven't gotten my update done yet, but it seems that the YOUTH and SUPER VET results are MISSING! If anyone has a photo of the results, feel free to send them to me at showie@mail.com, it would be much appreciated. From there, I will forward the results onto the proper people. This appeal came to me from the top, so it's not just me asking for it, it's your governing body, the CMA.
In other interesting news riders are getting ready for the ISDE in two weeks. Ontario's own Brian Wojnarowski, our Number Two man on the Yamaha packed up his WR450 over a month ago, but will leave at the end of this week to be reunited with the woods weapon. With a fresh armfull of Shift gear, two new chest protectors and a bucket of gloves, Wojo plans to work his mojo against the toughest of the tough in the world of off road riding in the E2 class for the Trophy Team. The best of luck to you, Brian! We'll all be cheering for you!
With Wojo out of the picture, this means that the next round of scramble action will be even more exciting! The number two spot is wide open, and with bad luck plauging Mike Vandenhoek, good luck on Tyler Linton's side, and Aaron Wilkin's starts that can only be described as incredible, it's going to be one Hell of a battle at Wilberforce. And if Chris van Hove chooses to make the trek, he could throw a huge wrench in Linton's plans for the #3 plate.
The update -should- be finished sometime later today, or early tomorrow. Keep checking back, as I'm going to try to have some more regular content in the future, gearing up for the last few rounds of the year. Also, look for rider, mechanic and organizer interviews in the off season! Anything that'll keep you coming back for photos, news and tips and tricks for the off road rider!
Also, photo books are in the works, people! Yessiree, photo books! Organized by race, I'm going to publish some of my best shots of the year. I don't know what it's going to cost me yet (yes, I'm publishing it by myself) so I can't give a rough cost out to anyone. Keep checking in, though, as I get more information, I'll post it.
If you have any comments, questions, ideas, as always, I'm available BEFORE and AFTER (clearly, not during) the races, and you can reach me at showie@mail.com.
Keep 'er on the trail!
- S
In other interesting news riders are getting ready for the ISDE in two weeks. Ontario's own Brian Wojnarowski, our Number Two man on the Yamaha packed up his WR450 over a month ago, but will leave at the end of this week to be reunited with the woods weapon. With a fresh armfull of Shift gear, two new chest protectors and a bucket of gloves, Wojo plans to work his mojo against the toughest of the tough in the world of off road riding in the E2 class for the Trophy Team. The best of luck to you, Brian! We'll all be cheering for you!
With Wojo out of the picture, this means that the next round of scramble action will be even more exciting! The number two spot is wide open, and with bad luck plauging Mike Vandenhoek, good luck on Tyler Linton's side, and Aaron Wilkin's starts that can only be described as incredible, it's going to be one Hell of a battle at Wilberforce. And if Chris van Hove chooses to make the trek, he could throw a huge wrench in Linton's plans for the #3 plate.
The update -should- be finished sometime later today, or early tomorrow. Keep checking back, as I'm going to try to have some more regular content in the future, gearing up for the last few rounds of the year. Also, look for rider, mechanic and organizer interviews in the off season! Anything that'll keep you coming back for photos, news and tips and tricks for the off road rider!
Also, photo books are in the works, people! Yessiree, photo books! Organized by race, I'm going to publish some of my best shots of the year. I don't know what it's going to cost me yet (yes, I'm publishing it by myself) so I can't give a rough cost out to anyone. Keep checking in, though, as I get more information, I'll post it.
If you have any comments, questions, ideas, as always, I'm available BEFORE and AFTER (clearly, not during) the races, and you can reach me at showie@mail.com.
Keep 'er on the trail!
- S
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Wojo Mojo
Brian Wojnarwoski: Mud, what mud?
The sixth round of CMA hare scramble action landed in Oshweeken this past weekend, and so did the rain. Saturday afternoon the skies opened up and the rains came down. And down. And down. The hard pack clay of the Oshweeken club trails turned into slick goo that stuck to everything. Bikes gained weight with every spin of the tires and riders had to constantly fight the traction stealing slickness both up and down steep hills.
This mud.
Conditions in the morning went from bad to worse as the rain came back for the late morning riders, soaking the Novice and Vet classes and Ladies with another 25 mm of cold precipitation. Riders on the line waited under umbrellas held by stalwart friends and family members, huddled over gloves and goggles in a desperate attempt to delay the inevitable: a slick soaking of mud. When the board went side ways and the bikes roared to life off the line the mud flew! Even two lines back riders were catching roost of the starters. The grass on the starting line straight away didn’t last long and soon became one of the snottiest, slickest sections. By the time the afternoon classes took to the line it was a mess.
For everyone who raced that disgusting, soupy, greasy, slippery, slick, muddy day, I’m putting ALL of my photos up. That's 133 photos! I can't tag everyone, mostly because unless I know you well enough to know your gear, I probably can't tell you from anyone else with all that mud on! If you see yourself, email me (showie@mail.com) and I'll set a tag in. Whether you were first, or dead last, if I have a photo of you, it’s here! Everyone who finished that race deserves to see themselves, thick and loaded down with mud.
A special congrats goes to the Novice B rider who came out of the woods in the afternoon; you came in after time, buddy, but you finished, and that’s what really matters. You didn’t pull off and you didn’t give up.
#751 Coming out of the woods after nearly three gruelling hours on the track!
Youth phenom Jesse Grummet, who has an incredible lead on second place, stayed home for the bike wrecker of a race, leaving first place wide open for anyone who was brave enough to complete the shorter morning loop. Chris Culbert-Castelo, of Port Perry, Ontario, took the victory, pushing himself into third over all for points. Number two once again went to Caleb Bauman of Flordale aboard his Kawi. Mitchell Lawson rounded out the podium with a solid third place finish. Grummet remains untouchable, however, with a giant 13-point gap on Lawson, and an impressive record of four wins in six rounds.
When the youth classes pulled off the field, letting the boys and girls of the morning classes take over, the skies decided to open up. The rain was cold, and just hard enough to be more than annoying. It also kept me, for the most part, off the track and hiding under a pit tent.
Caleb’s older brother, Zac, took the victory out of the hands of Mark Koens and Fabio Vettorello who finished third and second respectively. The slick and muddy weather, which favours the larger, stronger, stockier riders in the novice classes, played against the points leader, Greg Filler, who’s 377 KTM finished outside of the points. Koens has closed the gap on first place to ten points; if he can steal a victory this weekend in St. Thomas and Filler finishes below sixth place, we might have a new points leader for the Novice A class!
After losing a win to friend Amanda Hutchinson, Ainsley Farr came back in the mud. Surprising that little 85 pulled through, but the small bike and rider pulled through the woods for another victory. Ainsley has walked away with the championship this year, and there’s no doubt about that! Second place went to Donna Fisher aboard her Suzuki and third belonged to Rachel Comisky. Now, of the three women, only Fisher was aboard a full size bike, so again I am amazed that these machines pulled through the mud; clearly a testament to the determination of the riders.
Elmo Rutnik puts the “Super” in Super Vet, and he showed why at Oshweeken. Of all the riders who took to the track, both morning and afternoon, Rutnik would be one of the smoothest guys out there!
Elmo "Mister Smooth" Rutnik
He certainly put his years in the sport, riding in all sorts of unseemly conditions, to good use in the slop that was Oshweeken, all but securing his place as Super Vet champion. Second place went to Brian West, of Sarnia, Ontario, while Steven Hart took home third. Hart won’t be back for St. Thomas, however, as in his battle to hold on to third in the slippery conditions, he crashed and injured his ribs. We’ll be thinking about you, and wishing you a speedy recovery!
Wayne Brogan was another Vet who put his years of nasty conditions to good use in the mud; extending his points lead over second place in the Plus 40 Vet Class. Brogan took the win over Jim Clayton, second, and Steve Young, third, thus extending his points lead by an indomitable 34 points! With just three races left, and Brogan’s impressive win record, it’s unlikely that anyone will be able to catch him.
Whatcha lookin' at?
The skies were kind enough to clear up a little for the afternoon riders, but really all that served to do was add sunlight and stickiness to the mud and muck. Deep tire ruts had formed in many places, with slide marks on either side, from where riders had put their feet down to steady themselves in corners, down slick hills or just in tight straight sections! Even Jake “the Great” Stapleton was caught with his feet down!
Brian "Swampy" Marshall, showing us how it's done.
Stapleton, doing the Swampy-Slide.
Vet Expert Dave Nelson put a victory notch in his belt, something he hasn’t been able to do since Barrie back in June! Jamie Jones, known for his bright pink pants which bring back memories of the early ‘90s, was a solid second, a nice recovery from the Ant Hill where he finished just shy of the podium in fourth. Don Given, points leader on the 323 Yamaha finished just this side of the podium cut off for a third. Of all the classes, Vet Expert is the tightest points race. One point separates first and second, with Don Given ahead of Dave Nelson 65 to 64; St. Thomas will be a deciding factor. It’s my prediction that these two phenomenal riders will be battling it out to the last lap, in the last race.
Even the mud couldn't hide Jones' bright pink pants!
Michael Jonker made it three wins in a row at Oshweeken, and four wins over all, extending his lead over second in points Christian Birker. Marcel Filion took his second second place of the year, and first podium position since the first race in Port Colborne. Steven Shaw, of Uxbridge, fell back a position from his second in Moorefield, to finish off the podium in a solid third. For his part, Birker finished within the points, collecting six for his fifth place finish. He remains in second, ten points ahead of third.
Drama in the Expert class! First ranked Expert Chad Burford threw his bike down, sick of the conditions, the dangerous hills and corners. When asked later, he commented: “It’s just not fun when it’s like this.” Burford did pick his bike up, and managed to finish second, in front of Brandon Lawson, but behind Lee Hill. With his third podium of the year, and first win, Hill must have been at least a little happy with the way things turned out.
Speaking of drama, here are the Pros! Brian Wojnarowski took his first win and broke his second place curse with a phenomenal ride in the mud! Wojo made the mud look easy with a smooth style and amazing balance. Jake was running in second behind Wojo, but due to an issue with the scorers, he was penalized and put a lap down, opening the door for Tyler Linton to make his podium debut in second place! The 12 points second place got him allowed Linton to pull away from Aaron Wilkins who was threatening the #4 plate for the front of Linton’s bike. Mike Vandenhoek made another appearance in third. Stapleton is only 9 points in front of Wojo in the points chase, with Vandenhoek 21 off that, and Linton a mere 6 points away from putting a #3 on his bike.
Aaron Wilkins, with a 1/2" extention for a shock bolt, and no rear breaks, he's STILL smiling!
Even a lap down, Jake Stapleton still managed to pick up 5 points for a sixth place finish. Stapleton, ever the even tempered gentleman, shrugged the black flag, which was apparently due to not calling his number out while going through the barrels, with that polite little smile, and even walked away from a “fan” who threw a full water bottle at him after he allegedly roosted the scoring tent. Now, I wasn’t there, but from the looks of the tent, Stapleton wasn’t the only one flinging mud. Besides, it’s a mud race, roost happens. Acting like a goon and chucking a water bottle at any rider, no less a Pro, is a disgusting show of unprofessional behaviour, regardless of who did it. It’s inexcusable. And to the fans who called the would be pitcher on his actions: Thank you!
Oshweeken was a nasty race, with nasty circumstances, nasty conditions, and clearly at least one nasty spectator. With that in mind, everyone will be looking forward to St. Thomas. The weather has been good this week, and while they’re calling for thunderstorms Sunday afternoon, we all have high hopes for one race, just one race, where there’s at least a little less mud.
See you at the races! And for everyone who entered and finished the race: Congratulations! You all deserved it, regardless of the position you finished in.
Photos. Please don't copy/distribute them without permission. I go through a lot of trouble to get these photos.
http://s48.photobucket.com/albums/f218/GrayerGray/Oshweeken/
EDIT
It has been brought to my attention that Youth rider Jesse Grummett was allegedly disqualified for cheating this round; this information comes from a participant and not a CMA representative, or representative of the Steel City Riders. I say "allegedly" because I can neither confirm or deny that Grummett actually cheated. With the poor track conditions, anything is possible.
The sixth round of CMA hare scramble action landed in Oshweeken this past weekend, and so did the rain. Saturday afternoon the skies opened up and the rains came down. And down. And down. The hard pack clay of the Oshweeken club trails turned into slick goo that stuck to everything. Bikes gained weight with every spin of the tires and riders had to constantly fight the traction stealing slickness both up and down steep hills.
This mud.
Conditions in the morning went from bad to worse as the rain came back for the late morning riders, soaking the Novice and Vet classes and Ladies with another 25 mm of cold precipitation. Riders on the line waited under umbrellas held by stalwart friends and family members, huddled over gloves and goggles in a desperate attempt to delay the inevitable: a slick soaking of mud. When the board went side ways and the bikes roared to life off the line the mud flew! Even two lines back riders were catching roost of the starters. The grass on the starting line straight away didn’t last long and soon became one of the snottiest, slickest sections. By the time the afternoon classes took to the line it was a mess.
For everyone who raced that disgusting, soupy, greasy, slippery, slick, muddy day, I’m putting ALL of my photos up. That's 133 photos! I can't tag everyone, mostly because unless I know you well enough to know your gear, I probably can't tell you from anyone else with all that mud on! If you see yourself, email me (showie@mail.com) and I'll set a tag in. Whether you were first, or dead last, if I have a photo of you, it’s here! Everyone who finished that race deserves to see themselves, thick and loaded down with mud.
A special congrats goes to the Novice B rider who came out of the woods in the afternoon; you came in after time, buddy, but you finished, and that’s what really matters. You didn’t pull off and you didn’t give up.
#751 Coming out of the woods after nearly three gruelling hours on the track!
Youth phenom Jesse Grummet, who has an incredible lead on second place, stayed home for the bike wrecker of a race, leaving first place wide open for anyone who was brave enough to complete the shorter morning loop. Chris Culbert-Castelo, of Port Perry, Ontario, took the victory, pushing himself into third over all for points. Number two once again went to Caleb Bauman of Flordale aboard his Kawi. Mitchell Lawson rounded out the podium with a solid third place finish. Grummet remains untouchable, however, with a giant 13-point gap on Lawson, and an impressive record of four wins in six rounds.
When the youth classes pulled off the field, letting the boys and girls of the morning classes take over, the skies decided to open up. The rain was cold, and just hard enough to be more than annoying. It also kept me, for the most part, off the track and hiding under a pit tent.
Caleb’s older brother, Zac, took the victory out of the hands of Mark Koens and Fabio Vettorello who finished third and second respectively. The slick and muddy weather, which favours the larger, stronger, stockier riders in the novice classes, played against the points leader, Greg Filler, who’s 377 KTM finished outside of the points. Koens has closed the gap on first place to ten points; if he can steal a victory this weekend in St. Thomas and Filler finishes below sixth place, we might have a new points leader for the Novice A class!
After losing a win to friend Amanda Hutchinson, Ainsley Farr came back in the mud. Surprising that little 85 pulled through, but the small bike and rider pulled through the woods for another victory. Ainsley has walked away with the championship this year, and there’s no doubt about that! Second place went to Donna Fisher aboard her Suzuki and third belonged to Rachel Comisky. Now, of the three women, only Fisher was aboard a full size bike, so again I am amazed that these machines pulled through the mud; clearly a testament to the determination of the riders.
Elmo Rutnik puts the “Super” in Super Vet, and he showed why at Oshweeken. Of all the riders who took to the track, both morning and afternoon, Rutnik would be one of the smoothest guys out there!
Elmo "Mister Smooth" Rutnik
He certainly put his years in the sport, riding in all sorts of unseemly conditions, to good use in the slop that was Oshweeken, all but securing his place as Super Vet champion. Second place went to Brian West, of Sarnia, Ontario, while Steven Hart took home third. Hart won’t be back for St. Thomas, however, as in his battle to hold on to third in the slippery conditions, he crashed and injured his ribs. We’ll be thinking about you, and wishing you a speedy recovery!
Wayne Brogan was another Vet who put his years of nasty conditions to good use in the mud; extending his points lead over second place in the Plus 40 Vet Class. Brogan took the win over Jim Clayton, second, and Steve Young, third, thus extending his points lead by an indomitable 34 points! With just three races left, and Brogan’s impressive win record, it’s unlikely that anyone will be able to catch him.
Whatcha lookin' at?
The skies were kind enough to clear up a little for the afternoon riders, but really all that served to do was add sunlight and stickiness to the mud and muck. Deep tire ruts had formed in many places, with slide marks on either side, from where riders had put their feet down to steady themselves in corners, down slick hills or just in tight straight sections! Even Jake “the Great” Stapleton was caught with his feet down!
Brian "Swampy" Marshall, showing us how it's done.
Stapleton, doing the Swampy-Slide.
Vet Expert Dave Nelson put a victory notch in his belt, something he hasn’t been able to do since Barrie back in June! Jamie Jones, known for his bright pink pants which bring back memories of the early ‘90s, was a solid second, a nice recovery from the Ant Hill where he finished just shy of the podium in fourth. Don Given, points leader on the 323 Yamaha finished just this side of the podium cut off for a third. Of all the classes, Vet Expert is the tightest points race. One point separates first and second, with Don Given ahead of Dave Nelson 65 to 64; St. Thomas will be a deciding factor. It’s my prediction that these two phenomenal riders will be battling it out to the last lap, in the last race.
Even the mud couldn't hide Jones' bright pink pants!
Michael Jonker made it three wins in a row at Oshweeken, and four wins over all, extending his lead over second in points Christian Birker. Marcel Filion took his second second place of the year, and first podium position since the first race in Port Colborne. Steven Shaw, of Uxbridge, fell back a position from his second in Moorefield, to finish off the podium in a solid third. For his part, Birker finished within the points, collecting six for his fifth place finish. He remains in second, ten points ahead of third.
Drama in the Expert class! First ranked Expert Chad Burford threw his bike down, sick of the conditions, the dangerous hills and corners. When asked later, he commented: “It’s just not fun when it’s like this.” Burford did pick his bike up, and managed to finish second, in front of Brandon Lawson, but behind Lee Hill. With his third podium of the year, and first win, Hill must have been at least a little happy with the way things turned out.
Speaking of drama, here are the Pros! Brian Wojnarowski took his first win and broke his second place curse with a phenomenal ride in the mud! Wojo made the mud look easy with a smooth style and amazing balance. Jake was running in second behind Wojo, but due to an issue with the scorers, he was penalized and put a lap down, opening the door for Tyler Linton to make his podium debut in second place! The 12 points second place got him allowed Linton to pull away from Aaron Wilkins who was threatening the #4 plate for the front of Linton’s bike. Mike Vandenhoek made another appearance in third. Stapleton is only 9 points in front of Wojo in the points chase, with Vandenhoek 21 off that, and Linton a mere 6 points away from putting a #3 on his bike.
Aaron Wilkins, with a 1/2" extention for a shock bolt, and no rear breaks, he's STILL smiling!
Even a lap down, Jake Stapleton still managed to pick up 5 points for a sixth place finish. Stapleton, ever the even tempered gentleman, shrugged the black flag, which was apparently due to not calling his number out while going through the barrels, with that polite little smile, and even walked away from a “fan” who threw a full water bottle at him after he allegedly roosted the scoring tent. Now, I wasn’t there, but from the looks of the tent, Stapleton wasn’t the only one flinging mud. Besides, it’s a mud race, roost happens. Acting like a goon and chucking a water bottle at any rider, no less a Pro, is a disgusting show of unprofessional behaviour, regardless of who did it. It’s inexcusable. And to the fans who called the would be pitcher on his actions: Thank you!
Oshweeken was a nasty race, with nasty circumstances, nasty conditions, and clearly at least one nasty spectator. With that in mind, everyone will be looking forward to St. Thomas. The weather has been good this week, and while they’re calling for thunderstorms Sunday afternoon, we all have high hopes for one race, just one race, where there’s at least a little less mud.
See you at the races! And for everyone who entered and finished the race: Congratulations! You all deserved it, regardless of the position you finished in.
Photos. Please don't copy/distribute them without permission. I go through a lot of trouble to get these photos.
http://s48.photobucket.com/albums/f218/GrayerGray/Oshweeken/
EDIT
It has been brought to my attention that Youth rider Jesse Grummett was allegedly disqualified for cheating this round; this information comes from a participant and not a CMA representative, or representative of the Steel City Riders. I say "allegedly" because I can neither confirm or deny that Grummett actually cheated. With the poor track conditions, anything is possible.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
The Hills are Alive
With the sound of two strokes! Sorry about the late up date, but things have been a little crazy around here!
Round 5 of the CMA National Hare Scramble series was hosted in Moorefield. The Ant Hill Classic is a race many look forward to every year. It starts with the same warning: Do not go off the path! Hidden in the tall grass are hundreds of ant hills, some measuring almost three feet tall! Over the approximately three decades the race has been held, these natural obstacles have caused many an injured rider and many a mangled bike.
This year, the most notable injuries weren’t caused by the ant hills, though. Mike Vandenhoek, on the #4 Gas Gas, was taken to the hospital after pulling off after the first lap. A large throne through his hand, Mike was sent to a specialist, but will most likely be back in time for Oshweeken. The second injury happened in the morning when a Youth rider injured his leg. It seems in a tight turn his leg was caught behind the foot peg. While not broken, track side medics sent the rider to the hospital, just to be on the safe side.
“Thanks you”s should go out to the medics. We hope we never need to you use, but we are so glad to have you around!
The Ant Hill, aside from being littered with dozens of natural troubles, is the longest race of the year. Shortened from last year’s amazing 27 kilometres, the 2008 course was still a gruelling 24 km! Given the length of the track and the time it takes to complete one lap, the Ant Hill is run as a two race, rather than three race, format, with all except the Youth lining up at noon. The Pros leave first, with each class after leaving at the 2 minute mark.
Jesse Grummet continued his amazing winning streak, extending the number of wins to five, with one second place (in Barrie). In his first appearance in the series Caleb Bauman took an impressive second, with Mitchell Lawson in third. Grummet’s points lead over Lawson has grown to 33 points.
In Novice A action, Greg Filer was a no show, and Mark Koens placed just inside the top ten. David Kertsz finished in third, putting himself in third in the over all points chase. Koens and Filer hold on to second and first, respectively. Andrew Powell, of London, Ontario, took the win at the Ant Hill, and Spencer Jones, of Brantford, took second.
Amanda Hutchinson, in her first race since the Barrie round, took the win away from Ainsley Farr, but it wasn’t easy. The two riders rode together the entire way, enjoying the back and forth and camaraderie developed between the two fast females both on and off the course. Brenna Zuest, another fast female from last year, took third.
Elmo took another win in SuperVet action; that #699 KTM seems to be all but unstoppable through the woods. Rick Hone, of Pefferlaw, took second, and Steven Hart took third. These are some fast riding, hard battling riders! They surely prove that if you’ve got the heart for something, age ain’t nothing but a number. Way to go, gentlemen!
Vet rider Wayne Brogan claimed another victory aboard his KTM, proving that the #922 is a fast machine with a determined rider. Steve Young took another second place, climbing up in the points chase, while Keith Billings took third.
Vet Expert Randy Zuest took first place, with Paul Andratis, of Simcoe, taking second in his first round. Don Given took the number three spot, but remains in first in the over-all points chase. With his first at the Ant Hill, Randy Zuest managed to climb into third over all.
Michael Jonker took another victory aboard his KTM, keeping the orange #127 at the lead of the points chase. Christian Birker found himself in second once again, holding tight to that number two place in the points. In his first appearance this year Aaron Wilcox, of Grand Bend, managed to capture third on his #170 Honda.
Expert showings saw another win for Burford, with Brandon Lawson improving on his fourth in Vienna for a second at the Ant Hill. Lee Hill, Burford’s uncle, captured third to round out the podium.
And then there were the Pros.
With van Hove a no-show, and Mike Vandenhoek out with an injury, it was thought that Tyler Linton, who had placed fourth twice, to take the last podium spot behind Stapleton, in first, and Wojo, in second. Luck was not on Linton's side, however, and quick KTM rider Aaron Wilkins took the last podium position.
The next round will be in Oshweeken. Hope to see you there!
Round 5 of the CMA National Hare Scramble series was hosted in Moorefield. The Ant Hill Classic is a race many look forward to every year. It starts with the same warning: Do not go off the path! Hidden in the tall grass are hundreds of ant hills, some measuring almost three feet tall! Over the approximately three decades the race has been held, these natural obstacles have caused many an injured rider and many a mangled bike.
This year, the most notable injuries weren’t caused by the ant hills, though. Mike Vandenhoek, on the #4 Gas Gas, was taken to the hospital after pulling off after the first lap. A large throne through his hand, Mike was sent to a specialist, but will most likely be back in time for Oshweeken. The second injury happened in the morning when a Youth rider injured his leg. It seems in a tight turn his leg was caught behind the foot peg. While not broken, track side medics sent the rider to the hospital, just to be on the safe side.
“Thanks you”s should go out to the medics. We hope we never need to you use, but we are so glad to have you around!
The Ant Hill, aside from being littered with dozens of natural troubles, is the longest race of the year. Shortened from last year’s amazing 27 kilometres, the 2008 course was still a gruelling 24 km! Given the length of the track and the time it takes to complete one lap, the Ant Hill is run as a two race, rather than three race, format, with all except the Youth lining up at noon. The Pros leave first, with each class after leaving at the 2 minute mark.
Jesse Grummet continued his amazing winning streak, extending the number of wins to five, with one second place (in Barrie). In his first appearance in the series Caleb Bauman took an impressive second, with Mitchell Lawson in third. Grummet’s points lead over Lawson has grown to 33 points.
In Novice A action, Greg Filer was a no show, and Mark Koens placed just inside the top ten. David Kertsz finished in third, putting himself in third in the over all points chase. Koens and Filer hold on to second and first, respectively. Andrew Powell, of London, Ontario, took the win at the Ant Hill, and Spencer Jones, of Brantford, took second.
Amanda Hutchinson, in her first race since the Barrie round, took the win away from Ainsley Farr, but it wasn’t easy. The two riders rode together the entire way, enjoying the back and forth and camaraderie developed between the two fast females both on and off the course. Brenna Zuest, another fast female from last year, took third.
Elmo took another win in SuperVet action; that #699 KTM seems to be all but unstoppable through the woods. Rick Hone, of Pefferlaw, took second, and Steven Hart took third. These are some fast riding, hard battling riders! They surely prove that if you’ve got the heart for something, age ain’t nothing but a number. Way to go, gentlemen!
Vet rider Wayne Brogan claimed another victory aboard his KTM, proving that the #922 is a fast machine with a determined rider. Steve Young took another second place, climbing up in the points chase, while Keith Billings took third.
Vet Expert Randy Zuest took first place, with Paul Andratis, of Simcoe, taking second in his first round. Don Given took the number three spot, but remains in first in the over-all points chase. With his first at the Ant Hill, Randy Zuest managed to climb into third over all.
Michael Jonker took another victory aboard his KTM, keeping the orange #127 at the lead of the points chase. Christian Birker found himself in second once again, holding tight to that number two place in the points. In his first appearance this year Aaron Wilcox, of Grand Bend, managed to capture third on his #170 Honda.
Expert showings saw another win for Burford, with Brandon Lawson improving on his fourth in Vienna for a second at the Ant Hill. Lee Hill, Burford’s uncle, captured third to round out the podium.
And then there were the Pros.
With van Hove a no-show, and Mike Vandenhoek out with an injury, it was thought that Tyler Linton, who had placed fourth twice, to take the last podium spot behind Stapleton, in first, and Wojo, in second. Luck was not on Linton's side, however, and quick KTM rider Aaron Wilkins took the last podium position.
The next round will be in Oshweeken. Hope to see you there!
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Four to Score
Vienna HS
The fourth round of the CMA National Hare Scramble series was held in Vienna, Ontario, hosted by the Vienna Trail Riders. The event saw riders travel through thick forests, bike swallowing mud, deep ruts, soy fields and, in the afternoon, up a very steep, long, spectator lined hill. Vienna also saw the return of last year’s series winner, Chris van Hove, aboard his #1 KTM. Van Hove fought hard, but was unable to challenge the speedy Aussie, settling into second.
The morning class was more of the same. Jesse Grummett took another victory in the Youth class, followed by Mitchell Lawson. Making his season debut on the podium was Connor Brogan, of Palgrave, Ontario, aboard the #598 KTM.
Grummett’s 18 point lead over second place Mitchell Lawson means both riders will come back into the second half of the season with a fighting spirit.
Mid morning action saw the a tough battle for first in the Ladies class between series leader Ainsley Farr, and the new girl, Kate Knight aboard her RM125. The big tires and higher ground clearance gave Knight an advantage, but weren’t enough to over power Farr and her YZ 85, who took another victory. Rachel Comsky took a third in her first race of the season aboard her TTR 125.
An interesting side note: Stapleton and Farr are the only riders who have had a perfect season so far, with four victories in four races for each Yamaha rider. Ainsley Farr has all but guaranteed a series victory, collecting 60 points, and an astounding 32 point lead over Kate Knight!
Farr
Knight
Comsky
Photo unavailable.
Novice A saw new comer Jake Loube, of St. George, Ontario, take first place. Greg Filer managed a solid second place, increasing his points lead over Mark Koens, who finished outside the top three. Third place Alvin Olar, of Sault Ste. Marie. Filer’s lead over Koens has been expanded to a commanding 25 points! If Filer keeps up this consistency, he’s pretty much clinched the championship for himself.
Loube
Filer
Olar
Photo unavailable.
Elmo Rutnik took another first in Super Vet action, with Steven Hart taking second. Brian West, of Sarnia, took his first podium position, a third, in the mud and ruts of Vienna. 15 points separate Rutnik and Hart, a gap that can easily be closed if Rutnik misses a race. No doubt both men will come back after the break with more good natured competition.
Rutnik
Hart
West
Veteran Wayne Brogan increased his lead over second place by taking another win. Second place went to Steve Young, of Port Colborne, Ontario, aboard the #971 Husquavarna. Jim Clayton took third place to round out the podium. Brogan’s points lead has increased to 18 points. Billings, who has run some consistent finishes but succumbed to the mud, heat and/or ruts of Vienna, will have to come into the second half with more than consistency if he hopes to challenge Brogan for the #1 spot.
Brogan
Young
Clayton
The afternoon saw the big boys take the track and the opening of some creative lines off the start. Many spectators found their seemingly safe standing lines turn into lines through the tight turn in the front. The conventional wisdom is that Novice A is where all the crazy, out of control riders are, Vienna proved that every class, even the Pros, have wild men in their ranks!
There was a big shake up in the Vet Expert ranks as only one of the top three points leaders finished in a podium position. Jamie Jones, of Paris, Ontario, and Dwayne Soper, of London, Ontario, took first and second, respectively. Dave Nelson, #2 in points, took third place to round out the podium and close the gap between him and first in points Don Given. This means that going into the break only two points separate first and second.
Jones
Soper
D.Nelson
Michael Jonker took the win aboard his KTM, with Christian Birker taking the number two spot. Ron King took home third place. Birker and Jonker are still in first and second place, respectively, in the points standing, with less than six points separating the two. Desmond Magill remains in third in over all points, even after receiving no points for the Vienna round; he’s four points off Jonker.
Jonker
Birker
King
The Expert class saw Kevin Burley take his second victory over Chad Burford, who placed second. Leigh Boerkamp finished in third in his first appearance this year.
Burley
Burford
Boerkamp
Photo unavailable.
And then there were the Pros. Jake Stapleton walked through the course, putting down lap times that were nothing short of amazing. Throwing a wrench into Wojnarowski’s plans was Chris van Hove, who finished in fine form, taking second. Wojo pushed hard and raced to a solid third place, making it a Yamaha-KTM-Yamaha podium.
Stapleton
van Hove
Wojnarowski
Van Hove has shown that just because he missed the first three rounds does not mean he’s out of shape or that he’s gotten slow. If he chooses to race the rest of the season, he might just throw a wrench into Wojo’s plans to keep the #2 plate for next year.
Two weeks off and then it’s off to Moorefield and the Ant Hill Classic. Much like Barrie, the Moorefield round attracts many riders who tend to throw a wrench into the point plans of the top riders in each class.
As always, I’ll be in the woods, taking pictures and names. I do try to get out of the way, and I apologize if I have, or will in the future, screw someone up because I can’t get completely off the track (Vienna was particularly bad in some sections). I am trying to get to the side, though!
See you at the races, and remember, smile, you might be on camera!
And I know you took some heat for the last photo I posted of you, Ty, so here are some nice ones! Cheers!
Ty. Linton
The fourth round of the CMA National Hare Scramble series was held in Vienna, Ontario, hosted by the Vienna Trail Riders. The event saw riders travel through thick forests, bike swallowing mud, deep ruts, soy fields and, in the afternoon, up a very steep, long, spectator lined hill. Vienna also saw the return of last year’s series winner, Chris van Hove, aboard his #1 KTM. Van Hove fought hard, but was unable to challenge the speedy Aussie, settling into second.
The morning class was more of the same. Jesse Grummett took another victory in the Youth class, followed by Mitchell Lawson. Making his season debut on the podium was Connor Brogan, of Palgrave, Ontario, aboard the #598 KTM.
Grummett’s 18 point lead over second place Mitchell Lawson means both riders will come back into the second half of the season with a fighting spirit.
Mid morning action saw the a tough battle for first in the Ladies class between series leader Ainsley Farr, and the new girl, Kate Knight aboard her RM125. The big tires and higher ground clearance gave Knight an advantage, but weren’t enough to over power Farr and her YZ 85, who took another victory. Rachel Comsky took a third in her first race of the season aboard her TTR 125.
An interesting side note: Stapleton and Farr are the only riders who have had a perfect season so far, with four victories in four races for each Yamaha rider. Ainsley Farr has all but guaranteed a series victory, collecting 60 points, and an astounding 32 point lead over Kate Knight!
Farr
Knight
Comsky
Photo unavailable.
Novice A saw new comer Jake Loube, of St. George, Ontario, take first place. Greg Filer managed a solid second place, increasing his points lead over Mark Koens, who finished outside the top three. Third place Alvin Olar, of Sault Ste. Marie. Filer’s lead over Koens has been expanded to a commanding 25 points! If Filer keeps up this consistency, he’s pretty much clinched the championship for himself.
Loube
Filer
Olar
Photo unavailable.
Elmo Rutnik took another first in Super Vet action, with Steven Hart taking second. Brian West, of Sarnia, took his first podium position, a third, in the mud and ruts of Vienna. 15 points separate Rutnik and Hart, a gap that can easily be closed if Rutnik misses a race. No doubt both men will come back after the break with more good natured competition.
Rutnik
Hart
West
Veteran Wayne Brogan increased his lead over second place by taking another win. Second place went to Steve Young, of Port Colborne, Ontario, aboard the #971 Husquavarna. Jim Clayton took third place to round out the podium. Brogan’s points lead has increased to 18 points. Billings, who has run some consistent finishes but succumbed to the mud, heat and/or ruts of Vienna, will have to come into the second half with more than consistency if he hopes to challenge Brogan for the #1 spot.
Brogan
Young
Clayton
The afternoon saw the big boys take the track and the opening of some creative lines off the start. Many spectators found their seemingly safe standing lines turn into lines through the tight turn in the front. The conventional wisdom is that Novice A is where all the crazy, out of control riders are, Vienna proved that every class, even the Pros, have wild men in their ranks!
There was a big shake up in the Vet Expert ranks as only one of the top three points leaders finished in a podium position. Jamie Jones, of Paris, Ontario, and Dwayne Soper, of London, Ontario, took first and second, respectively. Dave Nelson, #2 in points, took third place to round out the podium and close the gap between him and first in points Don Given. This means that going into the break only two points separate first and second.
Jones
Soper
D.Nelson
Michael Jonker took the win aboard his KTM, with Christian Birker taking the number two spot. Ron King took home third place. Birker and Jonker are still in first and second place, respectively, in the points standing, with less than six points separating the two. Desmond Magill remains in third in over all points, even after receiving no points for the Vienna round; he’s four points off Jonker.
Jonker
Birker
King
The Expert class saw Kevin Burley take his second victory over Chad Burford, who placed second. Leigh Boerkamp finished in third in his first appearance this year.
Burley
Burford
Boerkamp
Photo unavailable.
And then there were the Pros. Jake Stapleton walked through the course, putting down lap times that were nothing short of amazing. Throwing a wrench into Wojnarowski’s plans was Chris van Hove, who finished in fine form, taking second. Wojo pushed hard and raced to a solid third place, making it a Yamaha-KTM-Yamaha podium.
Stapleton
van Hove
Wojnarowski
Van Hove has shown that just because he missed the first three rounds does not mean he’s out of shape or that he’s gotten slow. If he chooses to race the rest of the season, he might just throw a wrench into Wojo’s plans to keep the #2 plate for next year.
Two weeks off and then it’s off to Moorefield and the Ant Hill Classic. Much like Barrie, the Moorefield round attracts many riders who tend to throw a wrench into the point plans of the top riders in each class.
As always, I’ll be in the woods, taking pictures and names. I do try to get out of the way, and I apologize if I have, or will in the future, screw someone up because I can’t get completely off the track (Vienna was particularly bad in some sections). I am trying to get to the side, though!
See you at the races, and remember, smile, you might be on camera!
And I know you took some heat for the last photo I posted of you, Ty, so here are some nice ones! Cheers!
Ty. Linton
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