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
Thursday, August 21, 2008
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
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
The Usual Suspects
Port Colborne had the log hop. Barrie had the mud pits. Burnt River had rocks. Lots of rocks.
The third round of the CMA Hare Scrambles was held on June 15 at the Burnt River Off-Road Facility. The track was gruelling, with rocks and mud and elevation changes mapped into the approximately 15 km loop. The track was defined by the tube busting, tire destroying rocks. Points leader Jake Stapleton ended up with two flats, and was saved by the kindness of strangers, who helped his father-in-law change not one, but two, tires.
The morning classes saw the usual suspects out front.
In Youth racing Jesse Grummett took another win, followed by Mitchell Lawson who finished second. Finishing off the podium was Zachary Lewis of Ponty Pool.
Late morning classes saw the #377 KTM of Greg Filer take the win, positioning himself in first place over all. New face Richard Merrifield of Sault Ste. Marie took second place. Third place finisher was the familiar #395 Machine Honda of Mark Koens. After a less than spectacular finish in Barrie, Koens managed to race to a solid third and claim second over all in points.
Filer
Marrifield
Photo unavailable.
Koens
Usual suspect Ainsley Farr took the win at Burnt River in the Ladies’ Class, twisting that YZ85 out something fierce. Kate Knight of Burlington took second place aboard her RM125 and Diane Kim Filon finished off the podium with a solid third place. Now, given that most of the ladies, Knight aside, ride what are considered “Mini Bikes” (85s, 100s, 150Rs, TTR125s) their finishes here and at the mud pit in Barrie are very impressive.
Ainsley Farr
Knight
Filon
Photo unavailable.
The Super Vets saw Elmo Rutnik continue his streak with another win. Second place was claimed by Brian Holloway, and third belong to Steven Hart. These three men are in a tight points race with less than 15 points separating first and third!
Rutnik
Holloway
Hart
Vet action saw an all Orange podium, with Wayne Brogan in first, Keith Billings in second, and Jim Clayton in third, all running about KTMs. Much like the Super Vet class, the Orange boys are in a tight race, but this time with a wider spread of points.
Brogan
Billings
Clayton
After the morning classes dried up a few of the muddier spots, and exposed a few of the nastier rocks and roots, it was time for the big boys to swing their legs over their machines and put tire to rock.
And like the morning, often this tire/rock combo resulted in flats. Pro Jake Stapleton stopped twice to change tires, with a little help from some kind strangers. You learn something new everyday, and Stapleton’s father-in-law learned how to change a tire at Burnt River.
Vet Expert saw a trade off in usual position, with Chris Donald of Thedford take the win aboard his Honda. Second place belonged to Don Given, with Paul LaChance of Waterdown in third aboard his Yamaha. The boys of the Vet Expert class are certainly showing excellent skill. All three of the top three riders have each won a round, showing that on any given Sunday any of the top riders can win.
Donald
Given
LaChance
Intermediates saw Brandon Lawson, on the #752 Yamaha, take the win, with Desmond Magill, #171 KTM, taking home second and Christian Birker, #129 Yamaha, with third.
Lawson
Magill
Birker
There was upheaval in the Expert class, with previous round winner Chad Burford pulling off due to a flat tire early in the race. This left the door open for Kevin Burley to close the points gap on second place Frank Cantin. Burley took the win, with Nick Kardos taking second and Torin Linton in third.
Burley
Kardos
Photo unavailable.
Tor. Linton
The Pro class was the same ol’ same ol’. Stapleton, Wojnarowski and Vandenhoek finished first, second and third. As said before, Stapleton was forced to stop twice for a tire change. Wojo saved himself the trouble by running tire balls, little air filled rubber balls which are placed in the tire instead of a tube. The individual balls might pop, but so long as the majority of them remain inflated, according to a consulted mechanic, handling should not be compromised too much.
Stapleton
Wojnarowski
Vandenhoek
Stapleton and Wojo must have decided that the race wasn’t long enough and pulled around for a victory lap, to the amusement and enjoyment of the crowd. It seems that every week the crowd of people who stay to watch from the morning classes grows larger and larger. Perhaps they’re hoping to see a Wojo victory.
When asked about racing with Jake, Wojo commented: “Jake doesn’t make mistakes. You have to be perfect just to stay on his rear wheel.” Well, Wojo, you might not think you’re perfect, but it’s a known fact under those Yamaha tents that Stapleton his happy to have someone of your calibre to ride with!
To everyone who raced at Burnt River, congratulations! And big thank yous go out to Connie and all the volunteers at BRORF. Everyone was impressed with how well the course was laid out, the way the race was run, and the organization. Thumbs up to everyone involved!
We’re all looking forward to the newly formulated Burt River Provincial Hare Scramble Series!
See you at the races!
Tyler Linton, no, he didn't chip his tooth, it's just dirt. He's happy that he didn't have to stop for a tire change!
The third round of the CMA Hare Scrambles was held on June 15 at the Burnt River Off-Road Facility. The track was gruelling, with rocks and mud and elevation changes mapped into the approximately 15 km loop. The track was defined by the tube busting, tire destroying rocks. Points leader Jake Stapleton ended up with two flats, and was saved by the kindness of strangers, who helped his father-in-law change not one, but two, tires.
The morning classes saw the usual suspects out front.
In Youth racing Jesse Grummett took another win, followed by Mitchell Lawson who finished second. Finishing off the podium was Zachary Lewis of Ponty Pool.
Late morning classes saw the #377 KTM of Greg Filer take the win, positioning himself in first place over all. New face Richard Merrifield of Sault Ste. Marie took second place. Third place finisher was the familiar #395 Machine Honda of Mark Koens. After a less than spectacular finish in Barrie, Koens managed to race to a solid third and claim second over all in points.
Filer
Marrifield
Photo unavailable.
Koens
Usual suspect Ainsley Farr took the win at Burnt River in the Ladies’ Class, twisting that YZ85 out something fierce. Kate Knight of Burlington took second place aboard her RM125 and Diane Kim Filon finished off the podium with a solid third place. Now, given that most of the ladies, Knight aside, ride what are considered “Mini Bikes” (85s, 100s, 150Rs, TTR125s) their finishes here and at the mud pit in Barrie are very impressive.
Ainsley Farr
Knight
Filon
Photo unavailable.
The Super Vets saw Elmo Rutnik continue his streak with another win. Second place was claimed by Brian Holloway, and third belong to Steven Hart. These three men are in a tight points race with less than 15 points separating first and third!
Rutnik
Holloway
Hart
Vet action saw an all Orange podium, with Wayne Brogan in first, Keith Billings in second, and Jim Clayton in third, all running about KTMs. Much like the Super Vet class, the Orange boys are in a tight race, but this time with a wider spread of points.
Brogan
Billings
Clayton
After the morning classes dried up a few of the muddier spots, and exposed a few of the nastier rocks and roots, it was time for the big boys to swing their legs over their machines and put tire to rock.
And like the morning, often this tire/rock combo resulted in flats. Pro Jake Stapleton stopped twice to change tires, with a little help from some kind strangers. You learn something new everyday, and Stapleton’s father-in-law learned how to change a tire at Burnt River.
Vet Expert saw a trade off in usual position, with Chris Donald of Thedford take the win aboard his Honda. Second place belonged to Don Given, with Paul LaChance of Waterdown in third aboard his Yamaha. The boys of the Vet Expert class are certainly showing excellent skill. All three of the top three riders have each won a round, showing that on any given Sunday any of the top riders can win.
Donald
Given
LaChance
Intermediates saw Brandon Lawson, on the #752 Yamaha, take the win, with Desmond Magill, #171 KTM, taking home second and Christian Birker, #129 Yamaha, with third.
Lawson
Magill
Birker
There was upheaval in the Expert class, with previous round winner Chad Burford pulling off due to a flat tire early in the race. This left the door open for Kevin Burley to close the points gap on second place Frank Cantin. Burley took the win, with Nick Kardos taking second and Torin Linton in third.
Burley
Kardos
Photo unavailable.
Tor. Linton
The Pro class was the same ol’ same ol’. Stapleton, Wojnarowski and Vandenhoek finished first, second and third. As said before, Stapleton was forced to stop twice for a tire change. Wojo saved himself the trouble by running tire balls, little air filled rubber balls which are placed in the tire instead of a tube. The individual balls might pop, but so long as the majority of them remain inflated, according to a consulted mechanic, handling should not be compromised too much.
Stapleton
Wojnarowski
Vandenhoek
Stapleton and Wojo must have decided that the race wasn’t long enough and pulled around for a victory lap, to the amusement and enjoyment of the crowd. It seems that every week the crowd of people who stay to watch from the morning classes grows larger and larger. Perhaps they’re hoping to see a Wojo victory.
When asked about racing with Jake, Wojo commented: “Jake doesn’t make mistakes. You have to be perfect just to stay on his rear wheel.” Well, Wojo, you might not think you’re perfect, but it’s a known fact under those Yamaha tents that Stapleton his happy to have someone of your calibre to ride with!
To everyone who raced at Burnt River, congratulations! And big thank yous go out to Connie and all the volunteers at BRORF. Everyone was impressed with how well the course was laid out, the way the race was run, and the organization. Thumbs up to everyone involved!
We’re all looking forward to the newly formulated Burt River Provincial Hare Scramble Series!
See you at the races!
Tyler Linton, no, he didn't chip his tooth, it's just dirt. He's happy that he didn't have to stop for a tire change!
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