Cornstock 100 3 hours of pure Adrenaline

Cornstock 100 3 hours of pure Adrenaline!

Sunday was "bike" day at LTM Hs series reknown Corntstock 100. It's reputation as a gruely very long race preceded it's self and only the brave needed to apply! Over the years the race has turned from a "true" 100 mile event to a 3 hour event simply because in the middle of July, many riders would start but not many would finish. No matter 3 hours, with almost a 10 mile course, nothing short of Hare Scramble bliss. Fast, you bet, it's "Casey"! Tough, well maybe not in the first lap or two, but as the course "wears" in, ruts, and those nasty little creek crossings become a royal pain. In fact ask Tyson Roth, he sat in one of those for almost an hour! He later regrouped and finished the race but it had to be a tiring experience! Bare with us on the photos, as the course had some great mud holes which covered the riders with no clue who they were! Scoring was a test with a computer set up and seemed to work pretty well.

AA class and A class was first row, rocketing off the line was Travis Schaffer(33), Lee Lankutis, and Matt Capodice would do battle most of the day. In the overall standings, the riders rolled into the first corner with 87 riders all fighting for the hole shot. Of those, 4 riders eventually finished all 10 laps. The scoring team did well, surviving 600 attempts to cover them with debris from the track. There were 3 DNF's in this event.
The first rider through the checkpoint at the end of the first lap was TRAVIS SHAFFER, rolling through with a 17:21 lap time, followed by LEE LANKUTIS. MATT CAPODICE was next through the gates, followed by DEREK TOBERMAN, who was on the gas, determined to move up a position (or two) in the next lap. The next rider through the checkpoint at the end of the first lap was NATHAN SULLIVAN, rolling through with a 18:03 lap time.
At the end of lap number 2, TRAVIS SHAFFER still had the lead, followed 0:43 later by LEE LANKUTIS.
The action on the track centered around CHRISTOPHER GIBSON, moving up from number 66 to the number 22 spot - meanwhile JOHN HENRY dropped 61 places, from number 18 to the number 79 position. MATT CAPODICE refused to sit back - it's not over until it's over - and was in third place, trailing the second place rider by 0:04. After some high speed wrestling on the track, we saw a swap in position as NATHAN SULLIVAN went from fifth place to fourth, looking to make up another 0:01 to move up one more position. Coming through in fifth, DEREK TOBERMAN wasn't even looking back - content to work on the 1:24 lead held by the fourth place rider ahead. After 3 hours there was only one leader, with TRAVIS SHAFFER controlling the field throughout the race, with an average speed of 32.44 MPH. He was flat haulin.

The 30+ A class, rolled into the first corner with 7 riders fighting for the hole shot. Of those, 3 riders eventually finished all 9 laps. The scoring team did well, surviving 54 attempts to cover them with debris from the track.
Lap one saw MARK JONES take control of the race, turning a 19:17 lap time. SCOTT KIRCHOFF was next through the gates, followed by CLINTON PHERIGO, who was on the gas, determined to move up a position (or two) in the next lap. Following on their heels were PATRICK MCCLURE and KEVIN BECKTELL separated by 0:01.
Still on the gas, MARK JONES remained in the lead during lap 2 staying ahead of SCOTT KIRCHOFF who was trailing by 0:07. Pushing to gain another spot was, CLINTON PHERIGO finishing lap 2 in third place - behind by 1:10. BRAD POWERS was giving it everything on the course - and it was paying off - moving from sixth to fourth place, trailing by 1:40. Wow - we have us a race - our fifth place rider, (PATRICK MCCLURE) has stopped messing around and is clearly moving on the fourth place rider - behind by 0:37.
Lap 3 brought us a new leader - SCOTT KIRCHOFF - turning it up a notch, taking the lead from MARK JONES. Trailing by only 0:09, MARK JONES was riding hard, watching as things came unglued behind - but that's their problem .... thinking "my job" is to whittle away at the lead and move up a notch to claim the first place spot. CLINTON PHERIGO kept a cool head and staked a claim on third place, but with a 1:33 disadvantage. Although consistent with the game plan - it was time for BRAD POWERS to make a move since a fourth place finish wasn't going to snag that 1st place trophy. PATRICK MCCLURE kept a cool head and staked a claim on fifth place, but with a 2:34 disadvantage. In the end it was a great race with 2 different leaders, but it was SCOTT KIRCHOFF taking the win, able to hold off MARK JONES, proving to be a just a bit stronger, and a bit faster - with an average speed of 28.86 MPH.

In the 40+ A class, ROBERT KIRCHNER wasted no time setting the pace on the first lap - turning a 19:45 lap time. Hot on the heels of the leaders were KENNETH OTTERBACH and JOHN HENRY, both looking good, and looking to make up time on the leaders. The race was young - there were still plenty of opportunities for either of them to take the win. Coming in number 4 was KEN MATWAY, on the gas, but a little off the pace - now trailing by 2:12. At the end of lap number 7, ROBERT KIRCHNER still had the lead, followed 4:02 later by KENNETH OTTERBACH. It looks like JOHN HENRY may be taking the number 3 spot to the bank - trailing the second place rider by 2:41. KEN MATWAY wasn't ready to toss in the towell and came through the checkpoint in fourth place - with 13:15 separating the number 4 spot and the third place rider.

Famous on Thumper Talk, Thad Crispin (337) demolished this berm that would make a MX rider blush, his smoker KTM was on the gas. Josh Rhodes won the class but Thad rode hard to keep it close and took home 2nd place.

The 201-OPEN C class, rolled into the first corner with 17 riders fighting for the hole shot. Of those, 4 riders eventually finished all 9 laps. The scoring team did well, surviving 99 attempts to cover them with debris from the track. There was one DNF in this event.

Lap one saw KYLEER VANCE take control of the race, turning a 20:06 lap time, followed by GABE SHAFER riding 1:27 behind the leader in the number 2 spot. The next rider through the checkpoint at the end of the first lap was SPENCER BURKE, rolling through with a 22:09 lap time. Hot on the heels of the leaders were STEVEN PERKINS and TIMOTHY HEATH, both looking good, and looking to make up time on the leaders. The race was young - there were still plenty of opportunities for either of them to take the win.

The third place position belonged to SPENCER BURKE, doing some killer riding, but still behind by 4:58. In fourth, STEVEN PERKINS knew the throttle had to stay open if there was any chance of eliminating that 4:45 disadvantage. STEVEN DANIELS was giving it everything to capture fourth place, but this lap ended ended still holding onto fifth place, trailing by 10:13.

KYLEER VANCE was still in the lead at the end of lap 9 with the rest of the pack picking the track debris from their goggles and chest protectors. SPENCER BURKE owned second place, but with a 6:07 disadvantage. CHRISTOPHER GIBSON kept a cool head and staked a claim on the number three spot, buth with a 2:12 disadvantage. STEVEN PERKINS was having an incredible ride, running a strong fourth, only 5:59 off the pace of the third place rider. KYLEER VANCE was still in the lead at the end of lap 7 riding well, doing his best, but with a smaller lead than on the previous lap.

In the end it was a good race, yet there was only one leader, with KYLEER VANCE (846) controlling the field throughout the race, with an average speed of 28.58 MPH.

The 85cc class roared off the line with 15 hungry young guns ready to hammer the longer course and time for this race. 1.5 hours is nothing for these kids as they all showed that playing hard and racing hard is all the same game. Lap one saw DEREK RICE (305) take control of the race, turning a 11:57 lap time. Following on their heels were CASEY NOBLITT and COLE KIRCHOFF separated by 0:18. Hot on the heels of the leaders were BLAKE RINSCH and DONNIE HELTERBRAND, both looking good, and looking to make up time on the leaders. The race was young - there were still plenty of opportunities for either of them to take the win.
The largest swings in rider position on this lap centered around GRANT BODMER, moving up from number 12 to the number 11 spot - meanwhile MATTHEW BELL dropped 12 places from number 11 to number 12. Riding in third place, DONNIE HELTERBRAND was like the little engine that could .... looking at the second place rider, taking it one corner at a time to reduce that 0:08 disadvantage. Meanwhile BLAKE RINSCH held onto fourth place. CLAY SULLIVAN turned up the throttle, and came through the checkpoint in fifth place.
We lost 2 riders by the time we'd reached the end of lap 6, with 13 completing lap number 6.
Still on the gas, DEREK RICE remained in the lead during lap 6 staying ahead of DONNIE HELTERBRAND who was trailing by 0:52.
The movers on this lap were DONNIE HELTERBRAND, heavy on the throttle able to move up 1 places from number 3 to number 2 - meanwhile COLE KIRCHOFF fell off the pace and dropped from number 2 to the number 3 position. Lap 6 had COLE KIRCHOFF blistering the track, in third place - behind by 0:18. BLAKE RINSCH owned fourth place, behind by 1:30. Meanwhile CLAY SULLIVAN held onto fifth place. We watched as two riders made the largest gains (and losses) on this lap - with DRAKE LINEBACK, moving up from number 6 to the number 5 spot - meanwhile CLAY SULLIVAN dropped 6 places from number 5 to number 6. Coming through the checkpoint in third, COLE KIRCHOFF was thinking - "Step aside folks, I'm on a roll." At that point there was only 0:47 separation between the number 3 spot and the second place rider. We'll need to watch this one close .... our fourth place rider, (BLAKE RINSCH) had furrowed brows, and was clearly stalking the third place rider - behind by 1:59. DRAKE LINEBACK was already feeling the length of the race, but blew through the chutes in the number five spot - looking for that second wind.

In the end it was a good race, yet there was only one leader, with DEREK RICE controlling the field throughout the race, with an average speed of 21.31 MPH.

All in all this wasn't the most technical race ever, it surely wasn't the absolute "toughest" race either. It was fast, it was grueling simply because anytime you race for 3 hours, in 90 degree heat a rider will start looking for the checkers long before they are do. The creek crossings bit a few riders, but the cool water wasn't so bad, the mud holes out back that smelled funny, well lets just say it's Hare Scrambles and they made a certain tool called a power washer for a reason. To get all that LTM sand out of the chain! Don't forget the next HS races and special weekend at LTM, labor day weekend with it's own history and fun time it will be a blast!