By Merle Acord

The

only thing worse than playing and losing is not too play at all. An old adage but a true one for the three hundred plus riders that crowded onto the Galesburg club grounds in quest of one of the twenty-eight plus coveted resume enhancing championships up for grabs at the AMA District 17 Illinois State Championships. Even so, just to ride a championship event is to win no matter where you finish.

“It’s not a totally natural terrain track, but it’s close,” said D17 Motocross Director Gerhard Ward of the Galesburg Motorcycle Club’s MX track. “It’s getting back to the way motocross tracks are supposed to be.”

”Wasn’t always a natural track at Galesburg,” said Roy Canier a club official, “We wanted a safe track that was fun to ride, so we took out a bunch of whoops, switchbacks and added some sweeper-curves.”

No rain for a month at Galesburg and nothing in sight. Track prep included roto-tilling. Great track prepping … if it doesn’t rain. Mother nature as only mother is allowed to do, dropped an inch of rain during the middle of the week before the championships, waited a day and let loose with another half inch. The roto-tilled track sucked it up like a sponge. Made for a wet Saturday, and a wet practice Sunday, but the two championship motos were great. There were wet spots, dry spots, ruts all the terrain changes that make a motocross fun and a bitch to ride. Depending on how many times you fall down.

“If I don’t win it I’ll be right there,” said James Abbot, veteran at 35 riding in the plus A classes. “They took out a lot of the jumps and switch-backs and it’s a fast track but I’m gon'na get her done on a 250 two-stroke Yamaha.” James won the 30A class.

Jon Six 125A and 250A said, “I was here yesterday but didn’t ride. It was really muddy. Track looks great today, a little tacky and it’ll be one line, but it’s super fast and that’s okay, I like fast tracks.”

Joe Maneo chief cook (chef) for a whole group of riders that includes Jon Six, Cameron Lansing, Adam Tarara and many more who’s main diet consisted of a burger with fries, has introduced them to Chicken vesuvo (sip), Shrimp cocktail (Adam Tarara’s favorite) Italian Beef, Italian subs. “We serve the shrimp for Adam, since his Dad donated the grill, said a smiling Maneo.

Nate Frees from Solon, Iowa went 1-1 in the quad A class and said, “Galesburg has a great track and usually you don’t find them this good. I like fast tracks like this one and also the ones where you get big air. The main thing is that we are racing." Jesse C. Barnes from Mt Pleasant, Iowa was second with Kevin Pocrnich out of Effingham, Illinois third.

“He’s tough to get around once he’s out front,” said Quad C winner Brian McGlothlin from Springfield, Illinois after rubbing the paint off the rear plastic for a couple of laps on second place winner Troy Binder of Lovington, Illinois quad. The problem was solved when Troy didn’t protect the inside line on a big sweeper after the finish line and Brian took the sliver of light, made the pass and carried it to the checkers for a big win.

Zachary Loehr from Decatur, Illinois turned 1-1 finishes for his championship win and said, “This will be my last year in the 50 seniors. I would like to thank my family and Kincaid at Cobra.” Keeze Carver and Bryce Ivey rounded out the top three.

“High speed and rough, that’s the way I like it,” said 30B winner Mark Crain of Hudson, Illinois. “This is my last race as a B next week I’m going A.”

“The track is good,” said second overall 30B Champ Keir Sexton. “The first moto was a little too tacky, and I struggled a bit. But I like it fast and wide open.”

Shawn Stiles from the Galva, Illinois brick yards card a 5-3 and finished third overall. “This was true racing. Everyone was running hard and making few mistakes. Some of the sections were smooth but a couple got pretty rough. I would like to thank my wife and kids for putting up with me and my brother-in-law for sponsoring me.”

“This is the hardest I’ve ridden for a second place in a long time,” said Motocross Director Gerhard Ward at the end of the second moto in the +45 class. “Galesburg did a real good job. They had some rain that made it a little tough yesterday, but they sure came around today. They are doing a good job of getting the motos off. It’ll be a long day with 23 classes but they’ll get the job done.”

“I got the overall,” said Jacob Kelsey from Davis, Illinois riding a KTM and carding 1-2 moto finishes.

Tyler Baylis of Somonauk, Illinois finished fourth in the first moto and first in moto two said, “I like tracks that are more technical. It seems these fast track depend too much on your motor and not how well you can ride.” Steven Page with 3-4 was third overall.

“I hated to see them redo the track,” said class champion Scott Heininer of Washington, riding a Yamaha in the vintage class. “The first moto was great, it was real tacky. Kind of dried out a little now, but still okay.”

Mike Valiente second place champ in the vintage class said, “The track came around real good in the second moto after being a little muddy in moto one.”

“A little high speed, but not scary fast,” said third overall vintage rider Steve Medcalf from Hampshire, Illinois. “It’s a good track, you can take the high side in the corners and really stick up there. There’s lots of ruts in the long straight outback but one main one, the fast one and you pretty much have to ride it. I didn’t have any problems other than not cutting to the middle so I could get by Mike on the last lap. I get a little help from J&J Sports and lots of help from the wife.”

KTM’s, Kody Kamm from Kenosha, Wisconsin, had nothing but aces on his card with a four-moto sweep in the 65cc and 85cc junior classes.

“This track is a lot of fun to ride,” said second overall 85cc junior KTM rider Quentin Jones. “I would rather have a few more corners and jumps, but I had a lot of fun. I would like to thank Mom and Dad.”

“I got a good start in the second moto and did everything I could to catch those two but I couldn’t,” said third place 85cc junior champ Durk Roper from Winnebago, Illinois. “I would like to thank Mom and Dad.”

”This is my first time here and I really like this track, and we’ll be back, but as an A rider,” said double 125C moto winner Brant Hanshaw up on a Honda out of Decatur, Illinois. “I would like to thank World of Power Sports and my Dad.”

“Once you get used to the ruts and high speed it’s fun,” said second 125C overall Joe Geekie of Kankakee, Illinois. “I liked it.”

Lane McCaw had no problems with the double gate drop running in the 250C’s with the 125C’s and picked up a pair of moto wins for his Championship trophy. “When the ruts get deep and the track gets hard pack, that’s when I go the fastest,” said McCaw.” You got to keep the throttle pinned.”

It took a couple of laps but there wasn’t any doubt, barring a tornado or some other unlikely catastrophe that Ryan Poulter from Prophetstown, Illinois would have anything but aces today. No one told Ryan that the track was rough, so he rode it smooth, skimming the ruts, carving the corners and topping off the day with a heel-clicker over the doubles in front of scoring tower. In a brief interview after the 125A second moto Ryan said, “I made a lot of mistakes and messed up in a few spots. We’ve got some fast guys coming up and I welcome them, but it won’t change my racing any. I would like to thank Junior Jackson, he’s been working with me a lot, One Industries, Weisco and all those guys.”

“I would start to catch up with Ryan,” said Jon Six who carded an impressive 2-2 moto finishes for his championship second place finish in the 125A class. “Then I would mess up and he would pull away. I like this fast track and my new Kawasaki is working well. I would like to thank my Dad and Riders Choice Dunlop and anything else I forgot.”

“Next year I’m going to a Suzuki 250F in the 125A class and a 450 in the 250 class. I was going everyplace out there today trying to get a fast line and it didn’t make that much difference they were pulling my two stroke all over,” said third place Kawasaki’s winning rider Cameron Lansing from McHenry, Illinois. “This is not really a good two-stroke track, it just sucks up all the power, and I’m a guy that likes the jumps. I just turned A and riding eight laps today really beat me up… that is a long time to ride. I would like to thank Power Buddy Tools, Seymour Paints, SF Performance, Scott Goggles, EVF and Hammertime Sports.”

“I liked the track even though high speed tracks are not my favorite,” said 125B Champ Patrick Boyle. “I like the switchbacks and the jumps. But I had a good day, especially in the first moto when it was a little muddy. I would like to thank Junior Jackson, Concept Haulers and Riders Choice.”

Blake Young second overall in the 125B class said, “The first moto went well. I was in second place until I made a big mistake in the back section where Ted Rogers got around me, but I felt good and took a third in moto one. The second moto, I got a second place start behind Boyle and was able to hold off a charging Rodgers the whole moto. It felt great to beat the District point’s leader Rogers at the biggest race of the year. I would like to thank Mom, Dad and my girlfriend Abby (that would be really cool to mention my girlfriend, she would have a cow), also RTD Motorsports, TREAD Racing, EVS, and Alloy.

“It was a little rough but I like the fast tracks. They are easier for me,” said the size 2 Brianna Mahon who took two moto wins in the Women’s class for her championship standing. “Sometimes the hairpins can be a problem. I would like to thank Pro Action, MSR,

Patrick Boyle turned in a 1-1 performance in the Schoolboy class for the championship honors and said, “The track is getting better as the day wears on and it gets drier. I would like to thank Pro Source, FMF, DR2, Biopic and Concept Hauler”.

“It got hotter this moto but that’s the way I’ve been training,” said Drew Yenerich from New Lenox, Illinois riding a Suzuki and winning third overall with 4-2 finishes in the Schoolboy class. “I love fast tracks, that’s what I grew up riding. This is my first race back on a 125 since my injury and I’m pretty proud of myself. I would like to thank Kevin from Concept Haulers, Answers, Pro Source, KSA, and Factory Connection

“In the first race I had a pretty good hole shot and passed to second right away and finished second. In moto two I had a horrible hole shot and had to come back to finish third and that’s not too bad,” said Adam Tarara of Rockford, Illinois and second overall in the Schoolboy class. “I would like to thank Tuf Racing, Smith Goggles and Mom and Dad.”

Loren Cook former National Amateur #1 still has the skills and desire to win championship events and carded 1-1 finishes for overall in the +50 class and said. “I had a good hole shot got out front and stayed there and was lucky not to have any big problems that would have knocked me out of the race. I love these natural tracks the’re not all jump, jump, jump. I would like to thank Brenda Gene at Torque Center, and Rider’s Choice.”

“It was fabulous,” said second overall +50 rider Steve Medcalf. “I don’t see how we could have had a better day for racing.” Don Hachmeister from Rockford, Illinois rode a steady 3-3 and filled out the top three.

Double class winner +40 and +45 Dennis Vitteatoe said. “I’m giving these guys in the +40 class about six years, I’ll be 46 in a couple of weeks. I also won the +45 class. I went up against Gerhard Ward for the first time this season. I don’t know if it was such a good idea to beat the motocross director. Actually the big difference was the second gate drop. We ran into some traffic and I got lucky with the passing. I would like to thank Iowa City Motor Sports, Mohl Ag Service, and Jansen Farms.”

Rick Grebner second overall in the +40 with a pair of deuces for finishes, “It makes me smile that I was able to get the hole shot with this 250 KTM when most of the guys were riding 450’s of some kind. It’s that old world craftsmanship that gives the KTM all that power. I would like to thank RTR Cycles in Washington, Illinois and Spy.”

“Actually I haven’t been riding out doors much,” said Ryan Poulter who made winning the 250A class look easy after dropping the hammer on the high speed starting chute. A hundred yard drag down a gentle slope into a hard right-hand muddy corner and on to the high speed straight,- outback after a few jumps and a left hand sweeper. “Junior (Jackson) helped me pick some of the good lines and I was able to put in some good laps. I would like to thank Mom and Dad of course and Junior for giving me the good motors and suspension.”

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