James Stewart, Chad Reed, and Kevin Wyndham will not get to ride the GP track at Budds Creek until the National on Father’s Day, and they won’t be the first to do so. That honor will go to the riders in the ACR and Mid-Atlantic. And when Tyla Rattray and the rest of the Europeans come here for the MX des Nations, they will ride on dirt that has already been churned up by Jay Crandall and Mike Bolton.
Mr. Beasley spent the days leading up to our event putting the finishing touches on the recommendations made by the FIM. The track definitely had a European flair, with no double jumps, and many technical off cambers. The starting gate had been moved to the infield where it can be seen by nearly every spectator. The weather was perfect and all of our friends were there.
Friday had former National Champion, Mark Barnet holding a riding school. As has become an ACR custom of bringing in a former champion to hang out with us for the weekend, Mark follows Marty Smith, Mike Bell, Jim Pomeroy and others. There was one curious aspect about the school however. It seems that Bultaco Bill could not start his bikes and is now bringing a Yamaha to the races for back up.
Saturday featured the ACR and MA races, with the inaugural Master’s of Motocross opener thrown in for good measure. There was a great deal of hand ringing at sign up as the line continued to grow and grow. But all was well when Bob Siegle delivered my “new” 78 CR250 to the lovely Lawson pitting area. Only the nonstop running of an un-muffled generator parked next door, could mask my screams of joy. Now that my CR is too nice to ride, I will need to locate another!
Sunday had the Mid-Atlantic and other AHRMA regions pounding out laps on the naturally watered surface. There is not much to say that can describe a weekend at Budd’s when the weather is good and the Moto God’s are smiling. It just does not get better than this, in this life time.
With about 900 riders in attendance for the weekend, I will pick out a few of the more notable elements. Oh did I mention that Jack Cowen came by to visit? Jack’s presence was one of the weekend’s highlights.
In the Master’s of Motocross program, Todd Stith, on a Yamaha cleaned up in the +30 and +40 Expert classes. Todd hauls and looked like he was ready for a national. Bill Boram and Harvey Double Jump got a 7 th and 11 th respectively in the +45 class. In the +50 class, Tim Titcomb finished first, Paul Dziwanowski finished 2 nd, Jerry C and Joe Lennert DNF’d.
Cz Pete won the Pre-72 class, despite being up all night listening the generator from hell. (Note to all you who camp at the races……If you have a generator, and it is loud, turn the damned thing off at night!! ) Jerry C won the pre 70 Expert class on a CZ, while Michael Bolton won the B class. Jay Crandall drug his bleeding, broken nose, carcass across the finish line to win the pre-70C class. Later Jay was seen dragging 4 huge trophies through the pits, with blood dripping off his nose. Darrin E suggested that he get a full face helmet and Jay said that those were for underage girls!
National Champion Mark Barnett bested Tom France and Steve Ourand in the 125 A class, which was cool to watch.
The Open Age intermediates had Fred “Special” K come out ahead of a packed field. George Nebeling and Leon Turner kept him honest, but Fred rode as well as he ever has. Ed “the Crooner” Day put a 3 rd and 7 th together for 5 th overall, with Luke Loy, Glen Grahe, and Terry Banks rounding out the top 10.
In the Post Vintage +40 Expert it was all Mid-Atlantic, with Robert Siegel, Thor Lawson, and Bill Speleos, going 1, 2, and 3! Al Conte won the first moto in the pre 75, 250 class and followed that up with a DNF in moto 2. In typical PVR fashion he immediately blamed the loud generator!
The Pre-78 class had Harvey Double jump outlasting George Ackerman and Richard Fogel for the win. Anyone watching Richard come off the line, saw a starting exhibition that would have made Jeremy McGrath proud. It was later when I kept calling him late at night to get his secret, that he told me he lined up next to the starter and since JB had not built a starters box yet, actually dumped the clutch when he saw the starter breathe. Despite his usual slow reaction time he was able to beat all to the first turn. I was crushed, like last year when I found out that there was no tooth fairy.
Bill Boram showed George Ackerman that there is no substitute for cubic inches when it comes to vintage 4 strokes, as Bill was safely back in the pits while George was nursing the little Kawie around the Budds Creek uphills. In the Ultima 125 intermediate class, Luke squeezed every ounce of power from his overburdened 125, and with the help of Terry B DNF’ing the second moto, squeezed out a win.
The 125 GP class had some of the fastest laps of the day, with Vince Cannapieco finishing ahead of a flying Dave Smeal, Brian Horsey and Tom France. These guys were hauling! David Smeal however, would come back and win the 75 +40 Expert class.
Sunday brought out the AHRMA classes and a new day of racing. Practice got off early and we immediately went into the races to avoid the rain predicted for the afternoon. First off were the PV Open Age Sandbaggers with Zach Hamm finishing ahead of soon to be black striper Fred K. George Nebeling crossed the line in fourth, followed by Luke Loy, John Pagans, Michael Bolton, and Eddie Day. In the Post Vintage intermediates, Don Broxson was able to hold his bike together long enough to score a fourth, while in the Expert class Brian Horsey finished ahead of Ronnie Rollins, Thor Awesome, and William Speleos.
Neal Siegel continued his dominance of the +50 Novice class with Jay Crandall doing the honors in the +60 C class. Joe Lennert made his way up from North Carolina to win the +60 Expert class. Jerry Casciero bested Steve Tucker in the Classic 250 Expert class, while Darrin E and Dave Smeal duked it out in the 125’s. David Smeal showed up this year with a trailer load of bikes and seemed to be fast on them all. I have loaded up on protest forms for DR!
The 4 Stroke Historic Expert class saw Bill Boram finishing ahead of a rejuvenated Paul Dziwanowski, and Matt Payne besting Terry Banks in the 125 Sandbaggers.
The women’s class had Debra Lasure finishing 1 st, and coming out with the early region points lead. Deb will be CZ mounted the rest of the season.
Steve Collins managed to stay out of the mid-field pond long enough for a Vintage +40 Intermediate win.
Joe Kelly was the winner in the Sportsman 250 Expert class, with David Smeal once again taking the honors in the Sportsman 500 Expert class.
Pretty much a great time was had by all, and in the blink of an eye the party was over. Many of us will return to Budds Creek for the Motocross des Nations knowing that we were there first. In fact I can just see it now…Special K giving line advice to the French!
So for all you men, who’s wives will let you ride, we’ll be seeing you at the starting gate at Devil’s Ridge in a couple of weeks!! |
