SOuthern CALIFornia
FLAT TRACK ASSOCiation
at VICTORVILLE's
WHEEL TO WHEEL Speedway
January 5th,
2003
Winter Short Track Series Round #3
Article By Jamey Blunt
With Flat Tracks becoming an endangered species in Southern California these days, due in part to astronomical insurance cost and the rising land value, it is with great pleasure I report that the banked, cushioned, 1/8 mile oval at San Bernardino County Fairgrounds in Victorville, CA., is one great race trace! Proprietor John Eden knows how to groom a track, as any one of the 126 entrants would attest to. Unusually warm weather, with a 77o temperature reached by the 12:00noon rider's meeting/trophy presentation made this a perfect race day. What followed were three twenty minute timed practice sessions, with heat races immediately afterward.
3:45PM saw the first of 17 main events being staged, in the youth 50cc class a name to remember is Ryan Surratt. Five year old Ryan (whose father is a past champion himself) not only won the main, bet destroyed the competition, winning by over a half a lap.
The XR-100 men's class had 12 combatants staged to do battle. At the drop of the flag Kawasaki tuner extraordinar Kenny Hunter shot to the front over Bob Cobb and former national title holder (and youngest of the Wood clan) Andy Wood. Lap two had Bob Cobb testing tear firma between turns three and four, with young Wood doing a superb job of avoiding Cobb to continue in second. Cobb would re-join the race, jumping in right behind Hunter (though a lap down) remaining there till the end. Hunter picking up yet another victory, turning consistence 13 second lap times, Wood third on the track was actually second.
The Bomber class started of the most successful rider of the day's winning streak Tom Horton of Lancaster would go on to 5 victories. But this was no easy task. Joe Steffen took the led over Horton and tried to get away. Dave Johnson and Jim Ottele gave chase in third and fourth. By the half way point (four laps) Horton got a wheel under Steffen and took the lead away. All Horton had to do now was protect his line and pick up his first win.
The Vet Class (35 years and older) had Horton lead from start to finish. Richard Pollack who had mechanical troubles all day borrowed a machine to finish in second over charging Jim Ottele, who in turn was being pushed hard by Jeff Lessley.
The Vintage 250 class was the most exciting action of the day, with Craig Johnson back from last year's speedway accident showing he hasn't lost his speed taking the lead over Horton, Joe Steffen, & John Lundgren. Lap after lap Johnson lead Horton, both Bultaco's turning 12.2/10 second lap times. All the while Horton was setting up Johnson for a pass. Working high, then low, Horton mad his move on the last lap in the last corner. Johnson even lowered the next to last lap time to 12 seconds flat. But to no avail, Horton got a wheel under Johnson in turn four and won the drag race to the stripe! Steffen finished third, with Lundgren fourth.
Horton's other two victories came from the Classic, or Brakeless Class, where his spotless Montesa bested heat race winner Jeff Lessley. With his final win being in the vintage 750 Class where James Ottele and Wayne Warrington gave chase.
The Pro class had one of only two riders to ever turn lap times under 12 seconds sitting on pole, Jimmy Wood turning 11.6/10 seconds had the fastest time of the day. Maxima's Wood on the DRZ Suzuki rocketed into the lead and took off. Jim Rosa (who hadn't crashed anyone all day; except trying to take out this reporter on the infield) ran second, with Ron Wood's Elliott Iverson third, and Richard "Mule" Pollack in fourth. Ian Foulds getting a drive on his Yamaha 250 shot into third on lap two and was all over Rosa like a fly on flypaper. Lap three Bob Cobb hit the dirt, ending his day, but was up and ok! Back at the front Maxxis Tire's Jimmy Wood disappeared, leaving the only real battle on the track for second. Rosa and Foulds went at it lap after lap. Foulds who's riding, better every time we see him just couldn't get around Rosa's 450 Honda. At the checkered Wood prevailed by 5.6/10 seconds over Rosa and Foulds. Jimmy Wood thus picking up the lions share of the donated monies on the day from Bob Hill Motorsports, Southland Racing, the Flattrack Page, and Uncle Eddie Mulder.
By 5:00pm the sun setting in the west, Round 3 was
in the record books. Thanks also to Wakula Flattrack supply for a
donated tire, S&S Supply for two tires, Dennis Suter for trophies,
and Eddie Mulder LTD., and Maxxis tires for product, Cash, and discount
certificates. Hope to see you at Round 4 for sideways action!
Race # 1a Youth 50cc:
Race # 1a Youth 50cc:
1. 5s Ryan Surratt 2. 18 Logan Johnson
3. 1 Larry Smith
4. Tyler Rawson 5. 4 Andre Ochs 6. 5 Nathan
Hamlin
Race # 2aYouth 65cc:
Race # 2aYouth 65cc:
1. 13 Joey St. Louis 2. 8 Larry Smith
3. 2 Craig Johnson
4. Tyler Rawson 5. 6 Alex Filice 6. 7x
Danney Wheeler
Race # 2b Youth 85cc:
Race # 2b Youth 85cc:
1. 63 Deven Booher 2. 49 Andy Wood 3.
50 Wesley Kaimer
4. 8 Larry Smith
Race # 3a XR100 Youth:
Race # 3a XR100 Youth:
1. 9 Kevin Knudsen 2. 65 Michael Fox
3. 6 Otis Baugh
4. 8 Brent Baugh
Race # 3b XR50 Adult:
Added two new 50cc classes for
the next two SCFTA races. Geoff Arnold and Joker
Machine have stepped up
to the plates to help start
theses classes off with prizes to youth class and $300 purse to the men
class.
A. XR50 Youth Class 16 and under---Prizes
to all winners
B. XR50 Men Class 16 and Older-----$300
Purse
All bikes must be XR50 based
with auto transmissions—any questions
Call joker machine 626-334-9371
Race # 3b XR50 Adult:
1. 217 Geoff Arnold; 2. 627 Ian Foulds; 3. 2 Dan Hanebrink
4. 94 Bill Ramsey
Race # 4 XR100 Adult:
Race # 4 XR100 Adult:
1. 28 Ken Hunter; 2. 48 Andy Wood; 3. 19r Brad Rudy
4. 8 Wayne Warrington
5. 11r Scott Thurlow 6. 11 Willie Surratt
7. 46 Greg Pierce 8. Number 29
9. 21 Mike Martin 10. 91w John Larson 11. 62
Mark McMain 12. 86 Bob Cobb
Race # 5 Novice 125/250:
Race # 5 Novice 125/250:
1. 63 Devin Booher; 2. 19v Rod Halstead; 3. 42 Kurt
Spier
4. 18 Jimmie Moffatt 5. 86d Allen Gridler
Race # 6 Amature 250:
Race # 6 Amature 250:
1. 45 Ian Foulds 2. 67 Alex Wood
3. 19 Frank Aragaki 4. 49 Andy Wood
Race # 7 Bomber:
Race # 7 Bomber:
1. 55 Tom Horton 2. 6j Joe Steffen 3.
19 Dave Johnson 4. 58 James Ottele 5. 45 John Lungren
Race #8 Brakeless:
Race #8 Brakeless:
1. 55 Tom Horton 2. 12e Jeff Lessley
3. 84e Rubin Malaguarnero
4. 75z Joe Pape
Race # 9 Senior +50:
Race # 9 Senior +50:
1. 59 Richard Pollack 2. 6r Sal Peluso
3. 50v Dennis Voll
4. 44e Wayne Warrington
Race # 10 Vet +35:
Richard Pollock on Sal's Husky
Race # 10 Vet +35:
1. 55 Tom Horton 2. 19 David Johnson
3. 58 Jim Ottele
4. 12e Jeff Lessley 5. 6r Richard Pollock
6. 54 Elliott Iverson
7. 71e John Frank 8. 91w John Larson 9.
19v Rod Halstead
Race # 11 Vintage 250:
Yamaha, Bul, Bul, Kawi, Husky, and Yamaha
Race # 11 Vintage 250:
1. 55 Tom Horton 2. 4z Craig Johnson 3.
6j Joe Steffen 4. 6r Sal Peluso 5. 45e John Lungren
6. 42 Craig A. Johnson
Race # 12 Super Senior:
Race # 12 Super Senior:
1. 49 Mickey Ahzoha 2. 29r Marshall Jennings
3. 92 Doug Douglas
4. 21v Terry Martin 5. 64v Roy Burris
6. Allen Gridler
Race # 13 Open Pro:
Race # 13 Open Pro:
1. 66 Jimmy Wood 2. 88 Jimmy Rosa 3. 45
Ian Foulds 4. 59 Richard Pollock
5. 67 Alex Wood 6. Elliott Iverson 7.
6j Joe Steffen
Race # 14 Open Novice:
Race # 14 Open Novice:
1. 68 Lloyd McGregor 2. 121 Mike Mosby
3. 35e Carl Shockley 4. 45f Tom Sahli
5. 64 Dave Joplin 6. 83 Randy Oelke
Race # 15 Vintage 750:
Race # 15 Vintage 750:
1. 55 Tom Horton 2. 58 Jim Ottele 3. 44e
Wayne Warrington 4. 64v Roy Burris
Race # 16 Open Amature:
Race # 16 Open Amature:
1. 45 Ian Foulds 2. 67 Alex Wood
3. 91w John Larson 4. 27 Jeff Apple
5. 65c Kenny Malaguarero 6. 71e John Frank
7. 20z Ray Hensley
Race # 17 Knobby Class:
Race # 17 Knobby Class:
1. 65 Elliott Iverson 2. 217 Geoff Arnold
3. 9 Kevin Knudsen 4. 63 Devin Booher
5. 871 Marv Dedes 6. 3 Dan Hanebrink 7.
374 Darren Crile 8. 116 Jason Hamlin
9. 62 Mark McCain
North-South Shoot Out
North-South Shoot Out
1. 66 Jimmy Wood; 2. 67 Alex Wood; 3. 45e John
Lundgren: 4. 17v Justin Filice
