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Perris - November 23, 2008

Wood’s Battle, Kolkman’s War
Southern California Flat track Association Round 11
Perris Raceway, Perris, CA
November 23, 2008

Jim Wood returned from the Nationals to take the win at the final round of the Southern California Flat Track Association’s 2008 series at Perris Raceway, but it was Kayl Kolkman who went home with the championship in the Pro class.

Before the races got underway there was a salute to Cecil Oswald, long time racer and supporter of flat track racing in Southern California, recently lost to cancer. Riders, family and friends all took to the track in a lap of honor.

With only 5 pros on hand, it was more like three motos. After time trials, Jimmy Wood was on top of the list, but when the Dash for Cash ran, it was Joe Winston’s turn to lead. Wood picked the outside for the start and it was his downfall. Into turn one shoulder to shoulder, Wood was stuck on the outside while Winston hugged the pole ahead of Kayl Kolkman, Kenny Malaguarnero, Mike Avila and Jimmy Wood. Kenny Mal slipped wide heading into turn one, leaving Wood and Avila to race for third while Winston and Kolkman pulled away. Winston held off Kolkman for the win while Wood lowsided coming out of four, leaving Avila looking for a line around and Kenny Mal with a third place finish.

Joey Holt snuck into the Knobby class and took the lead in Race 1 ahead of Nicholas Brandon, Dennis Kanegae, Harly Legowski, Travis Libuse and Dan Iha. Though there were 4 classes rolled into race one, everyone was pretty even. Holt didn’t have an easy time as Novice rider Brandon was on his back fender throughout the race. Vet Knobby racer Dennis Kanegae had beginner Legowski on his tail in the race for third spot. Libuse pulled in fifth (second Novice) with Iha sixth.

While Al Steele got his patented holeshot in the Senior race, Elliott Iverson took the inside line into turn three for the lead, leaving Steele to hold of Big Jim Wood in the race for second.

Another holeshot for Smokin’ Joe Winston gave him the lead in the Vet race, hounded by Mike O’Neal, Jim Rosa and Big Jim Wood. Gary Evans, Joe Suebert, Ronald Goss and Randy Arrington made a second pack coming onto the front straight. Winston began to pull away as Rosa started to close on O’Neal for second. Evans closed on Wood in the race for fourth, as Suebert held sixth over Arrington. Evans took over fourth near the halfway mark, while Goss closed on Suebert. Wood slowed and dropped back while the race for second heated up. With a lap to go, Winston held a comfortable lead as O’Neal and Rosa followed. Going into three, O’Neal locked the rear wheel and stalled, handing the runner up spot to Rosa, Evans third, trailed by Suebert, holding off Goss for fourth, Arrington and Wood.

Classic Vintage regulars Joe Pape and Lenny Rodriguez lined up on the front row while Jeff Apple started back a few yards (in turn three) to make the race interesting. Lenny Blue and his 500 Triumph took the lead over Joe’s KR Harley (nobody really knows how big it is) with “Sparky” Apple a turn back on his Sprint. After a couple of laps Sparky closed on Joe, taking second and heading after Lenny Blue, up about five bikes ahead. The little Sprint could hold the pole while the bigger twins took a wide line, and that’s how Sparky took the lead. Lenny Blue fell in behind, picking up the pace. He wasn’t letting Sparky get away. Joe wasn’t slacking either, throwing a roost from the back tire of the big v-twin. Still, the combination of light weight, questionable displacement and toxic fuel was hard to beat, giving Sparky the win over Lenny Blue’s 500 with Joe third on the monster Harley.

The Speedway season over, a few riders were looking for a place to skid around. Pole position handed the lead to Joey Holt, ahead of Bobby Campbell and Ken Hansen. Holt pulled away, while Hansen tried to get up the inside of Campbell. Holt kept the lead for the win, Campbell held the advantage at the finish over Hansen, with Brad Moreal fourth and Bubba Vazzana fifth.

Super Senior had another shoulder to shoulder start, again proving that the shortest way around the track was on the pole as Dick Fox got the holeshot on Dave Molitor and Allan Girdler. Fox had the line figured around the track, leaving the hard work to Molitor. Fox’s TT500 had the smooth power to get off the corner well, but Molitor’s 450 Honda had the speed at the end of the straights. With the track drying it favored Fox, with Molitor spinning the tire off the corner when he needed the drive most. At the checkered flag Fox held on for the win, several bike lengths out ahead of Molitor, with Girdler third.

Open Amateurs had a good turnout and were split into A and B mains. Bill Kolkman led the first start of the A Main ahead of Mike O’Neal and Joe Suebert, but Suebert got into the back of Kolkman and went down hard. Red flag and a restart. Again, Kolkman took the lead over O’Neal, Robert Bush, Bill Wright and Gary Evans. Kolkman cruised out front, leaving O’Neal and Bush to argue over second. Six laps into the race, Bush pushed inside O’Neal for second, and both riders closed on Kolkman. With the white flag waving, the top three riders ran nose to tail, Bush and O’Neal each trying to improve their finish. At the finish Kolkman held on for the win, Bush taking second over O’ Neal, Evans fourth ahead of Wright.

In the B Main Tom Sahli led into turn one, followed by Taylor Prentice, Ronald Goss, Ray Hensley, Randy Arrington and Mark Prentice. Goss took the inside to pull into a solid second, while Hensley dropped Taylor Prentice to fourth. Sahli bobbled coming out of turn two, letting Goss pass by to lead. Sahli tried to go back inside in turn one, but Goss closed the door, forcing Sahli to take the high line. The lead pair ran side by side for the next two laps until Sahli backed off in one and two to pull up the inside coming down the back stretch. Mark Prentice pulled up on Hensley to challenge for third, taking the spot entering turn three. At the checkered flag it was Sahli pulling away for the win over Goss, Mark Prentice third, Hensley fourth and Taylor Prentice holding off Randy Arrington for fifth.

Pros came out onto a freshly watered track, running a few laps to test the track surface. Before the green light came on, Kayl Kolkman, Joe Winston, Mike Avila and Kenny Malaguarnero tried to get the jump on Jim Wood, earning them all a spot on row two, leaving Wood with a clear shot into turn one. With Wood leading off the line, Joe Winston grabbed second spot from the outside, followed by Kolkman, Avila and Kenny Mal. Going into turn one, Kolkman railed inside Winston, forcing the veteran wide with Kenny Mal following past Winston. Wood ran out front on cruise control while Kolkman tried to make up ground. At the crossed flags, Avila began to try an outside pass on Winston for fourth spot. Kolkman picked up the pace after taking second, but was only able to match Wood’s pace, hanging back about 10 bike lengths. Avila closed on Kenny Mal with Winston close in fifth.

Many thanks to all who supported the Southern California Flat Track Association races, and congratulations to the overall class champions:

Men’s Four Stroke: Dan Iha
Open Beginner: Harly Legowski
Knobby: Dennis Kanegae
Vet +35: Chris Cannon
Senior +50: Al Steele
Super Senior +60: Dave Molitor
Classic Vintage: Lenny Rodriguez
Open Amateur: Ray Hensley
Open Pro: Kayl Kolkman

Pro Time Trials:
1. Jimmy Wood     13.81
2. Michael Avila     13.88
3. Joe Winston     13.91
4. Kayl Kolkman     13.94
5. Kenny Malaguarnero 14.27

Dash: 1. Joe Winston 2. Kayl Kolkman 3. Kenny Malaguarnero 4. Mike Avila


Article and  Photos by
eli54e@hotmail.com


Race 1:
Men's 4-stroke: 1. Daniel Iha

Open Beginner: 1. Harly Legowski
Knobby: 1. Joey Holt 2. Dennis Kenegae
Open Novice: 1.Nicholas Brandon 2. Travis Libuse



Race 2:
Senior 50+: 1. Elliott Iverson 2. Al Steele 3. Jim Wood







Race 3:
Vet 35+: 1: Joe Winston 2. Jim Rosa 3. Gary Evans 4. Joe Suebert 5. Ronald Goss
6. Randy Arrington 7. Jim Wood 8. Mike O'Neal









Race 4:
Classic Vintage: 1. Jeff Apple 2. Lenny Rodriguez 3. Joe Pape




Race 5:
Speedway: 1. Joey Holt 2. Bobby Campbell 3. Ken Hansen 4. Brad Moreal 5. Bubba Vazanna







Race 6:
Super Senior: 1. Dick Fox 2. Dave Molitor 3. Allan Girdler







Race 7:
Open Amateur A Main: 1. Bill Kolkman 2. Robert Bush 3. Mike O'Neal 4. Gary Evans 5. Bill Wright




Race 8:
Open Amateur B main: 1. Tom Sahli 2. Ronald Goss 3. Mark Prentice 4. Ray Hensley 5. Taylor Prentice 6. Randy Arrington







Race 9:
Open Pro: 1: Jimmy Wood 2. Kayl Kolkman 3. Kenny Malaguarnero 4. Michael Avila 5. Joe Winston










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More enthusiasts:
www.vft.org, Dennis Suter, site devoted to vintage flat track
http://www.throttlejunkie.com/ the name kinda says it all!

 www.myvalleynews.com You may have noticed a 5 foot nuthin’ tornado wandering the pits asking questions and taking photos, that was C. J. Stewart, motorsports fan(atic), this is (one of) her publication(s).
 http://www.wcfts.com/ Gene Romero’s West Coast Flat Track Series
enjmulder@earthlink.net Eddie Mulder’s West Coast Vintage Flat Track Series
 
Practice will be on Saturdays for the month of December, December 6th and December 20th, starting at 1 PM and running to 7 PM. If you were at the last riders meeting you got to vote. More riders wished to practice on Saturdays, giving Freddie and the crew more time to prep the track, letting us run into the evenings when the track is at its best, but finishing before it gets too cold. Sundays were tough because there is an 8 AM earliest time to start the equipment at the track.

One new resident near Perris Raceway has never lived near a racetrack and is sometimes annoyed by some of the byproducts of our fun. He has been a squeeky wheel with regards to the City of Perris. It's only fair that we all squeek up as well in order to keep our track alive and healthy. A nice note to a pair of Perris officials from each of us can work wonders. Some things to mention? Many of us have been racing at Perris Raceway for a LONG time. I started racing there in the early '80s. My son and I both ride there now. We patronize local businesses for breakfast, lunch and dinner. We buy gas and parts. Our presence is good for the city of Perris.

Barry Reynolds
City of Perris
101 North D Street
Perris, CA 92570
breynolds@cityofperris.org

Rene Avila
City of Perris
101 North D Street
Perris, CA 92570
ravila@cityofperris.org

I have phone and fax numbers for them in case this message gets passed on to the digitally challenged. Email me for those if you know anyone that might be interested. eli54e@hotmail.com