WCVDTS


Bakersfield

Kern County Fair
September 24th, 2011





Article & Photos by Jamey Blunt
.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
250 Open
FinishNumberRiderHometownMachine
151Casey CahoonSanta Maria, CA05 Hon 250
2595Allen SmithShandon, CA2006 honda 250
356Damon CocaWindsor, CA2008 Honda 250
407Allison StaceyRidgecrest, CA2007 250CC
5137Kayla SmithBakersfield, CA2011 Kaw 250


500 Support

500 Support
FinishNumberRiderHometownMachine
177vJason CravenMadera, CALAZER FRAME 500
270LJim LundgrenSanta Clarita, CA78 Yam 500
384jJeff GonzalesTulare, CA76 Champion Yamaha T 500
428bGary RitchieSanta Maria, CAyamaha 500
510Keaton HendricksonRiverside, CA74 Yam tt500
687Shawn CulpScottsdale, AZYamaha TT 540 540
79tDave TiceTempleton, CA1976 Yamaha TT 500


Classic 250
FinishNumberRiderHometownMachine
197Fred BergerBakersfield, CA1967 bultaco pursang 250
256Casey LessleyBakersfield, CA1967 Bultaco Pursang 250
360Clay Van DerenSnowflake, AZ1967 BSA 250



Classic 500 - 750


Classic 500 - 750
FinishNumberRiderHometownMachine
187yChris RudyBoulder Creek, CA1962 Harley Davidson 750
228dRon LessleyBakersfield, CA67 Bul 360
396aJack AlexanderBakersfield, CA1957 KR 750 750
419zJoe BrownPaso Robles, CAbsa 500
590Randy GriffithTaft, CAhon 500




Digger Open Pro












Digger Open Pro
FinishNumberRiderHometownMachine
142eKayl KolkmanVentura, CAkaw 450
269Jethro HalbertGraham, WAyam 450
310Briar BaumanSalinas, CA08 Suz rmz 450
447Mike RushGilroy, CAhon 450
571mJon NunezKing City, CA2007 Yamaha 450f
615Garrett StoutVisalia, CAhon 450
730Bronson BaumanSalinas, CA08 Hon crf 450
826vJeremy HannahMadera, CAhon 450
988bDavid BushValencia, CA05 suz 450
10151Mike DillardSalinas, CAyam 450
1128Zachery LenhofFresno, CA2008 Honda 450
1210ZxJosh ChisumBakersfield, CAhon 450
1354Steven BonseyCity, CAUnknown 450
1483yChris PodergoisClovis, CA2008 HONDA 450


Dinosaur:
FinishNumberRiderHometownMachine
117qHerb WolffYuba City, CA1950 AJS 500



Modern 250

Modern 250
FinishNumberRiderHometownMachine
112eJeff LessleyDelano, CA74 Hodaka Champ 250
242oWill OttSimi Valley, CA1973 Yamaha 250
356Casey LessleyBakersfield, CA1972 Honda XL 250 250
412oPaul OttSimi Valley, CA78 Yam 250
5180Malcolm RoeSanta Margarita, CA76 Bul Hagon 250



Modern 500

Modern 500
FinishNumberRiderHometownMachine
170LJim LundgrenSanta Clarita, CA74 Hon 350
228dRon LessleyBakersfield, CA74 Hon 350
325dSteve CraftBakersfield, CA1974 Honda 412
475Ryan GiffordBakersfield, CA74 Bul Astro 360
55Hadley MeltonBakersfield, CA74 hon 500


Modern 750

Modern 750
FinishNumberRiderHometownMachine
168Paul HermanPaso Robles, CAtriumph 750
244sRobert BushActon, CAtri 750
312xPatrick HayesSnohomish, WAyamaha 750
434dKeith BryantKingman, AZYamaha 650
512John Clayton IIILake Forest Park, WA1976 YAMAHA 750
621Andy HardanSnohomish, WA74 Yamaha 750
762Shawn CulpScottsdale, AZ74 YAMAHA 650 000


Open Amateur

Open Amateur
FinishNumberRiderHometownMachine
130Bronson BaumanSalinas, CA08 Hon crf 450
2151Mike DillardSalinas, CAyam 450
340Andrew LukerKing City, CAhon 450
44Dan BrownPaso Robles, CAyam 450
528Zachery LenhofFresno, CA2008 Honda 450
688Dillon AllenTulare, CAhon 450
748zMichael BirchfieldBakersfield, CAhon 450
856Dean CocaWindsor, CAhon dtx 450
983yChris PodergoisClovis, CA2008 HONDA 450
1051Mike LucioTulare, CAsuz 400
1 (B Main)50Alfred FlorezMarina, CA03 Hon 450
2 (B Main)92Austin WilliamsBakersfield, CA2005 HONDA 450
3 (B Main)12oPaul OttSimi Valley, CA73 Bul Champ 360
4 (B Main)79sCorey BaumanLos Angeles, CA03 Hon J&M 450
5 (B Main)99Andy WilliamsBakerdsfield, CA05 Hon 450
6 (B Main)4Kruz GriffithBakersfield, CAhon 450
7 (B Main)97Nathan HowardFresno, CA2007 Suzuki 450
8 (B Main)98Rod LakeSan Jose, CA2007 RMZ450 450



Senior Novice - Super Senior


Senior Novice - Super Senior
FinishNumberRiderHometownMachine
133uTim ThomasChandler, AZ1969 BSA Trackmaster 650
221Andy HardanSnohomish, WA74 Yamaha 750
317qHerb WolffYuba City, CA1970 Triumph EMR 750
496aJack AlexanderBakersfield, CA1974 HONDA 412
597Fred BergerBakersfield, CA1974 honda 350cc 412
652cDave CheneyNipomo, CA73 Hon XL 350
77Larry MeltonBakersfield, CA74 Hon XL 125
814tTed HubbardWrightwood, CAEddie Mulder Special 540



Senior

Senior
FinishNumberRiderHometownMachine
125dSteve CraftBakersfield, CA1974 Honda 412
212xPatrick HayesSnohomish, WAYamaha 750
390Randy GriffithTaft, CAHon 360
412John Clayton IIILake Forest Park, WA1976 YAMAHA 750
575Ryan GiffordBakersfield, CA74 Bul Astro 360
634dKeith BryantKingman, AZYamaha 650
721Andy HardanSnohomish, WA74 Yamaha 750
812eJeff LessleyDelano, CA74 Hodaka Champ 250



Vet

Vet
FinishNumberRiderHometownMachine
14Don HowardFresno, CA1988 Woods Rotax 600
256pJason CahoonSanta Maria, CA05 Hon 450
324pJames AbramsRedwood City, CAhon 450
444sRobert BushActon, CAtri 750
516eLarry EarhartPanorama City, CA03 Hon 450
610ZxJosh ChisumBakersfield, CAhon 450
777vJason CravenMadera, CAWOOD ROTAX 600
838Lloyd McgregorLakeside, AZ00 Hon 650
928bGary RitchieSanta Maria, CAyamaha 500
1051Mike LucioTulare, CAsuz 400
1 (B Main)7xKyle LessleyBakersfield, CA05 Hon 450
2 (B Main)29Gary WilliamsBakersfield, CAsuz 450
3 (B Main)79sCorey BaumanLos Angeles, CA03 Hon J&M 450
4 (B Main)92Dan DowdingBakersfield, CA02 Yam 450
5 (B Main)12Shell BordenBakersfield, CA07 Suz 450
6 (B Main)25zShane AdamsBakersfield, CA06 Hon 450
7 (B Main)505Al MachadoSan Juan Bautista, CAhon 450
8 (B Main)87Shawn CulpScottsdale, AZYamaha TT 540 540


Youth 50

Youth 50
FinishNumberRiderHometownMachine
17xGrant HolmesPorterville, CA2010 COBRA 50
225Cheyenne PeeblesBakersfield, CA07 KTM 50
3199James AlexanderBakerdsfield, CAktm 50


Youth 60

Youth 60
FinishNumberRiderHometownMachine
1601vNolan ReitzMadera, CA2008 Kawasaki 65
24Hunter StanleyTulare, CAKaw Champion 60
3715Sahaelynne SmithBakersfield, CA08 kaw 65
47xGrant HolmesPorterville, CA2010 COBRA 50 50
59Kalli KlassenBakerdsfield, CAhon 60
695Clayton WilliamsBakersfield, CA2005 KAWASAKI 65
74pDakota PeeblesSomewhere, CA04 KTM 65


Youth 80

Youth 80
FinishNumberRiderHometownMachine
151Casey CahoonSanta Maria, CA07 Hon 150
2601vNolan ReitzMadera, CA2003 Honda 85
35Colt StanleyTulare, CA08 Hon 150
495Clayton WilliamsBakersfield, CA2004 HONDA 85
54Hunter StanleyTulare, CA05 Hon 85
623Christian PayneBakerdsfield, CAxr 100
73nwAllison StaceyRidgecrest, CA2006 85CC
8422Ashley SmithBakerdsfield, CAhon 150
917Noah BushActon, CA05 Kaw 85
106Kaitlyn SartucheTulare, CA09 Hon 150
11199Juan MercadoBakersfield, CA05 Hon 80

Dash for Cash

Dash for Cash
Mikey Rush used the Southland Racing/Jim Wood Honda 450 to capture the victory
in the Eddie Swortfiguer Dash-4-Cash. The winner from each of the four Pro heat
races squared off for a $1,000 purse. Heat race winners were Kayl Kolkman, Stevie Bonsey,
Mikey Rush and Jethro Halbert. Rush a former Daytona short track national winner
put his short track expertise to good use to best the four rider field in this sprint race.
Rush was the only upset in Kayl Kolkmans perfect night of racing.



9-24-2011 Eddie Mulder's

W.C.D.T.S. Round #5

Kern County Fairgrounds

Bakersfield, California

Article & Photos by Jamey Blunt

 

For the seventh year in a row Eddie Mulder's West Coast Dirt Track Series held a short track race at the Kern County Fairgrounds in Bakersfield California. In this ever changing world; and troubled times in which we live in, epically for a motorcycle race promoter Mulder still attracts the lions share of quality sponsors. Top Sponsors Digger Helm, Rod Lake Racing, Motion Pro, K&N Filters, JRC Engineering, Penton Racing Products/PVL, Megacycle Cams, Brown's Cycles, Maxima Racing Oils, Coventry Spares, A&A Racing, Barnett, Tuffplates, Todays Cycle Coverage, Works Performance Shocks, Coors Light, and S&S Off Road Magazine make this series possible. On this night one hundred forty entries filled twenty heat races and eighteen main events on the Dustin Allen / Eddie Mulder designed oval built over three days of intense preparation inside a rodeo arena.

 

The winner from each of the four Pro heat races made up the Eddie Swortzfigeur Dash-4-Cash, starting off the nights main events. With $1,000 up for grabs Kayl Kolkman sat on pole by virtue of the fastest heat race time with Stevie Bonsey, Mikey Rush, and Jethro Halbert all lined up to Kolkman's right. Starter Fred Allen turned them lose with Kolkman leading into turn one. Rush was away in second with Halbert third and Bonsey fourth. Bonsey made a move up the inside through turn one and two on Halbert and had his front wheel taken out (when he made contact with Halbert) which caused Bonsey to go down, his race over. Kolkman would lead for two and a half laps until the entrance into turn one for the third time when Rush charged up the inside making contact with Kolkman knocking him out wide and taking over the lead on the exit from turn two. Down the back straight Kolkman made a run at Rush but couldn't get close enough to make anything happen in turn three, he then stalked Rush all the way to the checkered flag but never had an opening for a pass. Rush picked up the victory with Kolkman second, Halbert back a few bike lengths in third and Bonsey fourth with a dnf.

 

The http://www.todayscyclecoverage.com youth classes bring out some of the loudest cheers from the estimated 2,500 spectators in the huge grandstands. Young Grant Holmes topped the 50cc main in front of Cheyenne Peebles and James Alexander (who got screams every lap as he almost nailed the hay bales in every corner). Holmes was also the one who earned Digger Helm's $100 that is awarded to each of the youth class winners. In the 65cc main Nolan Reitz a newcomer to the series was fast. So fast in fact that he was almost two seconds a lap faster that second place finisher Hunter Stanley. Reitz picked up his $100 reward for the 65cc victory and looked a good bet for the 85cc final as well. But enter Casey Cahoon another new face in the W.C.D.T.S. who shot to the front and never looked back. Reitz gave it his all just to keep Cahoon in sight. For his stellar performance Cahoon also took one of Helm's $100 dollar bills. Cahoon then backed up his winning ways in another stunning ride by winning the 250cc Open main event.

 

The Motion Pro/K&N Filters Senior main event staged ten racers all over the age of fifty. Patrick Hayes led from the pole starting position only to have Steve Craft ride the hay bales around the outside of turns one and two and settle into second upon entering turn three. Ryan Gifford ran in third with John Clayton III fourth, and Randy Griffith fifth. Within a lap there was a three way battle at the front with Craft working a high line putting pressure on Hayes. On the next trip down the back straight Craft pulled alongside Hayes and took his line away entering turn three to take over the lead. While all this was going on Griffith quietly moved from fifth up to third and Jeff Lessley had moved up to fifth from a very poor start only to high side between turns three and four ending his race. This also caused Andy Hardan to lay his bike down to avoid contact with Lessley ending his race as well. At the white flag Craft had a three bike length gap at the front and Hayes had both Griffith and Clayton all over him for second, try as they might nothing in the last lap order changed which made it enter the record books with Craft first, Hayes second, Griffith third and Clayton fourth.   

 

Eighteen riders made up the A&A Racing/Maxima Racing Oils Vet class for riders over the age of thirty-five on any machine of their choosing. This field is split into an "A" and "B" main, with the fastest ten riders transferring to the "A" main. Don Howard who has shown his talent in both Dirt Track and Supermoto led the "A" main field into turn one with Lloyd McGregor second, Jason Cahoon third and Robert Bush in fourth. On lap three between turns one and two McGregor stalled his mount and was out of the race, while from a mid pack start Josh Chisum moved through to third with Jimmy Abrams glued to his backside. Up front Howard smooth as ever had a four bike length lead over Cahoon. By lap four Jason Craven moved past Bush to capture fifth and Larry Earhart was finding a rhythm back in seventh. With a lap remaining two riders went down between turns one and two (Craven & Chisum) which advanced Bush and Earhart into fourth and fifth. As the checkered flag fell Howard went wire to wire with Cahoon second, Abrams third, Bush fourth and Earhart fifth.

 

After being beat in the heat race Tim Thomas came out much more aggressive in the Penton Racing Products (PVL)/JRC Engineering Sr. Novice, Super Sr. final. Thomas left the starting line with his front wheel skyward but still managed to lead the pack through turns one and two. Andy Hardan settled in at second with Jack Alexander third, Herb Wolff fourth and Dave Cheney fifth. On the entrance to turn three for the second time Wolff was showing Alexander a wheel but couldn't make a pass stick. Wolff was persistent and on the next go round secured the third place position for good. Back up front Hardan was trying to find a way around Thomas and actually turned the fastest lap of the race at 13.28 seconds to Thomas's 14.01 seconds. But being faster and making a pass for the lead is two different things, and Thomas wasn't going to make it easy for Hardan. At this point Ted Hubbard about to go a lap down also came into the picture as the white flag came out. The two leaders went around Hubbard on different sides with Thomas choosing the better line and coming home with the victory over Hardan. Wolff was alone in third with Alexander a solid fourth, and Fred Berger taking fifth away from Cheney at the stripe.

 

In the Works Performance Shocks Classic 500/750 S.V. Chris Rudy showed up with a new 1962 Harley Davidson 750cc mount. What was different for Rudy who is a staple in this class with his show quality Harley K.R. is this bike has rear suspension, what a concept. Rudy nailed the start and led the pack through turns one and two with Bultaco mounted Ron Lessley second and Harley K.R. mounted Jack Alexander third. Away in fourth was Herb Wolff on (when is the last time you saw one of these race?) a 1950 AJS single cylinder 500cc machine. On lap three Lessley tagged Rudy's back wheel in turn one standing Lessley up and giving Rudy about three bike lengths of a gap. Rudy then turned the fastest lap of the race at 13.18 seconds attempting to get away from both Lessley and Alexander. On the last lap Lessley had caught up to Rudy and dropped Alexander, Lessley made a run at Rudy down the back straight, squared up turns three and four for a drive to the line but came up a half bike length short to finish second to a solid Rudy. Alexander came home a lonely third with Wolff fourth.

 

Brown's Cycles Modern 500 class saw Jimmy Lundgren lead from pole with Steve Craft once again pull his patented outside run through turns one and two dropping in behind Lundgren in second. Ryan Gifford, Ron Lessley, and Hadley Melton gave chase in that order. Gifford and Lessley were all over Craft's backside by lap two as Lundgren turned the fastest lap of the race at 13.37 seconds. Coming to the white flag Lessley in one big move running a high outside line went by both Gifford and Craft to leapfrog into second place. Lessley carried this drive to the checkered flag to finish second to Lundgren with Craft third and Gifford fourth.

 

The Barnett/Tuffplates Modern 750cc class had eight potent twins staged for their main event. Impressive through practice and the heat races was Robert Bush who seemed to raise a level higher for this event. On the first start Andy Hardan slid out while leading into turn one bringing out the red flag for a full re-start. This time Paul Herman launched off the line to lead and never looked back, the team of Herman and Berg proving almost unbeatable over many years is still on form. With Herman up front the race became for second between John Clayton, Bush, Patrick Hayes, and Keith Bryant. With four laps complete Clayton had mechanical issues and pulled out while Herman put in the fastest lap of the race at 13.38 seconds. At this point as well Bush was up to second with Hayes in third and Bryant fourth, which is how the field would finish.

 

Jason Craven led the Megacycle Cams/ S&S Off Road 500 Support field off the line. Jimmy Lundgren slotted in at second with Jeff Gonzales third, Gary Ritchie fourth and Keaton Hendrickson fifth. Craven would get away at the front and go on to victory by over a two second gap with the rest of the running order not having any changes through the entire race.

 

The Rod Lake Racing Open Amateur class also had "A" and "B" mains, with the fastest ten of the sixteen riders transferring to the "A" main. Bronson Bauman flew off the starting line from the first slight bit of motion from starter Fred Allen's hand to lead the field into turn one. However two riders went down between turns one and two stopping the race. Bauman repeated his feat on the full re-start to lead with Mike Dillard running second. Andrew Luker ran in third until the second lap when Chris Podergois took the position away in turn one. Dan Brown running in fifth had a big scare between turns three and four but made a miracle save to rejoin the race in seventh. Back up front Bauman was the only rider in the field to drop under the thirteen second lap time mark with his 12.96 second time. At the white flag the order had been settled and would remain the same to the finish at Bauman, Dillard, Luker, Brown, and Zach Lenhof.

 

The twenty lap Digger Helm Open Pro main event had fourteen finalist transfer through four heat races and a semi for a spot in the main. Kayl Kolkman by virtue of the fastest heat race time sat on pole. The Simi Valley Kawasaki pilot didn't disappoint as Kolkman led into turn one with Stevie Bonsey in second. Jethro Halbert from a so - so start quickly shot up to third bringing Briar Bauman with him to fourth. With two laps complete Bauman was working the pole with his inside line and passed Halbert for third while Mikey Rush was now up into fifth place position. Also on the move from a mid pack start was Jon Nunes and Garrett Stout who were running sixth and seventh. By lap five Kolkman had put in what would be the fastest lap of the race and the night at 12.01 seconds while Bauman began what would be a fourteen lap fight with Bonsey. Also by this point Rush had gotten by Halbert for fourth only to have Halbert return the move a lap later. By lap seven Bonsey and Bauman began swapping the second place position which only slowed their progress to Kolkman letting him extend his lead even further. By lap ten the half way point Kolkman was into lappers as Bonsey and Bauman had slowed each others progress into the thirteen second lap time range. With five laps remaining Kolkman hap lapped half the field and had over a three second cushion. The battle for second raged till the white flag when both Bauman and Bonsey slid out in turn two only a few feet from each other with neither making any contact with the other. Bauman was able to re-join the race quickly with only Halbert going past into second and Rush alongside Bauman for third. On the run down the back straight Bauman shot to the inside of Rush and made a hard contact pass entering turn three moving Rush out wide (Rush had little choice). As for Bonsey he couldn't get his bike started and was out on the last lap. This made the final tally Kolkman (wire to wire) Halbert, Bauman, Rush, Nunes, and Stout. Just after Kolkman's victory lap with Digger Helm aboard Kolkman had this to say. "It was a long race, I hole shot off the start and almost pitched it away going into the first corner and kinda closed my eyes a little bit. I put my head down and tried to go a few good laps and get a little gap, it seemed to work, I had a pretty good line. I want to thank Simi Valley Kawasaki, Digger Helm he really stepped up, Barnett, and Troy Lee Designs. Later in the pits Briar Bauman had this take on his incident, "I was just trying to get the fans into it, I wanted to make it interesting, so I decided to do a 180, no I came out of the corner and grabbed a hand full and it's real slick out there and was nervous and thought here comes Bonsey and just did a 180 but luckily the bike stayed running and I thought I still have a chance for third and then Mike Rush came up on me but I just got in there and was able to get third. I want to thank everybody."   





Paul Herman and Steve Berg



Dustin Allen






Jessyca Blunt & Eddie Mulder