REM GLEN HELEN RACE REPORT: GIANT 2014 FINALE PHOTO GALLERY

 

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Photos by Debbi Tamietti

ISDE Gold Medal winner and leader of the victorious Team USA at the Six Days in Argentina, Justin Jones slices through some loam on his way to the 450 Pro victory.

It’s over! After 40 motocross races, which started back in January, the 2014 REM motocross race series is in the books. It was a year of great racing, constantly changing track designs, boiling hot weather and freezing cold temps (anything under 70 degrees is considered cold in SoCal) and weekly wars played out between friends and enemies.

The KTM factory has a lot of faith in young Mitchell Falk for the future. Falk, fresh off of an 85, has been spending time on a KTM 125SX two-stroke to prepare himself for big bikes. Mitchell has amazing corner speed for a rider of his age. He won the 125 Intermediate Two-Stroke class, but had the speed to win the regular 250 Intermediates or 250 Pro class.

What is amazing is that there are REM motocrossers who raced every race — through sickness, injury and family pressures. In fact, REM holds a quarterly drawing for a 6D helmet — and the only riders eligible are those who haven’t missed a race in three months. The number of eligible riders at each drawing is impressive and at one drawing a 6D employee won the helmet, but gave it back so that some other rider could win it. This is down home motocross — not a motor home convention-style amateur national, no minicycle parents with 12 bikes for Junior to race, no focus on who’s got what and no four laps and a cloud of dust motos. Instead, there are long motos, great organization, transponder scoring, a different track design every month, lots of old famous guys and promoters who care —even if Frank doesn’t look very happy.

REM starts up again with its 2015 series on January 10, 2015. For more info on REM motocross go to www.remsatmx.com. Enjoy this week’s photos.

MXA’s Dan Alamangos (58) didn’t see Luther French’s fallen bike in the second moto of the Over-50 Expert class. Dan hit it wide open and was catapaulted 50 feet up the track. It was a brutal crash. Dan’s X-rays showed a broken hand and cracked vertabra. Because the race was red flagged and the scoring backed up one lap, Dan finished fourth in the moto. Dave Eropkin (811) ended the day in third overall with a 4-3.

Chris Cole (45) just moved up to the Over-50 Expert class a few races ago and has show amazing speed. Cole, won who his first-ever Expert race this weekend, even managed to hold off Over-50 Elite winner Pete Murray (7) for several laps.

Val Tamietti was second in the Over-50 Expert class with a 3-2. Tamietti had been in contention for the Glen Helen number 1 plate since early in the season, but missed the top spot at the final round.

Randel Fout (57) is still recovering from the ankle he broke back in May. His leg is getting better, but he still has to wear on oversize boot on his bad leg. Note the two different Fox logos.

Mark Hall is a motorcycle industry insider. He has worked at the White Brothers, VP Racing Fuel, MTA, 6D Helmets and Pro Circuit. Mark races every weekend and went 7-6 for sixth in the Over-50 Experts this weekend.

We are pretty sure that this isn’t how you do it, but Arnie Davis was able to cross rut himself to fourth overall in the Over-50 Expert class.

This may look wrong also, but actually this is how Aussie Chris Alamangos rides all the time. At least at this moment he still has both hands in contact with his Husqvarna TC125 two-stroke. Chris’ all-or-nothing riding style is very entertaining and was good enough for a 4-4 in the Over-40 Intermediates.

Cole Thompson (133) won the 250 Novices for the umpteenth time and will be moving up after the first of the year, meanwhile Tristan Morts (314) took the 450 Novice victory over a top five of Brandon Reid, Daniel D’Agostino, Mark Taylor and Alex Witham.

The Scandanavian Army was back in force with Norwegian Per Sturla Waernes (863) sandwiched between Swedes Anton Stahlberg (1-1) and Marcus Hansson (3-3) in the 250 Intermediate class. The first American was Tyler Murrie, from Wisconsin, in fourth.

Four-time 250 Champion Gary Jones (1971-72-73-74) has never stopped racing and 40 years after his last AMA National Championship he’s still out railing berms. Will we see Ryan Villopoto in 2054.

Kendall Stanley (251) went 5-5 in the Over-40 Intermediates to cap off what has been an up-and-down year for the Kawasaki rider. He has won some and lost some.

Pasha Afshar (L7) gets to spend a moment in front of offroad, ISDT & Baja racer Paul Krause (835). Krause raced  a 125SX two-stroke to second overall in the Over-50 Elite class and won the 125cc two-stroke Adult class. Paul’s pie plate front number looks more like a section of wallpaper from his bathroom.

The final race of the year saw the return of Mike Monaghan (14) to racing. Mike broke his wrist in a spectacular crash that also broke Bryan Friday’s femur back in May. Friday, actually returned to action two months ago, but Monaghan’s wrist took a little longer. After 7 month off of his bike, Mike won both motos of the Over-50 Intermediates.

Ignoring the dark berm on the outside Robert Pocius cuts into the drier rubble on the inside line. Pocius went 2-4 for third behind Monaghan’s 1-1 and Darren Cortines’ 3-2 in the Over-50 Intermediates.

Lonnie Paschal’s 1-6 relegated him to third overall in the Over-50 Novices behind Kenard Lipscomb’s 2-1 and Mike Hillion’s 3-4. Syd Woods (5-3) and Frank Villa (4-5) rounded out the top five.

Robbie Carpenter (132) is always a front runner in the Over-50 Intermediates, but went 10-10 in the final race of the year.

Cary Larock (65) swept both motos of the Over-40 Novice class in front of a top five of Jeff Bowles, Pete Vetrano, Ernie Becker and Gary Taylor.

Jim Latendresse won the Over-60 Expert class for the second week in a row. For some unknown reason, the Over-60 class has exploded to become on the largest class of REM — not just the largest Expert class, but the largest of all the classes.

AMG Mercedes sports car racer Ernie Becker (18) tries to sweep around Mark Hall. Or, is Mark Hall trying to get inside of Becker.

In the course of every moto, some riders are just hanging on, some are pacing themselves and some are flat out. Ron Shuler is the epitome of “Flat Out.”

Richard Smith (11) went 6-6 in the Over-40 Novice class, but he looked good doing it.

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