REM GLEN HELEN RACE REPORT: ANOTHER PLEASANT SUMMER DAY
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Photos by Debbi Tamietti & Dan Alamangos
Sean Collier may be the two-time Two-Stroke World Champion, but he isn’t half bad on a 450 four-stroke. The 2015 Two-Stroke Championship will be held on April 4. Photo: Dan Alamangos
REM promoter Frank Thomason designs new layouts every month and this week was a major change from the month before. The track went the opposite direction and had lots of offcamber turns (and even some offcamber straights). It was tight and twisty, but had plenty of elevation change.
Justin Hoeft won the 250 Pro class, but in the process beat every 450 Pro. Photo: Dan Alamangos
With Sean Collier in the 450 Pro class and Justin Hoeft in the 250 Pro class everyone expected a real battle and they weren’t disappointed. Collier is a former National Pro who still dabbles in the occasional AMA National (he was 16th at the 2014 Glen Helen 450 National and 14th at the Hangtown National) and Hoeft is a Troy Lee Design supported rider. Collier led the most laps, but Hoeft had a slight advantage on his 250 as the track twisted and turned up and over the hills. In the end, Hoeft took the combined victory on his way to the 250 class win, while Collier won the 450 Pro class in front of Latvian Davis Ivanous, Preston Tilford, Swede Kristoffer Palm and Ray Obermeyer.
Latvian Davis Ivanous (600) went 2-2 behind Sean Collier, but in front of Preston Tilford (49). Photo: Debbi Tamietti
The next big battle for dominance was in the Over-50 Expert class. Phil Dowell has been winning the super-popular class for the last couple months, but it looked like his streak would be broken as he suffered from bad starts and a crash that left him back in the pack. Dave Eropkin holeshot both motos and ran away for three-quarters of the races, but he could never get away from Saddleback Pro Val Tamietti. And as these two fought up front, Phil Dowell worked his way up to them. With two laps to go, Dowell took the lead from Eropkin for a 1-1 day. Dave Eropkin went 3-2 with Tamietti was third with a 2-3.
Ray Obermeyer (186) plays in the spray — some of it his and some of it the 450 Pro’s in front of him. Photo: Dan Alamangos
Dan Alamangos (19) returned to racing after suffering major injuries several months ago. He played it smart and didn’t try to overdo it on his first time back. Photo: Debbi Tamietti
Just as Over-50 Expert Phil Dowell is destined to move up to the Over-50 Elite class soon (which is considerably faster than the Over-50 Experts), Over-50 Intermediate Dirk Davidow will soon be an Over-50 Expert if he keeps winning as easily as he did this weekend. Davidow went 1-1 in front of Mike Phillips’ 2-2, Scott Williams’ 4-3, Robert Pocius’3-4, Marc Crosby’s 6-5 and Ernie Becker’s 6-9.
Randel Fout (15) turns away from Chris Cole (45) at the last second. Photo: Dan Alamangos
THE BIG CLASSES & THEIR WINNERS
250 BEGINNER: 1. Zack Randolph, 2. Jeff Carpenter, 3. Lamont Dusseau, 4. Josh Fout, 5. Daniel Kittinger.
You would think when a couple of guys get into their 50s that they would ride a little conservatively. Not at REM. Jon Ortner (98) makes room on the inside of Phil Dowell (23) where there wasn’t any room. Look at their boots. Photo: Dan Alamangos
450 NOVICE: 1. Mark Merlo, 2. Daniel D’Agostino, 3. Tom White, 4. James Callaghan, 5. Lee Powell.
STI’s Craig Petersen won the Over-40 Novice class. Photo: Dan Alamangos
OVER-40 NOVICE: 1. Craig Petersen, 2. Randall Bailey, 3. Bob Fite, 4. Gary Taylor, 5. Jason Goss.
It’s no wonder that 6D helmet founder Bob Weber (6) races at REM Glen Helen. It has more 6D helmets per class than any track on the planet. Bob finished second overall in the Over-50 Elite class. Photo: Dan Alamangos
How many 6D helmets does it take to fill a starting line? Photo: Dan Alamangos
David Cincotta was third in the Over-40 Intermediates. Yes, that is a 6D helmet. Photo: Debbi Tamietti
OVER-40 INTERMEDIATE: 1. Scott Lindley, 2. Joe Sutter, 3. David Cincotta, 4. Kendall Stanley, 5. Ralf Schmidt.
OVER-50 NOVICE: 1. Frank Villa, 2. Mike Hillion, 3. Kenny Safford, 4. Lonnie Paschal, 5. Anthony Rose.
If you were a SoCal motocrossers in the 1970s you will remember these two guys. Dave Eropkin (811) and Val Tamietti (31) are still racing as hard as they did back in the Saddleback days. Photo: Debbi Tamietti
OVER-50 INTERMEDIATE: 1. Dirk Davidow, 2. Mike Phillips, 3. Scott Williams, 4. Robert Pocius, 5. Marc Crosby.
OVER-50 EXPERT: 1. Phil Dowell, 2. Dave Eropkin, 3. Val Tamietti, 4. Randy Skinner, 5. Chris Cole.
Willy Simons won the Over-50 Elite class and managed to throw up the most interesting roost of the day. Photo: Debbi Tamietti
OVER-60 EXPERT: 1. Mitch Evans, 2. Ken Ehlers, 3. Kent Reed, 4. Lars Larsson, 5. Jody Weisel.
450 PRO: 1. Sean Collier, 2. Davis Ivanous, 3. Preston Tilford, 4. Kristoffer Palm, 5. Ray Obermeyer.
Swede Kristoffer Palm went 6-4 in the 450 Pro class for fourth overall behind Collier, Ivanous and Tilford. Photo: Debbi Tamietti
MXA tested a new set of production KTM 4CS forks this weekend on our 450SXF Factory Edition. Jody (above) raced it to fifth in the Over-60 Expert class, while Jon Ortner was third in the Over-50 Elite class. Photo: Dan Alamangos
The greats don’t always win, but they are always color coordinated. Randy Skinner went 5-6 in the Over-50 Expert class. Photo: Dan Alamangos
Scott Williams used a 4-3 to get third in the Over-50 Intermediate class. Photo: Dan Alamangos
To each his own. Greg Atkinson writes his own book on how to get hooked up on a fast sweeper. Greg went 9-5 in the Over-50 Novice class. Photo: Dan Alamangos
Bradley Cole (14), Tyler Nichols (55) and Kyle Paschal (225) had a great battle in the 250 Novices. Paschal would eventually edge out Nichols and Cole. Photo: Dan Alamangos
John Perry drove in from Durango, Colorado, to race the Glen Helen 6-Hour on Sunday, but decided to race four motos at REM on Saturday also. He was third in the Open Vet class and 10th in the Over-50 Experts. Photo: Dan Alamangos
REM races again next Saturday, March 15. For more info go to www.remsatmx.com
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