REM GLEN HELEN RACE REPORT: JASON LAWRENCE IS BECOMING AN REM REGULAR; PLUS LOTS OF PHOTOS

Jason Lawrence won the 450 Pro class for the third straight time as he has become a regular at Glen Helen’s REM races. He won the first moto easily, but got pushed around in the first few corners of the second moto and had to come up from fourth to catch Gary Sutherlin. Photo: Chillzone

Glen Helen’s REM track has lots of technical sections that demand that the riders watch their P’s and Q’s. Here, Gary Sutherlin gets his P’s mixed up and almost sucks his leg into his rear wheel. Sutherlin, an offroad specialist, is a good motocross racer and went 2-2 in the 450 Pro class. Photo: Chillzone

In his first race back from shoulder surgery following his surfing accident, MXA’s Dennis Stapleton took it easy, but still won the Vet Pro class with a 2-1 over William Hendershot?who not only led the second Vet Pro moto, but since they were combined with the 450 Pros he led the whole pack for a lap before crashing. Photo: Dan Alamangos

The last time anybody saw Colton Aeck, he was on national TV laying unconscious on the Miller Motorsports 450 National track. We aren’t doctors, but 14 days off from a major concussion is not enough time to recuperate, Aeck raced the first moto, but decided to skip moto two at REM. Note that Colton is wearing a 6D helmet now. Photo: Dan Alamangos

Cole Zitterkopf is the son of Greg Zitterkopf, who was one of the pioneers of four-strokes during the AMA Nationals in the 1980s. Greg raced for ATK in 1989 and scored National points. Cole came down from Fruita, Colorado, for the REM race, but suffered in the SoCal heat and faded out of contention. Photo: Dan Alamangos

250 Intermediate Sebastien Cantergiani (left) and 450 Intermediate Jordan Vonbalou (Scorpion man) had a meeting of the minds, bikes and bodies in the combined Intermediate race. Amazingly, both riders got up, regrouped without recrimination, and won their classes. Photo: Chillzone

Ryan Surratt was winning the first 250 intermediate moto when his bike broke. He borrowed MXA’s 2014 Yamaha YZ450F for the second moto (and REM allowed him to switch classes). Ryan won the second moto easily, but didn’t score in either class. Photo: Dan Alamangos

The bike Ryan Surratt borrowed was being raced by Mark Hall in the Over-50 Intermediates. Hall went 7-9 behind Joe Sutter (5-10), Chris Cole (2-7), Ron Lawson (3-5), Greg Ziegler (4-4), Will Harper (6-1) and Steve Donovan (1-3). In the background behind Hall is Chris Coons (61), Joe Pena (911) and Pete Vetrano (37). Photo: Dan Alamangos


Jeff Mason (459) went 2-18 in the Over-50 Intermediates, while the rider with no numbers on his bike, Alias owner Jeff Surwall, actually won both motos in his first race back in a couple years. Surwall asked not to be scored. Photo: Dan Alamangos

Jon Ortner (10), Willy Musgrave (4), Bryan Friday (43) and Andy Jefferson (behind Friday) had an awesome duel in both motos of the Over-50 Expert class. The overall win went to Musgrave’s 1-1, while Jefferson got second with a 3-2. Ortner was third, but Jon’s story is told in the next photo. Photo: Chillzone

If you are squeamish don’t look closely at this photo. While chasing Willy Musgrave in moto two of the Over-50 Experts and being pressure by Andy Jefferson, Jon Ortner over-jumped a rolling hill and smacked his face against his handlebars. Amazingly, he finished the moto, only stopping briefly to throw his blood-filled goggles away. Musgrave won, Jefferson was second and Ortner soldiered on to get third overall. Oh yeah, Jon also got 30 stitches. Photo: Dan Alamangos

Motocross is a cool sport. What other sport could you find two guys who have raced against each other for 40 years still hammering out laps? Four-time 250 National Champion Gary Jones (88) and no-time National Champion Jody Weisel (65) still think it is 1976. The funny thing is that if a guy beat you in 1976, he will still beat you in 2013. Photo: Chillzone

Although Gary Jones easily won the Over-60 Expert class, Carl Gazafy (176) and Lyle Sweeter (55) gave it everything they had to score a podium finish. Sweeter got third overall behind Jones and George Kohler, while Gazafy was 9th. Photo: Dan Alamangos

Arab Champion Mishary Bushaiba is in the USA to learn the tricks of the trade. The Kuwaitti Champion is staying with Dennis Stapleton and Pro Circuit gave him the plastic off of Blake Baggett’s MXDN bike. Mishary went 9-9 in the 250 Novice class. Photo: Dan Alamangos

Flyin’ Mike Brown was at Glen Helen hanging out with his friends and promoting his Tachyon performance products. Don’t confuse Flying’ Mike Brown with Mike Brown, both were great racers with the same name, but Flyin’ Mike came a decade before the current offroad ace and former 125 National Champion. Flyin’ Mike’s racing career was cut short by a distance jumping accident. Photo: Dan Alamangos

REM races again next Saturday, September 7. For more info go to www.remsatmx.com