REM GLEN HELEN RACE REPORT: THE SON ALSO RISES
Justin Jones (42), the son fo four-time 250 National Champion Gary Jones, is also a two-time Baja 1000 winner and earned two Gold Medals in the ISDE. Justin also used a 2-1 to beat R.J. Wageman for the 450 Pro win on Saturday. Photo: Debbi Tamietti (Click on images to enlarge)
Once the place where all the AMA Pros lived, the stars have abandoned SoCal to move to Florida (because of the cheap land and lack of state income taxes), but don’t cry for the motocross scene in SoCal. There are ten different track within a couple hours of Los Angeles, the weather is amazing (it was 80-degrees at Glen Helen on Saturday) and if you really want to race, not just do three laps and pull in to the pits to brag about it, there is the weekly REM races.
REM will hold 34 races in 2018. They would hold more than 34, but they have to give Glen Helen back for the World Two-Stroke Championship, World Vet Championship, Day in the Dirt, the WORCS series, the Lucas Oil Offroad Truck Championship, the AMA 250/450 National and a few other events that need the whole park.
R. J. Wageman is the son of 1980 AMA Pro Russ Wageman. Here, R.J. chases Willy Simons, Jr, who’s father was the famous SoCal racer Willy Simons. Will Jr. would win the 250 Pro class with a 1-2 day. Photo: Debbi Tamietti.
This Saturday saw the son of former pros holding sway in the major events—plus REM’s new Kids Track (for 50cc and 65cc bikes) allows the young son of racers to race on a safe, fun, kid friendly track with the parents able to watch them without leaving the pits. REM is a family friendly place.
Even though Willy Simons Sr. was off riding his mountain bike, he still was at REM to give Junior some advice. The photo of Senior on the crossbar pad simply said WWWD—which meant “What Would Willy Do.” Photo: Debbi Tamietti
You’d be amazed how many REM motocross racers, do every race. All 34! They want to race, and you would to if you had a down-home, laid-back, weekly, motocross race where you can hang on with your friends in the pits and try to knock them down on the track. You gotta love it. See this week’s photo shot by Debbi Tamietti, Dan Alamangos and Rommel Andrade. And then next week, show up and see if they capture you in all your glory.
If it looks like Steve Coster (959) is about to ram Randel Fout (141), don’t worry — Fout was long gone by the time Coster’s Husky got there. Photo: Debbi Tamietti.
Josh Fout, son of Randel Fout, was testing ESR supension on MXA’s 2018 Husqvarna FC450. ESR stands for Earl Shuler Racing, which rose to motocross prominence when they became the best at modifying WP 4CS forks. Now, they have great WP AER forks mods. Photo: Debbi Tamietti
Logan Fout is a Pee-Wee rider and the brother of Josh and son of Randel. Amazingly, REM built a Pee-Wee track adjacent to the big REM racetrack. It is for 50cc and 65cc riders only. REM holds Pee-Wee races on it in the morning (and when the big races are done, they open up the Pee-Wee track for the kids to ride all they want). Photo: Debbi Tamietti.
Speaking of Pee-Wee racers, Ryder Friday (42) raced the Anaheim Supercross KTM Challenge and races on the REM Kid’s track under the watchful eye of his dad Bryan Friday (who went 6-3 in the Over-50 Expert class). Watch the video below for a cool Friday family moment. Photo: Rommel Andrade
WATCH BRYAN FRIDAY’S MARRIAGE PROPOSAL
Other than the REM racers, most people have never see this part of the REM track. The riders come over the hill (where the flagman is standing) and then roller coaster down to the left-hand turn (where the flagman is sitting a chair behind his car) and end up going up another hll before coming down on the track at the bottom (which, of course, goes up a canyon to another hill). Photo: Debbi Tamietti
Jon Ortner (10) leads Pete Murray (7) in the Over-50 Elite race. Behind them come the Over-50 Experts and the rest of the Over-50 Elite field. That’s Ron Shuler (33) and Robert Reisinger (blue and white helmet) behind and below Murray. Photo: Debbi Tamietti
After Jon Ortner, Pete Murray and Luther French had taken off, 6D’s Robert Reisinger and ESR’s Ron Shuler (33) dueled for the Over-50 Expert victory. Reisinger’s 2-1 sealed the deal. Shuler was second with a 5-2 in front of a top five of Pasha Afshar (4-4), Mike Monaghan (3-5) and Kevin Montgomery (1-7). Photo: Debbi Tamietti
Australian Dan Alamangos, who’s three brothers also raced back home in Oz, crashed in moto one of the Over-50 Experts, but came back to take 3rd in moto two. It was only good enough for 7th overall. Photo: Debbi Tamietti
Mike Monaghan (you might have seen the photo of him in last week’s Rumors and Gossip section sitting on the starting line of the 1981 San Diego Supercross next to Gary Jones) blasts through REM’s surprise water hole. It wasn’t caused rain, but by a runaway fire hose. Photo: Debbi Tamietti
Last week two-time World Vet Motocross Champion Pete Murray was on his way to winning the Over-50 Elite class when he suffered a flat tire. It was so flat that Pete said, “It wasn’t just flat on the bottom, but all the way around.” He made up for last week’s troubles with a 1-1 victory this week. Photo: Dan Alamangos
Ginger Hill (104) went 6-8 in the Over-50 Intermediates, while Steve Coster (959) swept both motos.. Photo: Debbi Tamietti.
Kenny Maddux (418) gets the holeshot, but South African Alan Jullien (70) and Dutchman Ralf Schmidt (73) couldn’t be held back. Photo: Rommel Andrade
J.P. Alvarez (129) took the 450 Intermediate win over Bradley Denton. Photo: Debbi Tamietti
Tony Amaradio (47) was second in the Vet Pro class, but he got it low in this corner. Tony’s dad Lee and Uncle Willy are both experienced REM racers.. Photo: Dan Alamangos
Neken’s James Lavender (328) went 2-5 in the Over-40 Expert class behind Alan Julien (1-1) and Ralf Schmidt (3-3). Photo: Dan Alamangos
Broc Armbruster (215) took the Vet Pro win. Photo: Dan Alamangos
Every racer needs a mechanic to do all the difficult work. Photo: Dan Alamangos
Pasha Afshar (black gear) and David Cincotta (861) battled over 5th in the Over-40 Experts. It went to David. Pasha came back to go 4-5 for 3rd overall in the Over-50 Experts. Photo: Dan Alamangos
Dirt Bike Magazine’s Ron Lawson was busying testing the 2018 125s for a future shootout in Dirt Bike. He raced a YZ125, 125SX (shown here) and a TM MX125. Photo: Dan Alamangos
Dingo’s Kevin Montgomery won the first Over-50 Expert moto, but crashed in the second moto and ended up 7th. His 1-7 got him 5th overall. Photo: Dan Alamangos
Mark Taylor (126) won the Vet Novice class over Brandon Wood (56). Taylor had a 1-2 day, while Woods went 3-1. Photo: Dan Alamangos
Val Tamietti went 1-1 in front of a top ten of Bob Rutten (3-2), Dave Eropkin (2-3), Jim Hanson (6-4), John Bosanko (5-5), Pete Vetrano (7-6), Mike Marion (4-11), Marc Crosby (9-7), Kirk Bassett (8-9) and Glen Senecal (11-8). Photo: Debbi Tamietti
Kole Stapes (210) followed in his brother Klint’s footsteps from Iowa, and came to SoCal to race at REM. Photo: Debbi Tamietti
The first three guys are Over-50 Elite riders. Jon Ortner (10) went 2-3 for third overall, Pete Murray (7) won both motos. Luther French would get 3rd in moto one, but led the second moto until the last two laps. His 3-2 would get him second. Photo: Debbi Tamietti
Garick Noble went 5-6 for sixth in the 450 pro class. Photo: Debbi Tamietti
REM’s next race is on Saturday, February 24. For more info go to www.remsatmx.com
NEXT REM RACE IS THIS SATURDAY, FEB 24, AT GLEN HELEN
Click on all images to enlarge
Photos by Debbi Tamietti, Dan Alamangos and Rommel Andrade
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