REM GLEN HELEN: VOHLAND, DESIMONE, FOUT, HAWKINS & MURRAY ON THE BIG TRACK
Instead of coming out of the Talladega first turn and then going up the steep Shoei uphills, the riders went over to the Yamaha bridge, where they turned and went halfway up the Mt. Saint Helen uphill. Max Vohland (115) leads Dominic Desimone (FXR Jersey), Jordon Borowski (96), Talon Hawkins (71), Brian Medeiros (74), Pablo Mogollon (12), Nick Dorsett (16) and Max Groom (959). Photo: Dan Alamangos
PHOTOS BY DEBBI TAMIETTI, DARYL ECKLUND & DAN ALAMANGOS
REM moved down from their hillside track to the Glen Helen National/USGP track for this past weekend’s race. The REM racers were greeted by a different layout from the usual Tuesday/Thursday track layout. The biggest changes were that instead of going up Shoei Hill after the Talladega first turn, the track turned left at the base of Shoei and went over to the Yamaha bridge, where it turned left and went up the right side of the Mt. Saint Helen uphill. However, it didn’t go all the way to the top, instead it made a sharp and steep turn about halfway up and joined the massive Glen Helen downhill near the bottom. By taking Mt. Saint Helen out of the equation, the big climb up to the top of Mt. Saint Helen was eliminated as was the whistling fast 220-foot drop in elevation downhill. All of the rest of the Glen Helen highlights were left alone, including the Hip Jump, Triple Step Up, sand section (by the REM cliff,) finish line jumps, the rolling whoops in the front sand section and the Log Cabin hump to get back on the start straight.
Factory KTM 250 rider Max Vohland (115) used REM as an actual race test of his fitness since his Supercross injuries. He went 1-1 to win the 250 Pro class. Photo: Debbi Tamietti
It turned out that riders who were disappointed that the biggest Glen Helen hill had been reduced in importance liked the new layout after trying it. It took out two white knuckle sections (one up and one down) and replaced them with a bigger focus on the rest of the race track. Don’t worry, the “No Mt. Saint Helen” layout was just a one weekend experiment, but it could return for vintage, Old Timer and kids races if asked for.
Dominic Desimone couldn’t touch Max Vohland and had to battle with 250 Intemediate winner Talon Hawkins in the first moto, but it was good enough to win the 450 Pro class. Photo: Debbi Tamietti
What follows is the photo work of Debbi, Dan and Daryl. Enjoy it, but next Saturday you could be there when REM returns to the hillside home.
Benny Breck (318) won both motos of the Vet Pro class. Photo: Dan Alamangos
Jordon Borowski (96) used to race at Glen Helen all the time, but now lives in Buckeye, Arizona. He was second in the Vet Pro class. Photo: Debbi Tamietti
Hawaiian Brian Medeiros (74) was on track to finish second behind Max Vohland in the 250 Pro class, but he got a flat front tire in the second moto. Brian owns Ekolu Suspension and races what he sell. You can reach Ekolu Suspension at (951) 459-7993. Photo: Debbi Tamietti
Before Brian Medeiros’ flat tire he had a loose and relaxed style befitting his Hawaiian heritage. Photo: Daryl Ecklund
Glen Helen’s decomposed granite dirt has a roost that feels like you are being stung by bees. The roost is made up of small fragments of rock. Photo: Daryl Ecklund
Talon Hawkins (71) went 1-1 in the 250 Intermediate class, but his speed was certainly Pro level. Photo: Daryl Ecklund
The pack on this downhill is Vohland (115), Breck (318), Desimone (565), Hawkins (71), Medeiros (74), Borowski (96), Mogollon (12) and Groom (959). Photo: Debbi Tamietti
Pablo Mogollon (12) was second in the 450 Pro class. Photo: Dan Alamangos
WORKING CLASS HEROES
Ron Lawson (5) isn’t the last rider to get to this uphill crash, but he only has a few seconds to make a move before the rest of the pack rams into him from behind. Photo: Debbi Tamietti
South African Alan Jullien (70) leads Mike Carter (50) and Luther French in the Over-50 Elite class, but he isn’t actually leading because Pete Murray was entered in this class. Photo: Debbi Tamietti
ESR’s Ron Shuler (33) leads 6D helmet founder Bob Weber (6) in the Over-50 Elite class. Bob went 7-6 and Ron went 8-8. Photo: Debbi Tamietti
Four-time World Vet Champion Pete Murray won the Over-50 Elite class and the Over-60 Expert classes with 1-1-1-1 scores. Photo: Debbi Tamietti
Big Bear’s Gabriel Sanchez (76) was second overall in the Women’s class with a 3-2 to Stormie Turner’s 2-4. Photo: Dan Alamangos
Alison Bushnell (13) easily won the Women’s class with a 1-1. Photo: Debbi Tamietti
Steven Chandler showed up with his long hair trimmed off. It made him more aerodynamic. Photo: Debbi Tamietti
The hills have a very thick dirt made from decomposed granite, but the lower portions of Glen Helen has sandy soil made when the crushed granite rock is tumbled during the 15 mile river trip from Big Bear to the race track. Mike Davis (202) eats a little sand, while Ralf Schmidt sprays sand towards anyone who is willing to follow too close. Photo: Debbi Tamietti
This may look like Dominic Desimone, but it actually his father Phil. Phil Desimone finished fifth in the Over-50 Expert class. Photo: Debbi Tamietti
Phil Cruz has been in the groove lately. He won the Over-65 Intermediate class in front of a top five of Gene Boere, Kent Reed, Tony Parsons and Mike King. Photo: Debbi Tamietti
Desert racer Michael Oetzell (124) swept both moto of the Vet Novice class. Photo: Debbi Tamietti
Robby Gilbert (726) was second in the Vet Novice class. Photo: Debbi Tamietti
Guess who came back? Shawn Wynne has been missing from the Glen Helen scene for a couple years after an injury, but he made an appearance on Saturday and went 6-5 in the Over-50 Elite class. Photo: Debbi Tamietti
Chad Jeffrey (221) won the Over-40 Novice class by a big margin. Photo: Debbi Tamietti
Australian Dan Alamangos’s day was ruined when he got a flat rear tire in the second Over-50 Expert moto. Dan is a loyal Jett boot racer. Photo: Debbi Tamietti
Mark Moore (103) had a steady day with a 6-6- in the Over-60 Novice class. Did you notice his Jett boots? Photo: Debbi Tamietti
Ireland’s David O’Connor (30) has had a busy year getting his DOC Racing Services company up and running in Murrieta, while squeezing in as many races as possible. David was 3rd in the Over-40 Intermediate class. You can reach DOC Racing services at (951) 443-7458 (Monday through Friday)—on Saturday and Sunday he’s at the races. Photo: Debbi Tamietti
Former desert star Bob Rutten (83) wants to race so much that he drives in from Utah to hang out with his old racing buddies. Bob won the Over-65 Expert class. Photo: Debbi Tamietti
THE TWO-STROKE SQUAD
Josh Fout (41) bounces back and forth between the 450 Intermediate class and the Vet Intermediate class. He has been racking up wins ever since he switched to a 2021 Beta 300RX two-stroke. Photo: Debbi Tamietti
Dutchman Ralf Schmidt is not only a fast Over-40 Expert, he is also the American and Dutch TM importer. Photo: Debbi Tamietti
MXA asked Luc De Ley to race the KTM 150SX that Josh Mosiman raced at the World Two-Stroke Championship (with the caveat that it made an astounding 43.70-horses). Luc swept both motos of the Over-60 Intermediate class, but said the bike was too fast. Photo: Debbi Tamietti
Gene Boere (60v) and Phil Cruz fought for the Over-65 Intermediate win, but Gene had to settle for second on his KTM 250SX. Photo: Debbi Tamietti
Ikshan Shanbhag is from Satara, India, and is working with Kurt Nicoll’s Champion MX Vacation camp at (951) 795-2411. Ikshan was second overall in the 125 Beginner class behind Gavin Moon. Photo: Dan Alamangos
Gavin Moon (2) was the 125 Beginner winner. Photo: Debbi Tamietti
In a YZ250 showdown, Val Tamietti (31) went 5-4 for 4th overall in the Over-60 Expert class, as for Joel Harriott (11), he had a different fate awaiting him. Photo: Debbi Tamietti
Mark Donaldson (39) got knocked down when Joel Harriott crashed into this berm and his Yamaha YZ250 bounced back on the track and hit Donaldson’s KTM 150SX—knocking him down. Donaldson remounted, but Harriott called it a day. Photo: Debbi Tamietti
Donnie Quanstrom went 5-4 on his TM in the Over-60 Novice class. Photo: Debbi Tamietti
David Cincotta (777) went 5-4 in the Over-50 Expert class on a TM. Greg Anderson (55v) runs next to him. Photo: Debbi Tamietti
Harlem Nelson won the 125 Novice class with a 3-1 score—aided by the fact that first moto winner Peter Henegveld DNF’ed the second moto. Photo: Debbi Tamietti
Pasha Afshar sails his KTM 150SX under Old Glory in the Over-50 Expert class, but what’s that behind him? Ken Krucki (32) loses the front of his Honda CRF450 and goes down. This crash cost Krucki a top five finish as his first moto third was joined by a second moto 10th. Photo: Debbi Tamietti
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