“SATURDAY AT THE GLEN” MOTOCROSS REPORT: BIG ACTION ON THE BIG TRACK

The 450 Pros head toward the steeply banked Talladega first turn with Sean Lipanovich (505) and Josh Mosiman (45) in a 70 mph hour drag race.

PHOTOS BY DEBBI TAMIETTI & MARK RIKER

With over 200 riders and temperatures that felt like they were over 200-degrees, “Saturday at the Glen” hosted a full program of classes, including, Pee-Wee, 65s and 85s classes along with all of the Beginner, Novice, Intermediate and Vet classes. And, as has become one of these races best features, dating back to when it was known as REM Motocross, the whole program was organized so that the races ended by 2:00 p.m. so the riders could get home and work on their bikes to race on Sunday. The riders got long motos on the Glen Helen’s big track.

THE 450 PRO BATTLE

Sean Lipanovich (505) had to eat a little dirt, but he got the 450 Pro win.

In the 450 Pro class the feud up front was between Sean Lipanovich and Josh Mosiman, with Preston Tilford being in the mix until his KTM 450SXF suffered electrical problems. Sean Lipanovich has always been able to open up a big lead early in each moto and this day as no different. He got about 7 seconds ahead of Mosiman’s KTM 450SXF in the first three laps. But midway through the moto, Mosiman began to visibly reel Lipanovich in. Once they were close, Lipanovich made a mistake and fell, but remounted quickly to hold on to second, only to fall again. Mosiman won the first moto with Lipanovich second, Darian Sanayei third, Todd Sibell fourth, Brian Medeiros fifth and Preston Tilford, who darted into the pits and switched to a GasGas MC450 in sixth.

Darian Sanayei cranks this downhill sweeper.

Brian Medeiros (11) uses the barricade at the top of the Log Cabin jump to change directions on his Suzuki RM-Z450.

Preston Tilford (491) has had a run of bad luck with bikes as of late. In the first 450 Pro moto his KTM 450SXF just quit on top of the Log Cabin. He hurried to the pits and came out on a GasGas MC450F.

Darian Sanayei (457), Brian Medeiros (34) and Todd Sibell (829) in pursuit to Sean Lipanovich and Josh Mosiman in the second 450 moto.

The second 450 Expert moto was a carbon copy of the first, Lipanovich opened up a decent lead, but by midway through the moto Mosiman was on his tail. They were lapping slower riders in every corner and with three laps to go the fast duo came up on five lappers (racing for position). Lipanovich caught them in the perfect place to pass them, while Mosiman got blocked by three lappers who obstructed his every move. That was all she wrote for the battle. Lipanovich took the win with a 2-1 over Mosiman’s 1-2. Brian Medeiros crashed while running third and his RM-Z450 landed on top of him. The track workers got him out from under the bike and he continued to a seriously detuned sixth overall. Todd Sibell’s 4-4 was good for third.

TWO-STROKES AT THE GLEN

Darian Sanayei (457) won the Pasha 125 Pro class and finished 5th in the 450 Pro class.

Two-strokes played a big role in this week’s “Saturday at the Glen” motocross, which was held on the National track. Pasha Afshar wants to pay a $10,000 purse for his Over-30 and Over-50 125 Pro races at the World Vet Championship, so he thought it would be a good idea to hold two two-stroke warm-up races to help the two-stroke faithful get ready for the big pay day. The first of the two 125 two-stroke warm-up races was at this weekend’s “Saturday at the Glen” race with 100% Pro payback. The second Pasha 125 Open will be on October 1 (also on the National track at “Saturday at the Glen”). It will pay $3000 for first, $2000 for second and $1000 for third to the not “age-restricted” 125 Pro class—because if they aren’t over 30 years old, they won’t be allowed to race the $10,000 World Vet 125 classes—so Pasha wanted them to have at least one big payday.

Then, at the November 5-6 World Vet Motocross Championship, Pasha will pay $10,000 for the Over-30 and Over-50 125 classes. The purse will most likely grow as it gets closer to the World Vet, but the least it will be is $10,000. Pasha will pay the top five overall in both of the Over-30 and Over-50 age groups ($2000 first, $1000 second, $800 third, $700 fourth and $500 fifth).

Josh Mosiman (171) used this week’s “Saturday at the Glen” race as a chance to test his KTM 450SXF suspension and to work on his speed on MXA’s special GasGas MC150. He was flying.

Hawaiian Brian Medeiros got third overall in the Pasha 125 Pro class on a 2022 KTM 150SX, but crashed out while running third in the 450 Pro class.

So this Saturday there were three Pasha 125 Open classes (Pros of any age, Over-30 Pros and Over-50 Pros). In the Pro class former 250 Grand Prix racer Darian Sanayei took the overall victory with a 1-2 over Josh Mosiman’s 3-1, but Mosiman’s first moto third came because he sucked a rock into his countershaft sprocket on the exit of the Talladega first turn on the first lap. Josh had to get off his GasGas MC150 and rock the bike to get the stone out. When he got the bike restarted, he was close to being lapped by the Darian Sanayei, Brian Medeiros, Nick Mairose and Chris Heinrich, Pasha Afshar, Jeremy Mairose and Trevor Strothers. Mosiman put his head down and starting putting in blistering lap times. In 20-minutes he passed every one in the class save for Sanayei and Medeiros. Then, in the second moto Josh Mosiman won by a mile. However, Sanayei’s 1-2 bested Mosiman’s 3-1 and Medeiros’ 2-3.

The man himself, Pasha Afshar, finished 6th in the Pasha 125 Open Over-50 class. Photo: Mark Riker

Tim Beatty (125) won the Pasha 125 Open Over-30 class with a 1-1.

Tim Beatty swept both motos of the Over-30 class 125 Open Over-30 class with Shawn Bushnell in second with a 3-4 score ahead of third place Oscar Valdez’s 4-4.

Pete Murray (7) and Richard Ellis (34) double classed it. Murray won the Over-60 Experts and the Pasha 125 Over-50 class. Even at 102 degrees, Josh Mosiman, Darian Sanayei, Brian Medeiros, Sy Cardiel, Peyton Marett, Lucas Dayton, Shawn Bushnell, Nick Mairose, Pete Murray, Richard Ellis and Pasha Afshar all raced two classes.

Pete Murray had another good day in preparation for the upcoming World Vet Championship when he won the Pasha 125 Open Over-50 class with a 2-1 over Nick Mairose’s 1-2 and Alan Jullien’s 4-3. This was South African-native Alan Jullien’s first race back since breaking both wrists and having surgery on his left thumb. Jullien’s 4-3 was good enough for third overall. Scotsdale, Arizona’s Chad Sholz tied with Julien for third, but lost the tie breaker with a 3-4, Chris Heinrich went 7-5 for fifth.

OTHER BIG WINNERS ON THE DAY

These are the Over-60 Experts spread out across the first half of the Shoei uphill—the second half is right around the corner and is much steeper.

Poland’s Arek Kruk won the Over-50 Expert class with a 2-1, after first moto winner Richard Ellis ran into trouble and finished 10th in moto two. Jon Ortner, raced the YZ450F that he has been riding in the National Grand Prix Championship off-road series (NGPC), complete with tall gearing and 18-inch rear wheel to get second with a 3-2.  Justin Crawford was third with a 5-4.

Luc DeLey (75) takes the time to give Debbi Tamietti a casual wave. Luc was a Saddleback Specialist and lives next door to Mitch Payton.

To be in front of Pete Murray (7) in the Over-50 or Over-60 Experts is the same as winning. Jon Ortner (10) enjoys his moment in the lead.

Pete Murray came back on the same Yamaha YZ125 that he won the Over-50 Pasha 125 race to pull off an improbable victory in the Over-60 Expert class. Murrray faced a pack of big-bore four-strokes, all ridden by former Pros, including Richard Ellis, Jon Ortner, Ed Guajardo and Robert Reisinger. In the second moto (after winning the first moto, Pete pulled off a miracle fourth place start on Glen Helen’s long 70 mph straight to quickly work his way up to third behind Ortner and Ellis. Murray would spend most of the race passing Ortner and Ellis only to get passed back on the next straight. Finally, Pete got his YZ125 to the front with Ellis hot on his tail on a YZ450F. In what were three nail biting laps, Murray pinned his box-stock YZ125 up and down Glen Helen’s hills in front of the YZ450F. It was amazing to see a YZ125 take the overall win when all the odds favored the big bikes. Murray went 1-1, Ellis 2-2, Ortner 4-3, Guajardo 3-4 and Reisinger 5-5.

Bob Rutten (83) works at AME grips in Las Vegas, but he lives in Utah and races in SoCal. He combines all three things into one really long road trip. Bob won the Over-65 Expert class.

Gary Jones wants to be the only rider to ever win every age category at the World Vet. He has already won the Over-30, Over-40, Over-50 and Over-60 titles. Now that he is 70 years old, he has his sights set on title number 5. The first winner of the Over-70 title was Feets Minert back in 2001. However, in 2019 an Over-80 Championship was added to the program and Lars Larsson is the current Champion in that class. Gary might have to come back to the World Vet one more time in 2032 to get his sixth Vet title.

Jim O’Neal (71) won the Over-70 World Championship in 2016.

Bob Rutten made the long drive from New Harmony, Utah, worth it as his 1-1 aced out his New Harmony neighbor Steve Chander’s 3-2, Val Tamietti’s 2-3 and Will Harper’s 4-4 in the Over-65 Expert class. Mixed in with the 65 Experts were two over-70 riders from back in the day—Jim O’Neal and Gary Jones. The four-time 250 National Champion, Jones, came out to prep for a shot at winning the Over-70 Expert class at the World Vet in November, while clothing magnate Jim O’Neal wasn’t as serious about it as Jones (since he had won the Over-70 World Championship back in 2016). Jones went 1-1 and O’Neal 2-2 in the Over-70 Expert class.

Australian Dan Alamangos found an old Wheelsmith Maico jersey and gave it to Val Tamietti, who rode for Wheelsmith back in 1977.

Val Tamietti (31) and Will Harper (71) fight for position in the Over-65 Expert class. Val got the spot.

Marc Crosby, the Dentist of the Stars, gives the bad news to Val about his front flat. “It looks bad, I think we are gonna have to pull it.”

Shawn Bushnell (804) was second in the Over-40 Expert class and second in the Pasha 125 Over-30 class.

This week was South African Alan Jullien’s first race back since breaking both of his wrists and his left thumb a couple months ago. They must be healed because he went 4-3 for third in the Pasha Over-50 125 Pro class.

David O’Connor (155) will fly home to Ireland next weekend before jumping over to England to race his 2002 Yamaha YZ250 at the Vet Motocross des Nations team race at Foxhill. David finished second in the 450 Novice class on MXA’s 2022 YZ250.

Mark Taylor (126) gets the two laps to-go board from all-star flagman Robbie Carpenter on this way to the Vet Novice win

Lucas Dayton (33) passes by the 40-foot wide American flag on his way to the 125 Novice win.

Alexxan Rosas (521) went 3-3 in “Saturday at the Glen’s” special class for PW50s, XR50s and a wide variety of other small motorcycles.

Reagan Heighton (8) wheelied away with the 65cc class victory on his Cobra.

Mason Hibner (15) used a 2-1 to win the 85 class. Traison Payne’s 1-2 got him second.

Easton Grant (33) won the 7-to-8 year old Pee-Wee class and went 5-4 in the 65 Beginner class, while is brother Wyatt went 3-3 in the 85 class. Their dad, Josh Grant, was a Glen Helen regular when he was young.

THIS WEEK’S SELECTED WINNERS

450 Experts…Sean Lipanovich (KTM)
250 Experts…Sy Cardiel (Hon)
Over-40 Experts: Jason Klements (Yam)
Over-50 Experts: Arek Kruk (KTM)
Over-60 Experts: Pete Murray (Yam)
Over-65 Experts: Bob Rutten (KTM)
450 Intermediates: Chris Chapman (Gas)
250 Intermediates: Brock Smith (Hus)
Over-30 Intermediates: Michael Lopez (Hon)
Over-40 Intermediates: Adrian Spiker (KTM)
Over-50 Intermediates: Michael Hibner (Hus)
Over-60 Intermediates: Robot Rodgers (Hus)
Over-65 Intermediates: Ernie Kopasz (TM)
Over-30 Novices: Mark Taylor (Yam)
Over-40 Novices: Rado Bartovic (Kaw)
450 Novice…Trent Allsup (Yam)
250 Novices: Peyton Marrett (Kaw)
250 Beginner: Daniel Castillo (Gas)
450 Beginner…Daniel Acquistapace (Kaw)
Women… Adrianne Spiker (KTM)
85 Beginners: Shana Tamayo (KTM)
85 Class: Mason Hibner (Hus)
65 Beginner: Joshua Tamayo (Yam)
65 Class: Reagan Heighton (Cob)
Pee-wee (4 to 6)…Dillon Chipman
Pee-Wee (7-to-8)…Easton Grant
Pee-Wee (PW/XR…Benjamin Bojorquez

There are times on the Mount Saint Helen downhill where your bike resembles a stone skipping across a pond. Brian Medeiros demonstrates his “no wheels necessary” approach on his way to third in the 125 Pro class. Photo: Mark Riker

Josh Mosiman’s GasGas MC125 (with a KTM 150 kit) was hand-built by Mitch Payton. Photo: Mark Riker

“Saturday at the Glen” motocross will race again on August 27. Pre-entry is only $30 ($25 for minis). Post entry is $40 ($30 for minis) on the day of the race. The Gate fee is $10 (per person). You can sign up for the next “Saturday at the Glen” motocross as late as the Friday before the next race. For more info go to www.glenhelen.com

THE NEXT “SATURDAY AT THE GLEN” RACE IS ON AUGUST 27

For more information to go www.glenhelen.com