REM GLEN HELEN MOTOCROSS RACE REPORT: YOUNG GUNS, PRO CIRCUIT MECHANICS AND GLEN HELEN SPECIALISTS

In the 250 Intermediates Justin Hoeft (615) went 2-2 behind Zac Commans’ 1-1. Swedish rider Kristoffer Palm was third with Justin Falk fourth and Italian Lorenzo Brogi fifth.

After taking a weekend off for the MTA World Vet Championships, REM was back in action at Glen Helen. In a weird weather cycle, SoCal went from boiling hot to cold and drizzly in an instant. And, although the weathermen predicted a cold day with scattered showers, the day broke with cool weather, but no rain. Luckily, the track had gotten a small amount of rain over night and was moist. The plus of threatened rain is that the track crew does “rain prep” instead of “race prep.” Rain prep does not involve discing the track as deep, out of fear that heavy rain would turn the disced dirt into goop. So instead the track was lightly disced and when the sun arrived it looked perfect. Without the deep discing the ruts never appeared and the typically monster Glen Helen bumps failed to form. It was a smooth day at REM…which is very rough compared to most SoCal track.

Zac Commans won the 250 Intermediates and the Open Intermediates (“Open” as in run-what-ya brung).

Next weekend REM will not race on Saturday, but instead will do a very rare Sunday, November 18, race. For more info go to www.remsatmx.com. Even though many of the regulars were licking their wounds from the four days of the World Vet weekend, as always the hardcore showed up ready to do battle. Here are some of the highlights in photos.

The 450 Pro class was won by Colton Aeck over Broc Armbruster. Brett Hottel (76) was third overall.

R. J. Wageman was second overall in the 450 Intermediates after splitting motos wins and seconds with Toby Kempe. R.J. Came back later to finish second again, this time behind Zac Commans, in the Open Intermediates.

The always tough Over-50 Expert class wasn’t tough for Bam Simons as he easily won both motos.

Behind Simons in the first moto of the Over-50 Expert class came Troy Lee (25) and Dave Eropkin (811). Troy would end up second overall, but Eropkin would fall victim to the KTM two-stroke of Mike Monaghan in moto two and end up fourth overall on his brand-new YZ450F.

Mike Monaghan was a former Pro Circuit Husqvarna rider back in the day, but this weekend was the first time he’d ridden a 250cc two-stroke since his Husky days. He went 4-3 for third overall in the Over-50 Experts.

Jon Rice, grandson of the famous “John R” Rice of 1960’s fame, blew his bike up in practice and borrowed a KTM 450SXF. It was his first race on a 450 and he did what all young riders do on their first big bike ride?he holeshot, led for three laps and then flamed out. Jon ended up third overall in the 450 Novices behind Craig Cheever and Aaron Wolff.

In an international standoff that has been going on for decades, Jody Weisel (97) and long time Swedish nemesis Bengt Johansson (92) continued their war in the Over-60 Expert class. Jody, on a 2013 TM 300MX two-stroke, went 2-3 for third behind Tom Holmes and Ray Pisarski, while Bengt went 4-4.

Mitch Payton, Bones Bacon and the Pro Circuit crew came out to watch team mechanics Aaron Johnson and Paul Perebijnos (125) race. Here, Perebijbos streaks past Randy Skinner as Randy mans a firehose.

 
Carson Mumford won the 85 Intermediate class ? after pulling it together in this corner. Robbie Wageman won the 85 Experts over Mitchell Falk, Tyler Hoeft and Aryton Ward.

Billy Seifert’s 3-4 was only good enough for fourth overall in the Vet Novice class. Sam Ramirez took the win with a 1-1.

Australian Dan Alamangos won the Over-40 Intermediate class on a very stock looking, but trick 2013 Husqvarna TC250.

Two-stroke specialist Randel Fout got second in the Over-40 Pro class on a 2013 TM 250MX. He might have won, but he came up against another two-stroke specialist in Willy Musgrave and had to settle for the runner-up spot.

Mark Hall (56), Will Harper (7), Pete Vetrano (blue/white jersey) and Sam Ramirez (27) sweep through the lower section of the REM track in the Over-50 Intermediate race.

A happy Terry Varner (34) used a 2-1 to nip Jim Master’s 1-2 for the victory in the Over-50 Novice class. Mark Testa was third overall.

Photos by Dan Alamangos (except for the photo of Dan Alamangos)