REM GLEN HELEN RACE REPORT: MAYBE THE TUTU IS A SPEED SECRET

 

JONESCAYes, that is a tutu that Justin Jones is wearing. Willy Simons, Sr. lost a bet and was supposed to wear this chiffon ballet tutu all day long, but Justin Jones volunteered to wear it for him — and thanks to a money raising campaign, in which other racers donated money to help offset Justin’s ISDE trip to Argentina (as long as he raced both motos in the tutu), Simons got a reprieve and Jones made $800 on top of his first place money for winning the 450 Pro class. Photo Chris Alamangos

A funny thing about the weekly REM races at Glen Helen — nothing, and we mean nothing, stops the hardcore racers from showing up. And this week had three good reasons for the REM regulars to take a break. (1) It was 101 degrees and that was for people standing in the shade, not riders dressed in layer after layer of protective gear. Not to mention that there is no shade at Glen Helen. (2) It was Labor day weekend. You have to ask yourself, “Don’t these guys ever take a break from racing?” While everyone else in the country was headed for the beaches, mountains, rivers or lakes for the three-day national holiday, the REM guys were pulling into the pits. (3) Normally, when REM races on their track, Glen Helen’s front track is open for practice, which means that the REM guys’ non-racing friends can come out and ride, but this week there was a offroad truck race on the front track. Thus, the REM races were locked into their hillside enclave.

jonesCAFour-time AMA 250 National Champion Gary Jones, father of 450 Pro winner Justin Jones, just recovered from knee surgery and having pins placed in his wrist. The cast came off Wednesday and he won the first moto of the Over-60 Experts on Saturday. In the second moto, he thought he hurt his just healed hand so he came in, but by the time he pulled in he decided that his wrist was okay and went back out. The result? A 1-9 for fifth overall. Photo Chris Alamangos

The age breakdown was clear cut: 56% of the riders at REM on Saturday were over the age of 40. The oldest group, the Over-60 riders made up 15% of the riders at the race. The Over-50 riders made up 30% and the Over-40s made up the remaining 11%.

COLE14CABradley Cole (14) went 4-6 in the 250 Novices for sixth overall. Photo: Chris Alamangos

The weekly breakdown of brands went this way: Yamaha 33%, KTM 24%, Honda 23%, Kawasaki 12% and Suzuki 8%.

JODY950CAPro Ride’s  Phil Cruz (950) and Jody Weisel (58) practice for the synchronized cornering event in the next Olympics. They went 4-3 and 6-6 respectively in the Over-60 Expert class. Photo: Chris Alamangos

There are 12 races left on REM’s 2014 race schedule: September 6 and 12; October 4 and 25; November 8, 15 and 23; December 6, 13, 20 and 27. The Octobercross event, which was better known as “The Commotion By The Ocean” when REM was at Carlsbad Raceway, will be on October 25 (it is on the big track and will be a warm-up race for the 2014 World Vet Championship).

PARSONdtBrit Tony Parsons (68)  takes the fast way down this hill, while Jeff Carpenter’s bike (219) is still a little too light over the rise to turn the gas on. Photo: Debbi Tamietti

STEWARTCATrevor Stewart (75) went 2-2 in the 250 Intermediates behind Tristan Miller’s 1-1, but in front of Tyler Hoeft’s 4-3. Photo: Chris Alamangos

CARSONMUMFORDCACarson Mumford isn’t ready for the big bikes yet, but he is ready for big bike competition as he took his KX85 to victory in the 250 Novice class. The mountains in the background at 8000 feet tall. Photo: Chris Alamangos

DT986Toby Brooks (986) won the first moto for the 250 Beginner class, but ended up with a 1-2 day behind Kyle Pietronico, who went 2-1 for the win. Photo: Debbi Tamietti

DT65Jake Hogan (65) went 3-4 for fourth in the 250 Intermediates, but he got to style for awhile over the big jump. Photo: Debbi Tamietti

DT279Kuwait rider Mishary Bushaiba displayed good style on his way to second overall in the 250 Novice class. Noah Hickerson (1-1) took the win, Bushaiba (3-2) was second, Brandon Reid (2-3) third, Kuwaiiti Barak Aljasmi (5-4) fourth and Mark Taylor (4-7) fifth. Photo: Debbi Tamietti

DTCAPERJohn Caper (44) closes the door of Ted Kukla in the Over-50 Novice class.  In the end, Kukla’s 4-2 beat Caper’s 5-5. Photo: Debbi Tamietti

DTvalVal Tamietti (31) leads Jerry Black (01) in the first Over-50 Expert moto, but Black’s 4-1 would beat Tamietti’s 2-3. Unfortunately for both of them, Luther French’s 1-2 would take the overall. Will Harper (7) watches at the action at a safe and sane speed that earned him fifth overall with a 6-6. Photo: Debbi Tamietti

DT74dentonWilly Simons Jr. (19) holds his bike down on the good line, while Edward Denton (74) can’t make up his mind about which line to use. Normally, Denton’s line choice would end in disaster, but he held on to win the 450 Intermediates, while Simons won the 125 Intermediates. Photo: Debbi Tamietti

DTpashaPasha Afshar (L7) showed a new level of aggression on his way to victory in the Over-40 Intermediate class. The other riders in the Over-40 class considered protesting Pasha for standing up, but were shocked to find out that’s not against the rules. Photo: Debbi Tamietti

HOTTELDT450 Pro Brett Hottel must have seen Pasha over the same jump, but obviously Brett jumped too high, went too fast and leaned to far forward to emulate Pasha’s style. You can’t teach these kids anything. Photo: Debbi Tamietti

DT81Shawn Kacherian (81) purses Jacob Farnsworth (157). What was Shawn thinking in the middle of the race? “Is this guy’s first name really Farns?” Photo: Debbi Tamietti

whiteCAFormer White Brother (well, technically he’s still a White brother), museum owner, AMA Hall of Famer, Grand National dirt tracker, 1990 World Vet Over-40 Champion, race announcer and major race sponsor Tom White went 5-4 in the Over-60 Experts. Photo: Chris Alamangos

REM races again next Saturday September 6, 2014. For more info go to www.remsatmx.com

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