REM GLEN HELEN RACE REPORT: MAKIN’ MOVIES, MAKIN’ MOVES

On Jul 24, 2017 Last updated Nov 24, 2019

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Photos by Debbi Tamietti, Dan Alamangos, Kyoshi Becker and Jon Ortner

Shaun Hillion grew up racing at REM. His dad raced at Glen Helen also. His win in the 450 Pro class was a popular victory for a rider who gives it his all every week. Photo: Debbie Tamietti

Things were happening at REM this weekend: (1) A movie crew moved in to start primary filming on some race sequences for a new motocross move (and they will be renting Glen Helen in early August to shoot for couple days). (2) Foreign riders were in full display this weekend. (3) This week’s race was the third straight race where the temperature topped 100-degrees. (4) The track was perfectly prepped and well watered when the racers arrived, but then a water main broke, and while the Glen Helen’s track crew dug it up and repaired it, the track dried out. Luckily, before the first motos rolled around, the water was back on again and the track was well watered — but was never as choice as it was before the cracked pipe.

Swede Andreas Ovgaard tied for the 450 Pro win with Shaun Hillion and Jeff Loop, but Ovgard’s 1-3 got beat by Hillion’s 3-1 and Loop’s 2-2. Photo: Dan Alamangos

THE WINNERS

Dutch and American TM importer Ralf Schmidt takes a moment to say hello to photographer Dan Alamangos on his way to the Over-40 Expert win. Photo: Dan Alamangos

With a two-week break in the REM schedule coming up after this race, the locals were gung-ho to get out and rip. Here is a quick list of the most prominent rippers:

OVER-40 EXPERT
1. Ralf Schmidt
2. David Cincotta
3. Alan Jullien

OVER-40 INTERMEDIATE
1. Mike Carter
2. Tim Olson
3. Giovanni Spinali

Former 1970 District 36 desert racing star Monte Lee celebrated his 69th birthday by flagging the races at REM. Here, he gives the checkers to 250 Intermediate winner Ryusei Otsuka. Photo: Debbie Tamietti

OVER-50 EXPERT
1. Robert Reisinger
2. Joe Sutter
3. Ron Shuler

OVER-50 INTERMEDIATE
1. Randy Skinner
2. Mike Phillips
3. Robert Pocius

Matt Inda took the 250 Pro win on his MotoWhips Yamaha YZ250 two-stroke. Photo: Debbie Tamietti

OVER-50 NOVICE
1. Dan Paulson
2. Carmen Cafro
3. Glenn Pietronico

Josh Fout helps his younger brother Logan build a track in the pits. Luckily, they brought the heavy equipment with them. Photo: Debbi Tamietti

250 INTERMEDIATE
1. Tyusei Otsuka
2. Gabriel Kasten
3. Matt Bynum

Who are we to criticize how they do it in Sweden, but Stefan Adriansson’s cornering style explains why his pants are ripped. Photo: Kyoshi Becker

250 NOVICE
1. Jeremy Mowry
2. Jack Mowry
3. Abdulatif Alkhanna

Abdulatif Alkhanna came from Kuwait to race in SoCal. He won the 250 Novices last week, but this week was third. Photo: Debbi Tamietti

Former MXA managing editor Tim Olson came out to help test MXA’s 2018 Honda CRF450. Tim has been both Yamaha’s and Suzuki’s public relations manager, but now he works for Mazda. Photo: Kyoshi Becker

OVER-60 EXPERT
1. Val Tamietti
2. Bob Rutten
3. Joe Pena

Val Tamietti swept the Over-60 Expert class for the umpteenth time this year. Normally he would be moved up a class, but there is nowhere for a 60-year old Expert to go. Photo: Dan Alamangos

450 NOVICE
1. Josh Fout
2. Brandon Reid
3. Jeff Fitzgerald

George Kohler (88) drove down from Carson City, Nevada, to race with his old MXA teammates. A former top ten rider in the Over-50 Expert class at the World Vet Championships, George went 1-1 in the Over-60 Intermediates. Jody Weisel (52) went 2-4. Photo: Debbie Tamietti

OVER-60 INTERMEDIATE
1. George Kohler
2. John Huegel
3. Jody Weisel

Japanese rider Ryusei Otsuka was one of many foreign riders racing at REM this weekend. He was joined by three Swedes, a Dutchman, a South African, an Australian, a Kuwaiti and two Brits. Photo: Debbi Tamietti

Eddie Davis puts the hammer down in pursuit to Luther French (2). Luther went 1-3 and Eddie went 3-2. Photo: Debbi Tamietti

Jon Ortner took the win in the Over-50 Elite class and got to style or a while. Photo: Kyoshi Becker

THE BRAND BREAKDOWN

Brand breakdown: This week KTM edged out Yamaha for the top spot by 1 percentage point (31% to 30%). Third was Honda with 21% and fourth was Husqvarna with 8%. Kawasaki showed some impovement with 4%, while Suzuki and TM tied at 3%. There was even one Beta at REM this week.

Pete Vetrano went 6-3 in the Over-60 Experts and went straight back to the starting line after the checkered flag to go 8-4 in the Over-50 Intermediates. That’s one tough dude. Photo: Kyoshi Becker

Age breakdown: If you divide the REM motocrossers into two age groups — under 40 years old and over 40 years old — it breaks down like this. 70% of this week’s racers were over 40 and 30% were under. If you sub-divide the older group out by 40, 50 and 60 years old—it would be 30% under 40 years old, 15% between 40 and 49, 35% between 50-59 and 20% over the age of 60. The three biggest single classes were the Over-50 Novices first by a big margin, with the Over-60 Experts and Over-50 Intermediates tied for second.

As with all local racing, rivalries exist. At REM, Australian Dan Alamangos (24) and Joe Sutter (111) duel every weekend. As you can see, Dan is totally committed to making up ground on a downhill right hand bend. Unfortunately for Dan, Joe beat him by two places. Photo: Debbie Tamietti

If anyone was chasing Randel Fout (63) over this rise they probably aren’t chasing him anymore. Photo: Debbi Tamietti

Pasha Afshar finished 4th in the Over-40 Experts and 7th in the Over-50 Experts. Photo: Debbie Tamietti

You are never given much room to breathe at REM. Here, Ernie Becker (44) leads Randy Skinner (383) with Mike Phillips (433) and Mark Taylor in close pursuit. Skinner would win the Over-50 Intermediates. Photo: Debbie Tamietti

WORCS racer George Yates (103) raced his Husky to 8-8 finishes in the Over-60 Expert class. Photo: Dan Alamangos

Seen her photos, but never her? Everybody has seen Debbi Tamietti’s National, MXDN and REM photo, but few have actually seen her. Here she is with Joe Sutter—who is trying to get an autograph. Photo: Jon Ortner

A film crew showed up to work on a new motocross movie which is production from the same studio that made “American Wrestler.” They were shooting action sequences and had Pro racers, Justin Muscutt and Brian Medeiros, doing the riding for the stars. Photo: Jon Ortner

REM racers are kinda strange. All day long they talked about how much cooler this weekend was than the two weekends before — when it was 106 and 102 degrees. So,what was the temperature? 100 degrees. The sun bleached terrain awaits Lyle Sweeter (55), Mike Marion (35) and Bob Rutten (83). Photo: Debbi Tamietti

The Reisinger’s, Robert and Nick, have the look of a happy motocross clan. Robert (left) used a 2-1 to win the Over-50 Expert class. Photo: Debbie Tamietti

Eddie Davis, Val Tamietti, Jon Ortner and Chris “Rad” Radzinski pose for a snapshot. Radzinski just turned 50 years old and came out to REM to celebrate. He holeshot the Over-50 Experts and led for two laps—let’s not discuss what happened after that. Photo: Debbie Tamietti

REM is off for two weekends, but returns on Saturday, August 12. For more info go to wwww.remsatmx.com