REM MOTOCROSS RACE REPORT: THE RETURN OF ROBOT RODGERS & STINGRAY

PHOTOS BY DEBBI TAMIETTI & JON ORTNER

450 Pro Brian Medeiros (934) got to choose which classes he wanted the Pro race to be combined with. He chose the Over-50 Elites and Over-50 Experts because he knows all of them and thought it would be fun to race through the pack, which is what he did. Photo: Debbi Tamietti

In what was predicted to be a scorching hot day at Glen Helen Raceway, high clouds from Mexico drifted over SoCal to drop the temperatures by almost 10 degrees. What a relief. Additionally, the riders were greeted by a brand-new sand section over in the Bud’s Creek section of the track. It was a mixture of heavy, deeply ripped sand, lots of rocks and more than enough water. Every rider struggled in practice, but by race time this section proved to be a blast to race through and a fairly decent passing section, especially since it led directly to the sand straight that goes up the canyon.

Over-50 Elites Luther French (2), Phil Dowell (23) and Robert Reisinger (96) mix it up with 450 Intermediate Matt Bynum (317). They gave up 30 years to Matt, but not an inch of racetrack. Photo: Debbi Tamietti

REM at Glen Helen is the last bastion of many of the traditional Saddleback Park guys, who grew up racing on the blue groove of the Orange County track. Although, there aren’t a lot of  Saddleback Specialists still racing (since Saddleback closed 37 years ago). But, the ones that are race at REM. If you were a Saddleback guy back in the day, you would have to be at least 48 years old today. But a quick trip through the pits found four-time National Champion Gary Jones, multi-time CMC Number One Val Tamietti, 1984 CMC Number One Vet Pro Jody Weisel, 125 hotshoe Dave Eropkin, Pro Ciruit Husqvarna racer Mike Monaghan, Kawasaki test rider Robert Reisinger, Scalvini pipe importer Pete Vetrano, Cycle World’s Ron Lawson (now at Dirt Bike Magazine) and, this week, the surprise return of Robot Rodgers and Michael Ray Craig. Craig was a factory Yamaha rider and the winner of the 1991 Tampa Supercross.

New look Jon Ortner (12) raced MXA’s 2022 KTM 450SXF to a 1-1 sweep of the Over-50 Elites, but it wasn’t as slam-dunk as it sounds. Photo: Debbi Tamietti

We will let Debbi Tamietti’s photos speak volumes about the action on the track (with aid from Jon Ortner). Enjoy.

Luther French (2) had the Over-50 Elite class victory in the bag with a potential 2-1 day, until Jon Ortner pulled the rabbit out of the hat on the last lap to go 1-1. Photo: Debbi Tamietti

Dave Eropkin (811) finished third in the Over-60 Expert class. Photo: Debbi Tamietti

This tightly packed bunch is a big chunk of the Over-60 Intermediates. It includes John Caper (44), Jim Hanson (83), Marc Crosby (53), Greg Groom (959) and Robot Rodgers (13). The last time Robot raced was back in 1986, but he won with a 2-1 over Bill Reimer’s 1-2. Photo: Debbi Tamietti

A lot of guys try to roost their friends as a joke, but MXA’s Jody Weisel (43) takes it to the extreme as he shoots a Sidewinder missile of roost straight over the top of this drop-off to nail Dan Alamangos and Marc Crosby from 30 feet away in the middle of a moto. photo: Debbi Tamietti

Over-50 Expert winner Joe Sutter (111), 450 Pro winner Brian Medeiros (491) and Michael Ray Craig (78) all lined up for the class photo. Craig, the former Team Yamaha rider, Tampa Supercross winner, Honda of Troy star and father of Star Yamaha’s Christian Craig, had good speed for the first four laps, but the 20-minute moto was more than he reckoned for after his long lay0ff. Photo: Debbi Tamietti

Nick Reisinger (96) won the 125 Two-Stroke class for the second week in a row. Photo: Debbi Tamietti

Dirt Bike editor Ron Lawson (43) tried to dress in green camoflage to blend in with his 2022 KX450, but he didn’t fool Val Tamietti. Tamietti went 4-4 in the Over-60 Experts and Ron went 5-6. Photo: Debbi Tamietti

Tom Robertson (147) brings some class to the Over-50 Novice class with his Honda CR250 two-stroke. Tom went 3-4 for fourth in only his second REM race. Photo: Debbi Tamietti

Four-time 250 National Champion, MXDN team member and Baja 1000 champ Gary Jones is back on schedule. He is racing a Yamaha YZ450FX. Randel Fout (78) is chasing him. Photo: Debbi Tamietti

Two of three racing Fouts — Randel and Logan Fout. Josh is missing with an injured knee. Photo Jon Ortner

Marc Crosby (53) and Tim Hoole (40) dueled for fifth in the Over-60 Intermediates. Hoole’s 5-4 bested Crosby’s 4-6. Photo: Debbi Tamietti

Scalvini pipe importer Pete Vetrano (37) was 7th in the Over-60 Experts and 9th in the Over-50 Intermediates. Doing two classes in the summer at Glen Helen is no mean feat (especially with only one moto between the two races). Photo: Debbi Tamietti

You gotta love David Cincotta, no matter how hard he makes it, because when Over-60 Intermediate Frank Emerson crashed in the first turn, David sprinted to help Frank. Note that he is holding Frank’s Husqvarna with one hand and reaching out to help Frank with his other. Emerson got up to finish the moto. Photo: Debbi Tamietti

John Caper (44) is a modern medical miracle. If he had a magnetic seat on his CRF450, he’d stick to it. If he finished a lap behind the leader, we’d still admire his effort. Photo: Debbi Tamietti

Dan Alamangos (16) was winning both Over-50 Expert motos only to get passed both times by Joe Sutter. Photo: Debbi Tamietti

Joe Sutter (111) was happy to win the Over-50 Experts, because he said that, “Wins don’t comes along as easy as they did a few years ago.” Photo: Debbi Tamietti

Michael Oetzell (406) went 1-1 to take the Vet Novice victory over a top five of Mark Taylor, Burt Ecklor, James Calle and Adrian Spiker. Photo: Debbi Tamietti

Jaylen Vargas (12) and his dad Angel Vargas (77) raced against each other in the 125 two-stroke class. That is a memory that most motocross racers wish they could say they got to do. Photo: Debbi Tamietti

Steve Moore (45) and Jason Giordana (38) passed each other continuously in the Over-50 Novice class and ended up splitting moto wins and second places, with Moore’s 2-1 beating Giordana’s 1-2. Photo: Debbi Tamietti

Robot Rodgers, who’s real name is Robert, was a Saddleback fixture in the late 1970s and 1980s. REM is full of former Saddleback Specialists who were thrilled to see Robot in his mix-and-match gear. Photo: Debbi Tamietti

Debbi Tamietti and MXA’s Josh Mosiman share a moment after the races were over. Photo: Jon Ortner

Kevin Weston (22) as he would look to a passing seagull. Photo: Jon Ortner

Geoff Patterson (211) went 2-3 in the Over-50 Intermediates and plans to give a random REM rider $50 every week from his HitchHotel brand of trailers. The first winner was Tony Parsons. Photo: Debbi Tamietti

Tony Parsons picking up his cash from Geoff Patterson. Photo: Debbi Tamietti

2021 REM RACE SCHEDULE
Aug. 21…REM track
Sept. 11…REM track
Sept. 18…REM track
Oct. 30…National Track Octobercross
Nov. 20…REM track
Dec. 4…REM track
Dec. 18…REM track

REM will be racing on Saturday, August 21. For more information about REM go to www.remsatmx.com or Click Here for REM’s Facebook page.