REM MOTOCROSS RETURNS TO GLEN HELEN WITH A BIG BANG

On Feb 28, 2017 Last updated Nov 24, 2019

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Photos by Dan Alamangos, Kyoshi Becker and Jon Ortner

REM has canceled more races since New Year’s than it has held. The SoCal rain has turned the road into Glen Helen into a river on most weekends in January and February, so everyone was chomping at the bit to get back into action. Photo: Kyoshi Becker

In a normal year, REM will race 40 weekends. But, this year it is going to be tough to get to 40 races. In the months of January and February, the rains came like clockwork every Friday night. It washed out the road into the track, flooded the low laying land and cut enormous rain grooves in the downhills. Races were canceled left and right. The good thing? If you had a nagging injury back in January, you had plenty of time off for it to heal. But, finally, there was no doubt that this week’s race was on. The weather looked good and the Glen Helen track crew had a nice sunny week to get both the AMA National track and the REM track prepped.

Justin Jones won the 450 Pro class on a KTM 450SXF Factory Edition. Photo: Dan Alamangos

As the vans, Sprinters and pickups pulled into the pits early on Saturday morning, it was like a high school reunion. Everybody was happy to see the guys that they normally would have spent every weekend racing against — and, finally, they were back together again. The weather was perfect, the track was good and the mood was buoyant. It was a great day of racing…and a great way to start off a new year—albeit a belated start.

Troy Lee Design’s Sean Cantrell took the 250 Pro win. Photo: Kyoshi Becker

This is what the first turn of the Pro race looked like if you were back in the pack. Photo: Dan Alamangos

MXA’s Dennis Stapleton was putting in another day of testing on the 2017 Honda CRF450. MXA has run through 9 different fork valvings and Dennis said that the 9th version was the… wait for it…worst of the bunch. Back to the drawings boards, but first he is off to the Joe Gibbs facility to test some JGR bikes. Photo: Dan Alamangos

How many people does it takes to work on a bike? Three to lean on it and one to do the work. Photo:Kyoshi Becker

Gary Sutherlin took a week off from his offroad duties to go 2-2 in the 450 Pro class. Photo: Dan Alamangos

As always, foreign riders were abundant at REM this weekend. Haaken Karlsen was 4th in the 450 Pro class. That’s a little close to the cliff, Haaken! Photo: Dan Alamangos

Because so many races were canceled due to weather in the first part of the 2017, the 2016 awards weren’t handed out until the end of February. (From left to right) Tom Holmes (2016 REM number 1 in points), 1998 REM Number one Jody Weisel (4th overall in 2016 points — 18 years later), three-time REM number one Jon Ortner (second in 2016 points) and Pasha Afshar (REM Sportsman of the Year).

Swede Jeff Oxelmark (351) swept both motos of the 250 intermediate class. Photo: Dan Alamangos

Former AMA Pro Billy Joe Mercier won the Over-40 Pro class. Billy is heading for the climb up the backside of Mt. Whitney. Photo: Dan Alamangos

Pete Vetrano (37) may want to check his rear tire pressure before his next moto. Photo: Dan Alamangos

It is hard to believe that this man was the first Grand Prix racer to move to America to demonstrate Husqvarnas for Edison Dye. It is not hard to believe that Lars Larsson brought motocross to America, but it is amazing that he is still racing in America 50 years later (in his 70s). Photo: Dan Alamangos

Pasha Afshar leads a parade that includes Rory Wooten (55), Dutchman Ralf Schmidt, David Cincotta (861) and South African Alan Jullien (foreground). Photo: Jon Ortner

1980 AMA 500 National Champion Chuck Sun won the Over-60 Expert class over a top ten of Joe Pena, Gary Jones, Ken Ehlers, Val Tamietti, Jim Hansson, Steve Parker, Kirk Bassett, Roland Rodriquez and Mic Rodgers. But he was most proud of his new sunglasses. Photo: Jon Ortner

Here is Chuck Sun without the sunglasses. Photo: Dan Alamangos

This track addition was added two months ago, but has only been used twice since. Note the fire hose snaking up the infield. Photo: Dan Alamangos

Almost every race at REM Glen Helen is a race among friends. Here, Kent Reed (491) gets underneath Jim O’Neal (127) on the last lap of the second moto. Photo: Dan Alamangos

Janae Thomason grew up at the races. Her parents, Frank and Myra Thomason, have run REM for 30 years. Janae is now married and bringing son Senna to the races to visit with grandpa Frank and grandma Myra. Photo:Jon Ortner

Jody Weisel went 3-2 to get second in the Over-60 Intermediates. Even though there are older classes than 60-years-old at REM, Jody prefers to race with the kids. Photo: Kyoshi Becker

You can jump as far as you want down Mt. Whitney, but discretion is the better part of valor. Lyle Sweeter demonstrates. Photo: Kyoshi Becker

Pete Murray won the highly competitive Over-50 Elite class—as you’d expect from a guy who won the Over-40 and Over-50 titles at the World Vet Championship in the past. Photo: Dan Alamangos

There is nothing as exciting as sand whoops with a fast downhill turn in the middle of them. David Cincotta gets kicked off the line so that Alan Jullien (70) and Robby Schott (523) have a clear path. Photo: Dan Alamangos

HUSKY’S AT REM GLEN HELEN

Husqvarna has a loyal following at REM. Here are a few photos of the Husky faithful this weekend at Glen Helen. We start with Vegard Falmaar (from the ancestoral home of Husqvarna) Photo: Dan Alamangos

Bill Seifert (37) was a loyal Yamaha rider for years, but he borrowed a ride on a friend’s Husky FC350 and bought one the next day. Photo: Dan Alamangos

Mark Moore (103) is surrounded by a pack of orange bikes. Mark was third in the Over-60 Intermediates. Tony Parsons (68) was seventh and Gene Boere (62) was eighth. Photo: Dan Alamangos

Jim O’Neal won the Over-70 World Championship at the 2016 World Vet Championships on a borrowed Husqvarna FC450. Now, he has his own. Photo: Dan Alamangos

Hollywood stuntman Mic Rodgers (115) was racing his brand-new Husky for the first time this weekend. Photo: Dan Alamangos

Sportcar racer Ernie Becker (87) on a Husqvarna FC250 leads meat-man Mike Phillips on a Husky FC450 in the Over-50 Intermediate class. Scott Richeson (94), on a white Yamaha, won with a 4-2 score. Photo: Dan Alamangos

You may have heard of Pete Vetrano before. He was the TM importer (twice), the Vertematti importer, the Falcon importer, the LEM importer and is now the Scalvini exhaust importer. That a Scalvini four-stroke exhaust on his FC350. Photo: Dan Alamangos

Braden Larsen won the Vet Novice class with a 2-1. Photo: Dan Alamangos

For more info about REM motocross go to www.remsatmx.com. Unfortunately, next weekend the Praire Dogs Grand Prix will be held at Glen Helen and this two-day race uses parts of the REM track for its cross-country race. So, while everyone was happy to be back at REM, they will have to takes one more weekend off before returning to REM on March 11 and March 18.