“SATURDAY AT THE GLEN” MOTOCROSS REPORT: WHERE SAND, LOAM & BIG HILLS MEET HORSEPOWER

With lots of riders new to the “Saturday at the Glen” racetrack, there were some interesting crashes on the climb of Mt. Whitney. Here five riders have to come back down after the front rider fell over and the other four chopped to avoid hitting the rider in front of them. It is so steep that stopping is not possible. Photo: Rich Stuelke

PHOTOS BY DEBBI TAMIETTI & RICH STUELKE

Preston Tilford was once on the fast track to a factory ride. Ten years ago he was on the Yamaha-supported Vance and Hines motocross team, but when they folded he was left without a ride. He’s back now, trying to work his way back to the Nationals. Preston won the 450 Pro class.

It’s summer time in SoCal, so the local racers expect hot weather, and while the last couple weeks have been milder than normal, this weekend presented a new weather challenge as monsoonal moisture was pulled up from Mexico by a stationary high pressure zone raising the relative humidity to over 60%. This unheard of humidity number was a surprise to most Californians, who are used to 100-degree weather with very very low humidity—that makes 100 degrees in SoCal the equivalent of 85 degrees in Florida. Also waiting for the riders was another long track design, that included a deep sand section, a couple steep downhills and, of course, corresponding uphills. Lap times were long, but the complete program was over by 2:00 p.m.

Former Factory Yamaha, Honda of Troy and AMA Supercross winner Mike “Stingray” Craig raced in the Over-50 Expert class, but his day was ruined by a flat tire in the second moto after finishing 4th in moto one.

The big winners were Pete Murray, who won two classes. He was joined by Dakota Ramos, who won the 65 and 85cc classes, and Michael Oetzell, who won the 450 Novice and Over-30 Novice classes. These were not the only riders double-classing it, but they were the only riders to double-class it and win both of them. As always, the best racing came in the older age groups, where extremely experienced riders fought tooth and nail with guys they grew up racing against 30 years ago.

The Over 65 Expert class was a classic example as former CMC #1 rider Val Tamietti took the win in front of former Baja 500/1000 Champion Bob Rutten, four-time 250 National Champion Gary Jones, former AME number 1 rider Will Harper and Steven Chandler, who wasn’t a famous star of the 1970s or 1980s, but drove all the way from New Harmony, Utah, just to race at Glen Helen—which makes him a champion driver.

MXA’s Dennis Stapleton chooses an unusual line. MXA had three riders share the 2023 Honda CRF450 during the day with Stapleton, Jon Ortner and Jody Weisel putting it through its paces.

What follows are the photos that moto-photo ace Debbi Tamietti shot, with some help from Rich Stuelke, on a hot muggy day at Glen Helen Raceway. If your photo doesn’t appear here, it just the luck of the odds that anyone’s photo appears here with over 150 riders in attendance. We can’t guarantee that your photo will appear, but we can guarantee that if the numbers on your bike don’t match the numbers on the results sheet we won’t have a clue who you are. Enjoy Debbi’s hard work.

Zach Wiley (13) raced his new Husqvarna FC450 to a 2-2 finish in the 450 Intermediate class.

Michael Oetzell (406) backs his KTM into this flat turn with Bryan Friday (43) giving him all the room he needs. Oetzell went 1-1 in the Vet Novices, Friday went 2-2.

David O’Connor (3) powers through the sand on his way to 5-4 moto scores in the Over-40 Intermediates.

Do you think Shawn Bushnell’s suspension is too soft? It could be, but he won both motos of the Over-40 Expert class, so who are we to judge.

Factory Effex’s Bryan Roberts (4) went 3-1 in the Over-50 Novice class to just lose out to Don Myron’s 1-2. Behind Bryan is Howard Tresville, who went 6-7.

While Dad was racing the Over-50 Novices, Shane Roberts (440) had a 2-DNF day in the 250 Intermediate class.

You may think that the Over-60 class is sedate racing for retired gentlemen, but not at “Saturday at the Glen.” 6D’s Robert Reisinger (96) leads Jon Ortner (47) and Dave Eropkin (811). They aren’t racing for the lead, that belongs to Pete Murray, but Ortner went 2-2, Reisinger 3-3 and Eropkin 4-4.

In his spare time, MXA’s Jody Weisel (192) was testing Urmosi Soft Bar mounts on a GasGas MC450F.

Mark Crosby (192) and Jody Weisel raced the same bike in different classes, but neither one of them put air in the rear tire.

This is the Over-60 Expert class first turn. Robert Reisinger (96) got there first, but Pete Murray (7) burned in hot and took it away from Reisinger. But Murray didn’t get the holeshot, Jon Ortner (47) slingshot off the banking to take the lead.

Two turns later Jon Ortner (47) takes advantage of the 2023 Honda CRF450’s broad powerband to lead the Over-60 Expert pack before Pete Murray (7) came by.

Jon Ortner (47) raced the Over-60 Experts on the 2023 50th Anniversary CRF450 and the Over-50 Expert class on MXA’s Yamaha YZ250 two-stroke. Jon went 2-2 for second in the Over-60 class and 5-4 for third in the Over-50s.

Pete Murray (7) won both the Over-50 Experts and the Over-60 Experts—as he prepares for the 2022 World Vet Championship.

Kent Reed (491) is still racing the GasGas FC450 project bike that MXA built for him two years ago. Kent is also, like Pete Murray, prepping for the World Vet, but unlike Pete Murray, Kent only raced one moto of the Over-65 Intermediate class and accidentally slept through his second moto.

Jim O’Neal (75) was out testing his latest Prodigy gear on MXA’s 2023 KTM 350SXF.

Carl Gazafy (176) won the Over-65 Intermediate class with a 1-3. The second moto was won by Sam Lupear who went 4-1.

You can’t throw a rock at “Saturday at the Glen” without hitting an MXA test rider. Here, former Saddleback Pro Luc De Ley (97) on a GasGas MC250F and Randel Fout (62) on a 2022-1/2 KTM 450SXF Factory Edition circulate in close formation.

Mic Rodgers (115) was cleaned out by a fellow racer over a tabletop and hit the ground hard. His Husqvarna had so much dirt jammed in its muffler that it wouldn’t start. Jody Weisel pulled over and gave Mic a ride back to the pits, while Dennis Stapleton went down on the track and rode Mic’s bike back to the pits.

Mic Rodgers’ rear fender post-crash.

Australian Dan Alamangos logs some flight time on MXA’s 2022 Yamaha YZ250F.

Greg Anderson (55) swept both motos of the Over-50 Intermediate class.

Four-time 250 National Champion Gary Jones has been busy with off-road races this year, evidenced by his yellow number plate, but now that he is 70-years-old he wants to win the Over-70 World Championship in November. He already has Over-30, Over-40, Over-50 and Over-60 World Vet crowns. He would be the first rider to win in five different age divisions. Photo: Rich Stuelke

250 four-stroke versus 125 two-stroke courtesy of Nigel Crosby (left) and Robert Kuhry (right).

Hayden Herman (413) swept both motos of the 85 class on an all-yellow Suzuki RM85.

Ryder Friday (42) finished second behind Hayden Herman in both 85cc motos.

Dakota Ramos (27) took his Cobra to a 2-1 victory over Jake Weltmer’s 1-2 in the 65 Beginner class.

Landon Le Blanc (14) went 3-1 for second in the 50cc PW/XR class. It is the perfect class to start your kid racing.

Ezra Armbruster’s Yamaha PW50 edged out Landon Le Blanc’s PW by one point for the win.

Maverick Shaw (24) went 6-4 for fourth in the 7-to-8 year old Pee-Wee class on a KTM.

THIS WEEK’S SELECTED WINNERS

450 ExpertsPreston Tilford (Gas)
Over-40 Experts: Shawn Bushnell (Hus)
Over-50 Experts: Pete Murray (Yam)
Over-60 Experts: Pete Murray (Hus)
Over-65 Experts: Val Tamietti (Yam)
450 Intermediates: Geza Simon (Hon)
250 Intermediates: Cody Brownfield (KTM)
Over-30 Intermediates: Joel Licon (Yam)
Over-40 Intermediates: Adam Morrow (Suz)
Over-50 Intermediates: Greg Anderson (KTM)
Over-60 Intermediates: Randy Skinner (Hus)
Over-65 Intermediates: Carl Gazafy (Hus)
Over-30 Novices: Michael Oetzell (KTM)
Over-40 Novices: Michael Morales (Hon)
250 Novices: Peyton Marrett (Kaw)
250 Beginner: Daniel Castillo (Gas)
Over-50 Novices: Don Myron (KTM)
85 Beginners: Kai Lopez (KTM)
85 Class: Hayden Herman (Suz)
65 Beginner: Dakota Ramos (Cob)
65 Class: Kasey Shelton (KTM)

“Saturday at the Glen” motocross will race again on August 13 and August 27 (and there is always the chance of additional dates being added to the 2022 calendar}. Pre-entry is only $30 ($25 for minis). Post entry is $40 ($30 for minis) on the day of the race. The Gate fee is $10 (per person). You can sign up for the next “Saturday at the Glen” motocross  as late as the Thursday before the next race. For more info go to www.glenhelen.com

 

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