“SATURDAY AT THE GLEN MOTOCROSS:” THE WINDS CAME BACK AGAIN, BUT SO DID 233 RACERS

On Dec 18, 2023 Last updated Dec 18, 2023

Todd Sibel (829) chased 250 winner Colton Aeck to the line in the first 250/450 Promoto, but didn’t waste any time blasting to the front in the second moto.

PHOTOS BY DEBBI TAMIETTI

450 EXPERTS
1. Todd Sibel (Kaw)…1-1
2. Casey Casper (Kaw)…2-2

As hard as it was to believe after last week’s 45 mph winds made life difficult for the “Saturday at the Glen” racers, the winds were back for this past Saturday’s races. Although the winds were not as powerful as a week ago, the 35 mph gusts meant that the bikes were moving around a lot in mid-air, Glen Helen Raceway is at the end of a big canyon and at the base of 9000 foot mountain range—which means that as the riders drive up the 15 Freeway, they may be lulled into thinking that the windds are calm. But, once they get to the mouth of the canyons, the wind starts to blow. It was a shock to those who left their house with 2 mph winds and found 35mph winds waiting for them.

Colton Aeck (526) swept both moto of the 250 Pro class and even won the first moto of the combined 250/450 class.

250 EXPERTS
1. Colton Aeck (Kaw)…1-1
2. Cody Brownfield (Hon)…2-2

Amazingly, the 233 riders who showed up to race the final “Saturday at the Glen” race of 2023 seemed unfazed by the wind, most of them saying. “You call this wind, you should have been here last Saturday, Now that was windy.” There were two Red Flag races, one for a 250 Novice crash that blocked the track enough that the second wave couldn’t go. They were brought back to the starting line and the second wave was made into it’s own separate race. This extended the program. The second red flag came in the 65cc Junior Cycle race, when there was a crash in the steeply banked Talladega first turn. The race was stopped and restarted, but the fallen rider was okay. Even with the delays to the program, “Saturday at the Glen” stayed true to their vow to get every Saturday race wrapped up by 2:00 p.m. so that the racers could have time to prep their bikes for wherever they were going riding on Sunday.

Ed Guajardo (27) must have felt lonely without arch-rival Robert Reisinger in the Over-50 Expert class, but Guajardo wasn’t without competition as Over-65 Expert Val Tamietti decided to race both the Over-60 Experts and Over-65 Experts. Val didn’t beat Guajardo, but he did finished second overall in front of all the other Over-60 Expert regulars.

OVER-60 EXPERTS
1. Ed Guajardo (Yam)…1-1
2. Val Tamietti (Yam)…2-3
3. Eric Clemson (Kaw)…4-2

Luc DeLey (99) took MXA’s 2024 KTM 300SX to a 7-4 day in the Over-60 Expert class.

Joe Sutter (111) test rode a 2024 Yamaha YZ450F and decided to buy two discounted 2022 Yamaha YZ450F instead. Joe went 10-8 in the Over-60 Expert class, while Michele Horton (32) went 6-7.

Bob Rutten (83) barely won last week’s Over-65 Expert class as Val Tanietti tried to pass him in almost every corner on the last lap. Guess what? The same thing happened this Saturday, but Bob held Val off both times.

OVER-65 EXPERTS
1. Bob Rutten (KTM)…2-1
2. Val Tamietti (Yam)…1-2
3. Steve Williams (Yam)…3-3

Marc Crosby (86) ran away from what is normally a super-competitive Over-65 Intermediate class to win both motos by large margins over a top five of Pete Vetrano (3-2), Rusell Brown (2-3), Jim Hanson (5-4) and Bruce Ashmore (4-5).

OVER-65 INTERMEDIATES
1. Marc Crosby (KTM)…1-1
2. Pete Vetrano (Gas)…3-2
3. Russell Brown (Gas)…2-3

Karl Sellenthin (13) two-stroked his way to the Over-60 Novice victory with a 1-1 day.

OVER-60 NOVICES
1. Karl Sellenthin (Yam)…1-1
2. Scott Hyde (Hon)…3-2
3. John McCarroll (KTM)…2-4

Ricky Richards (45) took his Suzuki RM-Z450 to a sweep of the Over-40 Intermediate class.

OVER-40 INTERMEDIATES
1. Ricky Richards (Suz)…1-1
2. Caleb Rice (Hus)…3-2
3. Jason Giordano (Hon)…4-3

Mason McGuire (256) won the 250 Novice class and came back four races later to win the Open Novice class—notching up four moto wins.

250 NOVICES
1. Mason McGuire (Kaw)…1-1
2. Connor Theis (Hus)…2-2
3. Jake Sands (Hon)…3-3

OPEN NOVICES
1. Mason McGuire (Kaw)…1-1
2. Seth Overby (Hus)…3-2
3. Daniel De La Criz (Gas)…2-4

Noah Kline (206) took the 450 Novice victory with a solid 1-1 day.

450 NOVICES
1. Noah Kline (Yam)…1-1
2. Nate Jamis (Kaw)…3-2
3. Omn Naor (Kaw)…2-3

Two Yamaha riders get tangled up in the Novice class as the rest of the riders look for an escape route.

With their bikes laying front wheel to front wheel, they block the outside line and left several riders trapped behind their fallen bikes. The late arrivers at the crash scene get by on the inside.

There is only of handful of Australian racers who are considered to be Glen Helen regulars. Dan Alamangos (82) is the best known of that small cadre of Aussie specialists.

ESR’s Ron Shuler (33) was about to go 3-1 for a shot at winning the Over-50 Expert class as he started the last lap, but Arek Kruk and Luther French (21) came out of no where and passed him—turning his hoped for 3-1 into a 3-3 for third overall.

OVER-50 EXPERTS
1. Arek Kruk (Yam)…1-1
2. Luther French (Yam…2-2
3. Ron Shuler (Yam)…3-3

Dirt Bike’s Ron Lawson struggled to a ninth place finished in the first moto of the Over-60 Expert class and DNF’ed the second moto. But saved his day by going 4-5 in the Over-65 Expert class behind Bob Rutten, Val Tamietti, Steve Williams and Tracy Hrach.

Wayne Ashby (193) had a 2-3 day behind Mike Davis’ 3-2 and Robert Kuhry’s 1-1 in the Over-50 Intermediate class.

OVER-50 INTERMEDIATES
1. Robert Kuhry (Yam)…1-1
2. Mike Davis (Yam)…2-3
3. Wayne Ashby (Hus)…2-3

John Caper raced to third in the Over-65 Novice class on his trusty Honda CRF450.

OVER-65 NOVICES
1. Denny Ryan (Yam)…1-1
2. Mark Moore (Hus)…2-2
3. John Caper (Hon)…3-3

Robert Pocius (153) went 5-1 for second overall in the Over-60 Intermediate class.

OVER-60 INTERMEDIATES
1. Mark Sandzinier (KTM)…3-2
2. Robert Pocius (KTM)…5-1
3. Pete Anagnos (Hus)…4-3

Lance Sloane (124) had a 4-DNF day in the Over-60 Novice class. Lance has had much better days than that.

Ryan Donley (37) was second overall in the 250 Novice class

Liam Holkesvig (209) sets up Dylan Hyde (522 ) for a pass in the 250 Novice class. Holkesvig went 7-8 for 8th place and and Hyde went 9-9 for 9th.

Mike Odom (61) went 4-4 in the Over-50 Novice class behind Mark Higham, Scott Murphy and Robert Laughlin.

OVER-50 NOVICES
1. Mark Higham (Kaw)…1-1
2. Scott Murphy (KTM)…2-2
3. Robert Laughlin (Yam)…3-3

Connor Theis (594) and Jake Sands battle over second place in the 450 Beginner class. Theis’ 2-2 would beat Sands’ 3-3, but not Saar Ohayon’s 1-1.

John McFadden (777) went 3-3 in the Yamaha PW50 class.

PW50/XR CLASS
1. Noah Rodriquez (Yam)…1-1
2. Augustine Canela (Yam)…2-2
3. John McFadden (Yam)…3-3

Colson Bogh (93) went 2-2 on his electric GasGas Pee-Wee for second in the Pee-Wee First Timer’s class.

PEE-WEE FIRST TIMERS
1. Konnor Sparks (KTM)…1-1
2. Colson Bogh (Gas)…2-2
3. Madison Yarnell (KTM)…3-3

Madison Yarnell (26) took her electric Husky Pee-Wee to a 3-3 day in the Pee-Wee First Timers class.

Noah Rodriquez (391) won the Yamaha PW50 class with a 1-1 on his all-red PW.

If you are looking for a racing organization that offers long motos, low cost and very consistent race schedule—this is it. “Saturday at the Glen” motocross hosts a 25-race season—which will start again on January 13, 2024. Pre-entry is only $30 ($25 for minis). Post entry on the day of the race is $40 ($30 for minis). The Gate fee is only $10 (per person). You can sign up on the internet for the next “Saturday at the Glen” motocross as late as the Friday before the race and save money (or just show up in person on race day).

The tentative schedule for the first six “Saturday at the Glen” races of 2024 are January 13, January 20, February 3, February 24, March 16 and March 23. For more info go to www.glenhelen.com.