“SATURDAY AT THE GLEN” MOVED TO “SUNDAY AT THE GLEN” TO ESCAPE THE RAIN

Well, you can’t say that they didn’t warn you.

PHOTOS BY DEBBI TAMIETTI & MARK RIKER

This week’s “Saturday at the Glen”motocross was significant for three reason:

Thanks to an incredibly rainy February, the weekly “Saturday at the Glen” races have played hopscotch with their race schedules. As it has always been with SoCal rain, it always rains mid-week, forcing the Glen Helen track crew to work extra hard to get the muck off the tracks for the weekly Tuesday and Thursday practices and still get the track rideable for the Saturday and Sunday races. Glen Helen, which only gets 15 inches of rain in a normal year, peaked at  9.25 inches by February 13 (with 10 months to go).

(1) Glen Helen’s Lori Wilson took pity on the track crew and told them not to worry about getting the track perfect for the regularly scheduled “Saturday at the Glen” race on the Arroyo track on February 15, because she was going to put all of her eggs into one basket and combine both the Vet MX Old Timer’s race and with the rescheduled “Saturday at the Glen” on the National track on Sunday, February 16—when the weather would be warm and rainless. She knew that she could mix these two competing race organizations because lots of Vet MX Old Timer’s race at “Saturday at the Glen” when Vet MX isn’t on the schedule and, conversely, when Glen Helen isn’t holding a “Saturday at the Glen” race, as will happen several times in May, the “Saturday at the Glen” regulars are able to race the Support classes at the Vet MX races. Thus, this week’s race was called “Sunday at the Glen.”

(2) Ace motocross photographer Debbi Tamietti made a surprise visit to Glen Helen this week—she has been missing for the last five weekends taking car of hubby Val Tamietti, who broke his pelvis in a freak practice crash back in January. After several surgeries to fix his lacerated bladder and bolt his pelvis back together, Val is finally back home—albeit confined to a wheelchair until the doctors believe that his legs are weight bearing enough for him to start walking. During his month in the hospital and Casa Colima Rehabilitation Center, Debbi and daughter Tawny were constantly by his side. But Debbi felt that Val could fend for himself for a couple hours this Sunday, while she came to Glen Helen to shoot the first motos of every class. Mark Riker, was nice enough to volunteer to fill-in for Debbi during her absence and was helped on various weekends by Jon Ortner, Jody Weisel and Dan Alamangos.

Shawn Bushnell (25) holeshot both motos and won the Open Expert class with a 1-1. He built up a big lead and seemed safe, but behind Shawn was SoCal racing legend Gordon Ward (744). Gordon was leading the Over-50 Expert class and was blasted his way through the pack to finally catch Shawn towards the end of both motos. Shawn would get the Open Expert victory and come back later to win the Over-40 Expert class, while Gordon won the Over-50 Experts. Photo: Debbi Tamietti

Gordon Ward (744) didn’t get very good starts in the Over-50/Open-Expert motos, but he didn’t need good starts. Photo: Debbi Tamietti

(3) With the track crew focusing on one race track instead of three, they did a brilliant job on Sunday. They were helped by the fact that the last couple weeks of rainy weather had washed a lot of sand down from the cliffs surrounding the Glen Helen National track. It helped soak up lots of the water puddles and gave the National track a cushion of dirt.

Luther French (21) showed up on his KTM 300SX two-stroke instead of his yellow YZ450F this Sunday and pulled away from all the 450 four-stroke guys, but there was one rider he did’t pull away from. See below. Photo: Debbi Tamietti

As luck would have it, Jon Ortner (13) ask MXA if he could race their 2025 GasGas MC300 two-stroke and, in a 300 versus 300 duel, Luther French and Jon Ortner passed each other four times on the last lap—with Luther being in position to make the last pass. They stopped after the checkered flag and slapped each other on the back and shook hands. Photo: Mark Riker

Every weekend Mike Monaghan (34), shown here leading Australian racer Warren Strange (65), gets kidded by his competition for racing a YZ125 in the 450 four-stroke dominated Over-65 Expert class. Each week Mike comes from the back of the pack to work his way into the front runner group. But this week, he managed to break through the pack and win the first moto and he was winning the second moto until Jim Latendresse passed him for the win. Latendresse went 2-1, while Monaghan went 1-2. There’s always next weekend! 

Dominic Desimone (190) won the 450 Expert class in a runaway. Photo: Debbi Tamietti

The 250 Novice and 450 Novices classes had the same top three in both classes. Ryder Hoerr (243) went 1-1 in the 250 Novices and 2-1 in the 450 Novices. Photo: Mark Riker

Tristan Leidholdt (26) had a 3-3 for third in the 250 Novices and and 3-2 for second in the 450 Novices. Photo: Debbi Tamietti

Kaiden Lytle (411) was second overall in the 250 Novices with a 2-2 and came back in the 450 Novices to get third with a 2-3.  Photo: Debbi Tamietti

Stephan Moore (45) went 1-DNF in the Over-50 Intermediate class. Photo: Debbi Tamietti

Jacob Fishback (25) won the  85cc class with a 1-1 and got second in the 125 Beginner class. Photo: Debbi. Tamietti

Alison Bushnell (13) won the Women’s class and then came back in the Over-40 Intermediates to go 3-4 against the men. Photo: Mark Riker

Bruce Ashmore (111) took the Over-65 Intermediate victory with a 1-1. Photo: Debbi. Tamietti

Tanner Peckerham (649) won the 250 Beginner class and the Open Novice class. Photo: Mark Riker

Scott Hyde (521) went 1-1 in the Over-60 Novice class in front of a top five of Corby Reutgen, Chuck Peterson and Kory Russell. Photo: Debbi Tamietti

Yes, it is true. Even though it rained nine inches in the last month, Glen Helen still has to water the steeper sections of the track because rain water just runs down them and doesn’t soak in.. Photo: Debbi Tamietti

Kyle Clarke (51), from St. George, Utah, went 1-1 in the 85 Beginner class.  Photo: Mark Riker

Logan Davis (141)  is chasing Chris Wilder (623) in the 85 Beginner class, but in the final tally Logan went 2-2 for second, while Chris Wilder went 4-4 for fourth. Photo: Mark Riker

Weston Blalock (223) won the 50cc Pee-Wee class with a 2-1 and the 50cc 7-to-8 years old Pee-Wee class with a 1-2 . Photo: Mark Riker

Keone Nagamine (808) went 1-1 in the Pee-Wee class and also the 4-to-6 year old 50cc class. Photo: Debbi Tamietti

Logan Shelton (55) put together 3-4 scores for fourth overall in the Pee-Wee class. Photo: Debbi Tamietti

450 Intermediate Dillon Alcantara (251) drag races Over-40 Intermediate Richard Albach (65) out of a deep sand turn. They both won their classes. Photo: Mark Riker.

2024 “SATURDAY AT THE GLEN” RACE SCHEDULE

Dominic Desimone (190) isn’t the only Desimone on the track, his dad Phil went 4-5 for fourth overall in the Over-60 Expert class. Photo: Debbi Tamietti

If you are looking for a racing organization that offers long motos, low cost, very consistent race schedule and a true-to-life outdoor motocross track—this is it. “Saturday at the Glen” motocross will be racing on February 22, March 8 and March 23, 2025. 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 Friday before the race (or just show up in person on race day). For more info go to www.glenhelen.com

2025 “SATURDAY AT THE GLEN” SCHEDULE
Jan. 18…National track
Jan. 25…Arroyo track
Feb. 1…National track
Feb. 8…Canceled—moved to Feb. 15 
Feb. 15…Canceled —moved to Feb. 16
Feb. 16… National track
Feb. 22…National track
Mar. 8…Arroyo track
Mar. 22…Arroyo track
Apr. 12…Arroyo track
Apr. 26…Arroyo track
May 31…National track
Jun. 21…Arroyo track
Jun. 28…National track
Jul. 19…National track
Aug. 2…Arroyo track
Aug. 9…National track
Aug. 23…National track
Sept. 13…Arroyo track
Sept. 20…National track
Oct. 4…Arroyo track
Oct. 25…National track
Nov.15…Arroyo trac
Nov. 22…National track
Dec.7…National track
Dec. 21…National track