“SATURDAY AT THE GLEN ” RACE REPORT: THE JAPANESE ARE BACK, BUT HAWAII TAKES THE BIG WIN

The 450 Pro class was won by Hawaiian Brian Medeiros, who originally signed up to race the 250 Pro class, but after practice, MXA asked him to race our 2025 Honda CRF450, which MXA had broken in on Friday at Pala.

PHOTOS BY DEBBI TAMIETTI

There is no doubt that Glen Helen Raceway is the racing destination for thousands of racers from around the world. They host big races like the upcoming 40th Annual World Vet Motocross Championship, the long running World Two-Stroke Championship, Day in the Dirt, the 6- 10- and 24- hours of Glen Helen endurance races, monthly SRA Grand Prix races, multiple rounds of the WORCS series, the Western Hare Scrambles series, NGPC events, the Praire Dogs Grand Prix, regularly held Old Timer, Over the Hill Gang races and vintage races. Plus, Glen Helen hosts Travis Pastrana’s Nitro Rallycross and monthly off-road truck and buggy races on their Lucas Oil off-road truck track.

Jimmy Holley took care of Yamaha of Japan racers Ryota Asai (7) and Daiki Otasawara (20) while they have been in the USA.

But think what it is like for the SoCal locals who get to ride and race every week at Glen Helen. There are often as many as five different races held on most weeks—this week alone there was a AME Minicross race on Thursday night, a Saturday night Prairie Dogs night cross-country race and a Sunday SRA Grand Prix cross-country race—but the real kicker of every the weekend is the “Saturday at the Glen” races, which rotate back and forth between being held on the National track and the Arroyo track.

Jake Alvarez (192) and Daiki Otasawara (20) spent the last two Saturday’s battling each other in close combat. Jake went 6-2 in the 250 class and Daiki scored a 2-2 in the 450 class.

Ryota Asai (7) and Carter Dubach (15) battled for second overall in the 250 Pro class.

Noah Viney (943) went 1-1 to win the 250 Pro class. Here, Noah is on the exit of the steeply banked Talladega first turn with Carter Dubach is in pursuit.

This Saturday 280 riders signed up to race— with most of the focus being put on the 450 and 250 Pro classes.

The Pro starts were pretty much dead heats for the first eight places on the way to the Talladega first turn.

The 450 Pro class was won by Hawaiian Brian Medeiros, who originally signed up to race the 250 Pro class, but after practice, MXA asked him to race our 2025 Honda CRF450. He had never ridden the 2025 Honda CRF450 before because MXA had only broken it and set it up at Pala Raceway on Friday. In what was a big surprise, Brian swept both 450 motos. The diminuitive Hawaiian 250 specialist said this was his first-ever 450 Pro win. and he did it on dead  stock 2025 CRF450 without ever practicing on it. The top five was filled out by All-Japan National contender Daiki Ogasawara, who got to lead, but ended up with a 2-2 day ahead of Dominic Desimone (5-3), Husqvarna’s Ciaran Naran (4-4) and Ezra Lewis (3-5, who ran off the track in an attempt to pass Ogasawara and had to drop back to fifth before re-entering).

Ezra Lewis (25)  worked his way up from a mediocre start to come all the way up to Ryota Asai’s rear wheel before hitting a soft spot in a berm and going into the infield. He re-entered in 5th place.  

Dominic Desimone (190) went 5-3 for third in the 450 Pro class.

In the 250 Pro class, Noah Viney won both motos and even led the combined 250/450 class for a couple laps on his way to the 250 victory. The top five was rounded out by 24-year-old Flying Dolphin Yamaha racer Ryota Asai, who  went 2-3 for second, in front of Carter Dubach’s 3-4, Jake Alvarez’s 6-2, Tristun Alvarez’s  5-5 and Travis Damon’s 4-6.

Ciaran Naran was fourth in the 450 Pro class with a 4-4.

Dennis Stapleton (39 was assigned to ride MXA’s Triumph TF250X. He made it almost a lap before a rider on his inside broke through a berm and pulled across into where Dennis was. Stapo slammed on the brakes and then got slammed by the guy behind him. The photo was shot in practice because Stapo wasn’t on the track long enough in his first moto for Debbi to shoot any race photos of him.

Ricky Richards went 2-3 in the Over-40 Intermediate class. He got to style for awhile.

In the older classes, Mark Tilley won the Over-40 Experts with a 1-1 (and even threw in a crash). Shawn Bushnell went 2-2 for second.

Over-50 Expert winner Doug Dubach (15) chases Over-30 Expert winner Josh Fout (946). Fout was on a Kawasaki KX450X because he planned to camp out and race the SRA Grand Prix on Sunday.

Bill Sauro (311) went 2-2 behind Doug Dubach in the Over-50 Expert class (although Dubach could have race the Over-60 class also).

In the Over-50 Experts there were several World Vet Championship contenders, but they were no match for 28-time World Vet Champion Doug Dubach who went 2-1 for the win (the second place in the first moto was caused by a first turn crash that had him start dead last). Bill Sauro went 1-2, Polish racer Arek Kruk was third with a 4-3 score, Richard Ellis went 3-4 for fourth and John Griffin rounded out the top five with a 5-5.

The Over-60 Experts were won by Phil Dowell with a 1-1, second went to Ron Shuler with a 2-2, third was Val Tamietti with a 3-3, fourth was Michelle Horton’s 4-4 and Steve Piatoni had a 5-5 for fifth overall.

Phil Dowell (23) won the Over-60 Experts with a 1-1 score. He is being chased by Over-65 Expert winner Val Tamietti, who finished third in the Over-50 Expert class.

Michelle Horton (32) put together a 4-4 day for fourth in the Over-60 Expert class.

Val Tamietti returned to the track for the Over-65 Experts and ended with a 2-1 overall victory. Bob Rutten won the first moto, but didn’t close the deal in the second moto and ended up second overall with a 1-2. Mike Monaghan overcame bad starts on his Tony Distefano-sponsored YZ125 to end up third overall with a 4-4. Will Harper raced his Stark in the first moto and finished 6th, but he came back on a KTM for the second moto to get a third. Will’s 6-3 added up to fourth overall, Tracy Hrach crashed in the rolling jumps before the Log Cabin. He scraped up his arm and hit the ground pretty hard, but said he would be okay. He returned to action and went 3-6 for fifth overall.

Mike Monaghan (34) is a die-hard two-stroke rider, and even though he has won his class in the past when forced to race a four-stroke, he insists on racing a Yamaha YZ125. Mike pushed his tiddler to third overall in the Over-65 Expert class.

This is the Over-30 Expert, Over-40 Expert and Over-40 Intermediate starts. Josh Fout and Shawn Bushnell are out front.

Val Tamietti (31) was third in the Over-50 Expert class and took the victory in the Over-65 Expert class. His quizzical look at the camera means, “Hey honey, what’s for dinner tonight?”

Jim O’Neal (127) and Carl Gazafy (176) fought it out for the Over-70 class victory. Jim O’Neal was the Over-70 World Vet Champion back in 2016 —which means in two years Jim can try to win the Over-80 class at the World Vet.  

In an inspired race, former All-Japan Women’s Motocross Champion Nanami Honda won the Women’s class and beat a top five of Alison Bushnell (2-2), Catherine Roone (4-3), Tatum Juhnke (3-5) and Shelby Swien (5-4). What was impressive was the Namani ended up dueling with the front of the Over-60 Experts after catching them from behind.

In the Womens’s class former All-Japan National Women’s Champion Nanami Honda (4) was fast enough to run with the men in the earlier gate.

Mavis Alessi (6) won the 50cc Pee-Wee (4-6 year old class) with a 1-1.

Liam Arsell (83) went 4-3 for fourth overall in the 85cc class.

2024 “SATURDAY AT THE GLEN” RACE SCHEDULE

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 will race again on August 24 (Arroyo track), August 31 (Arroyo track), September14 (National track). 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 next race (or just show up in person on race day). For more info go to www.glenhelen.com

UPDATED 2024 “SATURDAY AT THE GLEN” SCHEDULE
Jan. 13…National track
Jan. 20…Arroyo track
Feb. 3…Arroyo track
Feb. 24…Arroyo track
Mar. 16…National track
Mar. 23…Arroyo track
Apr. 13..Arroyo track
May 4…National track
May 11…Arroyo track
June 1…Arroyo track
June 15…National track
July 6…Arroyo track
July 27…Arroyo track
Aug. 3…National track
Aug. 24…Arroyo track
Aug. 31…Arroyo track
Sept.14…National track
Oct. 5…Arroyo track
Oct. 19…Arroyo track
Oct. 26…National track
Nov. 16…Arroyo track
Nov. 23…Arroyo track
Dec. 7…Arroyo track
Dec. 21…National track