THREE DAYS IN MOTOCROSS HEAVEN! 2024 WORLD VET CHAMPIONSHIP (UPDATED)

2024 WORLD VET MOTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP

PHOTOS BY DEBBI TAMIETTI, JON ORTNER, TREVOR NELSON & DAN ALAMANGOS

If you couldn’t make it to the 2024 Dubya USA World Vet Motocross Championship at Glen Helen Raceway you missed two days full of incredible races, with 1200 riders entered, from 24 different countries, a very long and challenging racetrack that consisted of five major hills, with lap times varying from 2:45 for the Pros to over 4:00 for the older age groups, plus the Edison Dye Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to 28-time World Vet Champion Doug Dubach at a special ceremony on Saturday afternoon in the Glen Helen museum, which included a special Doug Dubach video shot by Trevor Nelson and the presentation of his trophy and special three-inch thick marble placque for the Glen Helen Walk of Fame.

These were the standout stars of the 2024 Dubya World Vet Motocross Championship Phil Nicoletti and Mike Brown.

There were brand name riders in every class, with the big winners from the ten most important classes being Phil Nicoletti (Over-30 Pro), Ryan Morais (Over-40 Pro), Mike Brown (Over-50 Pro), Canadian Pete DeGraaf (Over-60 Pro), 2005 Over-50 Champion and 2014 Over-60 Champion Brent Wallingsford (coming back from a ten-year layoff to win the 2024 Over-70 World Championship), Bruce Hoover (Over-80 class), Trevor Stewart took a loaner Stark Varg electric bike to a nail biting win over Josh Mosiman in the Over-25 race. Mike Alessi took the Pasha Over-30 125 Pro win, while Mike Brown won the Pasha Over-50 125 Pro class. Alison Bushnell won the  Over-30 Women’s title.

A NOTE OF THANKS TO THE LATE TOM WHITE

Tom White.

Tom White founded the World Vet Motocross Championship back in 1985, and although Tom passed away in 2017, the race continues to be the giant extravaganza that Tom predicted it would be back when no one took Vet racing seriously. Today, there are copy-cat races all around the World, all of whom owe a debt of gratitude to Tom’s willingness to throw the might and dollars of his company, White Brothers Cycle Specialities, into promoting the race. Even today, Tom’s shadow still stands over the World Vet Championship because his daughter Kristin and her husband John Anderson took over the sponsorship reins of the World Vet with their Dubya USA wheel company.

The Tom White Memorial sits at the entrance to the Glen Helen Walk of Fame.

With the 2024 World Vet in the books until the October 31 to November 2 rendition of the 2025 World Vet Motocross Championship, enjoy the photographic evidence submitted by MXA’s Debbi Tamietti, Jon Ortner, Dan Alamangos and Trevor Nelson from this year’s two days of racing.

THE ATMOSPHERE IN PHOTOS

Every race day morning starts with a spectacular sunrise over the campground.

By night time, things slow down to a crawl as everyone enjoys the cool, quiet and comfy confines of their motorhomes and campers. Except for those that choose to work on their bikes.

The best sound coming from the track is when the track crew takes a Cat up the 22-story downhill to knock the biggest bumps down. It makes the track perfect, but only for an hour.

The happiest place on Earth may be Disneyland (unless you are a stock holder), but in the motocross world it is the World Vet Championship, now in it’s 40th year. It is all good vibes when racers from the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s join up to four days of racing (Glen Helen holds pre-race practices session on Thursday and Friday before the race to help foreign riders and first timer’s get used to the unique sensation of massive hills, one right after the other and, of course, the 70 mph first turn). At each practice session, Glen Helen opens up a little bit more of the actual racetrack—then on Friday they let the riders loose on the whole thing. The riders who have been to the World Vet many times always warn first timers to take it easy on riding too much on Thursday and Friday because the bumps, jumps and hillclimbs take a toll on your body. It’s not unusual for racers to decide not to race on Sunday because they are too beat up or too tired.

The World Vet is a family affair. Here is the Brent Wallingsford family—Brent, his brother Don,  daughters Summer and Alisa and the grand kids all came out to see Brent win the Over-70 World Vet Championship. Brent won the Over-50 title in 2005 and the Over-60 crown in 2014, but took the next ten years off before returning to race it again.

Every starting line was a full gate of 40. And if it wasn’t, the two gates starting 30 second later were ready to move into place.

Barcelona Spain’s Kim Sunol came to Glen Helen back in 2010 to race the Vet World Cup at the USGP and he has returned every year to race the World Vet (except during the pandemic).

Kim is a plastic surgeon and an unbelievably funny guy who loves motocross. Last year he broke his wrist in the first turn of moto three while on his way to third overall in the Over-60 Intermediate class. This year he broke his collarbone and a few ribs. It’s understandable that his wife Viviana, a former ballerina, was not as happy about the prospect of having to carry all their luggage to the airport. 

Scalvini exhaust importer Pete Vetrano couldn’t make it to the World Vet on Sunday, but, luckily, the Bushnell boys, Jett and Bode, agreed to run his booth for him while he was out of town. Good kids.

Unlike any other race in the World, this is the 30-second girl. The starter holds the gate until she is safely off the track, but its refreshing to see how enthusiastic she was to turn the board sideways and then run for her life.

Of course MXA supports it’s current test riders with bikes and parts for the World Vet, but MXA also supports any former test rider who wants to race. They helped us when they were young and we’re glad to help them now that they are old.

Lots of veteran riders were thrilled to see former White Brothers and Troy Lee Designs marketing manager Sherry Ridenaur. She was one of the best press and public relation people in the industry for decades before she got cancer. Now, she is on the road to recovery.

Kordel Karo painted this helmet in honor of the late Randel Fout and came into the MXA pit on Saturday morning to surprise Randel’s son Josh with it.

This is Josh Fout running his dad’s old AMA number and his new helmet in the Over-35 Expert race. Josh went 5-3-2  for third overall.  Thanks Kordel.

The Talladega first turn is banked at 45-degrees and is a perfect elliptical 180-degree arc. As you can see, it is big enough hold the riders 7-wide and, in this race, we counted 39 riders.

There is plenty of camping spots, including this scenic valley wedged in between two parts of the World Vet track.

Yes, there are crashes at the World Vet, but not as many as you would expect from a race with 1200 riders. Why? because the track is so demanding and, to many riders who don’t race on true-to-life 1970s-style racetracks, especially those with big hills,  it is down-right scary and requires the full attention of every rider. Above, John Perry (41) has the lead on a Triumph, but the two riders behind him have thrown caution to the wind.

John Perry holds his line as the rider on his right, Peter Kohanowich (157) realizes that caution is a virtue and backs off, while Michael Antles (148) bends the rear fender on Perry’s Triumph TF250-X and starts to go down.

Oops! Luckily they get a cushy landing in soft sand as Perry goes on his merry way.

Glen Helen has a Dog Park just off the Walk of Fame. This is Alfie, he belongs to Jody and Lovely Louella.

EDISON DYE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD CEREMONY

Doug Dubach didn’t win his 29th World Vet Championship this year. He missed the start of the second moto and finished 11th after winning the first moto. He elected not to race the third moto to focus on the Pasha Over-50 125 Pro class where he finished third overall.

The 2024 awards ceremony.

Doug and Carter Dubach.

Dr. Bud Feldkamp presenting Doug his marble placque for the Glen Helen Walk of Fame.

The Dubach family and Doug’s lifelong mechanic Alan Olson.

Inside the Glen Helen Museum.

DOUG DUBACH’S 2024 EDISON DYE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD VIDEO

THE 2024 TOP TENS

Over-30 Pro winner Phil Nicoletti (29) was going up while his pursuers were still going down. Phil went 1-1 in the all-important Over-30 Pro class. Note the infamous square-edged bumps.

Mike Alessi (800) went 2-2 for second overall in the 30-Pro class, but won the Pasha Over-30 125 Pro class.

Sean Lipanovich, the 2022 Over-30 winner, was 4th with a 3-4.

OVER-30 PRO CLASS
1. Phil Nicoletti (Yam)…1-1
2. Mike Alessi (Hon)…2-2
3. Giacomo Redondi (Gas)…4-2
4. Sean Lipanovich (KTM)…3-4
5. Justin McDonald (Hon)…5-5
6. Dominic Desimone (KTM)…6-6
7. Benny Breck (Yam)…9-7
8. Marcello Disetti (Gas)…10-8
9. Dennis Stapleton (Hon)…8-11
10. Bryce Huffman (Kaw)…13-10

Ryan Morais (116) won the Over-40 Pro class and was second in the Pasha Over-30 125 Pro class.

Mike Brown (3) tried to race five different classes. He had issues in a couple of them, but all-in-all he had a great weekend. Mike won the Over-50 Pro class, the Pasha Over-50 125 Pro class and was second in the Over-40 Pro class and DNF’ed the Over-30 Pro class.

Dennis Stapleton went 5-4 for fourth in the Over-40 Pro class and 8-11 for 9th in the Over-30 Pros.

Dirt Bike’s Mark Tilley was fifth in the Over-40 Pro class with a 4-5.

OVER-40 PRO CLASS
1. Ryan Morais (KTM)…1-1
2. Mike Brown (Gas)…2-2
3. Kris Keefer (Yam)…3-3
4. Dennis Stapleton (Hon)…5-4
5. Mark Tilley (Kaw)…4-5
6. Todd Minnie (Yam)…7-6
7. Marcello Disetti (Gas)…6-7
8. Billy Jurevich (Bet)…9-8
9. Mike Cundari (Hon)…8-11
10. Adam Miller (KTM)…12-9

Mike Brown (3) took the overall wins in the Over-50 Pro class and the Pasha Over-50 125 Pro class.

Kurt Nicoll (2) was second overall in the Over-50 Pro class and the Pasha Over-50 125 Pro class. Kurt was 13 days away from turning 60, but you can’t race in any class at the World Vet unless you are the correct age. They allow no leeway and you have to show your driver’s license, passport or birth certificate to prove your age at sign-up.

Rusty Holland (335) made a surprise appearance to go 3-3 in the Over-50 Pro class.

OVER-50 PRO CLASS
1. Mike Brown (Gas)…1-1
2. Kurt Nicoll (KTM)…2-2
3. Rusty Holland (Kaw)…3-3
4. Julien Cerny (KTM)…4-4
5. Brian Wheeler (KTM)…5-5
6. Alan Jullien (Yam)…7-6
7. Bryan Sabbaugh (KTM)…11-8
8. Myles Rockwell (Yam)…4-5
9. Brandon Milstead Suz)…13-7
10. Troy Cardiel (Hon)…9-11

Canadian Pete DeGraaf (16) already has 2007, 2009, 2010 and 2012 Over-50 World Vet Championships to go with his 2016, 2017, 2018 and now his 2024 Over-60 World Championships.

1986 All-Japan 125 National Champion Isao Ida (130)  had a bad first moto and ended up 9th overall in the Over-60 Expert class with an 18-8-5 score over the three motos.

OVER-60 EXPERT CLASS
1. Pete DeGraaf (KTM)…1-1-2
2. Michael Roth (KTM)…3-2-1
3. Ed Foedish (Yam)…7-5-3
4. Kurt Mozingo (KTM)…6-6-8
5. Ed Guajardo (Yam)…5-3-5
6. Jon Ortner (Yam)…8-7-5
7. Don Goettling (Hus)…10-12-7
8. Milt Reimer (KTM)…4-4-21
9. Isao Ida (Gas)…18-8-5
10. Ken Smith (KTM)…11-9-11

Brent Wallingsford (14) was the 2005 Over-50 World Champion and nine years later won the Over-60 World Vet Championship in 2014.  This time he took ten years off before returning to Glen Helen to win the Over-70 World Championship.

The Over-70 class is often a cake walk for any two-time World Vet Champion, but Brent (14) wasn’t so lucky, he had to race against four-time AMA National Champion Gary Jones (88), who is also a two-time Over-70 World Vet Champion and is also the only man to have won the Over-30, Over-40, Over-50, Over-60 and Over-70 crowns. Brent (14) went 1-1-2 to Jones’ 2-2-1. 

OVER-70 EXPERT CLASS
1. Brent Wallingsford Kaw)…1-1-2
2. Gary Jones (Hon)…2-2-1
3. Dave Eakin (Hon)…3-3-3
4. Tom Jessmer (YaM)….4.4-4
5. Carl Gazafy (Yam)… 5-7-5
6. Robert Hueth (Kaw)…7-6-6
7. Kyle Montgomery (Yam)…6-5-9
8. Vladimir Kolev (Yam)…7-4-5
9. David Harrison (KTM)…9-10-11
10. Masaaki Furukawa (Kaw)…15-8-8

OVER-80 EXPERT CLASS
1. Bruce Hoover (Hus)…1-1-
2. Josef Verny (KTM)…2-2-2
3. Chuck Koistra (Hon)…4-4-3

Alison Bushnell (35) won the Women’s class with a 1-1-1 sweep.

OVER-30 WOMEN CLASS
1. Alison Bushnell (Hus)..1-1-1
2. Tatum Juhnke (KTM)…3-2-2
3. Michelle Horton (Yam)…2-D-D

Trevor Stewart (43) used the straight line speed of the Stark Varg to get the holeshot in the Over-25 Support class, but first he had to run down Suzuki-mounted Hawaiian Brian Mederios (934). Stewart would go 2-1-1 for the overall victory.

Josh Mosiman’s (22) YZ450F wasn’t as fast as Stewart’s electric bike, but Mosiman won the first moto by following Stewart until the very last lap and then passing him for the moto win.

Brian Mederios (934) raced his 2025 Suzuki RM-Z450 to fourth overall, even though he landed on the handlebars of a lapper who swerved over on the finish line tabletop. Brian hurt his wrist, but raced the next two motos to go 4-4-5.

Max Lee (50) borrowed a 2025 Husqvarna FC250 from MXA and went 10-8-10 for tenth overall in the Over-25 Expert class. That is a very good finish for the rider on a 250 against a field of 450s (especially on a track with a long start and five power robbing hills).

OVER-25 EXPERT CLASS
1. Trevor Stewart (Sta)…2-1-1
2. Josh Mosiman (Yam)…1-2-2
3. Jack Simpson (Yam)…3-3-3
4. Brian Mederios (Suz)…4-4-5
5. Hunter Carmody (Kaw)…5-5-4
6. Juan Cordovez (Hus)…8-9-7
7. Dakota Garner (Suz)..14-6-6
8. Tyler Rayner (Yam)…6-13-8
9. Rob Holyoake (Gas)…7-7-13
10. Max Lee (Hus)…10-8-10

Pasha Afshar paid $15,000 to the riders in the Over-30 125 Pro and Over-50 125 Pro classes. He is holding the envelope with the cash for first place in the Over-30 class. It reads, “30 Pro, 1st, $2500.”

Phil Nicoletti (left) was third, Ryan Morais (right) was second and Mike Alessi (center) was first. It’s cool to see the rider’s being paid in cash right after they pull off the track.

PASHA OVER-30 125 PRO CLASS
1. Mike Alessi (KTM)…1-2
2. Ryan Morais (KTM)…4-1
3. Phil Nicoletti (KTM)…2-3
4. Giacomo Redondi (Gas)…3-5
5. Sean Lipanovich (KTM)…5-4
6. Brock Hoyer (Yam)…7-6
7. Bryce Huffman (KTM)…8-7
8. Jim Davies (Yam)… 9-8
9. Brian Storrie (KTM)…11-10
10. Dane Rouse (Suz)…14-9

Even the greats suffered unexpected hardships. Mike Brown’s seat fell off in the Pasha Over-50 125 Pro Two-Stroke race. He still won, but in the next moto, Over-25 Expert Brian Mederios said the seat came flying out of nowhere and hit him. The Hawaiian would go on to finished fourth overall in the Over-25 Expert class.

PASHA OVER-50 125 PRO CLASS
1. Mike Brown (KTM)…1-1
2. Kurt Nicoll (KTM)…2-2
3. Doug Dubach (Yam)…3-3
4. Brian Storrie (KTM)…4-5
5. Alan Jullien (Gas)…6-10
6. Michael Keating (Yam)…8-6
7. Nick Mairose (Kaw)…5-9
8. Don Goettling (Hus)…10-8
9. Andy Wilch (KTM)…12-7
10. David Kapla (KTM)…14-12

Australian Dan Alamangos (34) tried to field an Australian team for the World Cup of Nations event, but they were all injured. 

The 2025 Dubya World Vet Motocross Championship starts on Friday, October 31, with a practice day to enable foreign riders, who are unfamiliar with the Glen Helen layout to learn the secrets of racing on the massive Glen Helen track. Racing starts on Saturday, November 1 and carries over to Sunday, November 2, For more info go to www.glen helen.com

 

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