Megacross Gets a Mini Makeover!

 Megacross Shootout Series

Mendota, IL – September 8^th, 2007

By Nikki Dixon

 After a five-week mini vacation, Saturday night’s Megacross Shootout Series was back in action, with a refreshed attitude after the break.  The Megacross track received a welcomed makeover after the tear-down for the Tri-County Fair and 4x4 jamboree.  Track updates included new tabletops, step-ups, whoops, and redesigned finish line section.  There are three more chances to catch the Megacross action for 2007.  Free t-shirt night on September 22^nd, and two October rain dates have been added.  There will be District 17 stadium bonus points on October 6^th and the Megacross Championship (double Megacross points) at the final October 20^th round.  Don’t miss out!

 Chase Sexton (486) was on the gas, collecting wins in 50 Senior and 65 Junior.  In 50 Senior, Sexton started out front, followed by Austin Kukla and Anthony Wallace.  But Kukla went down through the first turns, and Wallace got hung up on Kukla’s bike, while Seth Leith and Dylan Boyd moved into second and third.  On the second lap, Sexton sprinted ahead, followed by Boyd and Wallace.  Sexton ran away with win, as second place Boyd mistakenly pulled off the track on the white flag, opening the door for Wallace and Kukla to complete the top three, after their mishap in the start.

In 65 Junior, Chad Saultz grabbed the holeshot in the 12-rider class, trailed by Sexton and Jordan Cram.  Sexton moved out front on the first lap, and pushed ahead to the finish.  Saultz, Cram, Wallace, and Matthew Ott completed the top five. 

 Logan Skaggs led 65 Senior around the first turn, followed by Sam Shamie and Jacob Wever.  The top three ran a close race for the opening laps, as Wever moved into second.  Mid-race, Wever suffered a mechanical problem, and pushed his bike back to the pits.  Skaggs and Shamie diced to the finish, with Skaggs taking the win.  Shamie, Brayden Copeland, Travis Ward (351) and Damon Quest wrapped up the top five.

 Derek Whitney (795) was the top rider in the expert classes, taking wins in 125A and 250A.  In 125A, Whitney grabbed the holeshot, trailed by Justin Kelly, Charles Harpe, and Ronnie Hapner.  Whitney and Kelly charged ahead, as Brad Fabrizius moved into third on lap two through the new camelback step-up section.  Kelly tried to reel in Whitney, but fell short as they crossed the finish.  Whitney carded the win, over Kelly, Fabrizius, Chad Johnson, and Harpe. 

Whitney led around the first turn again in 250A, followed by Kelly, and Johnson.  Whitney stayed ahead for the win, as Kelly, Johnson, David Hayes, and Everett Dahlberg wrapped up the top five. 

In +25A, Burton Lavens started out front, with Dahlberg and Todd Sheedy in tow.  Sheedy moved into second in the opening laps, and tried to catch the leader.  But Lavens held off Sheedy to the finish, followed by Dahlberg, Andy Cole, and Denny Hacker.

Lavens and Sheedy had a rematch in the 10-rider +30A class, with Sheedy getting the win.  Lavens, Hayes, Dahlberg, and Hacker completed the top five.

In +25B, Joseph Kopecky had a great start, rounding the first turn in front of several +25A riders.  After a lap, Kopecky had a small lead, over Matt Entwistle, Todd Schmollinger, Alan Freedrich, and Ryan George.  Schmollinger crashed mid-race, moving Freedrich into the top three.  Kopecky held off Entwistle for the win, over Freedrich, George, and Paul Remias. 

David Hayes had the jump out of the gate in the 11-rider +40 class, but Rusty Ott secured the holeshot.  Ott put in a flawless ride, holding off Hayes pressure for five laps, to take the win.  Keith Hicks reeled in Larry Bank for third, and Peter Witkowski wrapped up the top five. 

Ed Norred led the 12-rider 50 Junior class around the first turn, With Colton Krska, Mason Hulsey, and Zachary Blasing in the hunt.  Hulsey charged through the pack to move into the lead by mid-race.  Hulsey held off Norred to the checkered flag for the win, followed by Norred, Krska, Nick Harris, and Shawn Thompson. 

Robbie Hyson had a huge jump out of the gate in Supermini, but Rick Nichol cut inside to take the holeshot, followed by Hyson, Robert Wehn, and Brock Holmes.  Nichol led Hyson for the first three laps, but Hyson moved into the lead in the small whoop section just before the white flag.  Hyson kept ahead to the checkers, over Nichol.  When edged out Alex Emery, Shawn Patrick, Cory Calatani, and Holmes in a close race for third.

In 85 Senior, Nichol grabbed another holeshot over the 17-rider field, with Blake Copeland and Tyler Simpkins in tow.  After a lap, Nichol opened up a decent lead, while Copeland, Simpkins, Kyler Hyde, Catalani, and Kevin Piskie mixed it up for second.  Nichol checked out for the win, and Copeland held off Calatani’s late moto charge for second.  Simpkins and Hyde rounded out the top five.

 The 19-rider 250C class was a wild race, with several different leaders.  Alex Zimmerman grabbed the holeshot, followed by Adam Fusinetti and Patrick Doughty.  Spencer Neurohr charged into second on the first lap, behind Zimmerman.  On lap two, Neurohr moved into the lead, chased by Zimmerman and Fusinetti.  Zimmerman then ran into problems, and dropped outside of the top ten.  With a lap to go, leader Neurohr fell in a turn after the grandstand section, opening the door for Fusinetti to take the win.  Neurohr, Sam Kraus, Benjamin Schmidt, and Ryan Heaslip rounded out the top five.

 125C was split into two divisions.  In the first 125C main, Collin Licastro started out front.  After a lap, Adam Smith and Jody Walker moved into the top three, behind the leader Licastro.  Two-stroke riders Licastro and Smith held their positions to finish first and second, with Black Couch reeling in Walker for third. 

Cody VanBuskirk picked up the holeshot in the second 125C main, trailed by Alex Zimmerman and Geoff Carreiro.  After a lap, VanBuskirk had pulled away from the pack, followed by Zimmerman, Zachary Mennie, Brandon Mennie, and Carreiro.  Zimmerman dropped out of the race on lap two.  VanBuskirk sprinted to the finish, followed by Brandon Mennie.  Tanner Robinson charged up to third, holding off Zack Hochstatter, and Carreiro completed the top five.

 Justin Medine picked up the Quad A holeshot, followed by Jason Wehrli and Richard Olson.  Wehrli passed Medine for the lead at the end of the first lap.  Olson and Medine diced for second.  Just before the white flag, Olson and Medine drag raced down the long straight, and Olson wet inside in the bowl turn to pass into second.  Wehrli captured the win, with Olson, Medine, Bradley Tucker, and Steve Brookhouse completing the top five.

 In Quad B, Zach Sondgeroth started out front, with Charlie Snow and Jacob Conroy in tow.  Snow moved into the lead in the small whoop section as they completed the first lap.  But Sundgeroth regained the lead on the second lap.  Sundgeroth opened up a small lead on the way to the win, while there was a tight battle for second between Snow, Conroy, and Derick Skaggs, with Snow getting the edge.