Hofmaster, Miller, Sanders Rails Megacross

Mendota, IL     August 2^nd, 2008   Rnd 7

By: Ashley Elizabeth Wilkinson

MSR, ANSWER, Pro Taper, Megacross Shootout Series had some really great racing at the Tri-County Fairgrounds, with right at the 300 riders, some even came up after a week of racing at Loretta Lynn’s! We had good weather and a nicely watered track. Once again we had spectators thinking that we had a lot of rain on the track, practice was muddy, but by the time the four-wheel A dropped the track was in amazing shape everything had great traction. 

Pro Rider Tom Hofmaster(#110) got the Holeshot and had a major lead in the 250A class and had a catapulting finish. Dylan Martin(#937) and Justin Kelly(#904) were battling it out for the first couple laps, exchanging a few bumps of the bars, then Justin Kelly(#904) finally got around Dylan Martin(#937) and held his own, for a lap or two. Then Justin Kelly(#904) got up to second place racer, Derek Whitney(#795) but Justin couldn’t get around him. Justin Baker(#904/) also stepped it up from his heat to his main, he got a better start in the main and he held it. Daniel Holbus(#142) was trying to push his way through the pack to get in the top three position, but it didn’t end up in his favor. He ended up taking a pretty hard hit at the end of the straightaway and over the hump he flew forward off of his bike knocking himself out for a few seconds, but he walked off the track with no problems. Props to the 250A for acknowledging the yellow flags at the Daniels crash and slowing their pace. Making a safer environment for everyone.

Jason Wehrli(#37) got the hole shot in the heat, and had to battle against Jeremy Beetz(#255). But for the mains we had Charlie Snow(#822) getting the Holeshot around the first corner leaving the three racers that were behind him to tangle up. Neil Hambly(#434), Derick Skaggs(#127), and Jason Wehrli(#37) were in the pile up. Then allowing Jory Dalsanto(#263) to get around the cluster of quads. In the end Derick Skaggs(#127) managed to get around Neil Hambly(#434), putting Derick Skaggs in fourth, and Neil Hambly in fifth.

Kelby Hartman(#39) got to be the only loan ranger out there that night, in the four-wheel B class. Kelby Hartman(#39) came off the line no problem all alone no one to bother him, but was not able to finish his race in the end, due to possible mechanical problems. Four-wheel C class was out there with Mr. Hartman, but had better lucky than him in the heats and the main. Logan Ruder(#7) got off the line and pulled the Holeshot against seven riders, followed by a close second with Daren Dewitt(#44). Joseph Vindchi(#246) had some problems coming off the line and was able to catch back up and get around Adam Koehler(#88) and Jeremy Steder(#11). Joseph Vindchi(#246) battled Anthony Parsons(#243) who was holding his own.

It was a Thumper & Pit Bike night at Megacross. Which are both classes for big guys that like to ride little bikes. The thumper class is a 150cc class and the pit bike class is a 50cc+ class. First off the line was the pit bike class with Mike Chrisos(#498) with the Holeshot. We had one thumper that wanted to be a pit bike and went off in the wrong class, Nicholas Broll(#947) turned back around and joined the thumpers, and then the thumpers dropped. The pit bike class was very different from the heat to the main Pat Smage(#441) finally got around Derek Richey(#144) after battling in the heat race. But Eric Foltynewicz(#198) took a good hit towards the end of the race leaving him in last with sixth place. While all of this was going on in the pit bike class the thumper class was looking the same as it did in the heat until you noticed Nicholas Broll(#950) passing up everyone in the class after taking off in the wrong class, pulling up to second place right behind brother Dylan Broll(#947). But Nicholas was not fast enough to defeat his brother Dylan.

 Darrel Carr(#23) was holding it strong to stay in front of Randy Harper(#431) and Kurt Stuart(#631), who was starting to apply some pressure on Randy on the last lap. On another note we had Eddie Cullins(#11) and Larry Barker(#666) battled it out, and enjoyed a more relaxed day of racing since the top A riders that race the thumper class were being a sally and didn’t race. : )

After the big guys on little bikes we had the little guys on there little bikes, some in which the bikes were bigger than the kid. The 50Sr class is one of the most amazing classes to watch. Watching some of these little kids with no fear flying over the jumps, it’s crazy. Anthony Wallace(#91) took a first place finish in both his heat and his main, with Jarred Bergren(#99) trying his best in both to try to get around Anthony. All of the little one’s did really well, trying to get up on top. They all held there own and had a safe race in the end.

Riley Gaul(#52) was all ready to race pulling off the Holeshot in the 50Jr class, keeping a good strong lead for the first lap then out of the whoops came Shawn Thompson(#30) passing Riley and pulling away from him. But Riley Gaul(#52) kept it strong staying in front of Corey Eilers(#97) bumping and edging his way closer and closer to Riley. Owen Anderson(#572) got around brother, Jacob Anderson(#571) and beating him in the main. Also brother of Riley Gaul(#52), was Jacob Gaul(#65) pushing his little bike trying to catch up to his brother.

Corey Eilers(#97) pulled the Holeshot after finishing his race in 50Jr and pulling up to the line for his 50cc 4-8 class, with Kaile Williams(#136) doing the same and fallowing Mr. Eilers around the track lap by lap trying to get around him. Austin Howard(#2) getting closer to the second place person as each lap goes by. Also Jeff Tyrakowski(#54) was starting to feel the heat from Blake Connelly(#24) in both the heat and the main. Garrett Ward(#31) and Travis Wilkinson(#199) had a close race. With Travis leading Garrett for about three laps, and waiting for Travis to take one outside line to get around him, each lap getting closer, finally the last lap Garrett took the inside line against Travis and made a clean pass.

Shelby Miller(#136) lead the women around the track after getting the Holeshot, with her two sisters Kendal Miller(#236) and Whitney Miller(#36) right behind her. Next in line was Elisa Lunde(#193) right behind them trying to get ahead of Whitney Miller(#36) and to breakup the miller sisters. At Mendota the women saw a rare face Sami Ahr(#109) pulling off a fourth place, after Kendal Miller(#236) took herself out in the corner before the finish line jump, taking her second place into an eighth place after having problems picking it up and starting it. (like Ger says darn four-strokes) Hannah Keith(#525) was ahead of Sami Ahr(#109) for a lap or two, but then Sami got around her, with Hannah still on her tail trying to do whatever she could to get around her, but couldn’t, Hannah took fifth place when the race was over.

Pro Rider Tom Hofmaster(#110) grabbed the Holeshot and took another victory in the Open A class. The heat race was way different from the results of the main. Justin Baker(#99) really got in the throttle more and got a better Holeshot then he did in his heat race. Justin Baker(#99) also passed up his friend Justin Kelly(#36). Justin Kelly passed up Jason Donegan(#987). The Open A class was really exciting there was a lot of passing this race and some really good bar banging, each racer being pressured to take it up to the next level, all of them pushing themselves and the track to there limits.

Daniel Stockton(#921) pulled the Holeshot in Open C class, fallowed by Kyle Somner(#111), but Daniel Stockton pulled away from them with no problem after the first lap. Following Kyle Somner(#111) was Nicholas Broll(#950) who was pushing to try and get back in the second place spot that he was in during the heat. Randy Harper(#749) and Dylan Broll(#947) were putting pressure on each other. Dylan was ahead and then Randy got around him after the second lap. Nicholas Broll went over the burm and crashed out two laps before the end of the race and got back up in ninth lace right behind his brother, but then passed him at the end, finishing in eighth and his brother in ninth.

The Open B class started out with thirteen on the line and ended the race with ten finishing. Daniel Sanders(#887) lead the Open B class with Matt Hammond(#18/) right behind him, Matt pushing it trying to get ahead of Daniel, but Daniel raced a really clean and smooth race. Denny Morsch(#396) was getting chased down by Jim Cherry(#40) as Denny was trying to get around Matt Hammond(#18/) but they all raced really well and stayed smooth not allowing anyone to pass.

Finally the last class of the night and also it was the biggest class of the night, which was the 250C class. In the 250C there were the most crashes of the night in this class, but luckily no one got hurt. The 250 C class had a class of twenty-two racers and only eighteen finishing the race. The Holeshot was by Brandon Mennie(#60) and he led the race the whole race pulling farther and farther away from the second place person with about a fourth of the track between the two of them. Jody Walker(#162) pushing his way through the track to catch up with Brandon Mennie, but couldn’t catch him in the end. There was also another racer that hasn’t been seen in a while Kevin Crampton(#105) raced a great race following right behind the second place person, Jody Walker, and with the fourth place Zach Hochstatter(#21) right on his rear tire.