Barnes, White, Baker, Arnold exceed at M7 Megacross

Story by Kenzie

Photos & Video By 451 Photograhy 

Results 

A very solid turn out for a Saturday night with rain popping up on radar all day, riders came from many places to do battle at the 7th round this season. The rain showers in the morning made for some excellent track conditions and of course with good moisture early in the race night means once the sun goes down that moisture comes back after dark making some of the inside lines that were perfect early slicker later which put a few on their hind ends. This decided some out comes of the more populated classes.

Gavin Sienkiewicz (402) decided to pull out the smoker the last couple of races.  The added quickness of this machine makes it a holehot hero and if he gets a "holy" he can be dangerous.  Sienkiewicz pulled both holeshots in 250 tonight.  Going on to win the heat race after Barnes (99) and Conner Robinson (457) went down in the second corner. (See video header).  Barnes hitting the ground didn't slow him much as he came roaring back pressure the leader at the end of the heat.  Fast Forward to the 250A main. Gavin pulls another holeshot and has all the hitters pushing him hard.  7 Laps gives a rider a good amount of time to either settle in and control the moto or make that one mental error and put the purse in someone else's hands and scratch up some new graphics.  Sienkiewicz grabbed a touch to much throttle on the face of the new timing double by the tower and ended up rolling an ankle pretty hard.  He was helped off and back to his rig while the rest of the class now was battling for position. Phoenix Honda rider Cody Barnes wasn't going to repeat his heat race soil sample and was motoring on. Rides Unlimited Chad Saultz (364) returned this night after a long absence to get into the mix and battler with local hot rod RJ Mackenzie (50). Reece Miller (446) returned tonight as well he also would get a fairly good holeshot only to slide out on the north end of the track, Garrett Ward (31) was on his rear fender and then slamming into Miller and they now are both on the groud.  They both finished the Main but off the pace.  

Mallie Arnold (99) redeemed herself this night after a crash filled performance in June at the indoor.  Abby Buettner (515) did as well. Having a few issues tonight was Rylee Woods who would still podium in the 3rd position. These three young ladies have improved exponentially this season and on any given night can shuffle the order in the top three.  It comes down to mental mistakes and lake of.  The new comer lately to these 3 is Sienna Hastings (179) she has shown some increases in speed and put herself in a competitive position as well.

There is another group of younger riders who have been battling hard all season as well.  Holeshots matter.  Bryce Arnold (9), Dane Miller (152) Brody Brewer (586) and adding to this mix this night Cutter Riebe (322). Arnold at this point in the season is likely the quickest/smoothest of the bunch, Miller is learning his race craft, and Riebe is the bulldog of the bunch. Brewer likely the most experienced of the group with a long history of racing had a little bad luck but would have been dicing with Arnold or putting him away it just seemed to be the luck of the moto.  This is in the 85 Sr class. Tonight there was 15 in that class so a solid group of kids with all levels of competition made that class one to watch all night.

Quietly in the plus classes Steve (perkinator) Perkins (164) has been claiming the top step on the podium week after week. Some new competition from Jeremy Barone (15)  and arch rival Larry Bank (rev 13), has been keeping him honest this season.  Claiming wins in the 40a and 50+ classes this evening.

Emment Baker (309) and Lucas Wood (27) have traveled around quite a bit this summer, training, racing, and they are looking to be on the same path of progression as they mature in the 65cc Sr class.  Baker has a slight edge but Wood is right there all night keeping him honest and in fact getting a moto win or two as well. Tonight was the the same as we have seen since even the races at Megatraxs. 

65cc Jr, is nice to see riders who are racing other types of events, the two top riders tonight in this class Kellon Drone (310) and Gage Lane (444) follow the national off road series which this time of year is on break.  Trading motos and having  competition here at Megacross for Lane is rare.  He invited his buddy down for some Sx style racing and Drone shows up and in the main showed Lane some rear fender!  Lets not forget Vincent Nilles (5) is always racing into the top 3 and did so again tonight.

65cc Beginner class has had riders improving all summer long, Max Soti (56) and Leila Wood (26) is a prime example of this.  Putting together beginner classes for the younger riders shows how quickly they adapt and how fast they become.  Sometimes in weeks not months. 15 riders in the class and every one of them are at a different stage of ability, it's amazing to watch them learn the basics and the funny thing is most can operate a manual shift better then 80% of the kids my age!

Amanda with 451 is dabbling with some videos which seem to be clear and clean looking, taking 100's of photos each event and also going to darn near every race in the area all weekend long.  As this story is being finished she rode 3 events last weekend in 2 days!  I am working full time right now and have less time to type but try to get these stories posted before the next event.  Hope you enjoy them.

Megacross is going into some bigger events, and new things that never has been done before. With Fox Valley Off Road hosting a MX weekend once a year now and this year it as included for the KTM, Husquvarna riders and it's contingency programs. So they will be a part of the series and is why it was made to have throw outs.  This upcoming event is Great River Shootout Series which ties Galesburg M/c, Muddy Waters, and Megacross in a small fun series and exposes both Sx and Mx riders to new things. Aug. 6th is one of those events.  23 Challenge is going to a big night with the stuff I am hearing and it will be posted up soon!! Til then have fun racing and see you at the track!