Diamondback Motocross "RP" Report:   by Rich Price

MILLS & COEN GO OUT WITH A BANG!!

Diamondback Motocross
Modena, NY
November 12, 2000

Story & Photos By: Rich Price

The last race of the District 34 season got off to a soggy start at Diamondback Motocross. The rain that was dumped on the area made that track very slick, and the mud was a foot deep in some spots. The first practice session were plagued by deep ruts, and slime. Many of the peewee riders had a very tough time trying to wade through the slop. The track was groomed during the middle of practice. Then the sun peeked out, and the track was in excellent shape.

Many riders were on hand to cap off a great season, including local hot-shoes "Flyin" Ryan Mills, "Jumping" James McNeill, and Carlo Coen. The action was great as many Honda’s took home overall victories.

"Flyin" Ryan Mills dominated the 125 Expert class in moto one. He led from gate to flag, and never had a challenge from the rest of the field. In the second moto, he came out of the gate in the middle of the pack, and had to work through traffic. He was not to be denied as he passed Paul Corey halfway through the race, and never looked back.

His on-going battle with Carlo Coen in the 250 Expert ranks would continue. Coen grabbed the holeshot in moto one, with Mills hounding him all race. Coen would hold off the advances from the 14-year-old, and take the win. In moto two, Mills got a horrible start, and Coen was gone by the time Mills moved past traffic. By the time the checkers came out, Mills was only 3 seconds behind Coen. The shortened lap counts really hurt the youngster as he took home second overall. Not bad for riding a borrowed machine. Coen also picked up the Diamondback High Point plaques in the 250, +25, and +30 Expert classes.

Yamaha-mounted James McNeill took the moto one win in the 125 Schoolboy class. He ran away from the field, and took a 33-second win. Robert Johnson followed him home in second, but 33 seconds is almost a half-track advantage. In moto two McNeill was alone out front, when his Yamaha quit. He did not finish. The overall then wnet to Johnson with his consistent moto tallies. McNeill also took home High Point awards in the 125 Expert, and Schoolboy classes on the season.

In the mini classes, Matt Ranum showed up to do battle on his Kawasaki, and left with four moto wins. Ranum led almost every lap of the Senior and Super Mini classes. In the one of his motos, he fell in the first turn, and came all the way through the pack to take a commanding win. There was no one that could match his speed. Tough luck for Ranum though, as he is not a regular District 34 rider. The High Point honors went to Stamford Motorsports/Maxima-backed Kyle Hutson in the Senior Mini class. John Lawrence picked up the season win in the Super Mini ranks.

In the 65cc 6-9-year-old age group, Charles Fox III took the 1-1 route for the overall. Fox fought hard from behind, and took no prisoners. Team Green rider, Henry Rojas, took home second overall with consistent finishes in both motos. Fox also took home the first place High Point plaque for the season in the 6-9-year-old age group.

250 EXPERT MOTO# 1

The holeshot went to Stamford Motorsports/Maxima-backed Ken Blackwell. In tow were Carlo Coen, Bryan Vroman, "Dangerous" Dave Olsen, and Moroney’s/THOR/Smith/FMF-backed Ryan Mills. Holding onto sixth was Ivo Camacho, with Joe Beatty, and Henry Mormile right behind him. Coen would not wait long to make his move. By the time they came around the back sweeper, Coen’s Stamford Motorsports/Maxima-backed Honda was into the top spot. Mills was also making up some ground, as he followed the lead of Olsen, and got around Vroman for fourth. Olsen was also there for the taking, and Mills slid into third as they came down spectator row. His sights were set on Coen, and Blackwell was the lone man in the way. Mills waited for his chance, and he struck as they entered the whoop section. Mills was tearing, and Coen was still within striking distance. Camacho started moving up, as he challenged Vroman and made the easy pass, moving into fifth. Olsen was next in line, and he cut to the inside of him as they exited the big sweeper. Camacho was now in fourth, and still charging.

Mills was closing in on Coen with each corner. He was not letting the veteran get away without a fight. There were still two laps to go, which is plenty of time in motocross. Blackwell was third, but he had Camacho thirsty for that podium spot, right on him. Moroney’s/JB Grafix-backed Paul Corey had worked his Honda into fifth by the end of lap two. He was recovering from a bad start. Olsen was holding sixth, and was now 3 seconds ahead of Vroman. Vroman was being challenged for seventh. The challenger was Moroney’s Suzuki-mounted Andrew Pingotti. Pingotti got around as they made the left hairpin after the whoops-double section.

Mills was on Coen’s back tire as they headed towards the uphill triple. Mills tried an outside line, but was not close enough to make the pass. He was much faster than Coen, but Coen was using smart lines. Mills caste the double coming out of the downhill rockers section, and lost a bit of ground. But, as they came over the big tabletop, he made up all the time that he needed. Mills dove to the inside, and entered the whoops on the inside. This was all that he needed as he made the pass for the lead. He was now in the top spot. Coen was back to second, a place that he is very unfamiliar with.

The white flag came out, and as they exited the whoops, Coen made the pass on Mills for the lead. Mills then got sideways, and came off the double in an awkward position. He would lose a few bike lengths, but there was still a lap remaining for him to try again. Mills was right on Coen, and was just waiting for any small mistake. Camacho was closing in on Blackwell for third spot. But, they had company. It was none other than Corey. Corey was blasting through every turn, annihilating berms, and trying to make the podium any way that he could. Olsen was in sixth, with Pingotti behind him and gaining. Camacho got close enough to Blackwell, and dove to the inside of him as they came down spectator row. Camacho was by cleanly, and Blackwell was left to contend with Corey.

The checkers came out, with Mills and Coen side-by-side through the whoops section. They both opened the throttle, and Coen edged Mills by a half bike length at the line. Coen was put on notice that Mills means business. Camacho took home third after fighting all race to gain positions. Corey took home a well deserved fourth, after slipping by Blackwell just five feet before the finish line. Fifth went to Blackwell, who had trouble keeping pace with a charging Mills and Camacho. Sixth was the Yamaha machine of Olsen, with Pingotti coming across in the seventh spot.

125 EXPERT MOTO# 1

"Flyin" Ryan Mills grabbed the holeshot with a tight inside line, and led the field through the first corner. Right behind him were Paul Corey, "Jumping" James McNeill, Ivo Camacho, and "Dangerous" Dave Olsen. Joe Beatty was holding down sixth, with Henry Mormile in seventh for the moment. Camacho would blast by McNeill as the duo headed towards the uphill triple. Andrew Pingotti would start to move up a few positions. As they hit spectator row, he moved around Mormile. Pingotti has not been known for great starts on his Suzuki, but he is a master of moving through the pack. Mills, and Corey immediately began to pull away from the pack. It was a "Red Rider" freight train out front, with Mills, Corey, and Camacho, all aboard the red bikes. McNeill was fourth, and pulling away from Olsen. Beatty was feeling the heat for sixth, and it was yet another Honda machine. This time it was James Depatto was closing in on him, and as they headed towards the big tabletop, Depatto made his move up into sixth. The Honda of Beatty was now seventh, with Pingotti closing in.

Mills was looking smooth out front, but Corey was trying to keep him within striking distance. McNeill was closing in on Camacho for third, but he came up a few feet short on a double, and lost his drive. Olsen was some seven seconds behind this battle, in a lonely fifth. Depatto was trying to close in, but he was starting to make a few mistakes. Pingotti put the hammer down on his Suzuki, and made short work of Beatty. This moved him into seventh as they came towards the whoops.

With only two laps remaining, Mills was just trimming the tops of the whoops. He made up a second there with each passing lap. Corey was using a different rhythm, and it was not giving him the bounce that he needed to be flawless. Camacho stepped up the pace when he saw McNeill coming, and McNeill was unable to gain any ground on him.

Olsen was still holding off Depatto, but anything could happen.

Mills threw his Honda sideways as he soared over the tabletop, and the white flag was out. Corey was still there, should Mills make a big mistake and go down. The battle for third was tightening up as Camacho, and McNeill came through the whoops. McNeill almost threw it away, when his front wheel dug into a whoop. He managed to save it, and continue on. Olsen was now a whopping 12 seconds behind this battle in fifth. Depatto was still there in sixth, with Pingotti closing in on him.

Mills did a wicked whip over the spectator tabletop, and the flash bulbs were popping. Corey was 3 seconds back, but there was only one turn left. Mills picked up the win, but he knew that it was far from easy. He thanked many of his sponsors in the post race interview. Let us just say that the list was very long! Corey took home second place, but it was clear that he wanted the win. Third went to Camacho, who held off the charges of McNeill. This gave Honda a 1-2-3 moto sweep, and left the other riders wondering if they should change machinery. McNeill is never satisfied with fourth, and he shook his head in disgust. The Rock Hill, New York native, Olsen came across in fifth. Depatto almost lost it in the whoops, but recovered nicely and took sixth. He was trying to sneak up on Olsen, but it never panned out. Pingotti took home the lucky seventh position, aboard his Moroney’s-backed machine.

 For the whole story, check out the upcoming issues of MX East. If you don’t have MX East, be sure to subscribe and tell them you want to see the RP Report!      www.mxeast.com

P/W 50: 1. Stefan Fodor (Yam) 2. Brock Miller (Yam) 3. Joey Wolfrum  (Yam)

50cc (4-6): 1. Al Cantazaro (Pol) 2. Nick Christie (Cob) 3. Tyler Spano (Pol)

50cc (7-8): 1. Jesse Kuzbyt (Cob) 2. Justin Barcia (KTM) 3. Zach Davis (Cob)

65cc (6-9): 1. Charles Fox III (KTM) 2. Henry Rojas (Kaw) 3. Michael Stryker (KTM)

65cc (10-11): 1. Anthony Dombrowski (KTM) 2. Keith Mulrooney (KTM) 3. Bobby Bertrum (KTM)

Jr. Mini (7-11): 1. Joshua Stoodley (Kaw) 2. Michael Stryker (Suz) 3. Cory Dejong (Kaw)

Sr. Mini (12-15): 1. Matt Ranum (Kaw) 2. Robert Schneider (Kaw) 3. Pablo Timpson (Yam)

Super Mini (12-15): 1. Matt Ranum (Kaw) 2. Pablo Timpson (Yam) 3. Ryan Saum (Kaw)

Schoolboy (12-15): 1. Robert Johnson (Kaw) 2. Ron Rothkranz III (Hon) 3. Michael Hallinan (Suz)

Collegeboy: 1. Ivo Camacho (Hon) 2. Bryan Vroman (Hon) 3. Andrew Pingotti (Suz)

+25 A: 1. Carlo Coen (Hon) 2. Ken Blackwell (Hon) 3. Chris Clark (Kaw)

+25 B: 1. Richard Janesky (Yam) 2. James Perrone (Hon) 3. Jorge Liberio (Hus)

+25 C: 1. David Milana (Hon) 2. Michael Brady (Hon) 3. Robert Pisanelli (Kaw)

+30 A: 1. Carlo Coen (Hon) 2. Chris Clark (Kaw) 3. Ken Blackwell (Hon)

+30 B: 1. Richard Janesky (Yam) 2. Anthony Giglio (Suz) 3. Jason Wallace (Hon)

+30 C: 1. James Blanke (Yam) 2. Menoscar Fernandez (Yam) 3. Tom Keane (Yam)

+35: 1. Ken Napolitano (Hon) 2. Dave Masi (Hon) 3. Bruce Hawes (Hon)

+40 A: 1. Jeff Conboy (Yam) 2. Tom Stinson (Kaw) 3. Norman Herbert (Yam)

+40 B: 1. Scott Mitchell (KTM) 2. Frank Pokorny (Suz) 3. Rick Pence (Yam)

125 A: 1. Ryan Mills (Hon) 2. Paul Corey (Hon) 3. Ivo Camacho (Hon) 4. James McNeill (Yam) 5. Andrew Pingotti (Suz)

125 B: 1. Paul Dornellas (Hon) 2. Gregg Myers (Yam) 3. Ted Hendrickson (Kaw)

125 C: 1. Chris Meier (Yam) 2. David Milana (Hon) 3. Evan Vochis (Yam)

250 A: 1. Carlo Coen (Hon) 2. Ryan Mills (Hon) 3. Ivo Camacho (Hon) 4. Paul Corey (Hon) 5. Dave Olsen (Yam)

250 B: 1. Dylan VanOrden (Yam) 2. Lucas VanDunsen (Yam) 3. James Perrone (Hon)

250 C: 1. Richard Pence Jr. (Yam) 2. Evan Vochis (Yam) 3. Jeff Fialkovich (Yam)

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