Diamondback
Motocross
"RP" Report: by Rich Price
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Diamondback
Motocross |
Round 7: Thor/Parts Unlimited Northeast Classic Motocross Series
July 23rd
Walden, NY
I arrived and saw that the parking lot was full, almost to capacity. I knew that this was going to be a day of great racing action. As I strolled through the pits I saw the #59 of Bruce Stratton, and the #70 Factory Husqvarna of Dave Kratz, two of the regulars of the National circuit. They were here to do battle with the local Experts. Barry Carsten and Ty Wallace decided to go try their hand at Troy.
As the 1st 250 Expert moto got underway, Carlo Coen took out to the front of the pack. This being his home track, he had his Suzuki dialed in for the track conditions. In 2nd position was the #930 Gaylon Dickson on the Kawasaki, and in 3rd was the #727 of Kevin Brodsky. The "BIG DOGS", Kratz and Stratton, were mired in the back of the pack. Mike Leavitt had a mediocre start. Mike Spear, who is usually one of the guys to beat on any Sunday in the district, also had a horrendous start. Kevin Brodksy held his ground like he knew the track, even though this was his 1st time riding it this year. He would hold 3rd all race long and even challenge Dickson for 2nd at one point in the later part of the race. Coen would annihilate the field in this moto. Dickson never had a real chance to make a pass, and he finished about 6 seconds behind Coen at the checkers. Stratton would work his way into 4th by the end of the moto, and Leavitt would work into 5th. Leavitt had no real chance of catching Stratton, unless Stratton went down. Finishing order Coen, Dickson, Brodksy, Stratton, and Mike Leavitt.
The 1st moto of the 125 Expert class was going to be another shocker. The #26 Orient Express Yamaha machine of Ryan O’Malley took out to the holeshot, with "Flying" Ryan Mills on his rear wheel. James McNeill and Bruce Stratton would go down in the 1st turn. It wouldn’t take long for the FMF/Thor/Bell/JBGrafx-backed Mills to get around, as he made his move before the step-up whoops section. O’Malley would fade all race long before falling out of the top 5. Also running very smoothly in the early going was the #727 machine of Kevin Brodsky. Kevin doesn’t usually ride in the district, but he took the 6 hour ride from Hanover, PA to do battle with the best riders in New York. Paul Corey also got a good start, considering all the talent that he left behind him, most notably Bruce Stratton and Mike Leavitt. Dave Ginolfi coming off of injury was also in the fray, it looked as though he was coming into this race prepared. David Kratz on the Fast By Ferraci/DKNY/Pro Grip/ Husqvarna, was blistering everyone as he flew through the pack from a just inside the top 10 start. Kartz would move himself into 2nd place after getting around Brodsky. He rode there until the end of the race, but he couldn’t run down the younger Ryan Mills on the Honda. Final rundown, Mills with the win by 4 seconds, the hard-charging Dave Kratz in 2nd position, and Kevin Brodsky with the solid performance in 3rd. Paul Corey on the Moroney’s Honda kept his ground all race and finished up in 4th, followed by the #431 of Dave Ginolfi. If Kratz had one more lap, he may have taken over the lead. But, due to lap cutbacks, he didn’t have the time. Stratton would have liked to forget this moto, but, a repeat crash was about to happen.
With Bruce Stratton looking for his 1st podium finish on the day in either of the premier classes, the gate dropped on the 2nd 250 Expert moto. Carlo Coen once again broke out into the lead, followed by Brodsky, Kratz, and Gaylon Dickson. Mike Leavitt and Bruce Stratton got tangled up in the 1st turn, Stratton got up quickly, but Leavitt sat there for a while with the wind knocked out of his sails. He would be carted off by Dennis Vesely’s 4-wheeler. Stratton would be left to pick up the pieces of his ruined day, after all, he made the long trek here from Clifton Springs, NY. It didn’t take long for the Factory Husqvarna rider Kratz to smoke past Brodsky. Kratz then set his sights on the #691 machine of Carlo Coen. Coen would stay out front all race long and on the white flag lap, Kratz tried the move right before they entered the whoops section. Coen railed the outside line and triple-triple-tripled through the whoops, taking the win. Kratz was about 2 bike lengths behind at the finish. Kevin Brodsky once again had a great race and finished up in 3rd, Dickson would take the 4th spot aboard his Kawasaki. "The Veteran" Mike Spear on the #6 Yamaha would take home the 5th spot.
Coen scored the overall with his 1-1 moto finishes. Kevin Brodksy took 2nd overall with consistent 3-3 finishes, and Gaylon Dickson took home 3rd overall with his 2-4 performance.
In the 2nd 125 Expert moto, Ryan Mills would not be the winner. The gate dropped and James McNeill jumped out into the lead, he was determined to win this moto after his first turn crash in moto 1. Bruce Stratton finally got lucky and found his way into the thick of the action. Ryan Mills was in 5th but moving up quickly, until disaster struck. He went down in the step-up whoops by the pond and gave up several positions, he would finish out of the top 5. McNeill set sail and never looked back on the rest of the riders. He would win it easily! Bruce Stratton would hang on for 2nd place, with Dave Kratz riding merrily along in the 3rd spot. The 4th position went to Dave Ginolfi, who put in a great ride considering the bones he broke a few months ago. The younger Brodksy couldn’t hold of the charges of Kratz or Dave Ginolfi, he would end up in the 5th spot.
The overall on the day would go to the #70 Factory Husqvarna of Dave Kratz with his 2-3 moto scores. Second overall would go to the always consistent rider Kevin Brodsky with his 3-5 moto finishes. And in the 3rd spot overall, the never say die ride of James McNeill on the #428 Yamaha. He may have crashed in the 1st turn in the 1st moto, but from then on, he absolutely ripped!!
Notes: The kid that made the biggest splash on the day was the #203 FMF/Kawasaki of Bob Kiniry. He toasted the Super Mini and 14-15 year old 80cc class. He is much faster than Ryan Mills used to be on his 80cc. Bob was triple-triple-tripling through the whoops. He will be the next best thing to come out of the New York area. He has already beaten James Stewart this year!!
Phil Nicoletti on a new Honda CR 80 was the kid to beat in the Junior Mini class. He decimated the rest of the field en route to 1-1 moto finishes. He also collected the 1-1 moto finishes on the Pee-Wee track aboard his KTM 65.
Connor Price on the #75 Yamaha PW 50 also went 1-1 for the overall in the Pee-Wee 4-8 year old age group. He is also a kid to watch for in the upcoming years, he is certainly not afraid to hold it wide open.
Charles Ellis on the #181 Yamaha was looking very fast as well. Also have to put my plug in for the #329 of Dan MacMahon out of Wallingford, CT, he was looking very fast as well, but crashes hurt his day. He took a nasty spill in the 2nd turn.
The #428 of James McNeill also spanked the field in the 125 Schoolboy class. Mills was his main competition, but he couldn’t run down "Jumping" Jimmy Mac. McNeill will do well at Loretta Lynn’s, as long as his keeps his head on straight.
Drew Baier was not in attendance, as he was home recovering from a sore ankle that he received on the sloppy Unadilla track last Saturday.
Carlo Coen really impressed me with his performance in the 250 Pro/Expert, +25 Expert, and +30 Expert classes. He went up against some heavy hitters and came out victorious. Let’s hope that someone can step up next Sunday and give him a challenge at Diamondback.
Also, I notice that in the pits I here buzzing about Ryan Mills, and Mike Leavitt being the next best thing around our district. I will admit that they are blazing fast and will go places, but, take this note and put it in your mind! James McNeill beat Mills in 3 out of the 4 motos that they raced against one another in on Sunday. He usually makes the least mistakes out of all 3 of those riders (Mills and Leavitt crash a lot). His head is on straight. He is my pick to do the best out of our district riders at Loretta Lynn’s in August. The kid beat Bruce Stratton and Dave Kratz in the 2nd 125 moto straight up, can you bet against him??
So, who will step up to the plate this Sunday? Will the #807 Drew Baier make his return to the track, or will he still be on the injured list nursing his ankle? Will Leavitt get his game back on track after a day that he would rather forget at Walden?
The Northeast Classic Series has come and gone, now it is time for everyone to get their motocross faces back on and get down to business! See you at Diamondback
Article Written by: Rich Price
/ Reporter for District 34
"RP Report" - Northeast Classic Series Finale was also featured in Racer
X Magazine.