REM Report: Brooks Still Has It

REM Glen Helen: Potential Winners Shut Down Early

In the Pro ranks, Michael LaPaglia was on the odds-on favorite to win both the 450 Pro and Open Expert races this weekend, but it was not to be. LaPaglia only lasted one lap before pulling off and heading back to the pits. With LaPaglia out, WORCS racer Justin Soule opened a quick lead and appeared to have the win in the bag. It was not to be. Soule suffered a mechanical problem and dropped out with three laps to go. Tony Amaradio, still on the YZ250 two-stroke that he raced at the Glen Helen National Two-Stroke Challenge, looked like he would quickly move up to take the win. It was not to be as Tony threw it away in both motos. Baja star Robbie Bell wasn’t about to hand the victory to the fates and went on to win the 450 Pro class over Freddy Sanchez, Colton Udall (who would come back later to win the Open Expert class) and Jamie Lanza.

WHAT ABOUT THE INTERMEDIATES?

Travis Bright went 1-1 to take the 250 Intermediate class over Scott Boston, Jason Varnham and Billy Musgrave.

The 450 Intermediates went to Ryan Cowell. His 2-1 best Justin Jordan’s 5-2 and Cody Brownfield’s 4-3.

Steve Kwait used a baseball score (2-3) to take the Over-40 Intermediates. First moto winner Dan Alamangos (the calmer of the two crazy Australian brothers) won the first moto, but was involved in a spectacular crash in the second moto with Randy Skinner. Second moto winner Jeff Fahey could only post a seventh in moto one. Kwait’s 2-3 bested Scott Williams 4-2. Fahey, Russell Brown (who had a run-in with the other Australian brother in moto two), Mark Haupert, Gary Renko, Chris Alamangos, Mike Phillips, Dan Alamangos and Pete Vetrano rounded out the top ten.

Mike Monaghan took the Over-50 Intermediates with a 2-1 over Marc Crosby’s 1-2.

NOVICE WINNERS

Mariana Balbi, sister of Brazilian Champion Antonio, beat all the men to win the 250 Novice class (we won’t list the riders that finished behind her at their request). In the 450 Novice class Steven McCoughey swept both motos.

Chris Weedon went 1-1 in the Vet Novice class, while Paul Doebereiner got the Over-40 Novice win. Greg Whitfield used a 3-2 to win the Over-50 Intermediate class. Aerobatic pilot Doug Jardine won the first moto, while George Garcia took the second moto, but they couldn’t back it up in their other races. Michael “The Rock” Rigdon made his long-awaited return to racing and posted a respectable 7-6 in the Over-50 Intermediates

THE RACE OF THE DAY

James Stewart’s new boss, Team San Manuel’s Larry Brooks, donned his orange MXA helmet again to help test MXA’s 2009 Yamaha YZ450F. Brooks and MXA test rider Willy Musgrave fought so hard for the Over-40 Pro win that by motos end they engaged in a post-race shouting match. Brooks took the win, but the two MXA riders didn’t cut each other any slack on the track. They took each other so deep in the corners, that there wasn’t always track left to negotiate. After the post-race argument, they went to lunch at the local Denny’s down the road (and weekly MXA hangout).

In the Over-60 Experts, three of the more senior MXA test riders tussled over the spoils. Chad Reed’s former mechanic Alan Olson took the win, but he had to run down his faster starting teammates in both motos. Swedish rider Bengt Johansson was second and Jody Weisel was third. The three didn’t get into a shouting match after the moto was over. They have been racing against each other every weekend for the last 30 years, so they known what to expect.

REM races again next Saturday in round three of the REM Summer Series. Practice starts at 9:00 am. For more info go to www.remsatmx.com
 

Larry Brooks leads a trio of MXA test riders down REM’s Mt. Whitney. Willy Musgrave and John Minert are in hot pursuit of the former AMA Rookie of the Year.