Hole Shot Prize Money Galore
Valley Champs & Raglan Rocz
There was strong motivation for riders to grab holeshots this weekend. The Raglan Rocz had a $500 purse, probably the biggest in cross country history, and the Patenoga Club offered $50 to hole shot riders in each of the classes but only for race 2 of the day.
Valley Champs:
Juniors: The junior day on the Saturday was hot (25 in the shade), dry, windless, and accident free. Prize money was paid out instead of trophies and there was hole-shot money for race 2 in each class. Unfortunately rider numbers were down and the grids a long way from capacity.
Evan Hawkless had an amazing day. He got the hole-shot in every single race in the 12-14 Years 125cc class, finishing the day 2nd overall behind Lachlan Sidwell with Jayden Turnwald in 3rd. “Yes, I did get fantastic starts”, says Evan. “I loved the track, it was real fast. I was pretty happy with the prize money too. I got $50 for the hole-shot and $50 for my second place but trophies are nice too.”
Seb Still was 7th in the same class. “The track was “mean” with some new rollers at the start”, he reports. “In race 1, I was coming 4th but then I crashed and hurt my shoulder. In race 2, Evan got the hole-shot money while I hit the gate! Race 3 was my best and I finished 6th.
Katikati’s Garth Amrein’s 3 wins in the 125cc 15-16 Year class gave him another title to add to his list of achievements. Max Emett (Tauranga) was 7th. Max is more of a “weekend warrior” so didn’t manage to get near the point end – there were 5 riders right out front – but he kept upright and enjoyed the day.
In the 14-16 250cc class, Hayden Kanters and Lucas Smyllie were out front but Cam McCaskie held his own for 3rd overall. “I had to battle with George Dimec in race one”, Cam advises. “I started last but got past him. Then I crashed so had to get past him again. Then I stalled which meant doing it all again. I just got past before the finish line”. Cam also qualified the track as “mean”, especially the double double double.
Jack McClymont gained 8th place in the 11-12 Years 85cc races and Harrison Still 13th. Bad starts meant Jack really had to work and work to make his way towards the front. and he didn’t give up. Harrison only did two of the races and had fun at the back of the group.
The 65cc class probably had the best turnout of riders. Josh McClymont finished 8th overall and Xavier Anderson 9th. Xavier had a great day and reignited his MX “hunger bug”. He now wants to go up to an 85cc bike. Josh got the hole-shot in the last race – unfortunately not the money one.
Seniors: Sunday’s Senior Day saw a number of riders eager to race on a track that is part of the upcoming NZ National MX series. There were fewer than expected, some big names were absent, however, the riders present provided exciting and quality racing. A fine drizzle kept the Patetonga dust under control but at times turned the terracotta clay into a skating rink.
MX1 had 25 min motos. Hayden Clark (1/1/2) won this class followed by Hamish Dobbin (2/2/3), Mason Phillips (3/4/1), Matt Hunt (4/3/6) and Mitchell Rees (6/5/4).
The MX 2 Class had Shaun Fogarty, Jayden Jessup and Damien King on the podium with Peter Smit 7th, Campbell King 8th, Sam Greenslade 9th and Jesse Wiki 10th.
Danny Merriman had a good practice but not a good race 1. He spun on the concrete at the start of race 1 and had pulled himself back from 22nd to 10th when he went into a rut. The bike bucked up, slid out and Danny went roly poly. The result: a broken wrist and no more racing. Kieran Leigh did not figure in the points either with 2 x DNF and a DNS. Chris Foster was 19th.
Garth Amrein proved he is a tiger for punishment and has a tiger in his tank. After his success in the Junior races, he returned on the Sunday to race successfully in the Senior 125cc class. His 1/2/4 finishes gave him second place overall behind Cameron Vaughn (2/1/1) and ahead of Cameron Negus (4/3/2) and Scott Barr-Smith (3/5/3). Jacob Kneebone was 8th. Scott was sitting in 3rd when he crashed in race 2 and had to work his way back from the rear. Not a bad effort and result from a guy on a 2001 - yes, two thousand and one - CR125!
In the Vets class, Cameron Negus, Nick Price and Darren Capill made the podium with local riders Glenn Lange in 10th, Aidan Bourke 11th and Johno McClymont (pictured above) 13th.
It was Johno’s first race at Patetonga since 1998. “It was quite different. I didn’t know where the track was going. It took me a while to sort it out”, he laughs, “but I had great fun and I’m all in one piece and the next stop is Woodville!”
Aidan noticed the track changes also.” The event was well run, the track was altered and the jumps changed which was great and there were very few injuries”, he says. “The track got a bit rutty but the ruts formed well as the day went on. It was a bit disappointing to be grouped with the MX3 guys but with the low entries, no doubt unavoidable”.
Jason Jepson outclassed all opposition in the Quads class. Tauranga quad rider Mark Goldstone finished 5th while his sister Emma did not make the points because of DNF and DNS.
Full results from both days of the Valley Champs are on the My Laps site
Raglan Rocz
The Raglan Rocz is a 4 Hour Race where solo riders compete in the Ironman section and pairs of riders compete in the Teams section.
Paul Whibley, theoretically in holiday mode, garnered another convincing win at Saturday’s Annual Raglan Rocz cross country event. He won the $500 hole-shot prize & completed 13 laps of the circuit and was followed home in the Ironman section by Adrian Smith (12), Mark Penny(12), Jake Nichols(12) and Tauranga’s Rhys Henry in 6th place with 11 laps.
“It was real hard work”, says a really rapt but exhausted Rhys Henry. “It seemed to go on for ever.and ever. There was a Le Mans shotgun start. We had to run 10 metres to our bikes. Fortunately mine started at first kick. The first lap was a bit bunched. I had a small off but by the second lap the riders were spreading out and then it was just keep going and going. I think I freaked out my pit crew (Dan Lee & Kayla Littleton) when I nearly ran out of gas but I made it to the end. Big thanks to my pitties and to Mum & Dad and Moto City”.
Several riders finished “early”.
Rory Mead pulled out in the latter stages after a crash & losing his rear brakes after clipping something on the track but still finished 5th. Cody Cooper hurt his leg, pulled out after 3 hours and ended up in 14th place while Dave Fisher’s lack of fitness – he hasn’t ridden much lately – caused him to pull out after 2.5 hours and finish 16th.
Jake Nichols (seen at Woodville last year) is out here from the UK staying with Ben Townley and riding and training with him during the month of January.
Townley himself formed a very fast team with his last year’s co-rider, Jaden Gray from Otorohonga completing 13 laps and winning the Raglan Rocz Teams 4 stroke Overs section. The Eastern Bay of Plenty team of Lance O’Dea (Opotiki) and Conrad Edwards (Whakatane) came 2nd.
Rhys Carter teamed up with David Till to take 3rd place in the 4 stroke Unders class with 11 laps.
Gasgas rider Julie Greenslade completed 9 laps in the 4 hours to claim the distinction of the first “Ironwoman” home.
Full results from the Raglan Rocz are on the Silver Bullet site
Click here for Andy McGechan's article.
