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A mile at the fair

July 28, 2013

Cal Expo – Sacramento, CA

Story by Karen Gould

Checkered Flag Photography

Eddie & Jodi Mulder and their team made the trip to Sacramento once again this year to make dreams come true for amateur riders. On the famous mile long track, smooth and well groomed by Dennis Pearson and Craig Scroggins, the riders enjoyed the same dirt as the GNC pro riders the night before where Bryan Smith took home his third trophy belt buckle and Shayna Texter celebrated her second Sacramento Mile win. Sunday was perfect from start to finish at the Sacramento Amateur mile. With the sights and sounds of the California State Fair in the back ground and the weather mild, riders and spectators alike had a great day.

A big thank you to several sponsors of the Sacramento Mile that stepped up to help make this event possible. Scott Dunlavey/Berkeley Honda-Yamaha generously donated several pit bikes for use at the track, and on board again this year, Triumph of North America.  Digger Helm and Rod Lake, long time supporters of the West Coast Dirt Track Series along with K&N Filters, Motion Pro, Barmett Clutches and Specialty Fabrications, all as Premiere sponsors. Others included A&A Racing who donated 2 tires and provided non-stop service to the riders.

www.TodaysCycleCoverage.com and S&S Off Road Magazine, who bring news of the WCDTS events out to the public, Brown’s Cycles, Maxima Racing Oils, Works Performance, Coventry Spares, Tuff Plates and many more. At each event there are water bottles, hats, T-shirts and other goodies all provided by the sponsors, shared with the riders during the award ceremony.

Thanks go to the riders as well. One hundred and fifty plus entrants rode 17 heats and main events with such care that the ambulance never moved from it’s parking spot. Without the invitation of Circle Bell Motorsports and Bob Bellino, racing the mile at Cal Expo would not be possible.

Race day started with the usual, tech inspections to be sure the riders and bikes are safe for the day’s events followed by a rider’s meeting. Eddie’s custom of honoring fallen riders was carried out once again with a moment of silence for AJ Herrera who recently passed away. He then announced the order of practice, where to find the event postings and how the day is planned. Seasoned riders and past pros were joined with many that were riding the mile for the first time. Walking the pits the excitement could be felt as last minute adjustments were being made to equipment. Leathers, were hanging on easy ups that had been recently cleaned in preparation of the days races and the pits were filled with riders and their families, sharing food, stories and their excitement.

Right on schedule practice took place. A couple of seized motors and mechanical mishaps brought the golf cart and trailer out to get riders and bikes back to the pits. Competition in many classes was close with heat races determining rider placement on the main event starting lines. Classes included 250cc Open, through unlimited cc Vet, Vintage, Senior, Novice and more. The West Coast Dirt Track Series finds a class for every rider that shows up. Eddie’s love of racing is unquestionable at his events.

The first main event on the track included 8 Senior Vintage riders.  Familiar faces on the track, Jim Monegan aboard a 1972 Honda 481, Steve Craft on the seat of his 1974 Harley XR 750 and Kenny Theibaud powering a 1974 Yamaha 750 battled for position through the third lap when Thiebaud left the race broken. Monegan and Craft put on a show turn to turn until Monegan was able to pull away and take the win..Don Galloway from Canada captured the third position followed by Victor McBee. Twelve riders took their places on the line for the 35 and over Vet A main. Steve Liberty showed Tom Horton the fastest way around this big track taking over the lead in the first lap. Vince Holt followed them to the checkers and Wade Boyd moved into the fourth spot in the last lap leaving John Lundgren to finish fifth. The Vet B included ten riders. The top three finishers, Ron Long, Jack Jones and AJ Neelings maintained their one, two, three positions from flag to flag.

In this writers opinion the race of the day was the Senior Novice/Super Senior class. I’ve been attending and photographing Eddie Mulder’s events for more than ten years. During those years I don’t remember ever not seeing #49, Mickey Alzola at the races. Alzola had a long history of precision stunt driving for many movies in Hollywood including Jack Knife, Mega Force, Steel Yard Blues, The First Last Race and many more. Alzola raced sprint cars from 1977 through 1987 and since then has raced motorcycles for more than twenty five years. He was a five time rider of the Pikes Peak Sprint Car class. Today before racing began Alzola told me that all he could do any more was have fun. When the riders came to the starting line in the 50 and older novice/riders over 60 class. Alzola was aboard his 1966 Eddie Mulder SpecialTriumph. Only one other bike was older than the Alzolas. Fred Berger was piloting his 1965 Triumph 650. Also in the class was Ted Hubbard, a cancer survivor riding another Eddie Mulder Special Yamaha 540. The starter threw the green flag and Canadian D-Dan McDougall got the hole shot on his 74 XR Harley Davidson 750. Mike Wayne on top of a 1971 Yamaha 750 took the lead from
McDougall in lap three. Behind them Alzola was on the move. Moving from the sixth position in lap one to third by lap four. Alzola was gaining ground. With only two laps remaining Lawrence Bertrand had captured the second postion riding a 1973 Triumph 750. The white flag lap gave Alzola time to capture second and by the checkers, it was Alzola for the win. Wayne had recaptured the second spot and Bertrand rounded out the podium. I don’t know the age of Alzola, maybe 73, but I know that he still “has it”, the enthusiasm and determination to win races along with a huge smile and a delightful personality.

After finishing third in the Vet class Holt came back to win the Senior Open class in front of Wade Boyd and Ron Long. Holt powered his 2000 Rotax 660 the first four laps in the lead giving it up to vintage road racing champion Paul Germain on a Yamaha 750 in lap four and regaining the lead in white flag lap to take the checkers first. Wade Boyd twisted the throttle in the final lap to finish second followed by Long on a Rotax 600. Germain finished sixth.

Donnie Darrah worked the track and his 06 Honda 450 hard riding the SeniorB Main Open main event. Don Galloway was not having it riding his 74 Yamaha 750 in front four of six laps. Darrah rode laps four and five in front but at the end of the race it was all Galloway followed by Perry
Smith mounted on a Honda 450.

Maybe the guy most proud of himself this day was Craig Scroggins. The guy driving the blade earlier in the day to groom the track, Scroggins was not to be beat on his track during racing. Competing in the Sr Open C event Scroggins who said today would be his last mile race got the hole shot from  the start. David Ehrhart took that lead for laps two and three but Scroggins was insistant and tenacious riding the final two laps to the finish in front. Lance Harris, PHD and Jim Monegan followed Scroggins to the checkers. Monegan was back on the track to win the Modern 500 class in front of Horton and Galloway. Jake Latimer took Victor McBee and LloydMcGregor home in the 750 modern class.

Allison Stacey and Kimi Valentine were competing with the boys in the 250 Open class. randon Green and Sean Heeney were first and second but Stacey proudly took the third place on the podium. Thirty six riders entered the Open Amateur class. Broken into A, B and C mains, determined by placement in the heat races. One rider captured my attention when he shared that this day was his 29th birthday and the first time he had ridden a mile. Happy 29th birthday Andy Wallace. Wallace didn’t finish in the top three but did capture the fourth position in the Open Amateur B main behind Heeney, Boyd and Chris Ryan. Davis Fisher, Dylan Morin and Vaughn McCafferty were the top three in the Open Amateur A main and Holt captured his second victory of the day in front of Scott Anderson and Robert Curry in the C main.

Promoter Eddie Mulder wishes to thank each and every person who attended this spectacular event for their cooperation and support. The program went off flawlessly, the ambulance never moved and there was great racing, camaraderie and fun all weekend. Racers came from all over North America and Canada for their chance to ride on the famous Sacramento Mile. The WCDTS final two 2013 events will take place at Willow Springs on the 3/8 mile banked cushion October 19th and 20th . For more information on Eddie Mulder’s Dirt Track Series go to: http://www.eddiemulderswcvdts.com/schedule.html

More pictures are acvailable at  http://checkeredflagphotos.smugmug.com/FlatTrackRacing/Sacramento-Amateur-Mile-1/30794222_Q6jW5w

Results:

Senior Vintage

  1. Jim Monegan; 2. Steve Craft; 3. Don Galloway; 4. Victor McBee; 5. David Krohn; 6. D-dan McDougall; 7. Rick Villanueva; 8. Kenneth Thiebaud; 9. David Atheron; 10. Robert Hansen; 11. Mickey Alzola; 12. Lawrence Bertrand; 13. Greg Lightfoot; 14. Peter Thomson

 

Vet

  1. Steve Liberty; 2. Tom Horton; 3. Vince Holt; 4. Wade Boyd; 5. John Lundgren; 6. Paul Germain; 7. Robert Morris; 8. Roger Andree; 9. Kenneth Holland; 10. Joe Johnson; 11. Chris Baker; 12. Robert Bush; 13. Peter Lee; 14. Jeff Corcoran; 15. David Deveau

Vet B

  1. Ron Long; 2. Jack Jones; 3. A.J. Neelings; 4. Chad Valker; 5. Joe Brown; 6. Roert Settler; 7. Justin Barnett; 8. Chris Larson; 9. Brad Raymond; 10. Zane Amaro

Sr. Novice, Super Senior

  1. Mickey Alzola; 2. Mike Wayne; 3. Lawrence Bertand; 4. D-dan McDougall; 5. Herb Wolff; 6. Victor McBee; 7. Maury Austin; 8. Fred Berger; 9. Ted Hubbard; 10. Don Rasmussen; 11. Peter Thompson; 12. John Deatherage

Classic 500 750sv

  1. Tom Horton; 2. Chris Rudy; 3. Rodd Lighthouse; 4. Allen Brugger; 5. Roy Taboda

Senior Open

  1. Vince Holt; 2. Wade Boyd; 3. Ron Long; 4. David Deveau; 5. Gene Fitzsimmons; 6. Paul Germain; 7. John Lundgren; 8. Lloyd McGregor; 9. Joe Johnson; 10. Roger Andree; 11. Peter Lee; 12. Robert Settler

Senior Open B Main

  1. Don Galloway; 2. Donnie Darrah; 3. Perry Smith; 4. Greg Lightfoot; 5. Bud Riddle; 6. Nick Theroux; 7. Robert Curry; 8. Mike Fowler; 9. Dave Keil; 10. Barry Hiatt; 11. Brad Raymond; 12. David Valentine

Senior Open C Main

  1. Craig Scroggins; 2. Lance Harris; 3. Jim Monegan; 4. Tim Skov; 5. Ray Turner; 6. Tim Lampe; 7. MikeRankin; 8. Rick Villanueva; 9. David Ehrhart; 10. Peter Thomson

Modern 500

  1. Jim Monegan; 2. Tom Horton; 3. Don Galloway; 4. Steve Craft; 5. Mike Wayne; 6. Mark Jensen; 7. Thad Wolff

Modern 750

  1. Jake Latimer; 2. Victor McBee; 3. Lloyd McGregor; 4. Robert Hansen; 5. Jerry Bland; 6. D-dan McDougall; 7. Robert Bush; 8. Maury Austin; 9. Steve Liberty; 10. Perry Smith

250 Open

  1. Brandon Green; 2. Sean Heeney; 3. Allison Stacey; 4. Clayton Williams; 5. Kimi Valentine

500 Support

  1. Ron Long; 2. Don Galloway; 3. Jack Jones; 4. Robert Hansen; 5. Jeff Corcoran; 6. Perri Turner; 7. Mike Fowler; 8. Jeff Gonzales; 9. Jim Lundgren; 10. Robert Morris

500 Support B Main

  1. Terry Graham; 2. Gary Ritchie; 3. Barry Hiatt; 4. Justin Barnet; 5. Jack Harwood; 6. Dillon Allen; 7. Mike Keith; 8. Gene Fitzsimmons

Open Amateur

  1. David Fisher; 2. Dylan Morin; 3. Vaughn McCafferty; 4. Tony Souza; 5. Allison Stacey; 6. Adam Hernandez; 7. Andrew Luker; 8,. David Bush; 9. Caleigh Ryan; 10. David Deveau; 11. Kale Fish; 12. Damon Coca

Open Amateur B Main

  1. Sean Heeney; 2. Wade Boyd; 3. Crris Ryan; 4. Andy Wallace; 5. Laramie Bystedt; 6. Kenneth Holland; 7. Beau Thompson; 8. Sam Cullon; 9. Cody Van Dyke; 10.  Brian Schmeltz; 11. Chris Baker; 12. Nick Theroux

Open Amateur C Main

  1. Vince Holt; 2. Scott Anderson; 3. Robert Curry; 4. Dillon Allen; 5. Darrell Beardsley; 6. Brad Raymond; 7. Mitchell Green; 8. David Valentine; 9. Keith Eusebio Jr; 10. Chris Geilfuss; 11. Zane Amaro