VFORCE RACE REPORT – MX 207 GP
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MOTO TASSINARI
MOTO TASSINARI IS THE PREMIER MANUFACTURER OF PERFORMANCE ENHANCING REED VALVES
KELLEY STAYS ON COURSE FOR MAINE WIN
On a day when navigational skills were as important as clean goggles Ben Kelley on his FMF KTM Factory Racing vessel battled the Top off road pros in the northeast, a Treacherous track, Torrential downpours, Terrible vision, Trees of Pine both vertical and horizontal, Tricky rocks, Tornado Warnings and Three Inches of Rain, which by the by bub equals Thirty Inches of Snow were it cold enough ( we were in Maine mistah ) as he sailed off to victory at Round 7 of the FOX Racing J DAY Off Road Championship after a Tough fight was put up by Tasha, Bubz that is. These two fine competitors are no strangers to each other as they battled tooth and nail for the 2019 J DAY Championship and it was a great race today as the two GNCC stars put on a show for the brave J DAY Faithful fans.
Just before the first FOX Flag Drop of the day at 8 AM the skies opened up and never stopped, leaving the course looking more like a lake than a race course with more than an inch of rain an hour it left over a foot of water standing in the berms of the corners. Just before the last FOX Flag Drop for the first PRO moto J DAY Owner Ethan Broatch circulated the entire course and gave the signal to pull the plug on the days event when that moto was completed to make it a single moto format for Round 7 and the Overalls in all classes were decided by the lone race they ran.
As the PRO moto splashed their way through the first turn it was Gavin Simon on his Edelmans Sales Husqvarna who lead the first messy lap and on a day such as today it is difficult to see just who is where and I definitely appreciated the help of Tyler Palmer who joined me in the tower instead of the PROs on the track in what many would deem a wise decision. Ben Kelley would get a good start and pull into the lead on the second lap and Tasha on the Rocky Mountain ATV/MC / Loud Fuel KTM would pass into second and try to close the gap on Kelley which he did convincingly. The lap times were increased due to the quagmire and hovered near the six and a half minute mark throughout the moto and on lap 4 Bubz Tasha would take the lead. The weather outside was frightful and the vision of the riders was far from delightful so Ben pulled in for an ever so important quick goggle change and recharted his course and took off after Bubz and zapped him on the final lap to take a soaking wet win and most assuredly had that trademark Ben Kelley Smile smeared on his face though it was hard to tell with all the mud but you know it was there as the Harwinton Hurricane crushed the competition and the elements including a Tornado. Tasha would come across the finish line glued to Kelley’s rear fender and it was almost a photo finish. The defending J DAY Champion Simon Johnson on his Plaistow Power Sports / AM PRO Yamaha would climb through the pack steadily passing Gavin Simon with 2 laps to go and claim the third step on the podium. With the campaign close to the halfway point Johnson is very much in contention to repeat as Champion as he now sits only 9 points out of the Championship points lead. Gavin Simon would try to keep a grip on it and held on for fourth keeping his Championship hopes alive as he sits 11 points adrift and Brayden Nolette the defending NETRA Hare Scramble Champion would fight back and finish fifth on his V3 sponsored Kawasaki and he sits fifth in the points race. Sixth went to Brandon Gregoire on the Factory Connection mount and Championship points leader Chris Canning on the Factory Connection / MotorBikes Plus Gas Gas was disappointed with 7th but happy to get out of there still in control. Eighth at Round 7 was longtime KTM man JD Mele now on a Yamaha, 9th went to the ever improving and always smiling Jake Desmairas and rounding out the top ten was an inspiring ride by Dane Howe who cracked the top ten in the PRO Class for the very first time. Great racing with the GNCC regulars stealing the show and the points battle is really heating up with 25 points, one Overall win, separating the top 4 riders and the 5th place rider only 39 points adrift.
…..And now for the rest of the story
Eight O’clock in the morning and the skies let loose just as Andrew Acton let the Green Flag Furl for the start of the Kenda Pee Wee Challenge. The 40 minute moto went 7 laps and turned into an over 52 minute affair for some of the bravest riders on the day. Only 7 riders finished on the lead lap and the fella who lead them all in was one Sawyer Langenback who has some momentum after his first ever Pee Wee overall win at Round 6. Tucker Aldrich and Jaikan Johnson would round out the Overall podium. It wasn’t an easy win for Crue Hopkins in the Bantam class but it was well deserved. Squirt division went to Bryan Ramos, Connor Maguire took the Trailrider win, David Alipio in his first ever race took the win in the Electric class and Sophia Teixeira lapped the field for the win in the Pee Wee Girls division. Thanks to all the spectators who helped these youngsters on the tiny wheeled bikes get through all the nastiness.
Super Mini was won by Orange Brigade rider Ryan Amancio while Kamden Krause kept him alert and finished second and Colton McQuarrie brought it home in third. Mini A win went to DJ Leblanc, Mini B winner was Bodie Preece, Mini C went to Luke Trask and the Girls class was won by Mallory Pickard just off the Injury List over Addie Harris which is no small feat.
Joseph Werner took the C Class Overall win and the Open Class all in one felled swoop, C250 went to Curtis Wheeler and the C200 winner was Devon LaRoche.
Addie Harris stayed on her roll from Round 6 and beat all the Womens PRO riders and won the moto entirely as well as tending to business in her own class – the Womens AMATEUR Class. The Rhode Island Rocket continues to rage through the field like a wildfire and even todays deplorable conditions couldn’t stop the burn.
Reigning PRO Womens Champion Ruby Fustini won the class with Savanah Kipp 2nd and Melony Pickard rounding out the podium. Super Senior victor was Nate Martel, Masters division went to Greg Urquhart, C Vet winner was Pedro Lacerda and Steve Quimby took top honors in C Senior.
PRO 125 Class victory was sealed by Van Gosselin for his first ever PRO Win on his Ronnies Cycle Sales KTM. The Vermont rider is only 15 years old and his future is so bright he has to wear shades. Robert Langenback scored one for the accelerated age group and took the second step of the podium with Aaron Zielfelder standing on the third step on his Factory Connection / Bullit Racing / MotorBikes Plus KTM. Filling out the top 5 were Kyle Gaetani and Jake Jackson.
Junior A win went to Ryan Amancio who was defeated by only 8 seconds by only one rider in the moto overall and that was his longtime nemesis Van Gosselin who won the PRO Class. Both riders have very bright futures in Off Road competition.
B Class Overall went to Peter Shaw on his MotorBikes Plus Husqvarna in his return to racing from injury. Shaw was the 250 class winner as well and it’s great to see the likeable young rider from Massachusetts back at the J DAY races. B200 was won by Robbie Webb and the Open class by Ethan Benoit.
Leo Silva continued his winning ways in the Senior A class and the Junior B winner was Jiggs Fustini on his Trail Jesters KTM. While the Vet B class win went to Mark Gervais and the Senior class was won by Matt Devine.
Jake Desmairas took top A Class honors while taking the win in the 250 class, Dennis Baker came through with another Vet A win, Mike Adinolfi took the 200 class and Grady Hall scored another victory in the Open A class
Unbelievable racing, Terrible conditions and some diehard fans and racers were the order of the day at Round 7 the MOMs 1973 GP held at MX 207.
We’ll be back in Minot Maine in two weeks for Round 8 and 9 at Hemond’s and until then this is JJ saying “ See You at the next J DAY “