VFORCE RACE REPORT – MOHAWK GP
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MOTO TASSINARI
MOTO TASSINARI IS THE PREMIER MANUFACTURER OF PERFORMANCE ENHANCING REED VALVES
TASHA SCALPS THE MOHAWK
Bubz Tasha on the Rocky Mountain ATV/MC /TELY Racing / Factory Connection KTM became the Seventh PRO Class winner of the FOX Racing J DAY Off Road Championship in the 2023 season at the Mohawk GP Round 14 in Lanesboro MA and after some bright spots in select motos in his few starts in 2023 finally got that Overall win that has eluded him so far this season. He did it in convincing fashion as he controlled the first moto and won by seven seconds and scored the second moto win and the overall with a hard fought battle against the veteran Chris Canning on his Factory Connection / Loud Fuel / MotorBikes Plus Gas Gas who finished glued to Tasha’s rear fender where he stayed throughout the entire moto. The second moto was one of the most exciting of the year as it was really a four rider battle for the win right down to the last lap with three of the four Championship contenders duking it out to gain maximum points with just two rounds to go. Chris Canning proved that no matter the obstacle in his Championship Title hunt he will not be deterred and gained the most points of the contenders today and vaulted himself into the lead and turned an 8 point disadvantage into an 8 point advantage and looks strong to garner his first J DAY Championship at the finale at the ‘ Wick where he definitely has home court advantage. Canning ran strong all day and went 2-2 for second overall. Third overall at Round 14 was defending champion Simon Johnson on his Plaistow Power Sports / AM PRO / Factory Connection Yamaha where he went 5-3 and kept his hopes alive to repeat while he sits in third 9 points adrift of Canning but because he has been so consistent again in 2023 he looks to have the most to lose when the throw away rounds are factored in. Gavin Simon would take 4-4 moto scores to fourth overall on the Edelman’s Husqvarna and still has an outside chance at the title sitting fourth going into the final round 23 points behind leader Canning. Brandon Gregoire had a great first moto but just couldn’t find his groove in the second moto, which was his fourth of the day and the Factory Connection / LBR Moto / FXR rider carded 8th in the moto and fifth overall. Gregoire has had an inspiring season with his dedication to off road racing and has a strong chance to take both PRO Titles as he sits 8 points out of the lead in the PRO Class and he leads the PRO 125 Class by a seemingly unsurmountable 30 points with one round remaining. Brayden Nolette took the V3 Kawasaki to sixth overall, Nick Kordana was 7th on the Motorsports Nation Yamaha, Vandemonium Gosselin was the sole A Class rider in the top ten with the PROs finishing 8th on his Ronnie’s Cycle / Battery Park KTM as he continues to create an uproar and wreak havoc in this 2023 season. Yamaha pilots Dylan Moriarty brought it home in 9th and nice guy Mikey Bloom had a solid 10th place on the day. Great racing all day with a 4th GNCC regular winning the overall on an infrequent dry day and a great event put on by the Hoosac Valley Riders Club who have been putting on great events since 1954. They have some great members and are lead by a very active President John Malloy who wasn’t as active today as past years because he didn’t have to extract any vehicles from the muddy clutches of the Phelps Family Farm as the corn field has been turned into a hay field. Speaking of the Phelps family it is always a pleasure to see my friend Paul Phelps there at the event selling his family’s Maple Sugar Products and to engage in some great story telling and bench racing with one of the nicest men I have ever known. Keep on supporting the Phelps Family Farm Maple Products as that is what keeps the farm going these days and keeps it open for the recreation we all enjoy.
……and now for the Rest of the Story
The Kenda Pee Wee Challenge tore out of the start chute and were finally greeted by a dry race track which is a rarity in 2023 and a welcomed sight to the small wheel crowd. Tucker Aldrich was again the victor with Sawyer Langenback taking second and Jaikan Johnson making it an all KTM Red Bull Podium. Crue Hopkins wrapped up the Bantam Championship with his class win, Bryan Ramos won the Squirt division, Connor Maguire grabbed the win in the Trail Rider division and Sophia Teixeira was crowned the Champion of the Pee Wee Girls class with her 10th win of the year.
The Super Mini Class was again the domain of it’s seasons’ Champion Flyin’ Ryan Amancio as he also took home the Spectro Youth Award. Joining Ryan on the Red Bull Podium was Colton McQuarrie on the second step again and Kamden Krause on the third. Mini A victory was all DJ Leblanc’s, Mini B class win went to Trevor Harris, Mini C winner was Ashtin Dumeer and the Girls Class was won by the 2023 Class Champion , Trevor’s sister Addie Harris, a great day for the Harris family to be sure.
C Class Overall winner was 250 class Connecticut rider Porter Breton who took the first moto victory after a close race with his closest competitor in 2023 Max Rivera and finished up the day with a clear cut win over his rival who would stand second on the day in class and overall. Joey Nadworny was third in the 250 class and overall.
The Womens PRO class was won by Ruby Fustini who also locked up her second straight Championship at just 15 years old. 2023 has been a great year for Ruby who is also the National Womens A Class Champion at the GNCC Level which gained her a birth in the EnduroCross series in a couple weeks in Idaho where she will be the guest of her friend Rachel Gutisch, the WXC Contender. Addie Harris took both motos overall against the Womens PRO riders and handily won the Womens Amateur class on the day and the championship for 2023. Breakout year for my friend Addie who won the J DAY Girls and Womens Amateur championships but even more impressive the National Championship in the Girls Class as well.
The Super Senior class saw the return to racing after seven years away by our good friend Brooks Hamilton. Hamilton who is the former KTM Rep who brought so much help to the J DAY series in its formative years is now the Triumph Motorcyle District Manager for the North East and ready to embark on an all out assault of the series when the new Triumph models show up next spring. Until then he will settle for an all out assault of the Super Senior class where he beat perrenial class favorite Nate Martel with Ryan Brown third.
The Masters class was handled by Brian Brazeau, with C Vet going to Victor Medeiros and C Senior class being won by Wederson Maximo.
PRO 125 Class always has intense racing and Brandon Gregoire took the class victory after some great battles with class newcomer reigning PRO Champ Simon Johnson who would win the second moto but lose the overall to first moto winner Gregoire who I believe will be the 2023 Champion in this class. Kyle Hangos gave Gregoire all he could handle in the first moto and finished right on his rear fender but the second moto Kyle could only garner 5th but it was good enough for the third step on the Red Bull Podium. It was great to have Hangos back on the podium and a treat for me to interview my friend once again. The 5 time PRO 125 Champion and 2018 J DAY Overall Champion was gracious in his praise for his competitors and when they had their turn they were truly thrilled to have battled with one of their heroes “ the Peoples Champ“ Kyle Hangos and sang his praise to the high high heavens.
Logan Tenney took the win in Junior A while the B class overall went to 250 winner Shane Czelazewicz and the Open win went to Matt St Thomas and Jake Choquette scored the 200 win.
Senior A class was won by Jon Gosselin, B Vet winner was Alex Saunders and B Senior was won by the consistent Ryan Lane who looks strong after being out so long from injury but the real story of the moto was the Trail Jesters young sensation Jiggs Fustini who decimated his Junior B class and both motos overall. Fustini’s fastest lap time was a 4:53 and only 28 seconds slower than the top PRO time of Bubz Tasha. Jiggs is an amazing young rider and doesn’t get the press that his other future stars Amancio and Gosselin get but rest assured this young man from Connecticut will compete with them in the upper classes in very short order and with his determination for excellence will turn some heads in 2024.
The A division classes that run in the PRO moto always give exciting racing and again 250 class winner Van Gosselin was the cream of the crop as he finished 8th overall amongst the PROs. The Vet A class is always one to watch and Moto Tassinari / V Force sponsored Husky Boy Clint Angwin showed he is adapting to the Husqvarna quickly and scored the win over Miqueias Gomes and Dennis Baker with BJ Lanigan and Hoot Owl Ryan Bliven rounding out the top 5. Jacob Pacheco took a double moto 200 win and Ryan Daunais scored victory in the Open Class.
It is always a treat for me to visit the Berkshire Mountains where there is so much Motorcycle History ringing through the hills. This is where the first ISDT held on American soil was held and where the first water cooled two stroke motorcycle was raced. It also holds fond memories of where my early years of Moto Cross racing took place with some success and it is a place I hold dear to my heart. We have had some wild weather and some great racing in the many years we have held J DAY Races here and all those memories came flooding back as I announced my last race in Lanesboro and get ready for what will be my last J DAY race at Southwick in two weeks. It has been a great ride and I appreciate all of your support and well wishes over the years and more importantly I appreciate and value the many friendships I have experienced with all of you……I Love You All……and I Always Will.
Until the Last Time this is JJ saying “ See You at the Next J DAY “