D37 Big 6 Grand Prix Series

Zip Ty Husquavarna was on hand throughout the weekend, and Canadian Corey Graffunder was showing off the new equipment as the revamed Husquavarna 4-strokes made their debut at the Big Six. Joining him under the team Husky tent was long time district 37 favorite Jaime Lanza. With a new team and a new attitude number 99 is set to make 2011 his best year yet.

Racing started early Saturday as the 14 lap program meant that the Prairie Dogs flag crew would be out on the course all weekend long. Early in the day things got a bit muddy and racing action was held up as the necessary course corrections were made. Despite the abundance of mud all over each of the Unclassified racer entries bikes, smiles were had by all and things were just as usual for a Glen Helen Grand Prix.

As it always happens at the Big Six, the woman and 60+ racers were on the course for the first points paying race of the weekend, and 3brosracing.com’s Kelly Barbosa held off the hard charges of both tricia Lane and Mandy Fonteyn. Bonnie Warch was in the mix as well, taking the senior woman win while finishing second overall woman and third overall in the race. Only Bill Maxim was able to overtake the ladies, doing so on an XR650, something that he has become accustomed to here at Glen Helen in the Big Six events. Terry Davis gave a good fight as well, and finished 4th overall, and second in the 60+ class to Maxim.

The long haired Kawasaki ace of Gordon Ward was next on top of the podium taking the overall win in the 40+ expert race, with nearly 170 40+ riders behind him. By far one of the largest races of the weekend, the Senior class has become the must watch event at a Big Six race as any of the top 5 could take a win on any day at the Big Six races. This weekend Ward enjoyed a 3 minute margin come the finish, but Fred Hatch, Jerry Black, and Tracy Meeks all finished within 30 seconds of each other vying for the final podium positions. Willy Simons finished as first 50 year old in his first race back after a season ended crash last fall. Mark Davenport to home yet anoher win in the 40+ 250 class, while Mark Raiche followed up with the win in the 50+ 250 division.

All eyes, however were on race number 5 on Saturday as the heavy hitters of the 450 class took to the track. Precision Concepts Robby Bell returned to Glen Helen as he does every year for his annual shot at Big Six Dominance. This year wouldn’t be an easy task, however, as JCR Honda put its best GP rider on the track in Colton Udall. Add to the mix Gordon Ward who had already taken a win earlier in themorning.

The crowd was seeing green as Kawasaki’s dominated 8 out of the top 10 in the heavyweight class. Graffunder was the lone husky in the mix finishing 8th right behind Glen Helen track man Brad Goolesby. Robby Bell held on to take the win over Gordan Ward who was about 30 seconds down, but only two seconds ahead of both Justin Seeds and Colton Udall respectively. Test pilot Ryan Reina took 5th overall on the day, and was ready for more action come the evening endurocross event.

With just a couple short hours to prepare for the evenings festivities of Endurocross, Graffunder and the rest of the field prepared for the mayhem that would follow. It wasn’t all about the pros at the endurocross feature and District 37’s Off Road Regulars tried their chances at the not-so-easy endurocross course. Joe Bianchi fell victim to the rock turn and admitted that this wasn’t his first rodeo. “This was the most exciting event of the year last year, and I have been really training for this thing. Maybe not hard enough, but I at least knew what to expect come this go-around.”

The father/son combo of Paul and Brandon Krause ended up getting paired together in one of the heats and despite Brandons best efforts, be just couldn’t find it to hold his day up. Paul rode hard and earned a good enough finish to get him into the final for the evening. With even the best of the riders struggling on the course, Endurocross was proof enough that dirt bike racing is never easy for anyone. In the end it was Lanza who had what it took to take the win going 1-3-3 in the 3-moto format. Graffunder rode
hard taking the wins in the second two motos, but a moto-one battery issue caused a DNF which would ultimately keep him off the podium.

Sunday morning saw the return of Evo class racer Rick O’Donnell, this time trading in his Evo bike for a Class Air Cooled Honda. Rick kept his usual form despite an absence from the Big Six scene and easily took the win over Rhyan Marshall and Andy Vandenberg. Prospectors MC members Kurt Hintz and Doug Clagg rounded out the top five as the evo race drew to a close for another year at Glen Helen.

The final race of the weekend, race 14 brought the open bikes back to the course and Robbie Bell was at it again. This time Udall put up a fight and the two Baja racers battled it out on the MX track. With Udall trailing by less than 10 seconds through each of the four laps, Bell had to hold it open as he took his second win of the weekend. Ryan Reina took the final podium spot followed by Justin Seeds and Brad Goolsby.