MegaX 05’ Season final

Mendota, Illinois September 24, 2005

Podium Interviews by Pete “Motormouth” Reich

By Merle Acord

he mood was festive at the last MegaX of the 05’ season at Tri-County half mile stadium abutting the rural village of Mendota, Illinois, but there was an underlying feeling of loss, like saying see ya to a friend taking a summer job out of town and knowing they will be back but still missed. MegaX will return in the spring but they for sure will be missed. Bench racing can only be retold so many times and the flavor wanes. 

“Riders meeting in five minutes”. How many times many times has that been heard and ignored. “Don’t double on a yellow flag, hold your position, same-O same-O ,but more was going on than track info, if you weren’t there today and your fish-skins was pulled from the box you couldn’t take home the CF50 Honda donated by Joe & Mandy Lanute of American CNC Machine Company. Joe Smith 30B rider from Rochelle, Illinois up on a Yamaha always made a habit of attending riders meetings and was there today to claim the prize. Now Joe has something to ride in the Pit Bike class.

            The 250A was a repeat of the 125A class finishes with Kevin Markwardt leading from the gate to the checkers. Tad Tyrrell of Winslow, Illinois, an A rider veteran who isn’t old enough to qualify for the +25 class, had his attention focused on Kody Molitor of Maple Park, Illinois. Kevin had checked out and the race was for second and third with younger brother Andrew Tyrrell waiting in the wings so to speak for a mistake from the two vets that never happened. Tad took second with Kody third.  “The track turned out near perfect,” said Kevin,  “I was a little worried about track conditions since we had storms most of the day.”

“It was a tough race,” said Shane Cochran quad A winner. “I had the hole shot and the lead then messed up and Steve (Runkel) got around me. We were running about the same speed that and because it’s a stadium style track, passing was difficult. But Steve helped me out and made a mistake and let me around. If it weren’t for that mistake I wouldn’t have got around. I would like to thank 4/Play Racing, they help me out the most, Side Winders, and The White Brothers ”

            Theses guys came down to the finish and Nick Hollars, second place Quad B, was looking for a way around right down to the finish. “It’s a tight track and not too many places to pass,” said Nick. “ I would like to thank my Grandparents, they are the only sponsors I have right now.”

            “It got pretty tangled there at the last,” said quad B winner Brandon Bracken from Rockford, Illinois. “They wouldn’t get out of the way for us and I only finished half a length ahead of Nick at the end and at that I was lucky. In the turn before the finish I tried to pass one of the lappers, he was holding a tight inside line, and as I was going around he moved out on me. I’ll be moving to A next year and lappers shouldn’t be that much of a problem. I would like to thank Pro Taper, Alclad Hiper, SoCal-DeCal and Mom and Dad.’

            “It was a fast track,” said second place quad C Rick Pacione ”I would like to thank Jimmy’s moto rebuilding, they gave me another good motor and my Mom and Grandparents and all the fans out there.”

            “I just set my scope on the riders in front of me and didn’t worry about any one behind me,” said C champ Stephen Schenk. “I caught a few of the B riders so I think I’m ready to move up now. I would like to thank 4/Play Racing, “

            Logan Skaggs, third in 50 Sr. and from Rockford, Illinois said, “I had fun and the track was pretty cool. I want to thank my Dad and all the people who came here tonight.”

            “I had a good heat race,” said second place Chad West, “ But he got me in the main. I would like to thank my Mom and Dad.”

            Bryce Ivey 50sr. winner picked his lines during the heat race and put them to good use in the main winning large. Bryce said, “I would like to thank my Mom and Dad and Tim Filippi.”

            Despite crashing Jackson Jeffery held on for second in the 50 Injection class. “I would like to thank Tuf Racing, SoCal-DeCal and Mom and Devine,” said Bryce.

            “I had a good race in both the heat and the main,” said Kai Devine. “I would like to thank my Grandpa and Mom and Dad.”

            Matt Mellott borrowed a pit bike from one of his friends and took a first ahead of “Turbo” Barney Levens in the “Knees in your face class”. “It was a lot of fun and I want to thank my Mom and Dad for all of their support,” said Matt.

“Everyone was riding good tonight,” said 125A winner Kevin Markwardt up on a Suzuki from Freeport, Illinois. “I have to hand it to Tad Tyrrell and Kody Molitor they were really on the gas The track is awesome, I think it’s the best its been all year. The rain we had was just right, a little tacky during the heats, and then we took a little intermission and a little disking and came back in great shape. Can’t say enough. First and foremost I want to thank Ace Powersports, 4/Play Racing, Club 57 with Brad Jeromenwski, Tuf Racing, and UFO.

Jesse Schroedor second in the senior 65 had a good ride and said ‘Thanks to Mom and Dad.”

Dillon Schacht second in the 65 junior class said, “The track was good but it was a little slick. I would like to thank Mom an Dad.” Chad West kept the hammer down in the 65 junior class and led wire to wire for the win.

Tim Filippi frequent podium visitor and third place winner in the +25 A class said, “You couldn’t ask for better conditions than what we had today. I would like to thank Gieson’s Motorsports, Spy and Ger for doing such a good job for the whole year.

            Everett Dahlberg second place in the +25 A said, “I got off the gate in good shape but then I had Tim catching on me a little. Burton (Lavens) took off on me but I couldn’t do anything about it. I want to thank my wife for coming to the race with me, and supporting me all season. That’s all I got but it’s more than enough.”

            “This ProSource Suzuki motor is running hard and the Gary Borelli suspension is working awesome,” said +25 A winner Burton “Turbo” Lavens. “You know the rain we had really helped out good for my two/stroke. Next year it won’t matter next year I’m going 4/stroke. If you can’t beat’m join’m.”

            “I let it go,” said second place 85 senior winner Broc Pagin. “I led all the way except at the end. I didn’t think he was going to sneak in there on the inside. I would like to thank 4/Play Racing and Mom and Dad.”

            “I didn’t have that good of a jump,” said Chris Antolak, “So I just followed him around for a couple of laps and got him on the straight away. I would like to thank Tuf Racing, UFO, Smith Goggles, Alpine Star boots and EVS knee braces.”

            “It was so tacky out there and everything was working real well,” said 85 junior winner Durk Roper. “I would like to thank Cycle M, Michelin Tires, Mom and Dad.”

            Gordon Kaskin rode a Genoa City Honda to the win in the 14/24 four/stroke class.

            “I got a gift there,” said third place Women’s class winner Nikki Dixon (formerly Duranczyk). “Andrew and I were having a good battle in the heat race and then she stalled out in the main. I kept it upright and just tried to ride as smooth as I could. I have found that is the best way to ride this track.  I would like to thank Works Connection, Scott Goggles, Answer, Dirt Rider.com, SoCal- DeCal and everybody else that I’m forgetting tonight.”

            BriAnn Stiles borrowed a bike from “Donnie’ and finished second in the women’s class. “April goes real fast and it even seems faster when you are on a borrowed bike,” said BriAnn. “I want to thank Creative Graphics, Tabers Motor Sports and Mom and Dad.”

            “Bri and I are going to the US Open in Vegas,” Women’s champ tonight April Roper said with a small grin, “We are going to dominate. I would like to thank Cycle M, Scott Goggles, Tire Buddy, Cycle Land, Pro Circuit, UFO, Club 57 and Mom and Dad.”

            Burton ‘Turbo” Lavens and Everett Dahlberg finished 1-2 in the 30A and Everett said, Barney is a good rider and he was out there hammering tonight. Again, I want to thank the wife for coming out here with me and putting up with all this. When we had that rain today I thought it would be too wet to ride, but actually it was near perfect.”

            “You can’t fault your buddies for beating you when you’re out there having fun,” said second place 30B rider Steve Perkin resplendent with a flowing pink wig glued to his helmet. “I beat him in the heat motos but he flat turned the gas on in the main.”

            Plainspoken Melissa Perkins, Steve’s wife, said, “I had nothing to do with the design or anything else about that wig thing. Its crazy!”

“Hey it’s the last race of the season,” said Steve with a toss of his silky pink locks adoring his helmet, “Lets have some fun, besides I’ve had two marriage proposals since the first moto.”

            Billy McCauley third in the 250 C class said, “It’s been a great season Ward did a great job all year long and I think its great for someone to spend so much time and effort to put on these events. I don’t know how he did it tonight when I was driving in it was rainy and mud everywhere, I thought oh my God it’s going to be a slop-fest, but he drained the track nicely and conditions were some of the best we’ve had all season. Great job.”

            “Gauer (Jeremy) was on my butt all the way,” said 250C winner Steve Perkins. “I needed this win in the worst way. I’m leading in the points and Gauer is second. I rode as hard as I could and protected my inside line, which is what you have to do with a fast rider like Gauer behind you. I would like to thank Rusty Ott from ProSource for hooking me up with this 450, and Nick for doing the wrenching because I don’t know what I’m doing on a four/stroke. EVS knee braces. I wore this pink wig and looked like a fool so I had to win tonight”

            “It was a good night,” said 250B winner Charles Harpe from Salem, Illinois riding a Honda. I crashed a few times in the heat race but thankfully I got that out of my system before the main. I would like to thank Ace Power Sports, Moose Racing and my Mom and Dad.”

            “I thought I could pull a gap on Bryce (Jacobs, second 125C)” said Logan Schmidt 125 C winner, “But I couldn’t. I held on and it’s great to go out with a win. I would like to thank my Mom and Dad and everyone else for supporting me. It has been a great season.”

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