2 Strokes Invade Glen Helen in the Heat!!!

IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SAY THAT THE OVER-50 125 CLASS OUTSHINED THE 125 PRO CLASS, BUT IN MANY WAYS IT DID BECAUSE IT HAD LOTS OF
FORMER AMA NATIONAL RIDERS.

 

Those Aussies know how to beat the heat—white bike, white boots, white gear and white open…no make that “wide open.” Dan Alamangos demonstrates. Photo: Jody Weisel

It is impossible to say that the Over-50 125 class outshined the 125 Pro class, but in many ways it did. It had lots of former AMA National riders including, but not limited to Robert Reisinger, Will Harper, Chris Heinrich, Jon Ortner, Pete Murray and Craig Canoy. There were also riders from other countries with Holland’s Ralf Schmidt representing TM Motorcycles, South Africa’s Alan Jullien, Australian Dan Alamangos and Great Britain’s Kurt Nicoll.

Pete Murray (7) and Jon Ortner (10) fighting over the last spot on the Over-50 podium as they climb Shoei Hill. Photo Dan Alamangos

Ralf Schmidt rarely faces 107-degree race days back home in Holland. Photo: Jody Weisel

The nagging question was whether three-time Over-50 World Vet Champion Kurt Nicoll could be beaten by three-time Vet Champion Pete Murray (who had won in the Over-40, Over-50 and Over-60 classes over the years) or by AMA Pro Craig Canoy, Dutch Champion Ralf Schmidt or three-time REM number one Jon Ortner. But there was no doubt once the gate dropped and Nicoll went 1-1, Canoy 2-2, Murray 3-3, Ortner 4-4 and Chris Heinrich 5-5.

 

Kurt Nicoll fillled his coffers with an additional check for $750, making his total for the day $1500.

The Over-50 podium: Pete Murray, Kurt Nicoll and Craig Canoy. Photo:Jon Ortner

PASHA OVER-50 RESULTS
1. Kurt Nicoll…KTM
2. Craig Canoy…Yam
3. Pete Murray..Yam
4. Jon Ortner…Suz
5. Chris Heinrich..Hon
6. Dan Alamangos…Hus
7. Scott Murphy…TM
8. Pete Vetrano…Hus
9. Ralf Schmidt…TM
10. Alan Jullien…Yam