Glen Helen ALL NEW MOTOCROSS FOR SOCAL

On Apr 4, 2022 Last updated Apr 5, 2022

“Let’s get together in that fast right hander before the tabletop.” Sean Lipanovich (505), Griffin Dexter (206), Kiwi Josiah Natzke (533) and Josh Mosiman (77). Photo: Debbi Tamietti

PHOTOS BY DEBBI TAMIETTI & DAN ALAMANGOS

This past Saturday, the first “Saturday at the Glen” motocross race was held on what was formerly the REM stomping grounds, but with REM promoters Frank and Myra Thomason retiring, Glen Helen stepped in to fill what would have created a big void in SoCal racing. Many of Glen Helen’s Saturday race crowd had experience dating back to the 1980s when they raced the famous “Saddleback Saturday” races at the long-closed Orange County track.

The transition to a new promoter was not traumatic because Glen Helen stepped in to pick-up the races—and were lucky to keep the same crew that worked for Frank and Myra on board to handle the interaction with the racers. Except for the big sign on the scoring tower that announced Saturday at Glen Helen MX, it was a seamless transition.

Sean Lipanovich (505) took the 450 Pro win with a 1-2. Photo: Jon Ortner

Of course there were changes, but most importantly Glen Helen lowered the gate fee, which had been $30 per bike, to $10 per person. They also dropped the race entry fees from $50 to $30 for riders who pre-entered (and $40 for post entry). Most significantly, Glen Helen owner Dr. Bud Feldkap promised to keep the spirit of the original races alive. This was important to the regular racers because the upper track at Glen Helen, where the “Saturday at the Glen” race will continue to be held, is the last pure motocross tracks left in SoCal.

MXA’s Josh Mosiman brought his GasGas MC 250 to test before the World Two-Stroke Championship in two weeks. He went 3-1 for second overall in the 450 Pros. Photo: Debbi Tamietti

Glen Helen did try a few experiments, the biggest one being the idea of a parade lap before each first moto. It didn’t take long to see that the riders didn’t want a parade lap. For the first race of the day only half of the field went out for the parade lap and, in the subsequent motos, more and more riders said, “No,” when told to take a parade lap. Their way of voting was to sit on the starting line and wait for the actual race.

Todd Sibell (829) went 2-3 for third, but fought hard in both 450 Pro motos. Photo: Debbi Tamietti

The track was exciting as it had hard-pack, loam and sand mixed into a layout with big uphills, steep downhills, a safe first turn and enough technical sections to keep everyone on their toes. In the morning the track was muddy out back, but after Pro practice that issue solved itself. Every Glen Helen regular was overjoyed that Glen Helen stepped up to insure the races that they had been going to for 30 years would not disappear or, worse yet, be turned in another track with a jump every 50-feet like most of the SoCal race tracks.

Another MXA guy, Ezra Lewis (830) was fourth in the 450 Pro class. Ezra was another two-stroke rider getting ready for the two-stroke race. Photo: Debbi Tamietti

Best of all, for those of you in Europe, the other 49 states and parts unknown, ace photographers Debbi Tamietti and Dan Alamangos were there to document the first-ever “Saturday at the Glen” motocross. Sit back and enjoy what “Saturday at the Glen” looked like—and maybe make plans to race here in the future.