SONOMA, CA, MAR. 29

The first event of the 10-race SupermotoUSA 2009 season started at the same spot where the 2008 Pro season ended: the Jim Russell International Karting Center at Infineon Raceway. Except for the grass growing on the dirt sections and the sheep grazing around the paddock, everything was the same. The most cheering sight was the full paddock, which showed that, at least with SupermotoUSA, a tanking economy can't kill racing. Five of the 13 classes had more than 20 entries, and the Novice class had 28, producing a grand total of 223. Besides the locals, Southern California, Nevada, Oregon and British Columbia were represented in the lineup. With blue California skies and moderate temperatures, the series couldn't have jumped off to a better start.

Returning 2008 series winners Mike Camera, Andrew Dickson, Ryan Kearns, Tyler O'Hara, Josh Serne and Casey Yarrow all turned in podium finishes, though not always in the class they'd won last year. A new Expert contender from Southern California, Travis Marks, is close on the heels of SMUSA's fastest regulars.

The 250 Expert class got a boost with the introduction of the three rivals - Kearns, Wyatt Farris and Colton Welch - who moved up from the 400 Amateur class to challenge series winner Mike Camera. That's exactly what they did, with Welch taking the holeshot and Farris winning the heat.

In the 250 Expert main, it was Wyatt Farris (50) who got the holeshot, flanked by Mike Camera (1), Colton Welch (93) and Ricky Colindres (164). By the third lap, Kearns was in second place. On the next lap, coming into turn one, Farris pushed a little too wide.

"And if you leave just two inches of room for Ryan, he'll take it," said Farris.

Farris stayed within a few seconds of Kearns for the remaining four laps, just to keep up the suspense, and Camera came in third.

On the podium, third-placed Mike Camera (left) and runner-up Wyatt Farris (right) towered over winner Ryan Kearns (center).

"Me and Ryan - it's going to be a battle all year long," Farris said afterward.

Having moved up to the 400 Amateur class and now riding a 150 frame with a 250cc motor, Gage McAllister (15) won the heat handily by a 10-second margin, leading from holeshot to checkered flag. The outcome for the main wasn't going to be so obvious, at least for the first few laps. Andy Dibrino (62) mounted a serious challenge, first by stealing the holeshot and then staying ahead of McAllister for the first lap. On the second lap, they were was neck and neck, and on the third lap, McAllister was ahead by a nose. Riding smoothly and flawlessly, McAllister increased his lead by a second or two each lap until his margin for the main was nine seconds.

Sometimes starting at the back of the pack can make the trip to first place a lot more interesting. That was the case for Tyler O'Hara in the 450 Expert heat race. With Marks, Dickson and Brandon Case starting up front, it was a challenge, but O'Hara had passed all but these four by the beginning of the dirt section. By the second lap, he was in third place, with Dickson and Case still to go. O'Hara established a two-second lead over Dickson during the fifth lap. Now the contest was for second place, and Marks took that from Dickson on the last lap.

Having pole position for the main race eliminated the need for O'Hara to pass everyone else. The order at the end of the first lap - O'Hara, Marks, Dickson - remained the same until the end. Kearns stole fourth place from Case. For most of the race, it was O'Hara and Marks and then, some seconds later, Dickson and his challengers. But O'Hara was not to be caught, building a four-second margin by the finish.

Interest in the Unlimited Pro class is always high, but it was boosted as the day progressed by the steady growth of a cash purse, to which the organizers, on-site sponsors and competitors contributed. Fifteen racers in the starting grid, including seven who had won 2008 series championships, were openly interested in taking that purse home.

Travis Marks (64) got the holeshot and led the pack through the chicane on lap one of the Unlimited Pro heat, ahead of Tyler O'Hara (1), Travis Ohge and Andrew Dickson. Marks kept the lead into the second lap, when O'Hara got by him. On the fourth lap, Yarrow passed Dickson and settled into third place. The first four finishers crossed the line each three seconds apart.

But the money rides on the main, and in this case it was O'Hara who was first out of the start gate, dogged by Marks for the first half of the race. O'Hara's lead gradually became a commanding one, and attention shifted to the battle over second and third place. By the sixth lap (with four more to go), Yarrow was on Marks' rear wheel.

"Travis was running real good, but he was just a little slower than me going into the last turn before the long straightaway," said Yarrow. "I got on the gas and stuck it underneath him when he left the door open."

On the podium later with O'Hara and Yarrow, Marks remarked how Yarrow and the Nor-Cal bunch know this track like the backs of their hands. But he's looking forward to this series, he said, "with good clean racing and [where] everybody knows what they're doing."

Infineon Raceway

Sonoma, California

Results: March 29, 2009 (Round 1)

BEG: 1. Matt Myers (Hon); 2. Geoff Osterman (KTM); 3. Alex Florea (Hon); 4. Adam Musto (Hon); 5. Ash Vidal (Yam).

NOV: 1. Paul Urich (Yam); 2. Josiah Rundall (Hon); 3. Derek Jepsen (Hon); 4. Don Hayler (Yam); 5. Charles Weaver (Hon).

INT: 1. John Willenborg (KTM); 2. Andy Dibrino (Hon); 3. Jim McCallson (Hon); 4. Mike Lawrence (KTM); 5. Dylan Platt (Hon).

F-110: 1. Andrew Lee (Cob); 2. Andrew Snow (KTM); 3. Brett Voorhees (Yam); 4. Michael Pullin (Cob); 5. Kia Kohler (Lem).

150: 1. Michael Martin (Hon); 2. Gage McAllister (Hon); 3. Joshua Pederson (Hon); 4. Tucker Lancaster (Suz); 5. Blake Farris (Hon).

ADULT 150: 1. Andrew Dickson (Hon); 2. Greg Kamholz (KTM); 3. Mark Anolik (Hon); 4. Adam Musto (Hon); 5. Dan Caldwell (Hon).

65/125: 1. Josh Serne (Suz); 2. Jayson Uribe (Kaw); 3. Andrew Lee (Cob); 4. Andrew Snow (KTM); 5. Henry Musto (Suz).

250 EX: 1. Ryan Kearns (Yam); 2. Wyatt Farris (Yam); 3. Mike Camera (Yam); 4. Ricky Colindres (Hon); 5. Michael Martin (Hon).

400 AM: 1. Gage McAllister (Hon); 2. Andy Dibrino (Hon); 3. Josiah Rundall (Hon); 4. Tucker Lancaster (Suz); 5. Tyler O'Hara (Hon).

450 EX: 1. Tyler O'Hara (Yam); 2. Travis Marks (KTM); 3. Andrew Dickson (Hon); 4. Ryan Kearns (Yam); 5. Brandon Case (Hon).

VET 30+: 1. Andrew Dickson (Hon); 2. Glenn Nixon (Yam); 3. Robert Campbell (Hon); 4. David Deveau (Hon); 5. Bert Toth (Apr).

VET 40+: 1. Darrick Lucchesi (Apr); 2. Robert Campbell (Hon); 3. David Deveau (Hon); 4. Bobby Burnz Inness (Yam); 5. Jeff Graham (Yam).

U/L PRO/EX: 1. Tyler O'Hara (Yam); 2. Casey Yarrow (Yam); 3. Travis Marks (KTM); 4. Andrew Dickson (Hon); 5. Brandon Case (Hon).