GRATZ, PA

Shawn Baer (32, below) put his Don's Kawasaki in front of the two featured classes for wire-to-wire wins as Baer Racing Products brought motorcycle racing back to the Gratz Fairgrounds half mile for the first time in almost 40 years.

In the Open A final, Baer took the lead off turn two, ahead of Jason Isennock (30S, above), John Long, Dalton Winkler and Brody Miller. With Isennock applying heavy pressure, the two front-runners pulled several bikelengths over the rest of the field. By halfway, Jordan had Harris worked his way into fifth, and he pressured Winkler to the end.

In the 450 Sportsman contest, Baer jumped out in front of Tom McGrane Jr., Rich Heverly, Isennock and Harris. Isennock took second entering turn three on the third lap, while Harris took second off turn two on the fourth lap. Over the next few laps, Harris and Isennock battled for second. As the riders came down to take the white flag, they were greeted with the red flag, as a rider had hit a hay bale in the first turn. After that, the race was called.

Isennock also figured in another close race in the Open Twin class, with Jeremy Higgins (82B, above), on the Project K KTM. After losing to Jason Isennock (30) in their heat race, Higgins put the big KTM in front of Isennock, Baer, and Shawn's younger brother Evan Baer. The front two pulled away from the Baers as they battled for the lead. Isennock would gain in the turns, while Higgins was stronger on the straights. Isennock lost his brakes about the second lap and he accidentally hit a neutral off turn two on the fourth lap after almost taking the lead. By the time he figured out what had happened, he was half a lap behind the Baers.

Roy Miller gave the kids another lesson in hugging the inside during most of the 250 Sportsman final. He led Tyler Tudor, Austin Luczak, Jesse Long and Colton Smith from the start. Long dropped out, and Matt Trout moved into fourth by halfway. On the fifth lap, Luczak took the lead off turn two. Then Tudor just nipped Miller at the line for second.

Earlier, Smith returned to form by taking the 125 and 250 B finals. He took his fifth win in the 125 class this season, with Matt Trout and Cody Ebersol trailing in second and third, respectively, for the fourth time this season.

Tyler Tudor (50F, above) took the initial 250 B lead, ahead of Colton Smith (32), Matt Zacher, Trout and Samantha Bergman. Smith slipped under Tudor off turn two on the third lap. Although they stayed close, the order remained the same to the end.

After pulling away in the 85 (7-11) heat, Cameron Smith (15, above) looked like the one to beat in the final, and he jumped into the lead, over Tristan Avery (4C), Dalton Gauthier and Colin Cunningham. Ken Kolsovsky shot into third off turn two on the second lap, while Avery took the lead off turn two the following lap. Gauthier retook third down the back straight on the fifth lap.

The 85 (12-15) winner, Dustin Healey, took the Youth Sportsman lead, over Avery, Gauthier and Tim Wells. Avery took the lead off turn two on lap two and pulled away. Gauthier took second as they started lap four.

After crashing hard in the heat, Brandon Price (92, above) shook it off and grabbed the 65cc lead from Nathan Reichert (16), Colin Cunningham (29A), Chase Smith and Ken Kolsovsky. Cunningham took second at the start of the second lap, and he and Price battled for the lead. After a few laps, Price gradually put some space on the others.

Results

50 CHAIN: 1. Damon Ream (Con); 2. Doug Cook (Cob).

50 SHAFT: 1. Robert Wheatley (Yamaha); 2. Tyler Scott (Yamaha); 3. Bethany Bills (Yamaha).

50 SR (7-8): 1. Doug Cook (Con); 2. Damon Ream (Cob); 3. Trevor Williams (KTM); 4. Braden Winsett (Con); 5. Robert Wheatley (Con).

65: 1. Brandon Price (KTM); 2. Colin Cunningham (KTM); 3. Nathan Reichert (KTM); 4. Zack Kolsovsky (KTM); 5. Chase Smith (Kawasaki).

85 (7-11): 1. Tristan Avery (Honda); 2. Cameron Smith (Suzuki); 3. Dalton Gauthier (KTM); 4. Colin Cunningham (Yamaha); 5. Tim Wells (Honda).

85 (12-15): 1. Dustin Healey (KTM); 2. Devon Gerhart (Honda); 3. Jesse Bills (Suzuki).

125: 1. Colton Smith (Kawasaki); 2. Matt Trout (Yamaha); 3. Cody Ebersol (Kawasaki); 4. Jeff Hughes (Yamaha).

150 YTH AIR-COOLED: 1. Chase Smith (Suzuki).

250 B: 1. Colton Smith (Kawasaki); 2. Tyler Tudor (Honda); 3. Matt Zacher (Honda); 4. Matt Trout (Yamaha); 5. Samantha Bergman (Suzuki).

250 SPTSMN: 1. Austin Luczak (Honda); 2. Tyler Tudor (Honda); 3. Roy Miller (Suzuki); 4. Matt Trout (Honda); 5. Samantha Bergman (Suzuki).

450 SPTSMN: 1. Shawn Baer (Kawasaki); 2. Jordan Harris (Suzuki); 3. Jason Isennock (Honda); 4. Rich Heverly (Honda); 5. Tom McGrane (Honda).

500 2-VALVE: 1. Mike Klopp (Yamaha); 2. Dave Smith (Yamaha); 3. Jim Chapman (Yamaha); 4. Mike Headman (Yamaha); 5. Jeff Bonema (Honda).

OPEN A: 1. Shawn Baer (Kawasaki); 2. Jason Isennock (Rotax); 3. John Long (Suzuki); 4. Dalton Winkler (Yamaha); 5. Jordan Harris (Suzuki).

OPEN B: 1. Ryan Wells (Honda); 2. Austin Luczak (Honda); 3. Becca Zafia (Honda); 4. Matt Zacher (Honda); 5. Jason Cunningham (Honda).

OPEN TW: 1. Jeremy Higgins (KTM); 2. Shawn Baer (Triumph); 3. Evan Baer (Kawasaki); 4. Jason Isennock (Triumph); 5. Neil Dancho (Yamaha).

YTH SPTSMN: 1. Tristan Avery (Honda); 2. Dalton Gauthier (KTM); 3. Dustin Healey (KTM); 4. Tim Wells (Honda).

SPTSMN A/B: 1. Ryan Wells (Honda); 2. Austin Luczak (Honda); 3. Matt Zacher (Honda); 4. Ryan Connelly (Kawasaki); 5. Greg Lerch (Honda).

30+: 1. Rick Winsett (Rotax); 2. Roy Miller (Suzuki); 3. Ace Phillips (Honda); 4. Dave Waters (Honda); 5. Richard Pflanders (Kawasaki).

40+: 1. Dallas Baer (Rotax); 2. Tom Majeski (Rotax); 3. Mike Klopp (Rotax); 4. Mike Mester (Honda); 5. Ray Jenkins (Honda).

50+: 1. Mike Mester (Honda); 2. Rich Washak (Yamaha); 3. Jim Chapman (Rotax); 4. Jay Maher (Kawasaki); 5. Don Mullen Sr. (Honda).

VINT L/W: 1. Bruce Argentsinger (R-E); 2. Cliff Diem (Hodaka); 3. William Burns (H-D).

VINT H/W: 1. Jay Maher (Yamaha); 2. Jim Gately (Triumph); 3. Neil Dancho (Yamaha).