PALA, CA

This is the fourth year that Triple Crown Promotions has put on one of the best Southern California amateur motocross races, and for the first time they held the opening round at Pala Raceway. Being Pala's first big race, the track crew teamed up with the posse at Triple Crown to help make this an absolutely outstanding first round of racing. Also, one of the Pala staff members, Johnny Jelderda (275, right), was more than ready to show people around his home track in his very first professional race.

In his first 450 Pro moto, Jelderda lined up directly next to the doghouse to get the best possible gate position before his moto. When the gates dropped, he got out into the lead with a blast. Going into the second turn, he decided to protect the inside, as Nick Schmidt went wide. Jelderda was able to close off Schmidt, and then he focused on the much bigger task of winning the race.

Schmidt was all over Jelderda - until he made a small mistake and let Jeff Northrop by him. Schmidt knew that if he sat around in third for too long, Jelderda would slowly inch away to a win. Therefore, on the second lap, Schmidt made his move and returned to second place. Just like Schmidt had imagined, there was a two- or three-second gap between him and Jelderda. While he tried to sneak up on him, his gas cap fell off. This caused Schmidt to slow down and settle back into third place. Jelderda now had a comfortable lead, and he took the checkered flag for first place.

In the second moto, Schmidt was gone and out. He had left the Pala Raceway premises and was on his way home. Now that Jelderda had his main competition out of the way, all he needed to do was ride the way he had been riding all day and achieve the goal of the overall win.

Off the line, Northrop snatched the holeshot and got out to an early lead. Jelderda made a mistake in the second turn, and it started to look like the pressure might be getting to him. He went back to fourth place, but then he quickly put himself back into third, behind Chris Johnson. Jelderda made quick work of Johnson but soon found that Northrop had already begun to checkout.

After his nerves had settled, Jelderda reeled in Northrop. Within a few laps, Jelderda caught up to his competitor and passed him for the lead. Jelderda took the moto win and the overall victory for the 450 Pro class.

Although 250 Pro contest didn't go the way that Jelderda would have liked, his 450 Pro debut was obviously a success. It's easy to see that this year's Triple Crown will be a great series. If you want to come watch or race any of the remaining rounds, please visit www.triplecrownmx.com for more information.

Results

50 (4-6): 1. Manuel Moreno (Cob); 2. Luke Kalatzian (KTM); 3. Tyler Nicholson (KTM); 4. Trevor Finch (Cob); 5. Chase Davis (Cob).

50 (7-8): 1. Carson Mumford (Cob); 2. Brayden Lessler (KTM); 3. Dilan Schwartz (Cob); 4. Dustin Barnes (Cob); 5. Skyler Smith (Cob).

S/P/W: 1. Carson Mumford (Cob); 2. Brayden Lessler (KTM); 3. Dilan Schwartz (Cob); 4. Dustin Barnes (Cob); 5. Skyler Smith (Cob).

65 BEG (6-11): 1. Austin Madigan (Kaw); 2. Brandon Nicholson (KTM); 3. Zachary Boskovich (Cob); 4. Mason Matthies (KTM); 5. Kevin Jones (Kaw).

65 (7-9): 1. Cody Eaton (KTM); 2. Conner Mullennix (KTM); 3. Mitchell Falk (KTM); 4. Will O'Brien (KTM); 5. Brayden Lessler (KTM).

65 (10-11): 1. Michael Wicker (KTM); 2. Zachary Bierbower (KTM): 3. Gage Schehr (KTM); 4. Lauren Woods (Suz); 5. Bradley Petters (Kaw).

65 OPEN: 1. Cody Eaton (KTM); 2. Mitchell Falk (KTM); 3. Conner Mullennix (KTM); 4. Michael Wicker (KTM); 5. Zachary Bierbower (KTM).

85 BEG (7-11): 1. Curtis Craigmyle (KTM); 2. Gavin Todora (Kaw); 3. Kenneth Illman (Hon); 4. Daniel Carr (Yam); 5. Brandon Nicholson (KTM).

85 BEG (12-16): 1. Lauren Hammond (Yam); 2. Alex Cotter (Kaw); 3. Jesse Landesman (Hon); 4. Michael Chemly (Hon); 5. Cory Hollander (Yam).

85 (0-11): 1. Rookie White (Suz); 2. Jeremy Byrne (Yam); 3. Tanner Bjorklund (Suz); 4. Miles McDonald (Suz); 5. Tristan James (KTM).

85 (12-13): 1. Thomas Covington (Kaw); 2. Dean Spangler (Yam); 3. Desmond Spears (Kaw); 4. Daniel De La Mora (Suz); 5. Kyle Mercier (Yam).

85 (14-16): 1. Bryce Harkey (Yam); 2. Austin Holmgren (Kaw).

85 OPEN JR (0-11): 1. Rookie White (Suz); 2. Dylan Merriam (Yam); 3. Tanner Bjorklund (Suz); 4. Tristan James (KTM); 5. Chase Felong (Yam).

85 OPEN: 1. Thomas Covington (Kaw); 2. Bryce Harkey (Yam); 3. Dean Spangler (Yam); 4. Jeremy Byrne(Yam); 5. Brandon Outcault (Yam).

150 OPEN: 1. David King (Suz); 2. Axell Hodges (Hon); 3. Jimmy Britton (Hon); 4. Hagen McGill (Hon); 5. Devin Galvin (Hon).

S/MINI: 1. Thomas Covington (Kaw); 2. Bryce Harkey (Yam); 3. Dean Spangler (Yam); 4. David King (Suz); 5. Daniel De La Mora (Suz).

250 BEG: 1. Patrick Hannah (Kaw); 2. George Chow (Hon); 3. Landyn Schrioch (Hon); 4. John Veta (Hon); 5. Daniel Pelayo (Yam).

250 NOV D-1: 1. Garrison Haddon (Yam); 2. Eric Blankenship (Hon); 3. Nathan Cernicky (Suz); 4. Mitch Vandermortel (Yam); 5. Jovan Pulgar (Hon).

250 NOV D-2: 1. Hunter Falk (Yam); 2. Cameron Bannock (Hon); 3. Cecil Ogle (Hon); 4. Austin Delaplane (Hon); 5. Joshua Stark (KTM).

250 INT: 1. Bryce Stewart (Yam); 2. Austin Burns (Suz); 3. Jeagher La Fountaine (Hon); 4. Jessie Huntley (Kaw); 5. Dillan Epstein (Kaw).

250 OPEN: 1. Bryce Stewart (Yam); 2. Dillan Epstein (Kaw); 3. Zach Peddie (Suz); 4. Jessie Huntley (Kaw); 5. Corey Brinkmeyer (Yam).

250 PRO: 1. Kyle Engle (Hon); 2. Dagod Hugo (KTM); 3. Johnny Jelderda (Suz); 4. Kyler Jones (Yam); 5. Charles Castloo (Kaw).

450 CLGBY: 1. Chris Johnson (Suz); 2. Garret Hogan (Hon); 3. Adrian Homan (Yam).

450 BEG: 1. Rich Kozlik (Hon); 2. Darin Errington (KTM); 3. Josh Handson (Hon); 4. Michael Knight (Yam); 5. Ryan Hlivka (Suz).

450 NOV: 1. Chris Bartley (Yam); 2. Zahn Farner (Suz); 3. Garrett Hogan (Hon); 4. Ian Young (Hon); 5. Cameron Bannock (Hon).

450 INT: 1. Jeagher La Fountaine (Hon); 2. Jason Grandzucki (Kaw); 3. Trevor Reis (Yam); 4. Brandon Bannock (Hon); 5. Blake Novelich (Kaw).

450 OPEN: 1. Jeagher La Fountaine (Hon); 2. Trevor Reis (Yam); 3. Jason Grandzucki (Kaw); 4. Blake Novelich (Kaw); 5. Ian Young (Hon).

450 PRO: 1. Johnny Jelderda (Suz); 2. Jeff Northrop (KTM); 3. Chris Johnson (Suz); 4. Dakota Garner (Kaw); 5. Broc Armbruster (Hon).

GIRLS 65-85: 1. Lauren Woods (Suz); 2. Kayce Holmgren (Kaw); 3. Mikya Farner (Hon).

WMN 125-250: 1. Rilly Ellinger (Suz); 2. Ashley Hayes (Yam); 3. Monica Somers (Yam); 4. Chelsy Swenson (Suz); 5. Amie Stokes (Hon).

SCHBY: 1. Dillan Epstein (Kaw); 2. Austin Burns (Suz); 3. Zach Peddie (Suz); 4. Kristers Teko (KTM); 5. Jessie Huntley (Kaw).

25+ NOV: 1. Luke Ryan (Yam); 2. Jason Monroe (Yam); 3. Vito Tarantino (Hon); 4. Mark Anderson (Hon); 5. Stu Kuhn (Hon).

25+ INT: 1. Clint Breslin (Yam); 2. Kirk Chandler (Hon); 3. Jason McGuildwin (Kaw); 4. Curtis Hanson (Hon); 5. Ryan Kessinger (Yam).

25+ EX: 1. Jeff Northrop (KTM); 2. Randy Valade (Hon); 3. Benjamin Kremer (Yam); 4. Ronnie Renner (KTM); 5. Chris Schmullbach (Yam).

30+ NOV: 1. Mike Barnhill (Hon); 2. Dan Cielsa (Hon); 3. Mike Boyd (Hon); 4. Joe Yaursh (Hon); 5. Sean Wolff (Hon).

30+ INT: 1. Steve Martz (Yam); 2. Caleb Hawkins (KTM); 3. Curtis Hanson (Hon); 4. Jason McGuildwin (Kaw); 5. Peter Elliot (KTM).

30+ EX: 1. Jeff Northrop (KTM); 2. Ronnie Renner (KTM); 3. Chris Schmullbach (Yam); 4. Todd Mitchell (Kaw).

40+ NOV: 1. Kenny Dawkins (KTM); 2. Todd Barnhill (Kaw); 3. Steve Eisenhower (Yam); 4. Kenard Lipscomb (Kaw); 5. Rudy Castaneda (Yam).

40+ INT: 1. Mike Barnhill (Hon); 2. Gregg Matherly (Hon); 3. Bill Hollenbeck (Hon); 4. David Hassell (Yam); 5. Eric Olson (Kaw).

40+ EX: 1. Don Dikes (Suz); 2. Randel Fout (Kaw); 3. Mark Davenpourt (Yam); 4. Phil Iverson (Suz).