LAMPETER, PA

With all the Pro riders but one attending the Lima National, many former or non-Pros got a chance to strut their stuff at the front of the main classes, Open A and 450 Sportsman, during Pennsylvania short-track action at the Lampeter Fireman's Fairgrounds.

Steve Lerch (60, above) took the Open A lead from Tom McGrane (99A), Pro rider Cory Texter (who was testing his healing wrist before returning to the National circuit) and Ryan Connelly. For several laps, McGrane kept the pressure on Lerch. Then, on the fifth lap, he used a high/low move in turns three and four to slip his McGrane Racing Team/Don's Kawasaki Kawasaki under him off turn four for the lead. Lerch and McGrane were both looking for their first final win of the year, but although Lerch stayed close, McGrane held on for the win.

The 450 Sportsman contest saw Ace Phillips (18, above) leading Tom McGrane (99A), Connelly, Tyler Phillips and Lerch. Phillips and McGrane put some distance on the others, but the red flag came out for a crash before halfway. Off the restart, Phillips got by Connelly for third, while Phillips kept a tight line off the turns to prevent McGrane from pulling another high/low move.

New faces also appeared in the larger Amateur classes. Colton Smith (32, above) has dominated the 250 B class after the opening race, but on this night he and two other front-row starters earned the "privilege" of starting from the third line, as a penalty for jumping the start. Matt Trout took the lead from Samantha Bergman (95), Darren Phillips Jr. and Devon Gebhart. Bergman took the lead at the start of the third lap, while Smith sliced his way to third on the same lap. Bergman put some distance on Trout while he held off Smith until the fifth lap. Over the next four laps, Smith cut into Bergman's lead, but still she won by a few bikelengths.

The ever-unpredictable Open B class had another winner, as Ronnie Mercer (98, above) grabbed the lead from Greg Lerch (73), Kevin Bills and Jason Cunningham (14X). Greg Lerch kept the pressure on Mercer throughout, but Mercer held on for the win. Cunningham took third on the fifth lap.

The status quo was maintained in several classes, as Smith again destroyed the 125 final by a straightaway, with Chris Kirkner and Cody Ebersole battling for second. Ryan Varnes easily topped the 85 (12-15) final and, after a photo finish in the heat, easily ran away with the Youth 100 final, over Cameron Smith and Chase Smith.

Roy Miller again topped the 250 Sportsman class. Tyler Phillips, Rich Mellinger, Colton and Bergman followed. Smith did an inside/outside move off turn four on the third lap to take over second. For the rest of the race, he tried to get under one of the masters at hugging the rail on these small ovals, though unsuccessfully.

Rick Winsett used Donnie Mullen's Honda to grab the Over 30 lead from Miller and Ace Phillips. Phillips took second off four on the opening lap and pressured Winsett to the end, with the two bumping into each other in their battle.

Dalton Gauthier (14G, right) doubled in the 85 (7-11) and Youth Sportsman classes, gradually putting a little distance on Cameron Smith in both. Brandon Price was a close third in the 85 (7-8) outing, while Colin Cunningham was third in the Sportsman contest.

One of the wilder finals was the opener, the Over 40 final. After an incident in the first heat involving Scott Mullen and Ray Jenkins, they lined up with Don Mullen between them. Scott led Don, Jenkins and Dave Smith. On the third lap, Jenkins bumped his way past Don for second on the third lap and a hard inside pass off turn four for the lead. He was later disqualified for rough riding, giving Scott the win.

Results

50 CHAIN: 1. Doug Cook (Cob); 2. Robert Wheatley (Cob); 3. Quamere Brown (KTM); 4. Damon Ream (Con); 5. Jordan Bennett (Honda).

50 SHAFT: 1. Matthew Sabek (Yamaha); 2. Beth Bills (Yamaha); 3. Logan McGrane (Yamaha); 4. Robert Bills (Yamaha); 5. Robert Wheatley (Yamaha).

50 (7-8) SR: 1. Doug Cook (Con); 2. Colby Noll (Cob); 3. Robert Wheatley (Con); 4. Damon Ream (Con); 5. Hunter Morgan (Cob).

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

85 (7-11): 1. Dalton Gauthier (KTM); 2. Cameron Smith (Honda); 3. Brandon Price (Suzuki); 4. Ken Kolsovsky (Yamaha); 5. Chase Smith (Kawasaki).

85 (12-15): 1. Ryan Varnes (Suzuki); 2. Jesse Bills (Honda).

100 YTH: 1. Ryan Varnes (Suzuki); 2. Cameron Smith (Suzuki); 3. Chase Smith (Suzuki).

100 ADULT: 1. Ken Gillett (Suzuki).

125: 1. Colton Smith (Kawasaki); 2. Chris Kirkner (Suzuki); 3. Cody Ebersole (Honda); 4. Connor Groff (Yamaha); 5. Jesse Bills (Suzuki).

250 B: 1. Samantha Bergman (Suzuki); 2. Colton Smith (Kawasaki); 3. Matt Trout (Honda); 4. Devon Gerhart (Yamaha); 5. Brian Nuse (Yamaha).

250 SPTSMN: 1. Roy Miller (Suzuki); 2. Colton Smith (Kawasaki); 3. Rich Mellinger (Honda); 4. Samantha Bergman (Suzuki); 5. Tyler Phillips (Kawasaki).

450 SPTSMN: 1. Ace Phillips (Honda); 2. Tom McGrane (Kawasaki); 3. Tyler Phillips (Suzuki); 4. Ryan Connelly (Kawasaki); 5. Steve Lerch (Honda).

500 2-VALVE: 1. Ron Pfahler (Yamaha); 2. Mike Erney (Yamaha).

OPEN A: 1. Tom McGrane (Kawasaki); 2. Steve Lerch (Honda); 3. Cory Texter (Honda); 4. Ryan Connelly (Kawasaki); 5. Gary Jenkins (Honda).

OPEN B: 1. Ron Mercer (Suzuki); 2. Greg Lerch (Suzuki); 3. Jason Cunningham (Honda); 4. Kevin Bills (Suzuki); 5. Jeff McManus (Yamaha).

YTH SPTSMN: 1. Dalton Gauthier (KTM); 2. Cameron Smith (Yamaha); 3. Colin Cunningham (Yamaha).

30+: 1. Rick Winsett (Honda); 2. Ace Phillips (Honda); 3. Roy Miller (Suzuki); 4. Ray Jenkins (Honda); 5. Nick Arment (Suzuki); 5. Rich Mellinger (Yamaha).

40+: 1. Scott Mullen (Honda); 2. Mike Mester (Honda); 3. Dave Smith (Yamaha); 4. Ken Haldeman (Honda); 5. Rob Cazillo (Suzuki).

50+: 1. Mike Mester (Honda); 2. Don Mullen (Honda); 3. Jim Chapman (Yamaha); 4. George MacNeill (KTM); 5. Barry Miller (Suzuki).

VINT L/W: 1. Russ Sage (Hodaka); 2. Cliff Diem (Hodaka); 3. Dwayne Rhodes (Yamaha).

VINT H/W: 1. Ron Pfahler (Yamaha); 2. Jim Chapman (Yamaha); 3. Scott Slade (Mai); 4. Mike Erney (Yamaha).