TIPPECANOE, OH

Lightning Raceway in Tippecanoe, Ohio, hosted the final rounds of the 2009 Trials Inc. Series. Lightning Raceway usually hosts motocross and hare scrambles events, but the venue made for a great trials site. The drive in from the highway provided beautiful fall scenery. Many people drove to Tippecanoe expecting the worst - rain, snow and mud; however, those expectations were not met. It was a little chilly, but the sun came through the heavy clouds to provide a weekend of great weather. Saturday was very slick, but Sunday was absolutely perfect.

The Advanced class provided excitement throughout the Trials Inc. season, with several different winners. Doug Hodgdon won narrowly on Saturday, with Brian Herrel only five points off for second. Kunio Watanabe was victorious on Sunday, followed by Hodgdon. This class championship went down to the wire: Hodgdon's consistency helped him become class champion, followed by Steve Berry and Bill Super. Everyone can look forward to superb competition in the Advanced class next year.

The Seniors battled all year long, with several different winners during the series. On this weekend, Joe Clark battled the weather and slick conditions and won on both days in the Senior A class. Bill Bagby made it a very close event on Saturday, and William Klein moved up a couple spots to finish second on Sunday. Clark's late-season charge was not quite enough to move him past Jim Watson (above) in the championship chase.

"I thought Saturday was a little too difficult for the conditions on hand," Watson said. "Sunday's sections were a lot more ridable. The section difficulty was much better. We don't stop riding because we get old; we get old because we stop riding!"

Watson is a great inspiration to the younger riders of Trials Inc.

Dennis Ziolkowski (above) clinched the Senior-class championship with a win on Saturday. Randy Misner, who had a few wins this season, finished second in the series.

"The last round could not have been better," Ziolkowski said. "The combination of very technical sections with extremely tight turns interrupted by rocks and logs made it the most challenging event of the year."

The Trials Inc. crew will celebrate the 2009 season at a banquet in Newark, Ohio, on Saturday, November 7, followed by round one of the 2010 season on Sunday.

Results

Saturday, Round 16

YTH A: 1. Seth Herrel.

YTH B: 1. Jared Herrel; 2. Angel Spring; 3. William Spring Jr.

NOV: 1. Kori Blair.

INT: 1. Daryl Gans; 2. C.J. Blair; 3. Richard Stroud; 4. William Spring; 5. Markie Spring.

ADV: 1. Doug Hodgdon; 2. Brian Herrel; 3. Joe Klein; 4. Tim Adkins; 5. Steve Berry.

EX: 1. Jim Zuroske; 2. Jonathan McMullen; 3. Travis Daniels; 4. Milt Bridges.

CHAMP: 1. Chase Harker.

OPEN: 1. Gilbert Reed.

SPTSMN: 1. Quinn Wentzel; 2. Greg Blair; 3. Mark Stephens; 4. Matt Vodraska.

SR A: 1. Joseph Clark; 2. Bill Bagby; 3. William Klein; 4. Jim Watson; 5. Steve Williams.

SR: 1. Dennis Ziolkowski; 2. Doug Klein; 3. Randall Misner.

Sunday, Round 17

YTH A: 1. Seth Herrel.

YTH B: 1. Angel Spring; 2. Jared Herrel; 3. Drew Harder.

NOV: 1. Eric Harsanye; 2. Kori Blair.

INT: 1. Daryl Gans; 2. Donald Ziolkowski; 3. Richard Stroud; 4. Markie Spring; 5. William Spring.

ADV: 1. Kunio Watanabe; 2. Doug Hodgdon; 3. Joe Klein; 4. Steve Berry; 5. Brian Herrel.

EX: 1. Jim Zuroske; 2. Rick Eskins; 3. Travis Daniels; 4. Milt Bridges.

CHAMP: 1. Chase Harker.

OPEN: 1. Gilbert Reed; 2. John Hawkins.

SPTSMN: 1. Quinn Wentzel; 2. Mark Stephens; 3. Greg Blair; 4. David Ditcher; 5. Jeff Ricker.

SR A: 1. Joseph Clark; 2. William Klein; 3. Royce Klein; 4. Bill Bagby; 5. Jim Watson.