ALBANY, OR

Honda-mounted James Miller and Kawasaki jockey Ed McLaughlin (above) were among the overall winners at the first of three Vintage Motocross events at Albany Motorsports Park this spring and summer. Bob Leach, a top American rider in the late 1960s and early '70s in the Inter-Am Series, promoted and designed a Vintage-friendly course for the riders who made the trek to Albany on this Memorial Day Weekend.

Miller's first of two overall wins on the day came in the combined 100 Vintage Expert and Novice classes, which Miller easily won aboard his Honda four-stroke. While Miller was the lone rider in the Expert class, his competitors stood little chance at keeping the rider from Warren, Oregon, in sight, as Miller has been on a tear of late. Suzuki-mounted Ron Hartfeil won the adjoined Novice class, winning both motos, followed by Honda jockey Erik Blodgett.

Miller didn't get much rest between motos, as he came right back to do the same in the Pre-1975 Open Expert class, again Honda-mounted. This time, though, Miller had tough competition from several of the Northwest's top Expert-class riders, including McLaughlin and Joe Casey. Riding a 1974 Honda CR250 Elsinore, Casey grabbed the lead at the start of the moto, followed by McLaughlin, Miller, CZ-mounted Clay Light, and Terry Miller. James Miller worked his way past Casey on lap two and was never headed again en route to his moto victory. James also won moto two, finishing ahead of McLaughlin, Terry Miller, and Light, the top-placing Intermediate rider.

In most cases, the Vintage and Evolution classes ran separately. However, in the combined Over 40 and Over 50 Vintage/Evolution age divisions, it was McLaughlin manhandling the competition in both motos, despite an opening-lap fall in the second moto. Riding his vintage-legal 1975 Kawasaki KX400, McLaughlin forged past early second-moto leader Tim Storlie's 1983 Honda CR480 to take the lead on lap two and was never headed from that point on. Honda rider Chris Kerber got past Storlie when the latter fell, and then fended off Storlie and Hartfeil to trail Over 40 Vintage Expert-class winner McLaughlin at the finish, which was good for a win in the Over 50 Evolution Intermediate class.

More contemporary classes were also offered during the day's racing program, including Decade and Modern Support classes. Bill Metcalf, riding an early-1990s KX500, edged out Honda riders Blodgett and Chris Cubbage in the Open Evolution Novice class, while most likely the day's fastest rider, Jeremy Mickelsen, piloted his Honda CRF450 to dual wins in the Four-Stroke Modern Support Intermediate class, followed by Novice riders Aaron Beck, Sean Fogerty and Britt Boyette.

"This is all about having fun and also having a class for everyone, young or old," Leach said. "We're also not looking to exclude anybody for travel limitations or year of the motorcycles. There's something for everybody"

Results

Vintage

100 NOV: 1. Ron Hartfeil (Suz); 2. Erik Blodgett (Hon).

100 EX: 1. James Miller (Hon).

PRE-1975 125 NOV: 1. Britt Boyette (C-A).

PRE-1975 125 EX: 1. Terry Miller (Hon).

PRE-1975 250 EX: 1. Joe Casey (Hon).

PRE-1975 OPEN NOV: 1. Mike Chouinard (Suz); 2. Sean Fogerty (Mai); 3. Frank Gibbons (CZ).

PRE-1975 OPEN INT: 1. Clay Light (CZ); 2. Mark Baer (Mai).

PRE-1975 OPEN EX: 1. James Miller (Hon); 2. Ed McLaughlin (Kaw).

4-STRK EX: 1. Terry Miller (Hon).

30+ NOV: 1. Dan Fogerty (Mai).

40+ NOV: 1. Dan Fogerty (Mai).

40+ EX: 1. Ed McLaughlin (Kaw).

50+ NOV: 1. Cliff Chouinard (Suz); 2. Dave Chouinard (Suz); 3. Frank Gibbons (CZ).

50+ INT: 1. Bob Valin (Yam); 2. Clay Light (CZ); 3. Mark Baer (Mai).

Evolution

P/W: 1. Andrea Quirino (Yam).

100 NOV: 1. Zack Boschee (Suz).

125 INT 1: 1. Pat Munyon (Hon); 2. Chris Kerber (Hon).

125 INT 2: 1. Nobby Toledo (Hon).

250 NOV: 1. Ben Montgomery (Hon); 2. Doug Hawkins (Suz); 3. Jan Babenderderde (Yam).

250 INT 1: 1. Jeff Orlando (Yam); 2. Mark Baer (Mai).

250 EX 2: 1. Jim Sawtell (Kaw).

OPEN NOV 3: 1. Chris Cubbage (Hon); 2. Erik Blodgett (Hon).

OPEN NOV 4: 1. Bill Ray Metcalf (Kaw).

4-STRK NOV: 1. Jan Babenderderde (Yam).

4-STRK INT: 1. Dale Stephens (Yam).

DECADE NOV: 1. Derrick Hartfeil (Hon).

MDRN 4-STRK INT: 1. Jeremy Mickelson (Hon); 2. Sean Fogerty (Yam).

MDRN 4-STRK NOV: 1. Aaron Beck (Yam); 2. Sean Fogerty (Yam); 3. Britt Boyette (Kaw).

30+ NOV: 1. Ben Montgomery (Hon).

30+ INT: 1. Vince McKinney (Yam).

40+ NOV: 1. Jan Baberderderde (Yam); 2. Chris Boschee (Hon).

40+ EX: 1. Jim Sawtell (Kaw).

50+ NOV: 1. Ron Hartfeil (Hon); 2. Doug Hawkins (Suz).

50+ INT: 1. Chris Kerber (Hon); 2. Tim Storlie (Hon).

50+ DECADE NOV: 1. Ron Hartfeil (Yam).