Out of 54 starting teams, Mike Healey’s IMS Honda XR650R-mounted squad scored the overall and Open Pro class win at the IMS/Dirt Bike third annual 24-Hours of Glen Helen at Glen Helen Raceway, in San Bernardino, California, September 8-9. The four-rider team, made up of Healey, Tim Staab, and Steve and Joe Hengeveld, completed a total of 65 laps around the 10-mile race course, topping the next-best team of 125/250cc Expert class winners Nick Pearson, Earl Esiderio, Brian Cunningham, Dennis Gallagher, Phillip Zieger and Dave Jenson (Yamaha), completing 63 laps. The KTM-mounted team of Larry Roeseler, Tom Webb, Robb Mesecher, Paul Thede, Keith O’Neal and Paul Krause finished third overall and took the 30+ Sportsman/Expert class win. The team also completed 63 laps.
Other class winners included the Yamaha YZ250F-mounted team of Brian Beach, Geoff Sanborn, Kris Keefer, Gerald Leighton, David Martinez and Allan La Framboise, who topped the Open Expert division (61 laps). The top Sportsman team was made up of Jeremy Hoening, James Jongkind, Steven Howe, David Potter, Brad Liettle and Chris Blaise (57 laps).
Five riders entered the Ironman (solo) class, and Yamaha-mounted Larry Johnson came away with the win, completing the most laps at 31. Gary Taylor finished second with 27 laps accumulated.
Last year’s overall winners, Ty Davis’ Montclair Yamaha team, only managed to put in 10 laps before having a countershaft bearing go out on the bike. Unlike the Sportsman and Expert classes, the Pro classes are not allowed to use a back-up bike.
Team Cycle News got in on the action this year. The KTM 400 E/XC-mounted team, made up of Paul Carruthers, Scott Rousseau, Chris Jonnum, Steve Bobrofsky, Lance McRoberts and Kit Palmer, competed and even finished. The team survived 49 laps to finish out the race 30th overall and sixth in the 30+ Sportsman/Expert class.
