Cycle News Online:
Cook Turns Up the Heat
ENGLISHTOWN, NJ – With a snowstorm threatening the week prior and most of the area surrounding the track still under snow, it was uncertain whether the opening day for Raceway Park Motocross’ 30th-anniversary season would go off as planned. Well, the snowstorm didn’t materialize, and Sunday morning dawned with cold temperatures, but more than 230 riders braved the elements and came out of their winter hibernation to race. The pits were a muddy mess, due to the thaw caused by the rising temperatures, but the track was in excellent condition. The new track designer, Mickey Kessler, had the bulldozers working overtime, making sure that racing would go off as planned. New track manager Rich Schmidt was working through his first event and training some new staff members at the same time, but everything went smoothly throughout the day.
Some of the best racing of the day was in the 125cc Expert class. Jim McIlvaine (133) grabbed the first-moto holeshot, followed by Jason Harper (3) and Jeremy Cook (360). While trying to go by McIlvaine at the end of the flagpole straight, Harper was passed by Cook. The Twigg Cycle/MSR-backed Honda rider went inside Harper and set out after McIlvaine. On the back section of the track, Cook got by McIlvaine, and the Harper did as well. Cook was now in the lead, followed by Harper and McIlvaine, with Brian Murphy and Ronnie Stewart giving chase.
Over the next couple of laps, Harper and Cook banged bars, battling for the lead. While trying to go by Cook on the front section of the track, Harper went down and gave Cook the breathing room he needed to take the moto win. Harper was second, and Wheels Motorsports-sponsored McIlvaine rounded out the top three.
McIlvaine showed his reaction time hadn’t suffered during the long winter, as he again grabbed the holeshot aboard his Honda CRF250 in moto two. Harper got by McIlvaine on the back section and tried to run away, but Cook wasn’t about to let that happen. Going down the flagpole straight, Cook got by Harper. After battling closely all moto long, RRP-sponsored Cook took the moto and overall win, with Dragon Optics/Mount Holley Suzuki/KPS-backed Harper in second for both the moto and overall. McIlvaine rounded out the top three.
Former Raceway Park regular Kurt McMillen made his return a good one by jumping out in front of the Over 40 Expert class. The Yamaha rider from Wappinger Falls, New York, cruised to the moto win. Freehold Honda/Bridgestone-sponsored Kenny Bordzuk finished second, followed by Craig Hatch in third.
The second moto was much the same, as McMillen again got out to an early lead and won the moto, again followed by Bordzuk and Hatch.
The day was filled with exciting action in every moto. The long winter’s rest proved to light the fire under many riders, and if opening day was a sign of things to come, 2005 is going to be an excellent season.
Results
65 (7-9): 1. Miles Schellenberger; 2. Erik Briggs; 3. Brian Laul Jr.; 4. Damian Thompson; 5. Jacob Hartranft.
65 (10-11): 1. Joey Peters; 2. Joey King; 3. Anthony Maladra; 4. Richie Trevelise.
85 (7-11): 1. Joey Peters; 2. Timothy Savidge; 3. Miles Schellenberger; 4. Morgan Gustray; 5. Joey King.
85 (12-13): 1. Joshua Bock; 2. Marcus Hodge; 3. Michael Sowa; 4. Taylor Chausky; 5. Nick Keefe.
85 (14-15): 1. Dakota Kessler; 2. Bryan Weimer; 3. James Mauro; 4. Josh Crawford; 5. Donald Ayres.
S/MINI: 1. Dakota Kessler; 2. Bryan Weimer; 3. Taylor Chausky; 4. Craig Fowler; 5. Michael Martin.
125 NOV: 1. Matthew Grant; 2. Reno Regalbuto; 3. Luke Maguire; 4. Michael Mackeprang; 5. Daniel Fodor.
125 AM: 1. Teddy Grant; 2. Peter Devlin; 3. Mike Tippin Jr.; 4. Ryan Gainey; 5. Mike Emick.
125 EX: 1. Jeremy Cook; 2. Jason Harper; 3. Jim McIlvaine; 4. Ronnie Stewart; 5. Carl Anderson.
250 NOV: 1. Jack Sayegh; 2. Christopher Tierney; 3. Dan Ryall; 4. Matthew Pisano; 5. Kyle Kuhl.
250 AM: 1. Mike Tippin Jr.; 2. Mike Emick; 3. Jonathan Bronne; 4. Eric Land; 5. Michael Fetherston.
250 EX: 1. Jason Harper; 2. Jeremy Cook; 3. Brian Murphy; 4. Greg Pamart; 5. Brian Smith.
WMN: 1. Christina Basna; 2. Alyssa Savidage.
SCHBY: 1. Bryan Wallace; 2. Robert Jiminez Jr.; 3. Teddy Grant; 4. Ryan Gainey; 5. Marcus Hodge.
CLGBY: 1. R.J. Bergamino; 2. Peter Devlin; 3. Jeffrey Yeomans Jr.; 4. Michael Fetherston; 5. Robert Siciliano.
25+ AM: 1. Kevin Curtis; 2. Patrick Doyle; 3. Michael Yonkowski; 4. Paul Denoio Jr.; 5. Ed Graham.
25+ EX: 1. Jason Harper; 2. Kurt McMillen; 3. Jim McIlvaine; 4. Jerry Seip; 5. Brian Smith.
30+ NOV: 1. David Ammendola; 2. Mike Biondo; 3. Doug Nordberg; 4. Sean Gillies; 5. Jeffrey Yeomans Sr.
30+ AM: 1. Joe Pateman; 2. Michael Yonkowski; 3. Bryan Birl; 4. Ed Graham; 5. James Kusmider.
30+ EX: 1. Kurt McMillen; 2. Greg Pamart; 3. Jim McIlvaine; 4. Jerry Seip; 5. Jay Irwin.
40+ AM: 1. Albert Perzan; 2. Jeffrey Yeomans Sr.; 3. Anthony Maladra; 4. Chris Tierney; 5. Ken Roma.
40+ EX: 1. Kurt McMillen; 2. Ken Bordzuk; 3. Craig Hatch.
