Old Bridge Township Raceway Park
Kessler and Roth Split Class Wins
By Scott Lukaitis/ Photo by Scott Lukaitis Lukaitis Photo
ENGLISHTOWN, NJ, MAY 27
For many years New Jersey motocross hero Mickey Kessler dominated the expert class action at Raceway Park. Kessler has since retired from racing and now is the man in charge of track design and maintenance but his son Dakota is making the Kessler name proud. After a rise through the mini bike and amateur ranks Dakota is now an expert just like his dad. In his first season as an Expert Kessler has been riding well but hasn’t scored an overall victory yet.
The first 250 Expert moto saw Dragon/Sobe Honda rider Anthony Roth and Mt Holly Suzuki rider Jason Harper grab the holeshot. Going up the staircase Roth would take an early lead over Harper. Early in the moto Harper pulled off with bike problems leaving the running order Roth, Mt. Holly KTM rider Ryan Gainey, and Honda rider Darren Edsall. Working their was through the pack after poor starts were KPS Suzuki rider Dakota Kessler and No Fear backed Kawasaki rider Dave Ginolfi. The 2 riders would do battle eventually taking them into second and third with Ginolfi leading the way. Gainey would get back around Kessler pushing him back a place. The moto would end with Roth out front followed by Ginolfi and Gainey.
Moto 2 saw Ginolfi put his Kawasaki out front followed by first moto winner Roth and Gainey. Ginolfi lead until about halfway through the when he stalled his bike in a corner dropping back to fourth and handing the lead to Roth. Roth would go on to take the win with Harper in second and Gainey in third. Roth (1-1) would take the overall win followed by Gainey (3-3) in second and Ginolfi (2-4) in third.
The first 125 expert moto blasted off the line with the day’s holeshot king Anthony Roth putting his Honda out front. Ryan Gainey got by Roth going up the staircase but Roth would get the lead back in the back section of the track. At the end of lap one it was Roth out front with Gainey, Brian Wallace, Kessler and Pete Devlin close behind. The five riders were so close you could throw a blanket over them. Roth would continue to lead with Gainey and Kessler close behind as they pulled away from the rest of the pack. When Gainey washed out in a corner Kessler made the pass into second and set off after Roth but he would run out of time and had to settle for second. Wallace ended the moto in third place.
Moto 2 saw Roth grab yet another holeshot followed by the same pack as the first moto. It was Roth, Gainey, Wallace and Kessler, but it was not to be for long as Kessler was a man on a mission. First, he passed Wallace, then by Gainey in the front section of the track, and finally 3 moto winner Roth in the middle of the track. Kessler went on for the moto win. With his 2-1 moto scores this was the first overall Expert class win for Kessler. He was followed by Roth in the moto and overall (1-2) with the consistent Wallace in third in the moto and overall.
