Round Six of the Manitoba spring series
AUGUST 3, 2005

Report and Photos by Doug Engstrom

 

Nothing brings more excitement to a schedule like the inclusion of a new motocross track on the Provincial Championship schedule.  With anticipation, the members of the Manitoba Motocross Association ventured to Killarney’s Poplar Grove Raceway for its inaugural event.  What they found was a track that evoked talk of “old school” motocross, with only a handful of jumps and a mix of elevation changes and some off camber turns.  The Foote family, Poplar Grove Raceways volunteers, and the many corporate sponsors who helped get this event off the ground were rewarded with some of the closest racing of the season.

 

Mike Harms continues to pick up moto wins in both Pro classes with regularity of late and in the process has put his Winnipeg Sport & Leisure Honda CRF’s in the middle of the Championship battle in both classes.  Harms put up a 1-4 day in 250 Pro action and posted 1-3 finishes in 125 Pro, giving him the overall in both Pro classes for the day.

 

It was a good news/bad news scenario for Kent Navitka in 50cc 7-8 action.  The good news was his 2-1 day gave him his first overall win of the season.  The bad news was he didn’t gain any ground on class points leader Logan Swanson who went 2-1 for second overall.

 

In ATV Pro Class action Miguel Forest (8) out distanced the Husband/Wife team of Shannon (43) and Jason (42) Friesen.  Shannon posted 3-2 finishes for the second podium spot while Jason suffered a mechanical DNF in moto two after finishing second in the first moto.

 

Want to be assured a good view?  You can always bring your own portable grandstand like these guys!

 

Lenard Van Der Meer put a 6-2 day in the books which was good enough for the final podium spot in the Vet Junior class behind Dean Beischer and Mel Penner.

 

With just two rounds left in the Spring Championship disaster struck for 125 and 250 Intermediate class points leader Tim Lavoie.  Lavoie (on crutches) seen here talking to injured 125 Junior rider Mylen Parisian tore his ACL in a practice crash.  Lavoie raced in an effort to protect his 250 Intermediate points lead finishing 11-12 on the day.  With a smaller lead in the 125 Intermediate class Lavoie decided he couldn’t protect the lead and opted to sit out.

 

Cole Cote grabbed his first podium spot of the season in the 80cc 7-11 class.  Cote went 4-4 on the day and grabbed third overall.   Ryan Millar captured the class with another 1-1 day.

 

In the Little Ladies class Ashley Friesen put in another solid 2-2 day behind Rayna Mc Kellar’s 1-1 finish, while Olivia Winistok grabbed the third step on the podium.

 

First year 125 Pro class racers Steven Navitka (127) and Brett Wiebe (76) continue to get faster each week.  Navitka back from a recently broken wrist managed to put up 8-11 finishes on his Headingley Sport Shop KX125 good enough for ninth overall.  Wiebe also managed a top ten with an 11-9 day for tenth overall.

 

Eddie Anderson grabbed his third overall of the season in the 125 Intermediate class.  Anderson posted a 2-1 day aboard his Westside Honda CRF250R.  Jordan Jones and Ian Ginter rounded out the podium.

 

Coard Allard posted a second moto victory in the 60cc Pee Wee class.  Combined with his third in moto one gave Allard second overall behind class leader Rio Stoesz.  Allard also posted a 5-5 day for sixth overall in the 80cc 7-11 class.

 

Team Tactics?

 

 

With some of the seasons closest racing occurring in the 125 Junior class it is getting difficult to get a photo of Aaron Pfrimmer (32) or Jonathon Chapman (500) without the other rider right on his tail.  Pfrimmer came out on top on this day after Chapman got impatient during a colossal moto two battle and clipped Pfrimmer's rear tire putting them both on the ground.  Pfrimmer was able to relight his RMZ faster than Chapman could his CRF and he used the second moto win as the tie breaker to take the overall with a 2-1 day.

 

After an impressive second place finish at the Raymond Amateur National; Brendan Kokorudz grabbed another podium in the 50cc 4-6 class.  Kokorudz finished third overall behind class leader Hunter Teichrib and Kyle Biro.

 

David Ledarney lays waste to a Poplar Grove berm with his gregscustom.com Suzuki RM250.  Ledarney used his 1-2 finishes in the Youth class to grab the overall ahead of the gregscustom.com KTM250SX of Nick Dunn.  Ledarney also grabbed fifth overall in the 250 Pro class with a 4-5 day.

 

James Simner took the second step on the podium in the 125 Pro Class aboard his Westside Honda CRF250R.  After a fifth place finish in moto one Simner put in a strong ride for second in moto two,  Giving Simner the moto two tie break to Nick Dunn’s 3-4 day.

 

In Ladies class action former Champion Amy Houde had a dominant day grabbing both holeshots and running away with both moto victories.   Charity Schmidt and Des Shiskoski rounded out the podium spots.

 

1998 CMA 250 Pro Champion Shane Langdale made an appearance in the 25+ class at Killarney taking both moto wins ahead of second place finisher Ian Ginter.

 

Josh Pfrimmer had a strong day in the Supermini class posting consistent 2-2 finishes taking the second step on the box.  Ryan Millar and Colton Ryz swapped Moto wins taking the top and bottom step on the box respectively.

 

Allan Oray looked strong in taking both moto wins in 250 junior action.  Rounding out the podium for the day was Jesse Downey and Dean Beischer.

 

Adam Pfeiffer grabbed a couple of monster holeshots in both morning moto’s in the 125 and 250 Pro classes with his Westside Honda CRF’s.  Pfeiffer rode strong in both races taking second place in both after succumbing to the dogged pursuit of Mike Harms late in each moto.  The afternoon didn’t fair so well for Pfeiffer who suffered a huge get off on a downhill jump that left him off the track for several laps.  Pfeiffer managed to get back on the track and finish fourteenth with a set of pretzled handlebars. 

 

Lane Loutit traded moto wins with Tylor Plett in 60cc PeeWee B class racing.  Loutit took the second spot on the podium with his 1-2 day to Plett’s 2-1 finishes. 

 

In 250 Beginner action Jeff Mullen split Moto wins with Herman Dettman.  Mullen’s 4-1 day was good enough for the second overall.  Dettman with a 1-2 day took the overall while Myles Lawrence grabbed the final podium spot.

 

Pearce Mc Kellar ran a strong 2-3 for second overall in 80cc 12-16 racing.  Mc Kellar also managed a top five in the Supermini class with 3-9 finishes.

 

Logan Zimmerman was charging all day and was rewarded with a second place overall finish in the GP Junior class after posting 3-2 finishes.

 

Adam Knutt and his Headingley Sport Shop KXF250 grabbed his first moto win of the season in the second 125 Pro Class moto.  Knutt grabbed a big holeshot and ran strong all moto to take a solid victory.

 

Darcy Goerzen took both 250 Intermediate moto’s and in the process tightened up the points chase.  Russ Beaudette and Ryan Rondeau rounded out the 250 intermediate podium.

 

In Vet Master action Renold Sawatsky and his Morden Motorsports Honda CRF450R used a 2-1 day to take the overall ahead of the 1-3 finish of Kim Houde and the 3-2 finish of Corey Parent.

 

There’s the checkers, see you next report!