Results:
Pro Des-Nations: 1. W Reid (Hon)  2. B Lackey (CZ) 3. R Pomeroy (Bul) 4. E Zornes (Yam) 5. D Adams (Hon) 6. B Grossi (Hus) 7. B McDougal (Pen) 8. R Cancelli (Oss) 9. R Checchin (Suz) 10. J Hicks (CZ) 11. M Lagaza (CZ) 12. W Graves (Mai) 13. M Tilotta (CZ) 14. F Franceschi (CZ) 15. E Garland (Hon) 16. R Reeves (Hon) 17. B Smith (Hon) 18. R Humphreys (Hus) 19. J Newmann (Hon) 20. B Lucas(Pen)

Pro Gran Prix: 1. F Franceschi (Suz) 2. D Adams (Mai) 3. W Reid (Hon) 4. L Mazzoni (Suz) 5. T Tracy (Mai) 6. R Checchin (Mai) 7. B Grossi (Hus) 8. J Hardin (Mai) 9. D Goodwin (Yam) 10. J Antoon (Hus) 11. J Busby (Mai) 12. S Knaack (Mai) 13. B Smith (Hon) 14. B Fox (Mai) 15. B McDougal (Hon)

Des-Nations Team; 1. Team California 2. Team Italy 3. Team Florida

Vintage 0-200: 1. S Anderson (Suz) 2. B Lambert (Bul) 3. P Grundy (C/A)

Vintage 250/500 Am: 1. J Zorne (Yam) 2. J Mosbacher (Mai) 3. R Berg (Yam) 4. M Howell (Hus) 5. R Turner (Hon)

Vintage 250/500 Int: 1. J Newmann (Hon) 2. T Wallis (Mai) 3. W Jordan (Bul) 4. F Reaves (Hon) 5. R Howell (Bul)

Vintage 250/500 Exp: 1. M Kretschmer (Hon) 2. J Hill (Hus) 3. C Richardson (CZ) 4. J Hardin (Kaw) 5. C Keller (Bul)

Vintage +25 Am: 1. R Berg (Yam) 2. M Howell (Hus) 3. R Turner (Hon) 4. N Rosales (CZ)

Vintage +25 Int: 1. K Bjork (Hus) 2. J Gerber (Hus)

Vintage +25 Exp: 1. R Humphreys (Hus) 2. C Keller (Bul) 3. F Hall (Hus) 4. J Hardin (Kaw) 5. M Kretschmer (Hon)

Vintage +45 Am: 1. D Fournier (Mai) 2. T Gerber (Kaw) 3. F Spangler (BSA) 4. P Grundy (C/A) 5. M Page (Mai)

Vintage +45 Int: 1. R Smith (CZ) 2. F Reaves (Hon) 3. D Cox (CZ) 4. B Millard (Hon)

Vintage +45 Exp: 1. E Zorne (Yam) 2. J LeFevre (Hus) 3. R Welch (CZ) 4. R Munson (Pen) 5. V Aderhold (Mai)

GP 0-200 Am: 1. A Goodwin (Suz) 2. R Baker (Hon) 3. C Goodwin (Suz)

GP 0-200 Int: 1. J Newmann (Hon)

GP 0-200 Exp: 1. J Busby (Hon) 2. R Heidman (KTM) 3. D Goodwin (Yam)

GP-I Am: 1. D Hall (Bul) 2. S Kirby (Bul) 3. M Howell (Hus) 4. A Roberts (C/A)

GP-I Int: 1. R Smith (CZ) 2. D Burgess (Pen) 3. V Miller (Pen) 4. K Bjork (Suz)

GP-I Exp: 1. R Munson (Yam) 2. D Rainey (KTM)

GP-II Am: 1. J Miller (Hon) 2. D Holland (Hus) 3. V Miller (Pen) 4. J Barrett (C/A) 5. A Goodwin (Suz)

GP-II Int: 1. R Englund (Suz) 2. B Mitchell (Yam) 3. L Shoup (Mai) 4. P Bartlett (C/A) 5. J Stuiso (Hus)

GP-II Exp: 1. S Knaack (Mai) 2. M Kretschmer (Hon) 3. J DeBoe (Mai) 4. R Yale (Mai) 5. J Taylor (Mai)

GP-III Int: 1. H Lobel (Mai) 2. R King (Mai) 3. R Becker (Mai)

GP-III Int: 1. B Mitchell (Yam) 2. R England (Suz) 3. R Howell (Mai) 4. B Goldsby (Hus) 5. F Lassetter (Suz)

GP-III Exp: 1. S Knaack (Mai) 2. E Garlin (Hod) 3. V Aderhold (Mai) 4. R Yale (Mai) 5. R Griffin (Suz)

Modern 125: 1. J Taylor (Yam) 2. T Cureton (Kaw) 3. R Northern (Yam) 4. D Newmann (Suz)

Modern 250: 1. J Hardin (Kaw) 2. J Hill (Yam) 3. J Mirham (Yam) 4. P Rice (Yam) 5. D Horton (Kaw)

Modern +25: 1. J Hardin (Kaw) 2. C Lee (Yam) 3. T Parks (Hon) 4. R Northern (Yam) 5. R England (Kaw)

Modern +45: 1. M Hance (Yam) 2. G Anderson (KTM) 3. P Rice (Yam) 4. R Kinsey (Yam) 5. B Snider (KTM)

Modern Pro: 1. S Smith (Hon)

Team Rainey’s Warren Reid Takes Texas Trans-USA

Round 2 of 3
VMX Trans-USA
Tyler, Texas
Swan Cycle Park
4/21/02

 by Harvey Mushman

This year’s Pro-Am Vintage event at Swan Cycle Park had a grander look and appeal. With VMX Magazine as title sponsor, things took on a true World-class flavor. Over 200 riders, more big names, foreign riders, very trick machinery and knock down, drag out battles in both Pro classes.

VMX Dirt Bike Quarterly Magazine has a cult type following in the Vintage circles. This is a high quality magazine that caters to the Vintage Motocross enthusiast. With great event coverage and stories about Aussies who were fortunate enough to get their hands on some of the most sought after works motocrossers on the planet. After the GP’s and the National’s, most of the factory bikes went to Australia to do battle in the Mr. MotoCross Series with Australia’s best aboard. After they beat the bikes up, the factory didn’t want to pay for shipping thoroughly thrashed works bikes back to Europe, America or Japan. They just sold, or in some cases, gave the bikes to the local distributors who eventually lost track of them until they started showing up in some lucky guy’s garage.

With almost a dozen “factory” guys at the event, it was anyone’s guess who had the skill, conditioning and machine to cash in on the big Pro purses offered. Many picked former Suzuki/Kawasaki/Husqvarna/Carabella factory shoe, “Sugar Bear” Billy Grossi. Last year, Billy trounced a star studded field to post a 1-1. Billy would be riding the same EVO-Sports CR400 Husky he rode last year. Then there was former Honda/Kawasaki factory rider Warren Reid who only managed a 15-2 score after experiencing bike problems last year. This year Warren would be on a Rainey Racing CR250 Honda that had to be the fastest and trickest Elsinore on the circuit. Brad Lackey was aboard a Tillman 400 CZ that had all the goodies, including a rare hand-made cylinder with a huge reed block. Bad Brad went 3-4 last year and was looking to move up the leader board. Ron Pomeroy came in from Washington to uphold the Pomerory name on a Graves Racing 360 Bultaco. Bruce McDougal flew in to pilot a fleet of KTM’s provided by Wright Racing. Then you add in the original “Texas Tornado,” Steve Wise, who was not feeling 100% and considered not riding. You can never count out that Wise kid. Then there was Nat’l # 97 Bryan Fox, #63 Jake DeBoe and a real blast from the past, Lance Armstrong’s training buddy, Jack Hicks. If that list wasn’t enough, 5 Italian former GP regulars, Arizona’s 2 best riders, Ed Zornes and Don Adams, Florida’s Ed Garlin and Matt Kretschmer were all there to do battle.

The Pro Des-Nations event would be 2 events in one. All riders would be scored individually for the $1500 purse and each country or state would have 3 man teams. When the gate dropped for moto 1, 24 pros hit the dirt and Arizona’s Ed Zorne had his 360YZ out front followed by Lackey, Grossi, Reid and Ft. Worth’s Richard Reeves. As the leaders headed into the woods section, Zorne carried way too much speed down one of Swan’s many hills and shot over the berm at the bottom and lost the lead. “I couldn’t believe it,” Grossi said. “He just flew right off the track! I just got by Brad in the rhythm section and pulled up behind Zorne and almost followed him right off.” As the top 5 guys flew by, Zorne regrouped and joined the battle in 7^th. “These big hills are deceiving,” Zorne said. “I was pumped getting the start and just launched down the hill and overcooked it. I’m just glad I didn’t go down.”

Grossi looked to repeat last year’s flawless ride, and set a torrid pace. By lap 2 Reid had also gotten past Lackey and was cutting into Billy’s lead, catching the Sugar Bear at the same spot that took out Zorne. The two front runners then began a pass-repass game that had everyone on their feet. Swan’s big rolling jumps are very vintage friendly. Friendly, that is, until you hit them in 5^th full-on. These two riders reeled off some of the most incredible launches anyone had ever seen. 50 and 60 foot leaps were the norm. Some counted 10 passes between the two before Grossi slowed when his engine started to sour. Wanting maximum points, Billy eased off, let Reid go and settled for 2^nd.

In the deciding 2^nd moto, Grossi got the holeshot and checked out. Reid had to pass Lackey, Pomeroy and Don Adams to take over 2^nd on lap 2. By then Grossi had a 15 second lead and just pounded out the laps. “We pulled out the back-up bike and I got a real good jump on the gate,” Billy said. “I was determined to win this moto. I didn’t want Warren to see my lines. I found some new ones during the EVO Pro moto and they were really working well.”  As the leaders came around for the white flag, Billy never showed. An ignition wire came off the upper coil and that ended his moto. “I couldn’t believe it,” Grossi complained. “I had a monster lead and knew I had the $650 in my hand, I guess all those big jumps just jerked the wire off.”  As Billy pushed his bike back, Reid enjoyed his new lead position taking the checkers followed by Pomeroy, Lackey, Adams and Bruce McDougal.  “I’ll take it,” said Reid. “Billy was on his game in the 2^nd moto, I didn’t have an answer for how fast he was riding,” commented Warren. When the team totals were added, Team California took the Des-Nations overall win followed by Team Italy and Team Florida.

In the GP Pro class, 21 riders lined up for the $1000 purse. Despite a star studded field, 2 riders stood out among the group. Italian Multi-Motocross Champ, Team Italy’s Furio Franceschi and Team Arizona’s Don Adams. Franceschi was on his game aboard a Villacaro RM400 and Adams aboard a Rage Racing 490 Maico.  When the gate dropped for moto 1, Adams had a clean holeshot followed by Texan Richard Reeves, Franceschi, Billy Grossi and Warren Reid. Adams pulled a few seconds on Reeves, who was getting pressure from Franceschi. The Italian shot past Reeves at the completion of lap one and set after Adams. Meanwhile, Reid got by Grossi over the big combo jump section only to get passed back on the big step-down after the flag. Franceschi was using superior cornering speed and caught Adams on lap 2, but Adams picked up his already blistering pace and held the Italian at bay another lap. Then Franceschi got real aggressive and bumped Adams in a downhill off-camber corner pushing the Maico rider over the berm, allowing Grossi to pass. Adams was incensed and took off, passing Grossi immediately, catching Franceschi on lap 4. The fight was on. These two riders passed, banged, brake checked and chopped off each other more times then we could count. Adams then started to attempt a 70 foot triple just before the finish line trying to pass the Italian.  But, Franceschi held position and at took the win ahead of Adams, Grossi, Reid and Italian Luigi Mazzoni.

As the riders prepared for moto 2, the group was surprised when Billy Grossi pushed a 74 CR400 Husky to the line. “I just didn’t feel real comfortable on that 78 CR250 Honda. I bet I can go just as fast on this Vintage bike.” The Sugarbear added. “On this track, the corners are real important and this EVO Sports Husky really rails the berms. Just watch me this moto,” Billy smiled. When the gate dropped, Billy was true to his word getting a clean holeshot over all sorts of high powered machines. Behind Billy were Texan Todd Tracy, Franceschi, Reid and Adams. Before the riders came around for the 1^st lap, Tracy bobbled slipping back to 4^th and Adams powered by both Reid and Franceschi over the 70 foot triple moving into 2^nd.  Adams was coming up 2 feet short on the big triple, but kept attempting the obstacle and was actually able to carry more speed thru the finish line corner. It had to hurt. Now, Adams and Franceschi were 2^nd and 3^rd, right on Grossi’s rear fender. No matter what the 2 riders did, they couldn’t get around that darn vintage bike. Grossi was riding like it was for the World Championship. On lap 2, Franceschi got by Adams coming out of the woods and began to really pressure Billy. The 2 riders started to run up the inside and bump Grossi trying to move him over. Grossi was just another obstacle. The winner of this moto would take home the $500 win money. At the end of the 2^nd lap Grossi just pulled over and let the 2 riders by. “They were ramming and banging me- they really wanted by,” claimed Grossi.  “I could have held out a little longer, but they would have taken me out for sure!”  As the moto wore on Adams and Franceschi again banged, bumped and chopped each other all the way around the course. Then on lap 5, Franceschi used a questionable inside line to take the lead for the final time. When the checkers came out, the Arizona team screamed PROTEST. After both teams met with race officials, it was declared a legal pass and the win stood handing the overall win and $500 to Franceschi. The finish order read, Franceschi, Adams, Reid, Tracy and Luigi Mazzoni.

Thanks go out to our sponsors and people who made this event possible. VMX Magazine, Lyle Lovett Motorsports, Honda Town, WildWest Honda, K’s Motorsports, ExImport Cycles, Stubbs Cycle Southwest, Vintage Husky, CR Racing, Impact Kawasaki, ProClean 1000, Armadillo Willy’s Restaurant, Diamond Don Racing, Woody Graves Racing, Villacaro Racing and everyone at EVO-Sports for putting this event together.