WEBEracing.com Angel Fire Report

Images – Amanda Paradisa

 

The 5^th round of the 2008 WEBEracing.com calendar at Angel Fire, New Mexico was nothing less than stellar. Angel Fire has become one of the most anticipated off-road events in the Rocky Mountain region and this years attendance set an all time high for a non co-sanctioned WEBEracing.com event with over 200 rider entries.

 

  Angel Fire is packed full of character. Unlike a typical race where everyone camps trackside for the weekend, the Angel Fire Resort plays host to hundreds of riders and families. The night before the race, the lodge is packed with riders swapping stories, relaxing in the indoor pool and Jacuzzi, and hanging in the parking lot prepping machines in effort to due battle on one of toughest courses imaginable.

 

This year, Brett and the crew from WEBEracing.com decided to change the course direction completely, and in doing so introduced many new sections, including massive downhill descents that riders have battled to climb in the past. There was a great vibe in the air all weekend, despite the grey skies that opened to countless downpours throughout the race. A brilliant green tone lined the course that twisted and turned up and down the mountainside. Wet rocks and tree roots made it feel as if you were riding on butter through bar tight single track, and as a result many riders found themselves wadded up multiple times throughout the day.

 

I headed up to the event with a pretty large crew. Corey Dry and I came from New Mexico and met up with the Topar Racing / Valcom Motorsports posse that consisted of PJ Marquez, Tony Paradisa, Kyle and Jesse Summers and their dad Jeff Summers AKA “Old Guy,” Bret Pike, Wade Stalker, Jase Nuckles, and the Cavinder brothers.

 

The ride of the day without doubt went to Corey Dry aboard the number 617 Kawasaki, as he rode to victory in the 250 B class. On lap three Dry played victim to a flat tire, but manned up and pounded out the remaining five laps amongst what Kyle Summers referred to as "brutal gnarly conditions." Summers jumped out to an early pro class lead and engaged in battle with Colorado’s Eric Rhoten. Summers leed was short lived as he also fell victim to a flat with his tubeless tires. While we are on the topic of flats, PJ Marquez, who was en route to a 40+ A class win, had to call it quits due to a flat, as well.

 

Bret Pike holeshoted the 250 A class and minutes into the race cased his Yamaha into a boulder, resulting in a broken oil pump and a short lived day on the mountain. Jeff Summers rode to an impressive 40+ A third place finish as he tried to chase down Fritz Kadlec and Jon Csakany.  Topar Racing’s Tony Paradisa battled back from a first lap t-bone wad to an eighth place overall in the 40+ B class. Jase Nuclkes called it an early day due to a sticking throttle on his Kawasaki 450 that looked as if it had been run down by a freight train. Wade Stalker brought home 4^th place in the 40+ C class aboard the #119 Honda 450 in his first attempt at taming Angel Fire. Derek Cavinder rode to a seventh overall in the Open A class after a hard fought day filled with crashes, soaking rain, and sketchy conditions.

 

The pro class rapped up in this order; Eric Rhoten, Tim Hillsamer, Russell Garcia, Lance Eveatt, Tony Scarponi, and Bryant Cope.

 

Arizona’s Gary Sutherlin, who is having an outstanding WORCS rookie season, had possibly the toughest day of all. After grabbing the pro class holeshot, Sutherlin’s chain broke and twisted up into his sprocket and frame in what was described as the furthest possible point from the pits. Sutherlin spent nearly two hours pushing his bike through the mud, rocks, trees and rain. When we spoke to Sutherlin his spirits were high, as he made reference to PJ Marquez of Valcom Motorsports as being the most supportive of all of his sponsors. PJ, who had a flat, stopped and spent his afternoon helping Sutherlin push his wounded Kawasaki back to camp.

 

In all, this was by far the off-road event of the year here in the Rocky Mountain region and the crew at WEBEracing.com once again did an amazing job with the course, the event hosting, and race management. I would also like to note that the staff at Angel Fire Resort, as always, did a great job in providing friendly guest service and comfortable lodging.

 

WEBEracing.com will return to action August 9-10 at Bull Hollow Raceway in Monticello, Utah. This event will be Co-Sanctioned with AMRA (WeBe run event). Be sure and visit WEBEracing.com to learn more.

 

A special thanks goes out to Amanda Paradisa for the imagery and pit support for our crew.