Honda of Lafayette Winter Series 2008-09

Final Round at Gravity Alley MX

Story & photos by 2wheelcommunications.com

Breaux Bridge, LA – Feb 1, 2009

The Honda of Lafayette 2008-09 Winter Series ended on an overcast, drizzly and foreboding day in south LA. The series started up in Prentiss, MS, then went to Baton Rouge, West Monroe, Mansfield, New Iberia and finished in Breaux Bridge. Track owner Mike Shea knew about the front coming out of the gulf and got the whole first moto in before the rain came and stopped the race, allowing the football fans a chance to get home and watch the Super Bowl. Besides the impending stormy weather, there were storms on the track, too. Several riders who were close in skill and hungry to win the series creating great entertainment for the crowd.

The perfect storm formed in the combined 450 Intermediate and Expert class when three different B class riders harassed a different A rider all through the race before making a pass stick. The first and most exciting was between B riders Jeremy Domingue and newly turned pro Michael Wagner. These two have been racing each other on this track in Breaux Bridge since they were kids. Now they are both within striking distance of the big time and carried a lot of confidence into this race. Wagner took his Honda of Houston/Lake Charles Honda through turns one and two alongside Domingue’s Honda of Lafayette and squeezed into the lead, despite missing a gear and bobbling on the jump. Domingue was content to watch Wagner’s lines for four laps until making the pass. Then Wagner watched Domingue’s lines for two laps before he took the lead back. Domingue made his re-pass on the last lap and was able to put some lappers between them for the win, punctuating his performance with a sick tail-whip.

Another B/A rider clash occurred behind them when Grant Bourgeois met with A rider Tyler Begue. Bourgeois followed Begue’s Honda for a few laps until he took his Performance Cycles KTM around him on lap seven for victory. As if that weren’t enough excitement, Roy Barrios stalked Jay Burton for several laps before taking his G & N Honda around the A rider to take third in the B class.

The 85 (7-11) class gated in front of the 12-16 class, with Hunter Hilton putting his Hattiesburg Cycles Suzuki out front early, followed by Austin Mire and Trevor Dunn. Hilton went on to an uncontested victory, his last ride before signing with Team Yamaha a few days later.

Another Suzuki rider, Aaron Sanches put two straight-a-ways on the rest of the 85 (12-16) class on the first lap. Behind him, Austin Doucet and Jonah Cormier made a good race for second. Sanches easily out-paced all his competitors en route to victory, with Doucet and Cormier scoring second and third.

The Senior +25 and +40 raced together but were scored separately. This created an opportunity for a pair of close friends to race each other, Hoot Parker and Joel White. Though Corey Romero got out front and won the race, Parker and White had quite the barfest. White, racing in the +25 class had trouble getting around Parker, but finally put a beautiful "fake outside, inside move" on the sweeper just before the white flag. But the move was too early, giving Parker time to pass him back, who then guarded his inside lines the last lap to nab the bragging rights. Romero was able to hold them off for victory in the +25 class, while Parker won the +40 class.

Barron Bellard got his Performance Cycles KTM cooking early in the 65 Open class, while 15 other riders tried to keep up. Teammate John Murphy kept Bellard honest from the second spot, while Dave Myatt brought his Hattiesburg Cycles KTM in third. That is the same order they finished as well.

Lindsay Escoyne took her Performance Cycles KTM to victory in the Women’s class to win the series, with Josie Brown, Brittanie Daigle, Haley Warm, Megan Serpas and Raven Bertrand finishing behind her. Ashton Castjohn won the 50 Open class in front of Palmer Neely, Hunter Stutes and Alex Doss.

Everyone was waiting for the 85 Supermini Open class because it had 12 top five finishers from other classes, 8 that were top three finishers, all racing each other. The first three through turn one were winners of earlier classes. Aaron Sanches sprung off the gate in front of the snarling dogs and ran like a rabbit. Hunter Hilton hung onto his rear fender with Adam Cedillo third. By the second lap Jonah Cormier, Austin Doucet and Kolby Marchand were on the move up through the pack, while Sanches earned some breathing room for his Pro-Flo/Raceworks Suzuki. Sanches was able to secure another victory, with Hilton second, Cedillo third, Cormier fourth and Marchand fifth.

For more pictures and info on this race and others go to www.2wheelcommunications.com. For complete results of this race go to www.gravityalleyextremepark.com. For Winter Series results go to www.winterseries.com.

50 OIL: 1. Hunter Brunn (KTM); 2. Richard Camp (Yam); 3. Beau Stutes (Hon); 4. Jessica Landry (Hon).

50 (4-6): 1. Dominic Domangue (KTM); 2. Cade Conyers (Cob).

50 (7-8): 1. Clayson Choate (KTM); 2. Ashton Castjohn (Cob); 3. Palmer Neely (Cob); 4. Alex Doss (KTM); 5. Luke Miller (KTM).

50 OPEN: 1. Ashton Castjohn (Cob); 2. Palmer Neely (Cob); 3. Hunter Stutes (Cob); 4. Alex Doss (KTM); 5. Luke Miller (KTM).

65 BEG: 1. Nicholas Charpentier (Kaw); 2. Hunter Sebastian (Kaw); 3. Ray Mitchell (Kaw); 4. Duel Judice (KTM); 5. Ashton Castjohn (Cob).

65 (6-8): 1. John Murphy (KTM); 2. Dave Myatt (Cob); 3. Taylor Doss (KTM); 4. Holden Martin (Kaw); 5. Tyler Varnado (Yam).

65 (9-11): 1. Barron Bellard (KTM); 2. Logan Bourque (Kaw); 3. Ryan Camp (Suz); 4. Christon Nelson (KTM); 5. Trevor Dunn (KTM).

65 OPEN: 1. Barron Bellard (KTM); 2. John Murphy (KTM); 3. Dave Myatt (Cob); 4. Taylor May (Yam); 5. Christon Nelson (KTM).

85 BEG: 1. Dillon Suire (Hon); 2. Trae Falcon (Yam); 3. Brittanie Daigle (Hon); 4. Blake Carriere (Hon); 5. Devin Latiolais (Hon).

85 (7-11): 1. Hunter Hilton (KTM); 2. Barron Bellard (KTM); 3. Austin Mire (Suz); 4. Trevor Dunn (KTM); 5. Gordon Waguespack (Hon).

85 (12-15): 1. Aaron Sanchez (Suz); 2. Austin Doucet (Suz); 3. Jonah Cormier (Hon); 4. Hayden Johnson (Hon); 5. Cody Lods (Kaw).

85 SPRMINI OPEN: 1. Aaron Sanchez (Suz); 2. Hunter Hilton (KTM); 3. Adam Cedillo (Kaw); 4. Jonah Cormier (Hon); 5. Kolby Marchand (Suz).

125 SCLBY: 1. Jeremy Domingue (Hon); 2. Bryce Simon (Hon); 3. Adam Cedillo (KTM); 4. Landon Gauthier (Hon); 5. Jamey Rivet (Kaw).

CLLGEBY: 1. Brett Bourg (Suz); 2. Roy Barrios (Hon); 3. Jared Broussard (Hon); 4. Matthew Linger (Suz); 5. Jordan Bourg (Suz).

250 BEG: 1. Robert Dupuy (Yam); 2. Dylan Prados (Hon); 3. Josh Sopko (Hon); 4. Neil Peveto (Hon); 5. Dylan Smith (Hon).

250 NOV: 1. Adam Cedillo (KTM); 2. Kolby Marchand (Suz); 3. Brandon Juneau (Yam); 4. Corbet Dinger (Yam); 5. Derek Lopez (Hon).

250 INT: 1. Jeremy Domingue (Hon); 2. Grant Bourgeois (KTM); 3. Brett Bourg (Suz); 4. Roy Barrios (Hon); 5. Dawson Delee (Kaw).

250 EX: 1. Chase Romero (Suz); 2. Tyler Begue (Hon); 3. Jason Manuel (Suz).

450 BEG: 1. Randy Bourque (Hon); 2. Bob Calhoun (Hon); 3. Ronnie Swinehart (Yam).

450 NOV: 1. Terry Stutes (Hon); 2. Bryce Simon (Hon); 3. Ryan Miller (KTM); 4. Matthew Linger (Suz).

450 INT: 1. Jeremy Domingue (Hon); 2. Grant Bourgeois (KTM); 3. Roy Barrios (Hon); 4. Dawson Delee (Yam).

450 EX: 1. Michael Wagner (Hon); 2. Tyler Begue (KTM); 3. Jay Burton (Yam); 4. Steven Cummings (Hon).

GIRLS: 1. Josie Brown (Kaw); 2. Aspen Neely (Yam); 3. Clarissa Swinehart (Kaw); 4. Kylee Bercegeay (Kaw); 5. Lauren Sebastian (Kaw).

WOM 12+: 1. Lindsay Escoyne (KTM); 2. Josie Brown (Kaw); 3. Brittanie Daigle (Hon); 4. Haley Warm (Yam); 5. Megan Serpas (Kaw).

SSR: 1. Joe Frandria (Hon); 2. Troy Dupuy (Hon); 3. Joey Faulk (Suz); 4. Joey McCoy (Kaw); 5. Bob Calhoun (Hon).

SEN +25: 1. Corey Romero (Suz); 2. Joel White (Suz); 3. Steven Cummings (Hon); 4. Allen Bauer (Yam); 5. Klint Forrester (Hon).

SEN +30: 1. Shaun Romero (Hon); 2. Terry Stutes (Hon); 3. Duel Judice (KTM); 4. Jason Brunn (Hon); 5. Tag Doss (Yam).

SEN +40: 1. Hoot Parker (Hon); 2. Sam Hazlip (Hon); 3. Jamey Bertrand (Hon); 4. Joey Faulk (Suz); 5. Joey McCoy (Kaw).

For complete results log on to www.gravityalleyextremepark.com