New Page 2

Randy Benoit Memorial Race

Down South Motocross Track

By: Roy Jenkins

New Iberia, LA - September 10, 2006

Randy Benoit Memorial Race

Down South Motocross Track

By: Roy Jenkins

New Iberia, LA - September 10, 2006

Racers from south LA came together to celebrate the life of Randy Benoit, the popular racer who succumbed to a heart attack last year after coming off the track from practice. The 48 year old rider was known for "helping anyone who needed it and always looking for the good in people and being willing to forgive and give second chances," according to his widow, Melanie, who was on hand with their family to honor his life.

George Aitken arranged for barrel races the night before, with Jason Manuel and Lance Vincent being the fastest around the three barrels of the horse arena. Motoxstudios showed a video of Randy and last year’s benefit race. A light drizzle peppered the track all night and riders awoke to a wet track. The track started to dry out and form deep ruts after a few motos. Riders enjoyed a third more track time due to the three moto format.

Forest Smith was the first rider to take the lead in the opening moto of the combined 85 (7-11) and (12-15) classes. Smith, riding his Yamaha in the younger class was able to extend his lead all the way to the checkered, even beating the older class. Finishing behind him were (12-15) class contestants Shane Yongue who was sneaking up on him, Klint Angelette and Lee Slaughter. Mitchell Suire finished second in the (7-11) class.

Forest Smith jumped the class again early in moto two, with Lee Slaughter, Shane Yongue and Klint Angelette moving up quickly. Yongue was the first to attempt a pass on the second lap, sticking his wheel in, but Smith slammed the door on it right in front of the crowd on the home stretch. Slaughter led Daniel Baker for third position. But Smith made a mistake on the next lap which cost him several positions, then Yongue went down hard on the ancient double drawing a collective gasp from the crowd. However he jumped back up, remounted and got back into the race just in time to keep the lead from Lee Slaughter who was now trying to pass him. Yongue held onto his lead for one more lap to finish with breathing room over Slaughter. Smith was able to salvage second in the (7-11) class behind Mitchell Suire.

Forest Smith again nailed the holeshot in the third moto, only to yield the lead to Shane Yongue. Slaughter and Angelette held down the third and fourth spots with Mitchell Suire moving past Daniel Baker behind them.

Jeremy Domingue took over quickly in the 125 Open class on his Honda of Lafayette, with Jared Broussard taking second. Ryan Breaux spotted the class a lap when he failed to appear from the back section after the first lap. Domingue won handily.

Domingue again took the point in the second moto of the Open class, with Breaux watching his lines, but could do nothing to stop the Honda rider from Lafayette from garnering another victory.

Domingue took the lead in turn two of the second moto of the combined 125 Novice/Intermediate classes, with Ryan Breaux breathing down his neck and Justin Bridges leading the Novice class riders behind them. While Domingue and Breaux were showing off their Intermediate class speed out front, there was a war going on behind them for the Novice class as Jared Broussard, Justin Bridges, Michael Hairford, Grant Bourgeois, Stanley Sevin, Jacob Templet and Adam Landry were so close together I had to call out their numbers for the scorekeepers to get them on paper. But a rider went down hard in the whoops, and because of the nature of the injury and the riders going so fast and close, the race was aborted and restarted. This time it was Domingue, Tee Hebert, Trenton Suire, Colby Airhart, Ryan Breaux, Jared Broussard, Hairford and Sevin all mixed up together on the first lap. Domingue went on to win, with Hebert and Breaux behind him.

Domingue lead Hebert in the Intermediate/Novice third moto, with Jared Broussard leading the Novice riders behind them. Ryan Breaux and Trenton Suire began to move up to the leaders of the Intermediate class mid-way through the race, but again Domingue hung on to win.

The Senior +40 class had the speed to leave the +30 class behind them when the two classes raced together in the opening moto. Wes Wiggins and David Levy set a blistering pace that no one else could match. Monroe Voyles got off the gate late and moved up to lead the +30 riders. Wiggins brought his Honda 450f across the finish line several seconds in front of Levy’s Honda. Voyles won the +30 class.

In the second moto of the Senior class, it was the +40 riders jumping out early on the younger seniors, but this time it was Wade Batchelor leading the charge. Wiggins and Levy followed, while John Howard led the +30 guys.

Wiggins lead early in moto three, with Monroe Voyles behind him.

The Schoolboy class had two of LA’s dominant mini riders, Jeremy Domingue and Lance Vincent who finished top 15 in the National Championship last month. Domingue, who has been on a 250f longer, jumped out early on Vincent, who was racing a big bike for the first time today. Trenton Suire handled third while the top two Honda of Lafayette riders checked out from the pack. Domingue won the first moto by eight bike lengths over Vincent.

Domingue and Vincent again led the way in the second moto, with Trenton Suire, Justin Bridges and Keevin Cope trying to keep up. Domingue went on to win with seven seconds to spare over his arch-rival Vincent.

The third moto of the Schoolboy class was a virtual repeat performance for the two top riders, with Domingue leading Vincent, followed by Trenton Suire, Justin Bridges and Keevin Cope. Domingue began to pull away from Vincent late in the race, perhaps suffering from some unknown mistake on the back side of the track. But Vincent held second from Suire who had come up behind him. Domingue won the moto by 15 seconds over Vincent who put 5 seconds between himself and third place Suire.

Vincent reestablished himself in the Supermini class on his smaller bike right from the start. Slaughter, Yongue, Cormier, Smith, Devillier and Baker put on a spirited, but futile chase.

Andrew Goulas had a memorable day by winning all three motos of the 85 beginner class in only his first race.

Gregory "Tee" Hebert retired from racing Motocross this day, but came out one more time to honor Randy Benoit. Hebert will hang up his boots to devote more time to his career with his Dad’s Landscape business.

Cory Romero took his Kawasaki 450 out in front of the Open Money class with Dustin Manuel, Jay Manuel and the combined Intermediate class chasing. Monroe Voyles went down early on lap one. Dustin Manuel pulled his Performance Suzuki behind Romero, looking for a way around, with his older brother peeking at them a straight-a-way behind. He made his move on the third lap by pulling alongside on the back straight; but Corey re-passed and took his line away, holding on all the way to the finish, edging out Dustin for the victory with Jay Manuel two straights back.

Romero, the Manuel brothers, Josh Mouton and Mike Hebert were the frontrunners of the second moto until Hebert went down so low in the corner, he planted his Honda of Lafayette right there, allowing the Money and Intermediate classes to get away. Soon Cory and Dustin were dicing it out again on the back straight, with Dustin making the pass before the completion of the first lap. But he washed out in a turn causing Corey to have to jump over his bike into the lead. The Manuel/Romero battle resumed, but this time it was Jason chasing. Dustin got back up only to pull out of the race at the halfway point due to his Suzuki jumping timing again. Romero went on to win, with a clearly exhausted Jay Manual taking second on his Performance Suzuki.

Romero established his lead early in the third moto of the Money class, with Dustin Manuel riding Tee Hebert’s bike in second, followed by Mike Hebert, Jay Manuel, David Levy and Josh Mouton. They kept this order for several laps until Jay Manuel finally set up Hebert for a pass a turn before the finish line, where he got him, and Hebert got the checkered flag to win the Intermediate class on the fifth lap, while the Money class continued on for two more laps.

Grant Bourgeois won the final moto of the 250 Novice class over Garrett Airhart and Shaun Suire’s DNF.

To read interviews with Jeremy Domingue, Lance Vincent and Chase Romero from this race click here

Final Results:

50 (4-6): 1. Ray Mitchell (Yam); 2. Kade Gonsoulin (LEM); 3. Steven Morales (Yam).

65 BEG: 1. Austin McCarty (Suz); 2. Micah Goulas (Hon); 3. Josie Brown (Kaw); 4. Blane Thomassie (Kaw); 5. Thomas Defeline (Kaw).

65 (7-9): 1. Shaw Guillotte (KTM); 2. Sagan Guillory (KTM).

65 OPEN: 1. Shaw Guillotte (KTM); 2. Sagan Guillory (KTM); 3. Andre Adams (Kaw).

85 BEG: 1. Andrew Goulas (Hon); 2. Dylan McCarty (Kaw); 3. Justin Braud (Kaw); 4. Dustin Brown (Hon); 5. Dylan Smith (Hon).

85 (7-11): 1. Forrest Smith (Yam); 2. Mitchell Suire (Suz); 3. Daniel Baker (Hon) 4. Shaw Guillotte (KTM). 5. Jonah Cormier (Hon).

85 (12-15): Shane Yongue (Hon); 2. Lee Slaughter (Hon); 3. Klint Angelette (Suz); 4. Tyler Smith (Hon).

SUPR MINI: 1. Lance Vincent (Hon); 2. Shane Yongue (Hon); 3. Lee Slaughter (Hon); 4. Tyler Devillier (KTM); 5. Forrest Smith (Yam).

HOBBY: 1. Paul Trahan (Kaw); 2. Jerry Landry (Hon); 3. Conrad Prejean (Hon); 4. Buddy Giroir (Suz).

125 BEG: 1. Derek Lopez (Hon); 2. Quincy Shaubert (Hon); 3. Ryan Dugas (Yam); 4. Travis Slaughter (Kaw); 5. Kenny Rowell (Hon).

125 NOV: 1. Colby Airhart (Yam); 2. Justin Bridges (Hon); 3. Jared Broussard (Hon); 4. Adam Landry (Kaw); 5. Grant Bourgeois (Hon).

125 OPEN: 1. Jeremy Domingue (Hon); 2. Jared Broussard (Hon); 3. Ryan Breaux (Hon); 4. Michael Hairford (Hon); 5. Stanley Sevin (Kaw).

125 INT: 1. Jeremy Domingue (Hon); 2. Tee Hebert (Hon); 3. Trenton Suire (Yam); 4. Ryan Breaux (Hon).

125 SCLBY: 1. Jeremy Domingue (Hon); 2. Lance Vincent (Hon); 3. Trenton Suire (Yam); 4. Justin Bridges (Hon); 5. Keevin Cope (Hon).

250 BEG: 1. Travis Slaughter (Kaw); 2. Rusty Rodrigue (Hon); 3. Jean Quibodeaux (Hon); 4. Cole Leblanc (Suz).

250 NOV: 1. Grant Bourgeois (Hon); 2. Garrett Airhart (Hon); 3. Shaun Suire (Hon).

250 INT: 1. Josh Mouton (Hon); 2. Mike Hebert (Hon).

250 OPEN: Mike Hebert (Hon).

VET +30: 1. Monroe Voyles (Hon); 2. John Howard (Kaw); 3. Robert Nielson (Hon).

VET +40: 1. Wes Wiggins (Hon); 2. Wade Batchelor (Hon); 3. David Levy (Hon); 4. Charlie Bernis (Yam).

OPEN MON: 1. Corey Romero (Kaw); 2. Jason Manuel (Suz); 3. David Levy (Hon); 4. Dustin Manuel (Suz); 5. Monroe Voyles (Hon).

Final Results: