Final Round of the Miss/Lou Challenge Cup

Final Round of the 2007 Winter Series

Golden Pines Raceway

Story by Roy Jenkins

Photos by Kyle Jenkins

Prentiss, MS – February 26, 2007

Golden Pine Raceway held their first race, and boy was it a doozy! It carried the last of five rounds of the 2007 Honda of Lafayette Winter Series; the last of two rounds of the Miss/Lou Challenge Cup race and a tune-up race for the upcoming LL Qualifier. Track owner Randy Rector boldly went where few have gone on his first try. The result? Mississippi’s biggest race in recent history. It didn’t hurt to have pristine weather, a large turnout and perhaps most importantly, a two-mile long, multi-leveled, fast track that wound through the beautiful piney hills of Prentiss, MS. Mother Nature even joined in the fun by showering the area the night before.

The Schoolboy class darted off the gates as if the final bell had rung on the last day of school. Series points leader Jeremy Domingue clocked out on his Honda of Lafayette. Carey Willett took his #380 Missouri Yamaha into the lead chase position, followed by four more LA riders, Sam Landry Nicholas Fisher, Trenton Suire and John Moeller. Moeller charged the whoop section too hard and crashed, allowing a couple of MS riders to move up, Mason Hume and Cory Breazeale. Domingue captured the checkered flag, with Willett second, Fisher third and Landry edging out Hume for fourth.

Willett out-gassed the class into the lead in the second moto of the Schoolboy class in front of Domingue, Fisher, Moeller, Bourg, Lane Putt and Brandon Huff. By the last lap Domingue began closing fast on Willett, while Fisher swam in third; Landry loomed in fourth and Moeller mulled about fifth. On the final section the “Magician” pulled one out of his… helmet! Jeremy Domingue used a block pass on Carey Willett, and then out-ran him through the 7 whoops to the checkered flag. Two Monroe, LA riders finished behind them: Nicholas Fisher and John Moeller. Sam Landry and Cory Breazeale rounded out the top five.

Leslie Poche went on to sweep the Open Women woman’s class to secure the Championship on her Cycle World of Houma Honda. Kaitlyn Hayes edged out Taylor Watts with her 2/1, with Watts third overall.

It was a Knight sweep in the 65 (10-11) class led by Ashton Knight’s 1/1, Shelby Knight’s 2/2 and Tristan Knight in third.

MS rider Glenn Myatt ruined the anticipated final battle between Randy Wales and Hoot Parker by sneaking up past them both late in the first moto to take victory in the Senior +30 class. While Wales will need knee reconstructive surgery after the race, he “manned-up” and came back to win the second moto to win the championship, while Hoot Parker crashed on a wet portion of the track and went sliding down the hill on his backside. Tracey Lecompte was able to slip into the second overall to give LA the top four overall spots with TN rider John Wilder in fifth.

As suspected, MS ruled the Pro classes, especially since Nathan Davenport returned from his injury lay-off. The “Fire Dog” slung his Suzuki City/Tucker Rocky Suzuki into the lead and never looked back in the first moto of the 125 Pro class. Fellow Wiggins, MS native Dustin Gills covered second on his Bardwell Yamaha, but his younger brother Kyle was missing today. Kyle Gills was in Atlanta making his debut in the Supercross Lites class, but failed to qualify when someone jumped on him, breaking off his foot peg. LA riders Dustin Manuel and Bryce Landry rounded out the class. The real noise was behind them as the 125 Intermediate class double-gated to share the track. Jeremy Domingue took a tear-off on the giant tabletop as he began to tear up the class. Carey Willett slipped into second, while TN rider Chris Tracy signed into third. These three riders began to gap the pack, which was lead by John Moeller, Colt McCarra and Cody Outz. Jake Lowry roared up from a mediocre start to catch the top three by the white flag.

Meanwhile Davenport had his Yellow #7 dialed in and had checked out from the money riders. Dustin Manuel was getting more used to the track and began to challenge Gills late in the race for second. But the real news was how the Intermediate riders were beginning to catch the money riders. Domingue, Tracey and Willis were sneaking up on the back of the money class, while Lowry continued to move up through the Intermediate class to the frontrunners, passing Moeller, then McCarra.

At the checkers it was Davenport, Gills, and Manuel in the Pro class, with Domingue, Tracy Willett, Lowry, Moeller and McCarra in front of the Intermediate class.

Davenport repeated his win in the second moto, as a matter of fact, almost everyone in the class repeat their performance in the second moto, with the exception of Jake Lowry’s better start and Chris Tracy’s crash. Lowry got out front early this moto, leaving a tight race for second between Chris Tracy and Jeremy Domingue. By the white flag Domingue had finally passed Tracy, but could not catch Lowry at the checkers. Tracy went down allowing MO’s Carey Willett to make the podium.

Mitchell Suire got out early on the 85 7-11 class, while Dylan Propst and Taylor Besson filled second and third. Late in the race James Waldrop was pushing his Yamaha hard through the whoops to crack the top three. It got really interesting at the finish line when Probst tried to steal the lead from Suire, but Suire held on to win for LA, with MS’s Probst second and LA’s Waldrop third.

Dylan Probst secured an early lead in the second moto of the 85 7-11 class, with Patrick Lods right on his fender. James Waldrop held third from Jonathan Comans, Forrest Town and T-Don Lerille. The order stayed this way to the checkered flag to give MS a victory over AL, LA, MS, LA and LA in that order.

The 125 Novice got off to a roaring start with a full gate of hungry hounds. Jared Miller got out first, with Brandon Huff and Jess Wilder. Series points leaders Jared Broussard and Colby Airhart were on the move through the pack, passing riders right and left.  Justin Pittman was able to negotiate his way into the second position where he finished behind Miller, but in front of Wilder, Airhart, Huff, Breazeale and Brown.

Jared Miller got out front early again in the second moto, followed by Jess Wilder and Justin Pittman. Colby Airhart worked hard and fast all moto to finish second behind Miller, with Wilder, Lane Putt and Cory Breazeale.

Kawasaki knight Chris Tracy speared the holeshot in the first moto of the 125 Open class in front of cross-state rivals Jeremy Domingue and Jake Lowry. Behind this talented trio were Brett Bourg, Derek Stricklin, John Moeller, Colby Airhart and Blake Thompson. On the last lap Tracy began to slow noticeably allowing Domingue and Lowry by who were still hard on the gas. LA’s Domingue again took his Honda of Lafayette to victory in front of the MS Honda of Lowry, with Tracy shaking his head, clearly unhappy with third.

Jake Lowry, Chris Tracy and Domingue picked up right where they left off the first moto, fighting their way away from the 125 Open class. Brett Bourg, Jared Broussard and John Moeller led the rest. The three drew up really tight in the last three turns of the race with Lowry garnering the victory and Tracy narrowly edging out Domingue’s late pass attempt. So Lowry got the overall, followed by Domingue, Tracy, Bourg and Moeller.

TN rider Mathew Weakley jumped all over the 65 Junior Open class as Ashton Knight, Scott McElroy, T-Don Lerille and Tristan Knight regained their composure behind him. By the last lap Patrick Lods was able to move up into the top three and help pressure the leader. Weakley earned three bike lengths through the whoops over AL’s Patrick Lods to win the first moto. Coming from way down in south LA to take third was Lerille, followed by Ashton Knight, Tristan Knight and Cody Lods.

Patrick Lods got the start he was looking for, dashing ahead of Weakley, McElroy, Ashton Knight and T-Don Lerille. Lods brought the overall back to AL, followed by Weakley, Lerille, Ashton Knight and McElroy.

Johnny Moore walked off with the holeshot in the 250 Open class on his Team Green/Got Gear Kawasaki. Jake Lowry slid out a few times but stayed up in second, while Chris Tracy worked from the third spot. Hunter Stewart, Brock Hollis and Josh Mouton chased. The two MS riders began to pull away from the pack on the second lap while Tracy held on to third. Josh Eure crashed his Yamaha hard in the whoop section. Speaking of the whoops, only a few riders on the day were able to double, double, and triple out of the whoops. Moore and Lowry did it consistently as they continued to pull away in this moto. Late in the race Nicholas Fisher passed Stewart into fourth, but no one could get close to MS duo of Moore and Lowry. TN’s Chris Tracy kept third all to himself.

Moore again got the jump on the 250 Open class in moto two. Chris Tracy and Jake Lowry kept up as they broke away from Hunter Stewart, Brock Hollis and Carey Smith. “J-Mo” went unchallenged all the way to the flag on his Green rocket. Tracy followed on blue, with a red blur starting on his rear fender as Jake Lowry took a very, very close third. Nicholas Fisher had to hustle to the finish line because Brock Hollis was breathing down his neck.

Ryan Griffith from Coldwater, MS threw cold water on the hopes of the Supermini class as he squirted his fast little Suzuki through the turns with an early lead. Series points leader Lance Vincent was undeterred, however and up-paced his Honda of Lafayette thumper to give chase. Sam Landry, Vance Accardo, Jude Patterson, Alex Lejeune and Nate Martin tried to keep up. Soon “Sir Lancelot” was able to put his LA Honda in front for good and the two pulled away from the class. Patterson had his O’Reilly’s Honda strokin’ hard up into the front of the chasers, while Jon-Murry Barr was picking off riders behind him. Suddenly Vincent went down, allowing Griffith to re-take the lead which he would never relinquish all the way to the finish. Vincent salvaged second, while Patterson took third, with Lejeune, Landry, Martin and Barr following.

“Sir Lancelot” charged out first on his trusty red steed, even tripling out of the whoop section ahead of the other 34 warriors. Ryan Griffith led the chase in second, with Jude Patterson, Adam Cedillo, Jon-Murry Barr, Nate Martin, Dylan Probst and Tanner McDaniel tagging along. Vincent went on to win the overall in front of Griffith, Patterson, Barr and Martin.

Nathan Davenport fulfilled his obligation to Suzuki City by getting out front early in the first moto of the 250 Pro class. This time, however, Zach Lawler was on him, shadowing his every move on his Pro-Flo Kawasaki. Behind them rode Bryce Landry, Dustin Gills, Dustin Manuel and Tee Hebert. Behind them came the double-gated 250 Intermediate class led by Team Green’s Johnny Moore from Madison, MS. Chris Tracy claimed second, followed by Jeremy Domingue, Hunter Stewart and Colt McCarra. Jake Lowry was on the move from way back in the pack. For the first time on the day, the fastest riders were all on the track at the same time.  By mid-race it was Davenport and Lawler separated by mere seconds. Behind them the two Dustin’s stirred up dust on the rapidly drying track. Moore methodically gained on the back of the Pro class, pulling along Tracy and Domingue from the Intermediate class. By the halfway point Moore was into the back of the money class, picking off stragglers, with Tracy and Domingue learning behind him. Lowry finally arrived behind them in fourth, trying to finish better than he started. Late in the race Dustin Gills disappeared, leaving Davenport, Lawler and Manuel in the top three spots with Intermediate riders closing behind them. Moore continued to lead while Domingue and Tracy were in a dogfight for second. Domingue pulled alongside Tracy to pass as the white flag came out, but Tracy was able to stick his wheel into the next turn first as the two disappeared out of sight. Davenport won by 10 seconds over Lawler, while Manuel got passed by J-MO in the whoops near the finish line. So Johnny Moore not only won the B class, but caught everyone in the A class except the Davenport and Lawler. Domingue, Lowry, Tracy and Nicholas Fisher rounded out the Intermediate class.

Like the 125 Pro/Intermediate race, the 250 class was a virtual repeat of the first moto, too. Davenport and Lawler slipped away from the money riders, while Moore led Tracy on an Intermediate expedition. Jake Lowry suffered an unknown malady and putted around in the back of the pack. Both leaders, Davenport and Moore pulled away from their respective classes to take impressive victories. Intermediate finishers behind Moore and Tracy were: Nicholas Fisher, Zachary Lott and Mike Hebert. 

Series Points leader Hoot Parker made short work of the Senior +40 class on his True Blue/Friendly Honda. TN rider John Wilder scooted into second, while Gene Lipps worked his Honda of Lafayette into third.

INTERVIEWS

Clyde Paulk

Roy: “Do you have Casey out here today?”

Clyde: “He’s out watching. He’s in baseball right now.”

Roy: “You’ve been involved in MS motocross for how long?”

Clyde: “Since I was 15 or 16, 30 years probably.”

Roy: “How does this track and this race today rate in MS racing?”

Clyde: “It’s gotta be as big as it’s ever been. It’s gotta be.”

Roy: “How far would you go back to find the next biggest race in your memory?”

Clyde: “I think when Casey was about 4 I remember a MS state Championship, when Windham was in Pearl. It was pretty big that day, but, this is gotta be bigger.”

Roy: “All right, so you see big things for Golden Pine MX.”

Clyde: “Oh yeah, Randy’s done a good job. This is a good track.”

Roy: “Where are you from?”

Clyde: “McComb, MS.”

Roy: “All right, thank you Clyde, for coming out today.”

Clyde: “Ok, Roy.”

Nathan Davenport

Roy: “Standing next to me is the fastest rider out here, the “Fire-Dog,” Nathan Davenport. How you doin’ Nathan?”

Nathan: “Pretty good. How about yourself?”

Roy: “I love it out here. You guys got a PRETTY track up here in Prentiss, MS. How do you like it?”

Nathan: “I like it a lot. This is actually the first time I’ve come here. I’ve never even practiced here. This is the first race isn’t it?”

Roy: “Yep.”

Nathan: “I actually like it a lot. It was muddy in practice, but it’s come along good. It’s got some good ruts in it. I tell ya’ the racin’ up in MS has come a long way the last couple of years. There aren’t that many Pros here, but there’s a lot of Amateur guys you see on the gate, there’s a lot of kids out there racin’.”

Roy: “How long have you been racin’ in MS?”

Nathan: “Since I was 7, and I tell ya’ it really has come a long, long way.”

Roy: “How old are you now?”

Nathan: “I just turned 22. I’m getting’ old.” (smiling)

Roy: “How does this race compare to other big races in MS in your mind?”
Nathan: “As far as MS goes, this is about the biggest Motocross race I’ve come to as far as turn out and as a whole. This is probably the biggest one.”

Roy: “That’s what I was wondering, from a MS standpoint, you being an expert for sure there. You were also an expert on the track. You were flyin’ pretty good. Are you goin’ to ride the 250 class, too?”

Nathan: “Yes sir, I’ll be out there in both classes. Hopefully we’ll do the same thing we did in the first one.”

Roy: “Didn’t you get hurt recently, and just start back racin’ again?”

Nathan: “Yes sir, I’ve been havin’ a little trouble with my knee. I started back about a year and a half ago, and I had to have knee surgery one time in the summer. Things got goin’ pretty good, and then I had to have surgery again around Christmas time. So that was kind of a setback. Hopefully we’ll get all of the kinks worked out and do good.”

Roy: “Who’s your sponsors?”

Nathan: “Suzuki City out of Biloxi, Danny Marino with Tucker Rocky helps me out a lot with a few things, my mechanic and his shop Pro Works, and a couple of my buddies help me out a lot. I couldn’t do it without them.”

Roy: “All right. Nathan Davenport. Thanks for your skill and entertainment through the years.”

Nathan: “Thanks a lot, buddy.”

Final Results:

50 OIL: 1. Ray Mitchell (Cob); 2. Colby Mayes (Yam); 3. Blake Montpelier (Cob); 4. Chase Freeman (Hon); 5. Max Currie (Yam).

50 (4-6): 1. Colby Mayes (Cob); 2. Blake Montpelier (Cob); 3. Beau Bates (Cob); 4. Blayze Berry (Cob); 5. Hunter Stutes (Hon).

50 (7-8): 1. Jason Kepley, Jr. (Cob); 2. Peyton Whattey (Cob); 3. Morgan Adcox (Pol); 4. Wesley Banks (KTM); 5. Zachary Geiger (KTM).

50 OPEN: 1. Jason Kepley, Jr. (Cob); 2. Hank Vann (KTM)); 3. Wesley Banks (KTM); 4. Peyton Whattey (Cob); 5. Zachary Geiger (KTM).

65 BEG: 1. Tanner Kelley (Kaw); 2. Hayden Clark (KTM); 3. Chase Desselle (Kaw); 4. Hank Van (Kaw); 5. Hunter Carmichael (Suz).

65 (7-9): 1. Matthew Weakley (KTM); 2. Scott McElroy (KTM); 3. T-Don Lerille (Pol); 4. Jason Kepley, Jr. (KTM); 5. Tyler Holifield (KTM).

65 (10-11): 1. Ashton Knight (KTM); 2. Shelby Knight (KTM); 3. Tristan Knight (Kaw); 4. Devante Martin (Kaw); Trey Smith (Kaw).

65 OPEN: 1. Patrick Lods (KTM); 2. Matthew Weakley (KTM); 3. T-Don Lerille (Pol); 4. Ashton Knight (KTM); 5. Scott McElroy (KTM).

85 BEG: 1. Dustin Baker (KTM); 2. Tanner Kelley (Yam); 3. Trent Menard (Hon); 4. Rimes Dinkins (KTM); 5. Austin Buxton (Suz).

85 (7-11): 1. Dylan Probst (Hon); 2. James Waldrop (Yam); 3. Patrick Lods (KTM); 4. Forrest Town (Yam); 5. Christopher Lawrence (?).

85 (12-15): 1. Lance Vincent (Hon); 2. Nate Martin (Suz); 3. Jon Murry Barr (Yam); 4. Alex Lejeune (Hon); 5. Ryan Griffith (Suz).

85 OPEN: 1. Lance Vincent (Hon); 2. Ryan Griffith (Suz); 3. Jude Patterson (Hon); 4. Jon Murry Barr (Yam); 5. Nate Martin (Suz).

WOM: 1. Leslie Poche (Hon); 2. Kaitlyn Hayes (Hon); 3. Taylor Watts (Suz); 4. Karlee Huff (Suz); 5. Josie Brown (Kaw).

SCLBY: 1. Jeremy Domingue (Hon); 2. Carey Willett (Yam); 3. Nicholas Fisher (Hon); 4. Sam Landry (Hon); 5. Cory Breazeale (Hon).

125 BEG: 1. Derek Lopez (Hon); 2. Quincy Schaubert (Hon); 3. Zackary Broadway (Hon); 4. Michael Kelley (Yam); 5. Travis Slaughter (Hon).

125 NOV: 1. Jared Miller (Hon); 2. Colby Airhart (Yam); 3. Jess Wilder (Hon); 4. Cory Breazeale (Hon); 5. Justin Pittman (Yam).

125 INT: 1. Jeremy Domingue (Hon); 2. Jake Lowry (Hon); 3. Carey Willett (Yam); 4. Chris Tracy (Kaw); 5. Colt McCarra (Hon).

125 OPEN: 1. Jake Lowry (Hon); 2. Jeremy Domingue (Hon); 3. Chris Tracy (Kaw); 4. Brett Bourg (Suz); 5. John Moeller (Yam).

125 EX: 1. Nathan Davenport (Suz); 2. Dustin Gills (Suz); 3. Dustin Manuel (Suz); 4. Bryce Landry (Hon).

250 BEG: 1. Quincy Schaubert (Hon); 2. Dean Gould (KTM); 3. Jason Anderson (Hon); 4. Richie Lawson (Hon).

250 NOV: 1. Cory Breazeale (Hon); 2. Jared Miller (Hon); 3. Jess Wilder (Hon); 4. Kamin Zerangue (Hon); 5. Terry Stutes (Hon).

250 INT: 1. Johnny Moore (Kaw); 2. Chris Tracy (Kaw); 3. Nicholas Fisher (Hon); 4. Zachary Lott (Yam); 5. Jake Lowry (Hon).

250 OPEN: 1. Johnny Moore (Kaw); 2. Chris Tracy (Kaw); 3. Jake Lowry (Hon); 4. Nicholas Fisher (Hon); 5. Brock Hollis (Yam).

250 EX: 1. Nathan Davenport (Suz); 2. Zach Lawler (Kaw); 3. Dustin Manuel (Suz); 4. Bryce Landry (Hon); 5. Dustin Gills (Suz).

SSR: 1. Duel Judice (Hon); 2. Bobby Billiot (Kaw); 3. Michael Alf (Yam); 4. Bobby Carter (KTM); 5. Kevin Matherne (Yam).

SEN +30: 1. Randy Wales (Hon); 2. Tracey Lecompte (Hon); 3. Hoot Parker (Hon); 4. Patrick Meche (KTM); 5. John Wilder (Hon).

SEN +40: 1. Hoot Parker (Hon); 2. John Wilder (Hon); 3. Gene Lipps (Hon); 4. Glenn McGovern (KTM); 5. Sam Hazlip (Hon).