St. Jude Benefit Race at River's Edge Motocross Track

September 16, 2006

Hurricane Ashley Strikes south Louisiana

St. Jude Benefit Race

River’s Edge Motocross Track

Story & Photos by: Roy Jenkins

Giesmar, LA – September 16, 2006

What do Kevin Windham, Trey Canard and Ashley Fiolek have in common? They all ride Hondas, but besides that all three were present to help River’s Edge Motocross Track raise money to help the children of St. Jude Hospital. Track owner Lenny Johnson and Heavy D Promotions acquired 2 pit bikes and a CRF150 from Friendly Honda/Yamaha to raffle off. There was also a silent auction with plenty of items including autographed jerseys, with Kevin Windham on hand to personally sign anything the fans wanted ink on. The weather was mild, but the racing was hot. Though Trey Canard had his arm in a sling from a broken collarbone, he was all smiles after inking a new deal with the Amsoil/Factory Connection Team. Ashley was the only one of the trio that raced, and did she race! Hurricane Ashley won all her motos, both in the morning mini classes and in the evening big bikes (women and Schoolboy) on her last ride on the mini bikes.

            Damon Arceneaux was the only rider to match her speed, but went down twice trying to pass. All her competitors could see was her rear fender and brown hair waving behind her helmet.

Damon Arceneaux had to stalk Jon Murry Barr for a couple laps before he could make a pass over the step-up in the first moto of the 85 Open class. But after gliding effortlessly through the whoops Arceneaux washed out in the next turn taking Barr with him. Barr was able to remount first but not after losing several positions, with Kolby Marchand graciously accepting the lead. Barr and Arceneaux worked up to second and third, but Marchand held on to victory on his D&G/EBR Suzuki. Aaron Sanchez touched down on the finish jump fourth in front of Beaux Martin and Joe Looney.

Although she missed the first moto, Ashley Fiolek got her #67 American Honda out early, followed by Joe Looney and Damon Arceneaux. As the race progressed and riders settled into their paces it was close racing for third between Joe Looney and Jon Murry Barr, while Fiolek held off Arceneaux out front. He went down trying to pass and by the time he got back up he was in 10^th place and Hurricane Ashley had done her damage to the class. Arceneaux unleashed some of his blue fury as he dodged through the class picking up spots that were previously his all the way to second place! Arkansas’ Joe Looney took third on his Burnt hill MX KTM and Barr fourth, Marchand, Chad Gouterrez and Austin Mire. Arceneaux won the overall by finishing with a 3/2 over Barr’s 2/4 and Looney’s 6/3, but Fiolek held on to the bragging rights.

T-Don Lerille jumped out early on his Polini in the 50 (7-8) class, followed by a vastly improved Canon Shirah on his Cobra, Nick Webre and Chandler Lebeouf and they crossed the finish line in that order. Webre did not finish the second moto, allowing Austin Cain to place third behind Lerille and Shirah.

In the first moto of the 85 (7-11) class, Jon Murry Barr got his Champion Cycle/VFM/Racing Innovations KTM off the gate first with Joe Looney and Stone Edler in hot pursuit. They kept that order all the way to the checkered flag.

In the second moto of the 85 (7-11) class Barr and Looney separated themselves from the pack and went to work. Edler had to recover from a mediocre start and got into fourth by the second lap. Soon he had passed Austin Mire, James Waldrop and Forest Town to get into third but went down again allowing Town to finish third behind Barr and Looney.

T-Don Lerille was able to tuck his Polini inside and grab the best line through the sweeper late on lap one to take control of the 65 (7-9) class over Cameron Breland’s Cobra, with Chandler Lebeouf, Canon Shirah and Tyler Escoyne with the (10-11) class.

Jude Patterson whipped his O’Reilly’s Auto Parts Honda into the front row seat to watch the Fiolek/Arceneaux battle in the second moto of the 85 (12-15) class. Arceneaux got his front wheel hooked behind her bike in the back turn and high-sided, ending the race for first but not the drama. He left his spot wide open for Patterson, Aaron Sanchez, Klint Angelette and Kolby Marchand while he pinned his ears back and played Ketchup… I mean catch-up. He climbed a few positions each lap until the checkers where he scored fifth behind Fiolek, Patterson, Sanchez and Marchand.

The 250 Intermediate led off the night program with defending Top Dog Michael Haffner scoring the holeshot, followed by Brian Hodnett, Kyle Forrester. Barreling up from a mid-pack start was Joseph Pizzuto. Recovering from a rotten start was Mitch Gourney. By the second lap Pizzuto was up to third and in the blink of an eye was in second, gunning for a tiring Haffner. Gourney was behind him getting stronger as well, passing two riders at a time in the whoops. You guessed it; soon it was a Pizzuto/Gourney battle which ended in that order.

Gourney flew into the lead early in the second moto of the 250 Int class, followed by Ronnie Stigler and Michael Haffner. Scanlan took ever second on the second lap, with Haffner third, Forrester, Stigler, Hebert and Paulk. Pizzuto went down and Forrester made his way to third followed by Haffner and Hebert.

Mitch Gourney got a better start in the first moto of the 125 Intermediate/250 Novice class and claimed the top spot early in the race from Kyle Forrester, Ross Dimm, Trenton Suire, Dustin Sampey and Ryan Breaux. Gourney won by six seconds over Forrester with Dimm all by himself in third. Suire barely held off the late charge of Sampey. Gourney went on to sweep this class on his Calmes Motorsports/JMRacing Suzuki.

Champion Cycle’s Tyler Begue got off early on the Open Money class in front of Dustin Manuel’s Performance Suzuki, Jacob Freeman’s Kawasaki, Corey Romero’s Kawasaki and Jason Manuel’s Performance Suzuki and Ronnie Ramiscal’s Honda. Begue pulled the younger Manuel brother around the track for a few laps, gapping Romero, with older brother pulling out momentarily to talk to his mechanic. Ramiscal moved up to challenge Romero for third. Begue was able to win the moto with a little breathing room over Dustin Manuel. Corey Romero completed the podium in moto one.

Begue and Ramiscal crashed on the first lap of the second moto, leaving the track clear for Dustin “Sparky” Manuel to win on his Performance/Champion Cycle Suzuki. Romero cruised into third with Jason “Hollywood” Manuel taking third.

Tracey Lecompte scored the holeshot in the combined +30/+40 Senior class but couldn’t hold it very long as Hoot Parker and Mac Edmonston shouldered their way to the front. Wayne Simmons, Larry Cain and Charlie Pausina were on the move behind them. Soon Simmons was dogging Edmonston, but could never strike a move. By the last lap it was Edmonston, Cain, Simmons and Parker. Cain tried to sneak up on Edmonston, but Rooster lips held the line and took the victory. Behind them the +40 leaders were Simmons and Parker.

Wayne Simmons pulled a fast one in the second moto, with Edmonston leading the chase over Larry Cain and Hoot Parker. Soon “Rooster lips” scratched his way into the lead, never to relinquish it. Cain put pressure on Simmons for the second spot, while Parker led Lecompte behind them. The next lap Parker picked off Cain on the back straight, then Simmons and set his sights on the leader Edmonston. They played some vet games with each other going back and forth into the lead, but it finally came down to a last ditch effort by Parker to pass on the last sweeper before the finish line, but again Mac held on his G2G Honda to seal the sweep.

Ashley Fiolek won the Women’s Open for American Honda, but Leslie Poche kept her honest with her Cycle World of Houma Honda, followed by Stacey Brown’s Champion Cycle KTM. Poche gave Fiolek a challenge through the first few turns of the second moto, but after that it was all Hurricane Ashley, all the way to the flag.

Trenton Suire jumped out of the Schoolboy class on his D&G/Rad's Cycle Yamaha. Hunter Stewart held second on his Alford's Motorsports/D&G Kawasaki, with Devin Blair’s D&G/Bardwell Yamaha third. They had to keep it movin’ because there were some more speedy riders behind them trying to make a name for themselves, including Stephen Wagley, who finally caught and passed Blair for third.  Suire captured the flag, followed by Stewart, Wagley and Blair.

Suire again holeshot the second moto, with Wagley, Stewart, Blair in tow and they finished that way.

The biggest and most competitive class of the night was the 125 & up Open class with featured 26 riders on the gate, several of which had won earlier classes. Haffner again got a great start, with Casey Paulk, Dustin Sampey, and Mitch Gourney moving up from the fifth spot on lap one. Mid-pack Joseph Pizzuto, Jason Scanlan and Mac Edmonston were on the move. By the next lap Gourney and Pizzuto were reeling in the leader as they drag-raced down the back straight. By the time they made the scoring tower “Magic Mitch” had pulled the lead out of his hat, with Pizzuto elbowing past Haffner for second. Scanlan, Paulk, Edmonston, Suire and Sampey, Tim Bergeron, Ross Dimm Mike Hebert and Ryan Breaux followed in order. Blake Thompson went down on lap one, but regrouped, Larry Hays went down hard coming out of the four-pack and took longer to re-enter the fray. “Magic Mitch” punctuated his victory with a yellow tail-whip, while two seconds behind Pizzuto flashed his Ascension Ready Mix Kawasaki. Haffner, Scanlan, the old man Mac, Bergeron, Suire, Dimm, Breaux and Hebert scored.

Mitch Gourney again swiped the holeshot in the second moto and halfway into the first lap had a straight-a-way lead over Haffner, Scanlan, Suire, Wyatt Junot, Breaux, Marshall Rodriguez, Bergeron, Dimm, Sampey and Jacob Heintze. Gourney had a big lead on the last lap, with Scanlan second and a whole batch of riders in third, led by Suire, Breaux, Haffner, Bergeron, Dimm, Junot and Rodriguez. At the finish line, Gourney whipped his Suzuki thumper, and shortly thereafter was Scanlan doing a no-footer, no, he was trying to kick off a banner stuck on his foot peg, then came Suire, Breaux, Haffner and the rest of the class.

Did you know?

Trey Canard just signed with Kevin Windham’s team of Amsoil/Factory Connection/Sobe/No Fear/Samsung Honda.

Kyle Chaney raced in the pit bike class, which was won by Chase Guedry’s Hammerhead Mod creation.

Mac had several riders in the High School Motocross Pit that had never raced before including Jordan Walters, Wesley Berthelot and Jeremy Montillius. Hailey Warm has raced before.

Ray Mitchell won a pit bike and Jude Patterson won the CRF150.

Results:

50 OIL: 1. Ray Mitchell (Cob); 2. Sara Gros (Hon); 3. Justin Bolette (Kaw); 4. Steven Morales (Yam); 5. Matthew Andries (Hon).

50 (4-6): 1. Zack Geiger (Yam); 2. Ashton Castjohn (KTM).

50 (7-8): 1. T-Don Lerille (Pol); 2. Cannon Shirah (Cob); 3. Austin Cain (KTM); 4. Chandler Lebeouf (KTM); 5. Nick Webre (Cob).

50 OPEN: 1. T-Don Lerille (Pol); 2. Chandler Lebeouf (KTM); 3. Cannon Shirah (Cob); 4. Justin Mercier (KTM); 5. Ray Mitchell (Cob).

65 BEG: 1. Justin Braud (Kaw); 2. Kade Daniels (KTM); 3. Tanner Leger (Kaw); 4. Josie Brown (Kaw); 5. Donny Saucier (KTM).

65 (7-9): 1. T-Don Lerille (Suz); 2. Cameron Breland (Cob); 3. Chandler Lebeouf (KTM); 4. Cannon Shirah (KTM); 5. Steven Gros (Yam).

65 (10-11): Tyler Escoyne (KTM).

65 OPEN: 1. Jon-murry Barr (KTM); 2. T-Don Lerille (Suz); 3. Stone Edler (KTM); 4. Tyler Escoyne (KTM); 5. Cameron Breland (Cob).

85 Beg: 1. Kip Guidry (Hon); 2. Jamey Rivet (Kaw); 3. Chuck Layerle (KTM); 4. Chace Courville (  ); 5. Justin Braud (Kaw).

85 (7-11): 1. Jon-murry Barr (KTM); 2. Joe Looney (KTM); 3. Forrest Town (KTM); 4. James Waldrop (Kaw); 5. Austin Mire (Kaw).

85 (12-15): 1. Ashley Fiolek (Hon); 2. Jude Patterson (Hon); 3. Damon Arceneaux (Yam); 4. Kolby Marchand (Suz); 5. Aaron Sanchez (Suz).

85 OPEN: 1. Damon Arceneaux (Yam); 2. Jon-murry Barr (KTM); 3. Joe Looney (KTM); 4. Kolby Marchand (Suz); 5. Beaux Martin (Kaw).

PITBK (12&Under): 1. Damon Arceneaux (Yam); 2. Aaron Sanchez (Suz); 3. Houston Gammons (Kaw); 4. James Waldrop (Kaw); 5. Gordon Waguespack (Kaw).

125 BEG: 1. Devon Toups (Yam); 2. Jonathan Clark (Kaw); 3. Michael Kelly (Yam); 4. Garrett Freeman (Suz); 5. Juan Cabrera (Hon).

125 NOV: 1. Marshall Rodriguez (KTM); 2. Wyatt Junot (KTM); 3. Stephen Wagley (Kaw); 4. Chris St. Pierre (Kaw); 5. Jacob Heintze (Yam).

125 INT: 1. Mitch Gourney (Kaw); 2. Kyle Forrester (Kaw); 3. Trenton Suire (Yam); 4. Ryan Breaux (Hon); 5. Ross Dimm (Kaw).

250 BEG: 1. Scott Norris (Kaw); 2. Martin Putzeys (Yam); 3. Clint Landry (Hon); 4. Jean Quibodeaux (Hon); 5. Brand Dishon (Suz).

250 NOV: 1. Klint Forrester (Hon).

250 INT: 1. Mitch Gourney (Kaw); 2. Kyle Forrester (Kaw); 3. Jason Scanlan (Kaw); 4. Michael Haffner (Hon); 5. Bryan Hodnett (Yam).

125+OPEN: 1. Mitch Gourney (Kaw); 2. Jason Scanlan (Kaw); 3. Michael Haffner (Hon); 4. Trenton Suire (Yam); 5. Tim Bergeron (KTM).

WOM: 1. Ashley Fiolek (Hon); 2. Leslie Poche (Hon); 3. Staci Brown (KTM); 4. Morgan Parker (Yam); 5. Kaitlyn Hayes (Hon).

SCLBY: 1. Trenton Suire (Yam); 2. Stephen Wagley (Kaw); 3. Hunter Stewart (Kaw); 4. Zack Thibodeaux (Yam); 5. Jonathan Clark (Kaw).

SSRB: 1. Mike Alf (Yam); 2. Bobby Billiot (Kaw); 3. Buck Vinsen (Yam); 4. Joey Faulk (Hon); 5. Troy Dupuy (Hon).

SSRC: 1. Jon Dean (Yam); 2. Bob Calhoun (Hon); 3. Dirk Callahan (Yam); 4. Lance Miller (Hon); 5. Ray Buchert (Yam).

HOBBY+30: 1. Glenn Tatum (KTM); 2. Mike Alf (Yam); 3. Keith Dean (Hon); 4. Lenny Johnson (Kaw); 5. Darin Arceneaux (Hon).

PITBK+12: 1. Chase Guedry (Kaw); 2. Ashley Fiolek (Hon); 3. Michael Lebourgeois (Hon); 4. James Waldrop (Yam); 5. Klint Angelette (Suz).

SEN+30: 1. Mac Edmonston (Hon); 2. Larry Cain (Hon); 3. Tracey Lecompte (Hon); 4. Ryan Whitfield (Kaw); 5. Stephen Pershall (KTM).

SEN+40: 1. Hoot Parker (Hon); 2. Wayne Simmons (Suz); 3. Roy Smith (KTM); 4. Randy Fairburn (Kaw); 5. Tim Alexander (Kaw).

OPEN MON: 1. Dustin Manuel (Suz); 2. Corey Romero (Kaw); 3. Tyler Begue (KTM); 4. Jason Manuel (Suz); 5. Clayton McNemar (KTM).