Glen Helen Raceway once again hosted the popular MTA 2 Stroke National that also includes the LA Sleeve Pro class race. The event which originally was the 4 Stroke National, changed with the times and has helped to keep the 2 stroke alive. With over three hundred and fifty entries that included a forty-man gate in the LA Sleeve Pro Class, it appears as if the two stroke is not going away any time soon. The FMF AMA Pro Motocross National presented by Malcolm Smith Motorsports is approaching quickly will once again hold a Pro two stroke exhibition race before real Pro motos begin. In order to qualify for it, you have to to score in the top twenty overall at the Two Stroke National. Talking with Kyle Partridge in-between motos, he said his goal was to make that top twenty and at the end of the day he just made it with a 20th overall.
In moto one of the LA Sleeve Pro class, it was Zach Bell, the former Geico Honda rider who ran away from the pack. Zach has been training and racing several off-road races in preparation for his return to the Pro Motocross Nationals. John Ames representing Barn Pros, the same team he rides for on the West Coast SX series, followed Zach with a second and KTM’s Michael Sleeter with third.
In the second moto, Zach was in the front group when he and Sleeter came together which left Zach on the ground. Zach charged back to fourth but was unable to make up enough time to get back on the podium. Sleeter on the other hand was able to capitalize and stay up front and finish second behind local Ryan Surratt who went 4-1 for first overall. Mike’s 3-2 was good enough for second overall. Brandon Scharer was third but mixed with his 28th it didn’t get him close to an overall podium. It was Ames who came in behind behind Surratt with 2-4 for a third overall. It was great to see Mike get one for the older guys, as the other two are still nineteen and twenty respectively.
This race was a good test for the newly changed track design that was created by Jody Wiesel, the most notable difference in the course is that it no longer had the infamous Talladega corner. It has been cut right in the middle and the riders will now head straight down and than straight back up the uphill that used to take a few corners to get to. The riders had mixed reactions to the change, most of it not necessarily positive. By the time they get thru the curve and it straightens out, they were basically in fifth gear tapped. Forty riders going that fast into an off-camber, narrow, downhill/uphill might be asking for trouble. But they are Pros, and we know they can handle it… we hope!
- RYAN SURRATT
- MIKE SLEETER
- JON AMES
- ZACH BELL
- JOHNNY JELDERDA
- SEAN LIPANOVICH
- RJ WAGEMAN
- JORDYN SCALVINI
- TRAVIS BELL
- SEAN COLLIER
- DENNIS STAPLETON
- COLE SHONDECK
- MAX GERSTON
- JUSTIN JONES
- BRANDON SCHARER
- BRADLEY LIONNET
- TALLON LAFOUNTAINE
- JUSTIN MUSCUTT
- MITCH VANDEMORTEL
- KYLE PARTRIDGE