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Kirkpatrick Top Dog on the Rock!
Texas State Championship Enduro Circuit
Rocky Mountain Enduro Circuit
Rounds 4 and 1, Caprock Canyon Enduro
Quitaque, TX | March 30, 2008
Story & Photos by George Pennington
Cole Kirkpatrick Enroute to his second Overall TSCEC win of '08!
A full house of over 400 racers made the trek to Quitaque, Texas for the annual Caprock Canyon Enduro where they were greeted with unseasonably warm temperatures in the mid 80’s and no moisture in site. With 77 ground miles to cover, most of it in the first three gears, it was going to be a tough day on the ranch. The club began the event with a special test right out of the gate, a timed trip around the Grand Prix course used the previous day, and they would end the day there also, just in reverse direction. Following that the riders enjoyed a nice cool down as they traveled the county roads to the first section of singletrack, then the race was on. With little in the way of transfer trail, the riders were on the gas as they negotiated the tight turns through the Juniper bush up, down or sideways on every hillside in sight. The 18 mi. long A/B special test was particularly challenging as later riders found the challenging trail to have many silt filled ruts up the sharp climbs, leaving little room for error, and with the sun at it’s zenith, it was here where many an out of shape rider melted down and went into “survival” mode. Once through that though, riders were greeted with a faster more open timekeeping section before heading back to the final test at the GP track.
Donn Hogan Rounded Out The Podium at Third Overall!
The only thing hotter than the sun on this day was Cole Kirkpatrick, the KTM rider topping the field with his second O/A win this season. Dropping just 15 points, Kirkpatrick finished with a full point advantage over Haydn Franklin, also KTM mounted. Kirkpatrick is en-route to having a breakout year. Besides having overalled two of the three TSCEC events he’s entered, he’s also sitting fourth in the National Enduro points, wedged firmly between Jason Raines and Shane Watts. Not a bad place to be! Don Hogan rounded out the AA podium, making it a Texas and KTM sweep of the top three positions. Yamaha YZ250f mounted Ian Blythe made the trek down from Colorado, which has been less than warm so far this season, to finish fourth on the day, topping rival Cody Schaffer and his Kawasaki for top RMEC honors.
Cody Schafer Motored His Kawasaki to Fifth OA!
Top A honors fell to Bret Dooley and his 250 Husqvarna in sixth overall, while Chad Metcalf finished just a fraction off Dooley’s pace to top the 30+’s at seventh overall. Ryan Mainka motored his RMZ450 to the open class win; while YZ250 mounted Rob Weiher topped the 40+ class at 23rd overall.
Chad Metcalf Topped the Vets!
The 200’s were the cream of the “B” crop as Joseph Sutherland railed his KTM to the overall “B” victory in convincing fashion, topping YZ125 mounted Kyle Schaffer by three points. David Brooks topped the 30+ class, working his way to third overall.
The C riders, who rode only a slightly shorter course at 68 miles, were topped by Barry Stanly, the Open Class KTM rider narrowly defeating Matt Butler for the overall and class win.
Results:
AA: 1. Cole Kirkpatrick (KTM); 2. Haydn Franklin (KTM); 3. Don Hogan (KTM); 4. Ian Blythe (Yam); 5. Cody Schaffer (Kaw)
200
200 A: 1. Mike Diesburg (Yam); 2. Archie Taliaferro (KTM); 3.Brian Cagniut (KTM)
250
250 A: 1. Bret Dooley (Hus); 2. Chris Crump (Yam); 3. Josh Putman (KTM); 4. Mark Stevens (KTM); 5. Eric Gibson (KTM)
Open A: 1. Ryan Mainka (Suz); 2. Randy Race (KTM); 3. Jared Kuker (KTM); 4. Forest Smith (Hon); 5. Paul Nafziger (KTM)
4-St.
A: 1. Justin Warning (KTM); 2. Ray Barnard (Yam); 3. Jason Eckart (KTM); 4. Todd Kercher (KTM); 5. Scot Stretch (Hon)
30+ A: 1. Chad Metcalf (KTM); 2. Jim Koch (Yam); 3. Jeff Hernandez (Suz); 4. Cory Adair (Yam); 5. Wade Hoak (Kaw)
40+ A: 1. Rob Weiher (Yam); 2. Eric Neher (KTM); 3. Bobby Southard (KTM); 4. Alan Clark (Yam); 5. Lou Mazza (Yam)
50+ A: Michael Gibson (KTM); 2. Douglas Paley (KTM); 3. Dan Daily (Yam)
200 B: 1. Joseph Sutherland (KTM); 2. Kyle Schafer (Yam); 3. Tate Reynolds (KTM); 4. Matthew Kraemer (KTM); 5. Billy Holmes (KTM)
250 B: Lane Conaway (KTM); 2. Kevin Harris (Kaw); 3. Steil Beagley (KTM); 4. Billy Innis (suz); 5. Matt Leach (Kaw)
Open
B1: Ryan Smith (KTM); 2. Jerry Weaver (KTM); 3. Dean Thatcher (Hon); 4. Gaylon Gray (KTM); 5. Billy Wilson (KTM)
30+ B: 1. David Brooks (KTM); 2. Chris Damron (Yam); 3. Brent Ledford (Kaw); 4. Tom Pennington (KTM); 5. Clint chew (Yam)
40+ B: 1. Ed Hamilton (GAS); 2. Howard Utsey (Hon); 3. Allan McDonald (KTM); 4. Brian Bland (Hon); 5. Dale Tanaka (Yam)
50+ B: Joseph Gutierrez (KTM); 2. Kenny Perkins (KTM); 3. Kerry Glaze (KTM); 4. Ken Murphy (KTM); 5. Clive Heller (KTM)
4 St.
B1: Jeff Markewicz (KTM); 2. Tyler Heggie (Kaw); 3. Kevin Witt (KTM); 4. Steve Smiley (KTM); 5. Andrew Kiss (Hon)
200 C: 1. Nathan Reeves (KTM); 2. Jake Gregory (KTM); 3. Guthrey Coy (KTM); 4. Tyler Pennington (Hus); 5. Steven Shoecraft (KTM)
250 C: 1. Brandon Lay (KTM); 2. Bobby Brooks (KTM); 3. Tom Moran (Kaw); 4. Fletcher Neher (KTM); 5. Darrell Judy (KTM)
Open C: 1. Barry Stanley (KTM); 2. Matt Butler (Yam); 3. Randy Damron (KTM); 4. Abel Salazar (KTM); 5. Loren George (KTM)
4 St.
C: 1. Andrew Kent (Hon); 2. Ben Phipps (Hon); 3. Ronny Miller (Yam); 4. Dewey Maring (Hon); 5. Chris Womble (Yam)
Women: 1. Nicole Walker (Kaw); 2. Anna Flynt (Kaw); 3. Becky Woodell (Kaw); 4. Angela McTee (Yam); 5. Ellen Fisher (KTM)
16 Under LW: 1. Jared Arp (KTM); 2. Cole Shobert (Hon); 3. Garrett Everett (Hon); 4. Jarrod Washam (KTM); 5. Clayton Fisher (KTM)
16
Under SW: 1. Blake Nicolas (Kaw); 2. Justin Gregory (KTM); 3. Parker Neff (KTM); 4. Riley Hooper (Yam); 5. Justin Cates (Hon)
30+ C: 1. Cory Robertson (Hon); 2. Jeffery Peterson (Yam); 3. Chris Muhler (KTM); 4. James Rockhill (Yam); 5. Mike Powell (KTM)
40+ C: 1. Steve Black (KTM); 2. Jack Arp (KTM); 3. Bob Stapp (Kaw); 4. Rob Kitchens (KTM); 5. Bryan Stanley (KTM)
45+ C: 1. David Stuart (Suz); 2. Randal Fowler (KTM); 3. Steve Newsome (Kaw); 4. Bubba Ehrlich (Hon); 5. Charles Hall (ATK)
50+ C: 1. Greg Koetter (Yam); 2. Kenneth Smith (Yam); 3. Gene Stelly (KTM); 4. Greg Labbe (KTM); 5. Steve Hughes (Hus)
55+ C: 1. Jack Henry (KTM); 2. Dennis Ray (Yam); 3. William Pearson (Yam); 4. Danny Bamber (Kaw); 5. Randy Bright (KTM)
60+ C: 1. Vernon Markworth (Hon); 2. Kenny Otto (KTM); 3. David Burgen (KTM); 4. Floyd Stretch (KTM); 5. Dale Watson (KTM)