2003 AMA Redbull Supermoto Round 5

Pete Brissette
by Pete Brissette

Irwindale, CA - The smoke filled air had all but cleared from the skies over L.A. as a result of devastating wildfires on this first evening of November but not for long. Only this time the contaminants circulating on this crisp fall night wouldn't be smoke and ash. It turned out to be a dust cloud whipped into frenzy by some of the biggest names in motorcross, roadracing and dirttrack. The AMA's fledgling new race series, Supermoto, made it's only Southern California stop as round five of six in what is sure to be a race series that will build with popularity just about as fast as the fires ate up the Golden State.

Supermoto, for the uninitiated, combines the sky high dirty antics of motocross with the peg grinding skill of roadracing, all in an area not much bigger than your typical moto/supercross track. Supermotard as it was previously dubbed by the French, which means loosely "Superbiker, had it's moment in the sun in the late 1970's courtesy of ABC's Wide World of Sports. In essence the machines are dirtbikes with modified suspension and 17" wheels shod with sticky roadracing tires. They also being modified in order to deal with the dirt portion of the track with consumes roughly half of the course. A series of mild jumps (mild compared to your typical super or motocross track) and banked dirt turns present just enough grief to make getting back on paved surface demanding , that no one rider can rely heavily on only one type of riding even for the skilled likes of Doug Henry, Jeff Ward, Ben Bostrom, Joe Kopp, Jürgen Künzel and ever colorful, yet always lovable Mike Metzger, just to name a few.

Local Fullerton man Jeff Matiasevich jumping though hoops to finish 14th.

The two main events in what was a day long affair at the Irwindale Speedway, known locally for it's half mile auto racing, were the Supermoto Unlimited Final and Supermoto main. Borrowing from World SuperBike a "SuperPole" preceeded the Unlimited Final, which was won by Doug Henry of Yamaha but only by one second over KTM'S Jürgen Künzel. A shinny gold watch was awarded to Doug for the laptime of 1:15.424.

But Jürgen would have his revenge as he walked away with Unlimited Final win and never looked back after about lap three in the 20 lap race. Which left the real race between second and third place. This action was getting brutish as Joe Kopp and Ben Carlson, both of KTM, were never less than sniffing distance from one another's exhaust pipe. The final say would be Kopp's, drawing on his finely honed dirt skills from a successful career in dirttrack, to pass Carlson mid-turn on the last lap to take second place. By the way, this pass was underneath Carlson, in the dirt!

Henry takes the pole and the gold!

The final race of the night, the Supermoto Main, held the biggest assemblage of notables which drew upon the big three, motocross, roadracing and dirttrack, for it's supply of combatants. Once again, Doug Henry, Joe Kopp, Jürgen Künzel, Larry Pegram and Ben Carlson would return from the Unlimited Main, to be joined by Ben Bostrom, Jeff Ward and Mike Metzger to name a few, to create a spicy little mix of some of the most loved names in motorbike racing today.

And in this race Doug Henry would summons the skill used to win him the SuperPole to take the win in a "goin' away" fashion. Jürgen Künzel fought long and hard to maintain the lead early on, but found himself going backwards as the 20 lapper wore on to be relegated to 2nd place. As the race field stretched out into a seemingly endless parade of thumpers, as this type of race does to a large field, Ben Bostrom forged ahead from 5th to 3rd early on in the span of less than three laps only to fall victim to showman and crowd favorite Mike Metzger in the end who proudly took his place on the podium for third. Ben Carlson, Ben Bostrom and Joe Kopp topped off the following three with Larry Pegram finishing in 8th and Roger Lee Hayden of the rapidly mounting Hayden Boys racing dynasty taking an 11th place finish.

A new firestorm of a benign nature is being kindled within the motorbike racing world in the U.S. with the AMA fanning the flames. And they've picked some of the most combustible names in racing today to spark what will be an ever expanding series as racers from across the gamut flock to the flames to join in what is just plain fun racing.

If you find yourself in Las Vegas on November 20, make a date to attend the season closer of the AMA Honda RedBull Supermoto Series. You'll be at the flashpoint of great racing!

Supermoto - Race results

Pos.No.Rider nameHometownBikeLapsTeam
1369Doug HenryTorrington, CTYamaha YZ45020Team Motodynamics Tuluie Yamaha
297Jürgen KünzelGermanyKTM 450SX20Red Bull HMC KTM Supermoto Racing Team 1
3875Michael F MetzgerMenifee, CAHonda CRF450R20Team Zoo York Honda Metzger
445Benjamin CarlsonWest Bend, WIKTM 450SX20Red Bull HMC KTM Supermoto Racing Team 1
5155Ben BostromLas Vegas, NVHonda CRF45020Honda Racing
630Joe KoppMica, WAKTM 450SX20Red Bull HMC KTM Supermoto Racing Team 2
794Mark AvardBalcolyn, NSW, AustraliaSuzuki DR-Z40020Pacifico Saunders Suzuki
852Larry PegramBaltimore, OHKTM 450SX20Red Bull HMC KTM Supermoto Racing Team 2
92Josh ChisumBakersfield, CAHonda CRF45020Troy Lee Designs Honda
1061Mark BurkhartPickerington, OHYamaha YZF45020RAD Racing Disanto Yamaha
1121Roger Lee HaydenOwensboroHonda CRF45020American Supercamp Walker Honda
12343Matthew J PursleySt Louis, MOYamaha YZ45020Fat Boy Racing Wilburn Yamaha / Honda
1362Cory CallSacramento, CAHonda CRF45020CHM Exhaust McAllister Motorsports Honda I
1448Laurent BeguelinSt Tropez, FranceHonda CRF45019CHM Exhaust McAllister Motorsports Honda II
15450Shane TurpinSalt Lake City, UTKTM 45019MotoVoy Scott KTM
1639Matt BurtonOttumwa, IAYamaha YZ45019Fat Boy Racing Wilburn Yamaha / Honda
17357Gary TrachyOrange, CAHonda CRF45019Fasst Company Trachy Honda
1892Casey A YarrowFairfield, CAHonda CRF45019CHM Exhaust McAllister Motorsports Honda I
1956Don HartAntelope, CAHonda CRF45019Pinit Motorsports Polk Honda
2047Brett LandesLos Gatos, CAHonda CRF45013CHM Exhaust McAllister Motorsports Honda I
213Jeff WardSan Juan Capistrano, CAHonda CRF4509Troy Lee Designs Honda
22232Nick DanielsMattoon, ILYamaha YZF4509Fat Boy Racing Wilburn Yamaha / Honda
2311Christopher FillmoreOxford, MIKTM 450SX7Red Bull HMC KTM Supermoto Racing Team 1
2473Steven DrewYorba Linda, CAHonda CRF4500-DNFWhite Brothers Moto Master Brent Honda

Supermoto Unlimited - Race results

Pos.No.Rider nameHometownBikeLapsTeam
197Jürgen KünzelGermanyKTM 52520Red Bull HMC KTM Supermoto Racing Team 1
230Joe KoppMica, WAKTM 525SX20Red Bull HMC KTM Supermoto Racing Team 2
345Benjamin CarlsonWest Bend, WIKTM 52520Red Bull HMC KTM Supermoto Racing Team 1
473Steven DrewYorba Linda, CAHonda XR650R20White Brothers Moto Master Brent Honda
511Christopher FillmoreOxford, MIKTM 52520Red Bull HMC KTM Supermoto Racing Team 1
627Leonardo BagnisBakersfield, CAVertemati 57020East Hills Motorsports Harrington Vertemati
7690Ryan HughesKTM 54020Red Bull HMC KTM Supermoto Racing Team 2
843Mickey DymondPlacentia, CA20All Access ASD Eastland Honda
9102Mark AvardBalcolyn, NSW, AustraliaKTM 52520Kern Knight KTM
10357Gary TrachyOrange, CAKTM 52519Fasst Company Trachy Honda
11450Shane TurpinSalt Lake City, UTKTM 52519MotoVoy Scott KTM
1246Jeff HarringtonBakersfield, CAVertemati 60019East Hills Motorsports Harrington Vertemati
13108Chuck McCartyOntario, CAKTM 525SX19Carty's Racing McCarty KTM
14111Jeff MatiasevichFullerton, CAKawasaki KX50019Pro Circuit Matiasevich Kawasaki
1583Calvin AndlovecRoseville, CAKTM 52519Fast 50's Mason Honda / Yamaha
1663Chuck SunN Las Vegas, NVKTM 66018Red Bull HMC KTM Supermoto Racing Team 2
1782Craig MasonAuburn, CAKTM 52518Fast 50's Mason Honda / Yamaha
1826Brian CattersonCosta Mesa, CAHusqvarna TE61017Team Cagiva Catterson Husqvarna
1977Mike KrynockSunny Vale, CAKTM 52515Des Motosport Krynock KTM
20106Gerald DelepineBelgiumVertemati 57013East Hills Motorsports Harrington Vertemati
216Mark CernickyNewport Beach, CAKTM 52512Yoshimura Joe Rocket Honda Dunlop
22104Kenny CarlottaGilroy, CAKTM 5258Kern Knight KTM
23151Jens HainbachSchotten, GermanyHusaberg 6502BMG Blake Husaberg
2452Larry PegramBaltimore, OHKTM 525SX0-DNSRed Bull HMC KTM Supermoto Racing Team 2
Pete Brissette
Pete Brissette

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