Tribune/Dan McGee - Reece Honea heads out from a pit stop on the way to scoring the first victory in several years at a combined MRANN/D-36 event. It was his second race in as many days as on Saturday he competed at a race in Utah.
Tribune/Dan McGee - With encouragement from one of his pit crew, Martin Kite takes off and would make it a MRANN 1-2 finish at Sunday's Desert Challenge race.
Tribune/Dan McGee - Josh Morros (1165) dives into the first turn after the start at Sunday's desert race to take the lead. Unfortunately the Spanish Springs rider had his race cut short when he crashed after hitting a rock. Fortunately he was only shaken up in the incident.
In the week before the race, the MRANN forum was full of challenges to local hot shoes and offers of money if they could finally defeat the D-36 regulars.
On the start line for D-36 was nationally ranked rider David Pearson and facing him were the MRANN regulars including Team Green racer Josh Morros as well the riders from Speed Technologies.
When the dust, and there was a lot of it, settled MRANN regulars swept the top two places.
"My start wasn't the best but I got past Martin (Kite) on the road section," Reece Honea said after taking first overall. "The Hole is still there and that's where there is a stream and mud. I also need to thank my sponsors, Factory Connection, KTM, Dirty Dave's Cycle Shop, NMS, RMS, Troy Lee Designs and my brother Ron."
When the pro row started Morros beat almost everyone into the sharp left hand turn the riders faced just yards from the start. He jumped into the lead with Pearson, Jordan Brandt, Martin Kite and Reece Honea in hot pursuit.
It appeared the MRANN racers were going to give the D-36 rivals a run for their money.
Before the first lap ended, Pearson was out with a blown engine and Morros hit a rock, crashed and spun his mental compass. Ryan Toomey gave up his race to bring Morros back to the pits where the medics checked him to be sure he wasn't injured.
Up front Honea made his move and swept past Kite as they left Brandt in their dust.
Giving chase for the invaders was Patrick Garrahan, who moved up from his 10th position to third.
"I got the jump on everyone and kind of overshot the first turn and man, those Nevada guys just blew by me in the dust," Garrahan said. "I had nothing for them as I couldn't see the ground or anything in front of me so I just tried to be safe."
Dust was a hazard for everyone, especially at the start. Everyone behind the leaders had to negotiate a blinding cloud of dust and although several riders went down, everyone got back up and rejoined the race.
At the end of the first 42-mile loop, Honea held a 30-second lead and Garrahan was about a minute behind the flying Kite.
The course took the racers across a shallow valley. Then after they turned west, the racers went up and across the crest of a high hill before coming down and heading back for the pits.
It was a quick race as Honea reached the checkered flag with a time of 2:17:34 and Kite, riding a KX 250F that Morros used to race, finished behind him with a time of 2:20:38. Garrahan wasn't too far behind for third overall.
"It was fun, a little rocky, lots of silt but not too hard. Reece just went by me on the road and there's a real fun section on a two jeep lane road that you can launch off stuff and go fast," Kite, a 17-year-old Spanish Springs High student said. "At the first turn there were only about four guys in front of me so I just had to turn, not wreck and stay out of the dust. And I need to thank Speed Technologies, John Harrah, Lloyd Lebard, Team RMS and my dad Marty."
Scoring was a bit tricky as D-36 had its own scoring chute while MRNN had one right beside them.
Back in the pack, Laura Townsend, a 17-year-old Spanish Springs High School student, was competing in her first Women's Novice Sunday race. Trailing behind was her father, who commented on how she "bagged a lot of novice guy racers."
Also in the pack was another Spanish Springs High student, Jenelle Chattin, who was riding using her D-36 number and apparently doing well although her finish was unknown at press time.
After the finish Garrahan said, "The course was fun, a good mix of sand washes, rocks and roads. I'm second in points for D-36 and my brother Brian is leading. He's not here so I made up some points on him and I might come back for the D-36 races here and the Virginia City Grand Prix."
It was a long weekend for three of the riders as they came from Saturday's National Hare and Hound event at Delta, Utah. There, Pearson won the pro class while Morros placed fourth and Honea was seventh.
The junior set and V Women raced a short course on Saturday. Topping the MRANN 6 & under group was Aidan Howe when the 7 & older winner was Austin Walton with Kevin Kirk taking the 65 beginner small fry division.
Corey Fletcher was the 65 expert winner in the mini bike class while Max Pecoraro was the 100 expert victor. Jenelle Chattin scored her third victory in as many races as the 16-year-old dominated the V-women expert class as she beat California rider Jeanie Findlay by almost four minutes.
The full MRANN results will be posted this week on www.racemrann.com, and the D-36 results being posted at www.amad-36.org.
OTHER RACING NEWS
•This week's action features motocross and drag racing as well as some oval track practice.
The Silver Peak MX series revisits Mustang Motorplex for its third round with practice on Saturday and the action beginning around 10 a.m. on Sunday.
Oval track racers will be at Rattlesnake Raceway in Fallon on Saturday for a play day that begins at 9 a.m. South of town the Top Gun Raceway kicks off its season with a two-day show that begins with timed runs starting at 9:30 a.m. with eliminations to follow.
•Two of NASCAR's Nevada Trio were at the Texas Motor Speedway this weekend. Kyle Busch overcame his run of bad luck to win Saturday's Nationwide event then finished third in Sunday's Sprint Cut race where his older brother Kurt ended up 23rd.
•Interest is still growing for the upcoming cleanup in the Hungry Valley Off Highway Vehicle area, which runs from Lemmon Valley to the Moon Rocks area. As it is Earth Day weekend, those interested can help clean up on Saturday, camp overnight then attend the festivities Sunday in Reno.
RESULTS*
MRANN Series - Round 3
Desert Challenge at Salt Wells
•Sunday, April 6
Overall - 1. Reece Honea, 2. Martin Kite, 3. Patrick Garrahan (D-36, 1st O.A.), 4. Sean Berryman, 5. Irving Powers, 6. Ross Neeley, 7. Cody Wallis, 8. Randy Mills, 9. Kyle Fenner, 10. Pete Neeley, 11. Josh Steckline, 12. Ian Horgan, 13. Jacob Bowman, 14. Willy Heiss, 15. Ryan Hamel, 16. Derek Metz, 17. Cody Knight, 18. Mark Dowers, 19. Jason Stelzriede, 20. Tim Fitzpatrick, 21. Robert Nelson
•Saturday, April 5 (MRANN)
Pee Wees:
6 & Under - 1. Aidan Howe, 2. Dallas Serpa, 3. Mike Lampe, 4. Aleea Howe, 5. Johanna Stone, 6 Ezra Belingheri, 7. Brandon Niles, 8. Devin Holmes, 9. Zayne Swindells, 10. Jesse White, 11. Zayn Reiche
7 & Older - 1. Austin Walton, 2. Austin Serpa, 3. Benjamin Niles, 4. Jakobee Keefe, 5. Levi Thompson
7 & Older - 4-Stroke - 1. Chesney Minor, 2. Brieanna McAuliffe
65 Beg. - 1. Kevin Kirk, 2. Zachery Tanner, 3. Kal Englund, 4. Erik Pichon, 5. Zach Kovall
Mini Bikes:
65 Beg. - 1. Zachery Tanner, 2. Kevin Kirk, 3. Erik Pichon, 4. Ricky Llanas, 5. Kai Englund
65 Ama. - 1. Dillon Boyson, 2. Evyn Smith, 3. Dalton Laney, 4. Connor Eastman, 5. Hunter Pitts
65 Exp. - 1. Corey Fletcher, 2. Mason Stone, 3. Marcus Loll, 4. Austin Walton, 5. Austin Serpa
100 Nov. - 1. Darian Gentile, 2. T.J. Smith, 3. Ricky Dahlberg, 4. Shane Gump, 5. Weston Minnick
100 Ama. - 1. Matthew Watson, 2. Derek Martinez, 3. Dino Rosa, 4. Tyler Bushey, 5. Zacary Fitch
100 Exp. - 1. Max Pecoraro, 2. Nate Block, 3. Blake Talseth, 4. Kenny Worlly, 5. Cody Burke
V Women:
Nov. - 1. Kara Kite, 2. Betty Brown, 3. Lindsey Gump, 4. Laurie Clark, 5. Brandi Kennedy
Ama. - 1. Taylor Kemp, 2. Devan Eastman, 3. Shari Netzel, 4. Jennifer White
Exp. - 1. Jenelle Chattin, 2. Jeanie Findlay, 3. Courtney Jackson, 4. Annette Castillo, 5. Beth Legenauer
*- Unofficial and partial
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