Tribune/Dan McGee - On his way to winning the combined AMA District 36 and MRANN race Sunday, winner Brian Garrahan, who is the National Hare Scrambles points leader, negotiates a puddle that was part of the 45-mile long course.
Tribune/Dan McGee - Ross Neely, a high school senior from Chester, Calif., peels out after going through the puddle at yesterday's desert race. He was the highest placed MRANN rider.
Tribune/Dan McGee - Not wanting to get his boots wet, Ryan Hamel lifts his feet as he rolls through a puddle that was part of Sunday's desert race.
Tribune/Dan McGee - Veteran racer Chrystal Ponsock rode in both the Saturday Women's race as well as the Pony Soldier National event on Sunday. Here, her pit crew is fueling her bike and changing her goggles during a pit stop.
The event itself was a very different affair as riders competed either with District 36 side or with MRANN. As a result there were two scoring chutes, each for the individual series while the racers themselves competed for the overall finish and bragging rights.
In the end, Lady Luck dealt her cards and a rider from the north coast of California was given the hot hand.
After taking the checkered flag and scoring the overall victory, Brian Carrahan said, "I started in the back and passed about 100 riders in the first three miles, just going through the whoops wide open and my WR1 Suspension was just unbelievable today. I got to about fifth place, the dust cleared out a little bit and I passed fourth so I got into third. I was riding comfortable there, just trying to get a good finish and the first two guys broke down so I got a gift."
When asked about his secret he added," They ride KTMs, but I ride a Yamaha and need to thank Yamaha U.S.A., Craigers Motorsports and WR1 Suspension."
When the first of six lines of riders took off it appeared that MRANN alumnus Robert Underwood held the hot hand as he got the hole shot with D-36 rider Brian Olsen in hot pursuit.
The start sent the riders down a small hill and into a right turn then up the face of a jump. Blinding dust was a real problem as only the first riders could see where they were going while making that jump.
In fact group went wide and sent spectators scattering as the racers were on the wrong side of the tape used to mark the course. Fortunately no one was hurt in the scramble.
The course took the racers around several large hills, past the pits then along the great beach at the south end of Winnemucca Dry Lake. Coming back to the pits they were routed through a large mud puddle that was at the bottom of a small incline.
And some competitors got a bath as they ran through the puddle that got deeper as more riders carved ruts under the water.
Up front Underwood was setting the pace but when he arrived at the pits just after two hours he was in trouble and very frustrated due to bike problems. The Concours Auto Body crew was unable to discover what was wrong so they fueled the bike and sent him on his way.
By this time Olsen had inherited the lead and Underwood left the pits 51 seconds behind him with Garrahan in third. Further back, but in the top five, the first MRANN rider, Ross Neely was having a good run.
After making the first loop, the leaders tore past the pits on their way north where things began to go wrong. First Underwood's motor expired then Olsen's, which gave the delighted Garrahan both the D-36 and Overall victories.
Behind him another race reached it conclusion as Garrahan's brother Patrick, who had been in third, used a last second charge to take second just a few feet in front of the checkered, which dropped Brian Powell to third.
"I passed him about two feet before the finish as I timed it just right," Garrahan said. "We come to the desert once or twice a year for our series. I like it but it was really dusty out there so I kept it off the ground and had a good ride."
Asked what happened at the finish, Powell said, "I was sleeping so he kind of snuck up on me."
Ross Neely, from Chester, Calif. was the first MRANN rider to reach the finish so he finished either fourth or fifth overall.
"It was dusty and whooped out at the end of the race. But I kept on going and started pushing it at the end so I saved my momentum for the last lap," he said. "And I need to thank my mom and dad for driving me out there and my local fans."
One of the riders doing double duty was Chrystal Ponsock. After winning the Saturday's women's race she took on the long course and competed in Sunday's event.
Several riders did go down during the event with one being transported to the Renown Medical Center by Care Flight while five others were self-transported to be check for various injuries. Their conditions were unknown at deadline.
In Saturday's action Kai Kapahee, Jake Madson and Aaron Rapp won their respective Pee Wee races. Joe Haney won the Mini Bike event while Ponsock was the V Women's winner.
OTHER RACING NEWS
•One track begins it year while another series will be in action on Easter Saturday.
The Lovelock Speedway starts its year with a 1 p.m. start and features an added payout for IMCA Modifieds as well as introducing its new Outlaw Kart track.
Closer to home, at the Lions Fernley MX track, the Sierra Motocross Series hosts its second round with a 10 a.m. Saturday start time to the action.
On Easter Sunday both the Fernley track and Mustang Motor Plex will be open for practice sessions.
•This week, at the Martinsville Speedway, Kyle Busch stepped out of his Camping World Truck and put Brian Ickler behind the wheel. Evidentially it worked as Ickler started 32nd and finished third.
The Sprint Cup race was rained out and will be televised today on FOX starting at 9 a.m.
RESULTS
Pony Soldier National - March 28, 2010
AMA District 36 - National Hare Scrambles series, Round 3
Overall - 1. Brian Garrahan, 2. Patrick Garrahan, 3. Brian Powell, 4. Brian Sperle, 5. Rodney Spencer Jr.
MRANN - Round 3
Overall - 1. Ross Neely, Open Exp., 2. Irving Powers, Open Exp., 3. Zakk Audenried, Open Exp., 4. Larry Wright, 50+ Exp., 5. Kyle Fenner, 250 Exp., 6. Levii Hutchings, 250 Exp., 7. Mark Dowers, 40+ Exp., 8. Geoff Brownell, 40+ Exp., 9. Tayler Dahlberg, 4-Stroke Exp., 10. Ryan Hamel, 4-Stroke Exp., 11. Cliff Townsend, 40+ Exp., 12, Ben Barnes, 4-Stroke Exp., 13. Casey Forsmark,, 4-Stroke Exp., 14. Carter Forsmark, 4-Stroke Exp., 15. Robert Nelson, 4-Stroke Exp.
Saturday, March 27
6 & Under - 1. Kai Kapahee
7 & Older - 1. Jake Madson, 2. Aleea Howe, 3. Aidan Howe, 4. Jesse White, 5. Anthony Edberg
7 & Older, 4-Stroke - 1. Aaron Rapp, 2. Brieanna McAuliffe, 3. Cody Schlefstein
65cc:
- (Beg) - 1. Julian Corridori, 2. Dallas Serpa, 3. Riley Harvey, 4. Caleb Farley, 5. Devynn Muhlenberg
- (Ama.) 1. Max Madson, 2. Levi Thompson, 3. Asa Howe, 4. Benjamin Niles
100cc:
- (Nov) 1. Max Belcher, 2. Dillon Boyson, 3. Dyulan Dziminski, 4. Zachary Carpentier, 5. Darien Cobon
- (Ama) 1. Colton Crist, 2. Zane Roberts, 3. Ryan Roseman, 4. Austin Serpa, 5. Schuyler Minnick
- (Exp.) 1. Joe Haney, 2. Samuel Jacobus, 3. Bordy Honea, 4. Marcus Loll, 5. Corey Fletcher
V Women:
- (Nov.) 1. Kim Polimeni, 2. Leslie Crowford, 3. Shari Netzel, 4. Melyssa Armstrong, 5. Brittany Thomas
- (Ama.) 1. Katie Rosenquist, 2. Jacque Stone, 3. Kari Cashen, 4. Lacey Sexson, 5. Laurie Clark
- (Exp.) 1. Chrystal Ponsock, 2, Taylor Kemp, 3. Courtney Jackson, 4. Danielle Rosenquist, 5. Chanel Honea
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