This page last updated on 9/5/03
Amateur Action at Broome-Tioga
25th Annual
Suzuki East Coast
Amateur Nationals
Story and photos by Jim P. Sanderson Click here to email
The
Broome-Tioga Sports Center, commonly referred to as the "Greatest
Spectator Course in America," and Hurd Motorsports, hosted round
10 of the AMA Chevy Trucks U. S. Motocross Championship Series on
August 24, 2003. As is traditional with most tracks on the AMA Pro
circuit, two days of amateur races were held prior to the National.
Scott Phelps (420) nails the holeshot of the final
over 25 Expert moto at the 2003 Suzuki Amateur Nationals
at the Broome-Tioga Sports Center on August 22nd & 23rd in
Binghamton, New York.
A
new amateur record was set in 2003. 983 riders signed up to race the
two-day race program. Several classes were split into two groups, A
& B respectively, so that all racers would get to ride two full
moto's rather than run qualifiers to reduce each class to 40 gates.
Promoter Tom and Peggy Hurd believe in giving every rider their
money's worth. A new record was also set on Sunday. Spectator
attendance topped the 20,000 mark for the first time in the 25-year
history of the venue.
Sean Skutnik (875) and Pat Barton (5) battle for 4th
place in the final over 25 Expert moto at the
2003 Suzuki Amateur Nationals at the Broome-Tioga Sports Center.
The
amateur racing was top notch as usual for this annual event. Veteran
Expert rider, Kurt McMillen, of Wapp Falls, New York, topped the Over
25 Expert class podium with a 3-2. Binghamton Honda's own veteran
rider, Scott Rockwell, who has been a regular at the Broome-Tioga
circuit for years, took runner-up honors with a 5-3 tally and Greg
Pamart, of Newmanstown, Pennsylvania, rounded out the podium with a
2-6 score. Honorable mention has to go to Dunlop Tires, Eddie Ray, who
is the 2003 AMA Air Nautiques Amateur National 4-stroke Motocross
Champion. Ray holeshot the start of the first Over 25 Expert moto
aboard the booming big-bore Honda thumper and went wire to wire for
win. In the second moto, Ray had some bad luck and unfortunately,
carded a DNF.
Dunlop Tires Eddie Ray (50) leads the 1st over 25
Expoert moto with Greg Pamart (476) and
Pat Barton (5) in tow at the Suzuki Amateur Nationals in
Binghamton, New York.
Ray
got his Honda thumper to the front of the pack quickly and led the
start of the 1st Over 25 Expert moto with Pamart, Pat Barton, Gary
Michael and Christopher McMillin trailing. Sean Skutnik, son of the
former owner of the Broome-Tioga Sports Center, Jack Skutnik, passed
Chris McMillin on the front supercross section to claim fifth. The top
three were unchanged at the start of lap two when Kurt McMillen moved
up to take fourth. Skutnik was holding fifth. After two and a half
laps, McMillen closed the gap on Barton and made the pass for third in
the old tree turns (now called the stump turns because that is what's
left of the trees after the National track racecourse was changed)
with a text book block pass. Baton was relegated to fourth. Ray was on
cruise control out front and finished the moto with a five second
lead. Rounding out the top five were Pamart, McMillen, Barton and
Rockwell.
Dunlop
Tires Eddie Ray (50) leads the start of the 1st over 25 Expert moto
with Jeremy Tiffany (233),
Pat Barton (5) and Gary Michael in tow at the Suzuki Amateur Nationals
at Broome-Tioga.
Scott
Phelps led the start of the final Over 25 Expert class moto with
Jeremy Tiffany, Michael, Rockwell and McMillen in tow. After a half
lap, the top two remained unchanged while Rockwell passed Michael for
third, relegating Michael to fourth. Phelps had a five second
advantage by the start of lap two. McMillen and Skutnik moved up to
fourth and fifth, respectively on lap two. Phelps increased his lead
to six seconds by lap three. McMillen closed the gap on Rockwell and
made the pass for third just as the white flag came out. Rockwell was
relegated to fourth. Phelps went down with about a 1/2 lap two go
handing the moto win to Tiffany. McMillen inherited second, Rockwell
third, Skutnik fourth and Barton fifth.
Joe Merrill Jr. (111) leads the start of the 1st 250
Open Amateur moto with Brian Murphy (49),
Broc Donnison (501) and Nate Crofoot trailing at the 2003 Suzuki
Amateur Nationals in Binghamton, New York.
Yamaha
YZ pilot, Brian Murphy, topped the super competitive 250 Open Amateur
class podium. Murphy had a perfect day with a 1-1. Jason Antalek
earned runner-up with a 2-6 score and Nick Kruger rounded out the
podium with his 6-3 tally.
Rob Novak (94) and Nick Kruger (739) battle for
third in the final 250 Open Amateur moto at the
2003 Suzuki Amateur Nationals at the Broome-Tioga Sports Center.
Joe
Merrill Jr. led the start of the first moto but was quickly relegated
to third by Murphy and Broc Donnison by the second turn. Antalek and
Matt Ranum rounded out the top five. When the lead riders emerged from
the front supercross section, Murphy and Donnison were 1-2. Ranum was
now third, Antalek held fourth and Merrill was relegated to fifth.
Just after the start of lap two, Ranum went down on the downhill
triple giving Antalek second and Donnison dropped to third. Merrill
moved up to claim fourth and Kruger was now holding fifth place.
Murphy had an eight second advantage by the start of lap three and
increased it to 15 seconds by the start of lap four. Murphy got the
win with Antalek, Merrill, Donnison and Jacob Cope trailing.
2003 Suzuki Amateur Nationals at Brooem-Tioga on August 22nd &
23rd in Binghamton, New York.
Murphy
led the start of the final 250 Open Amateur moto with Rob Novak,
Kruger, Cody Dunning and Antalek in two. Murphy set another blistering
pace and had an eight second lead by lap two. Kruger passed Novak to
take second, dropping Novak to third. Ranum moved into fourth place on
lap two and moved to third on lap three. Murphy got another easy win
with Ranum, Kruger, John Giantonio and Dunning in tow.
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