First Time’s a Charm

Louisiana Cross Country Series
Round 8: The Don Burgess Memorial Race at Competition Cycle Ranch

By Lucas Comeaux/AcadianaRacing.com
Photos by Terrie Shaw and Mandy Comeaux
LORANGER, LA, OCT. 10, 2010

Cool, sunny and dry conditions awaited riders at round eight of the Louisiana Cross Country Series, the Don Burgess Memorial Race, in Loranger, Louisiana. The late Mr. Burgess played a key role in making the southern Louisiana dirt-bike racing scene what it is today. He would have been happy to see the large crowd of fans enjoying themselves at his grandson Nick’s track, Competition Cycle Ranch, where the event was held.

In the XC1 Expert class, Suzuki City/Thermo Probe/Klim/Revloc-backed Stephen Sturges (3, above) once again grabbed a valuable holeshot and led for more than a lap. Scott Equipment/Adrenaline Motorsports/Hutchinson ATV-sponsored KTM rider Andy Beebe (24, below) made a pass on Sturges and held the lead for the remaining five laps to earn his first-ever LACC Series overall victory. Sturges remained in second for two laps until KTM/Munn/Fly/Arai/TCP MX Schools’ Trampas Parker passed him, but Sturges was able to take the spot back later on when Parker got a flat front tire. Parker has had his fair share of flat tires this year, and he plans to run mousses for the last two rounds.

“I finally got a good start, which for sure helped my day,” said Beebe, who put in an impressive ride out front. “I was able to do all the obstacles clean, which also helped my lap times. It took me a lap to loosen up, and I was able to close back in on Sturges and make the pass when he bobbled in the woods. Then I just put my head down and tried to run some good lap times. My plan got messed up on the second-to-last lap, when I went down twice. My falls allowed Trampas, who had fallen earlier, to start putting some pressure on me, until he got a flat. I was able to finish on top for the first time, and it felt great! I would like to thank Frannie, my baby girl Amelia, my dad, Kevin Hutchinson, and the LACC workers. Oh, and thanks to Nick Burgess for putting a great trail together. It was fun!”

The overall championship race will go down to the wire! Stephen Sturges is in the lead, Trampas Parker (13, above) is in second, and Andy Beebe is in third.

It’s also been a long time coming for young XC2 Lites rider Evan Shows (99, below), who found himself on the number-one podium block, alongside KTM riders Russ Wiggers and Clint Woods.

“I had a good race today,” Shows explained. “I got the holeshot and was able to keep the lead until the log section, where Russ got around me, but I was able to stay right on his tire until he fell later on in the second lap. I passed him and put my head down and rode as hard as I could, because I knew if I was able to pull a little lead, it was going to be hard to catch someone in all the dust. I was able to finish this one out strong and got the win, but I couldn’t do it without my mom and dad there to support me every weekend, [along with] Mike’s Cycle Supply, FMF, Scott Goggles, Factory Backing, and Mxprints.com.”

The Expert Lites championship is also a close one. Current points leader Ryan Breaux worked this round but will be giving it his all at the final two rounds.

As usual, pictures, videos, and more will be posted on AcadianaRacing.com. (This round will include a helmet-cam video featuring several top riders.)

The MTA Louisiana Cross Country Series is a 10-round championship series promoted by AcadianaRacing.com. Venues test each rider’s overall ability by offering motocross sections, hills, roots, occasional rocks, woods trails, grass-tracks, extreme obstacles, etc. In addition to pure speed, riders must have the endurance to push hard for more than an hour and a half. The series is made possible by title sponsor MTA, Deb’s Creative Photography, Enduro Engineering, Filter Solution, Pierce & Shows Attorneys, Moose Racing, Woods Tank, RidePG.com, BMW/Husqvarna, Bayou Suspension, KTM, Chuck’s Used Appliance Center, Honda of Lafayette, MXPrints.com, Performance Cycles, Open Throttle Moto-Parts & Accessories, Adrenaline Motor Sports, Team ¾, Cornerstone Glass, and Evangeline Specialties.

Results

OVERALL: 1. Andy Beebe (KTM); 2. Stephen Sturges (Suz); 3. Trampas Parker (KTM); 4. Kevin Hutchinson (Kaw); 5. Evan Shows (KTM); 6. Wesley Burks (KTM); 7. Joel White (Yam); 8. Chad Colvin (KTM); 9. Russ Wiggers (KTM); 10. John McLemore (Yam); 11. Clint Woods (KTM); 12. Jacob Wheat (Hon); 13. Forrest Smith (Yam); 14. Brendan Harp (Yam); 15. Christopher Roberts (KTM); 16. Dakotah Smith (KTM); 17. Hutton Woods (Yam); 18. Tyler Mandino (Yam); 19. David Hall (KTM); 20. Lance Ford (Suz).

XC1: 1. Andy Beebe (KTM); 2. Stephen Sturges (Suz); 3. Trampas Parker (KTM); 4. Kevin Hutchinson (Kaw); 5. Wesley Burks (KTM).

XC2: 1. Evan Shows (KTM); 2. Russ Wiggers (KTM); 3. Clint Woods (KTM); 4. Cody Thomas (Yam); 5. Garrett Wheat (Hon).

NOV: 1. Joel White (Yam); 2. Christopher Roberts (KTM); 3. Dakotah Smith (KTM); 4. Lance Ford (Suz); 5. Andrew Iverstine (KTM).

NOV LITE: 1. Brendan Harp (Yam); 2. Tyler Mandino (Yam); 3. Corey Altazin (Suz); 4. Brett Fontenot (KTM); 5. Taylor Cappe (Hon).

SR A: 1. Al Cravens (KTM); 2. Mark Jamroz (BMW); 3. Dwight Wheat (Hon).

JR: 1. Hutton Woods (Yam); 2. Stone Edler (Yam); 3. Chase Joubert (KTM); 4. Corbin Nixon (Yam); 5. Andrew Zaunbrecher (KTM).

SR B: 1. Clayton Parker (Yam); 2. Robin Fair (KTM); 3. Roy Smith (KTM); 4. Buck Vinson; 5. Tom Longfellow (KTM).

SR 50: 1. Mike Elshout (Hon); 2. Kenneth Hagen (Hon); 3. Pat Labiche (KTM); 4. Donny Graham (KTM); 5. Mark Trepagnier (Yam).

BEG: 1. Brandon Fair (Yam); 2. Robbie Wallis (KTM); 3. Jeremy Oxley (Kaw); 4. Kevin Joubert (KTM); 5. Joey Frandria (Hon).

BEG LITE: 1. Brian Griffith (Yam); 2. Brian Burns (Yam); 3. Zach Rambin (Yam); 4. David Shaw (Hon); 5. Kevin Ingo (Kaw).

KIDS VET: 1. Trey Frandria (Kaw); 2. James Walerius (Kaw); 3. Trenton Greenwood (Hon); 4. Austin Ingo (Kaw); 5. Johnny Demoura (Hon).

KIDS INT: 1. Evan Wiggers (KTM); 2. Noah Shaw (Kaw); 3. Philip Demoura (Hon); 4. Sean Perry (Kaw); 5. Garrett Brasseaux (KTM).

WOMEN: 1. Aspen Neely (KTM); 2. Sheila Monk (KTM); 3. Julie Broussard (KTM); 4. Kristen Gautreau (KTM); 5. Carrie Breaux (KTM).

PEE WEE: 1. Walker Shows (KTM); 2. Jessica Delee (KTM); 3. Allyson Ingo; 4. Cole Fontenot (KTM); 5. Grayson Fair.

BEG PEE WEE: 1. Landon Shively (KTM); 2. Zorion McClarty (KTM); 3. William Walerius (KTM); 4. Brayden Burgess (KTM); 5. Nicholas Walerius (KTM).

Popularity: 13% [?]