A Burning Bush Rolls Through Roaring Hills

Wiregrass Motocross Championship
Round 4: Roaring Hills ATV Park

By Hugh Gatlin
Photos by George Barrett
HARTFORD, AL, APR. 10, 2011

Don Bush (564) was burning up the terrain at Roaring Hill ATV Park, site of round four of the Wiregrass Motocross Championship.

Enterprise, Alabama’s Don Bush was on fire at Roaring Hills ATV Park, site of round four of the Wiregrass Motocross Championship. The Honda rider rolled to overall victories in the Over 30 and Over 40 classes. Daleville, Alabama’s Mitchell Reese was also double-class winner on the day. The Southside Construction-sponsored rider piloted his RM85 to wins in the Schoolboy and Supermini classes.

Don Bush (564) scored the overall victories in both the Over 30 and Over 40 classes.

This race drew the largest rider turnout ever at Roaring Hills. Sponsors for the Kevin Thompson-promoted series include Hooters, Nantze Springs bottled water, and Interstate Batteries.

Rhett Peel has been involved in the sport of motocross for decades. He is now offering his years of experience to young riders who are just getting started in the sport. Two of his RP MX School students, Spencer Stokes and Hunter Cordle, posted wins on the day.

Whited absconded with the holeshot in moto two and looked strong up front. Hardy and Bush ran second and third again. Kurtiak held fourth. On his way to what appeared to be a sure overall win, Whited stalled his 450 Yamaha coming out of a flat, smooth right-hander; he was unable to restart his machine promptly and Hardy rode past for the moto and Over 50 overall win. Bush was right behind Hardy; he stole the Over 40 overall win from Whited on a tie breaker, 2-1 to 1-2.

Bush didn’t hesitate to mix it up with the younger riders in race five, which included the MX Lites D, Collegeboy, MX Lites E and Over 30 classes. Jeremy Speller won the first moto, over Kyle Touchette and Bush.

In race two, Collegeboy rider Speller eased his pace after building a comfortable lead and then cruised to the finish. Bush held second before falling and dropping to last place. Touchette placed second again and earned the D overall win. Bush came from way back for third in the race, and the Over 30 win. Headland, Alabama’s Corey Green was the E overall winner.

Jeremy Speller (53) flew through the dust to the Collegeboy win.

In the first 65cc (7-9) and (10-11) moto, Cole Castille ran ahead of Kaleb Marchman, Alex Belcher, Lane Marshall and Jantzen Jackson. Castille enjoyed a nice lead over Marchman at the checkered flag. Jackson advanced to third, ahead of Belcher and Marshall.

Castille ran out front again in moto two and styled over the finish-line jump aboard his KTM. He won the 10-11 portion of the race, ahead of Marchman. Belcher turned the tables on Jackson this time out and grabbed the 7-9 overall victory, 2-1 to 1-2. The Defuniak Springs, Florida, duo of Marshall and Nick Johnson claimed third and fourth, respectively, in the 7-9 ranks, and 7-9 rider Landon Stevens put a third KTM in the top five with his 4-5 score for fifth overall.

Reese kept the throttle pinned on his Suzuki in the combined 85cc (12-15) and Schoolboy contest. He led race one from start to finish, over Spencer Stokes and Kawasaki jockeys Gage Moss and Korey Hatcher.

In race two, a solid-riding Moss followed Reese to the flag. Stokes fell in a turn and placed fourth, behind Hatcher. Reese took the overall Schoolboy win, while Hatcher edged Stokes for the top spot in the 85cc (12-15) portion with his 2-1 results.

Spencer Stokes (588) topped the 85cc Novice class.

Stokes and Hunter Cordle used the horsepower of their Honda CR150Fs on the long start straight to each take a turn at leading Reese in the combined 85cc Intermediate, Supermini and 85cc Novice motos. Cordle outran Reese and Moss to the first turn in moto one. By the end of lap one, Reese had moved past Cordle, and he stayed there for the win. Moss was a steady third, over Hatcher. Stokes finished just ahead of KX-mounted Glen Key for fifth.

Stokes put the power to the ground in heat two and led Reese and Moss through the sweeping first turn. At the end of lap one, Reese emerged from the bottom section with a lead that he would never relinquish. Cordle claimed second, over a closing Moss. In overall scoring, Reese, Cordle and Stokes took home first-place trophies in their respective classes.

Mitchell Reese (212) was top dog in the Schoolboy and Supermini classes.

Roaring Hills ATV Park
Hartford, Alabama
Results: April 10, 2011 (Round 4)

50 2-STROKE: 1. Drake Partridge (Yam).

50 (4-6): 1. Jack McDonough (KTM).

50 (7-8): 1. Rob Draper (Hon); 2. Harley Peel (KTM); 3. Bailey Turner (Yam).

65 ADVANCED: 1. Cole Castille (KTM).

65 BEG: 1. Kaleb Marchman (Kaw); 2. Nick Johnson (Suz); 3. Landen Stevens (KTM); 4. Jack McDonough (KTM).

65 NOV: 1. Lane Marshall (KTM); 2. Alex Belcher (Kaw); 3. Jantzen Jackson (KTM).

65 (7-9): 1. Alex Belcher (Kaw); 2. Jantzen Jackson (KTM); 3. Lane Marshall (KTM); 4. Nick Johnson (Suz); 5. Landen Stevens (KTM).

65 (10-11): 1. Cole Castille (KTM); 2. Kaleb Marchman (Kaw).

85 NOV: 1. Spencer Stokes (Hon); 2. Glen Key (Kaw).

85 INT: 1. Hunter Cordle (Hon); 2. Korey Hatcher (Kaw).

85 (12-15): 1. Korey Hatcher (Kaw); 2. Spencer Stokes (Hon).

SUPERMINI: 1. Reese Mitchell (Suz); 2. Gage Moss (Kaw).

MX LITES D: 1. Kyle Touchette (Yam); 2. Ara Moore (Yam); 3. Joshua Gray (Yam).

MX LITES E: 1. Corey Green (Yam).

MX C: 1. Josh Burk (Yam); 2. Alex Sharkey (Suz).

MX D: 1. Danny Gable (Hon).

SCHOOLBOY: 1. Mitchell Reese (Suz); 2. Gage Moss (Kaw).

COLLEGEBOY: 1. Jeremy Speller (Hon).

30+: 1. Don Bush (Hon).

40+: 1. Don Bush (Hon); 2. Tim Whited (Yam); 3. Stephen Kurtiak (Yam).

50+: 1. Tony Hardy (Hon).

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