Snapshots from the Steel City LLQ

Loretta Lynn Regional Qualifier
Steel City

Photos and Captions by Mike Burkeen
DELMONT, PA, JUNE 2-3, 2012

With more than 900 entries, Steel City ushered in the 2012 Loretta Lynn Regional qualifying season. Riders from 24 states made the trek to Pennsylvania to compete on the National track, home of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championships.

Despite severe weather challenges, Jeff Russell and his crew had the track ready to ride for each of the three days of the event. Zach Bell, Shane Hall and Cooper Webb were the big winners!

Here are a few photos of some of the riders in attendance…

Results follow the photos.

Cooper Webb (175) was, by far, the dominant rider in the B classes, winning all nine of his motos on his Star/ Vali Rockstar Yamaha. Webb was unchallenged in the 250cc B Stock, 250cc B Modified and 450cc B Modified classes, leading all of the laps of every moto except one. In the 450cc B Modified class – which he contested on a 250F – he had to come from behind to make a last-lap, last-corner pass on Shane Hall.

GEICO Honda rider Zach Bell (100) won all six of his motos in the 250cc A and Open Pro Sport classes. Bell mixed in some good starts and come-from-behind rides to dominate his classes!

Kael Holloway (185) won the 250cc C Stock class with consistent 2-2-2 moto finishes. He backed up his overall win with a strong third overall in 250cc C Modified competition.

Rocky Cagno (53) was the victor in the 250cc C Modified class. David Vertucci won motos one and three, but a second-moto sixth relegated him to second overall.

Nick Ferrell (14) was tied in points with Cody Gragg but won the Two-Stroke title by virtue of his third-moto win.

Luke Renzland (43) was tops in the 450cc A class, going 1-1-1 aboard his Rock River Yamaha YZ450!

Casey Clark (210) has turned a few laps at Steel City, and that experience showed in the Over 25 class. Clark went 2-1-1 for the overall victory.

John Barto (925) absconds with the holeshot in the second Over 30 B/C moto.

Former mini star Shane Hall (260) is finally healthy, and it shows. He was first in the 450cc B Stock and Collegeboy classes.

Pennsylvania rider James Evans (58) put it to Keith Johnson in three straight motos to win the Over 35 class. Johnson was a winner in the Over 40 division.

No one could catch the ageless one, Barry Carsten (31), in the Over 45 class. Karsten was first in all three motos, ahead of legends Mike Jones and Gary Semics. However, Semics would come back to win each of the Over 50 motos.

Former factory Pro rider Scott Sheak (4) was third in the Over 35 class.

Steel City
Delmont, Pennsylvania
Results: June 2-3, 2012

OPEN PRO SPORT: 1. Zachary Bell (Hon); 2. Kyle Evoy Bitterman (Hon); 3. Joshua Hall (Hon); 4. Casey Clark (Hon); 5. Michael Clarke (Kaw).

250 A: 1. Zachary Bell (Hon); 2. Cody Gragg (Yam); 3. Luke Renzland (Yam); 4. Kyle Evoy Bitterman (Hon); 5. Daniel Lippman (Suz).

250 B STOCK: 1. Cooper Webb (Yam); 2. Dakota Alix (KTM); 3. Brandon Gourley (Kaw); 4. Keith Mulvaney (Kaw); 5. Justin Hushon (KTM).

250 B MODIFIED: 1. Cooper Webb (Yam); 2. Dakota Alix (KTM); 3. Jared Lesher (Yam); 4. Bradley Dool (KTM); 5. Kevin Tompkins (Kaw).

250 C STOCK: 1. Kael Holloway (Kaw); 2. Rocky Cagno (Hon); 3. Elijah Rutter (Hon); 4. James Beach (Hon); 5. David Vertucci (Hon).

250 C MODIFIED: 1. Rocky Cagno (Hon); 2. David Vertucci (Yam); 3. Kael Holloway (Kaw); 4. Scott Cameron (KTM); 5. Mitchell Knorr (Kaw).

450 A: 1. Luke Renzland (Yam); 2. Jacob Knable (Hon); 3. Joshua Hall (Hon); 4. Kyle Evoy Bitterman (Hon); 5. Michael Clarke (Kaw).

450 B STOCK: 1. Michael Hall (Hon); 2. D. Ellis (Kaw); 3. Matthew Burkeen (Hon); 4. Broc Gourley (Kaw); 5. Michael Barnum (Yam).

450 B MODIFIED: 1. Cooper Webb (Yam); 2. Michael Hall (Hon); 3. Broc Gourley (Kaw); 4. Matthew Burkeen (Hon); 5. Bryan Turpin (Kaw).

450 C: 1. David Vertucci (Yam); 2. Elijah Rutter (Hon); 3. Scott Cameron (KTM); 4. Aerian Weaver (Kaw); 5. Ryan Mattison (Kaw).

2-STROKE: 1. Nicholas Ferrell (Yam); 2. Cody Gragg (Yam); 3. Matthew Hammer (Suz); 4. Chris Carr (Kaw); 5. Joshua Corbin (Yam).

COLLEGE (16-24) B/C: 1. Michael Hall (Hon); 2. D. Ellis (Kaw); 3. Bradley Dool (KTM); 4. Jared Lesher (Yam); 5. Brandon Blackwelder (Kaw).

JR (25+): 1. Casey Clark (Hon); 2. James Evans (Kaw); 3. Brent Miller (Yam); 4. David Kilgore (Suz); 5. Matt Miller (Suz).

VET (30+) B/C: 1. Shay Tewksbury (Hon); 2. Adam Clarke (Hon); 3. Mark Oldroyd (Kaw); 4. John Barto Jr. (Hon); 5. Cory Leinenbach (Yam).

VET (35+): 1. James Evans (Kaw); 2. Keith Johnson (Kaw); 3. Scott Sheak (Kaw); 4. Steven Childress (Kaw); 5. Gaylon Dickson (Suz).

SR (40+): 1. Keith Johnson (Kaw); 2. Gaylon Dickson (Suz); 3. Barry Carsten (Suz); 4. Steven Childress (Kaw); 5. Brian Carroll (Kaw).

SR (45+): 1. Barry Carsten (Suz); 2. Michael Jones (KTM); 3. Gary Semics (Kaw); 4. James McIlvaine (Kaw); 5. Allen Alford II (Suz).

MASTERS (50+): 1. Gary Semics (Kaw); 2. Raymond Niebel (Kaw); 3. Steven Burdette (Hon); 4. Gene Nighman (Kaw); 5. Mark Williamson (Suz).