2007 WCFTS Lodi Cycle Bowl

Photos of WCFTS at Lodi Cycle Bowl by vft.org

Gene Romero’s West Coast Flat Track Series

Round 1 - Lodi Cycle Bowl - May 12th, 2007

By: R. A. Bacosa

Gene Romero’s West Coast Flat Track Series rolled into the Monster Energy Lodi Cycle Bowl for the first time in the series history. The Stockton Honda/Yamaha event was a huge success for all involved. The only question is why did they wait so long?

This was one of the best races on the West Coast in the last decade. Mike Martin of the Lodi Motorcycle Club who represented the club in negotiating the deal to bring the series to the famed racetrack could not have been any happier. “We wanted to make this a win/win for all involved, I think we did it”, said Martin. “ This facility is Top Notch/First class”, said Gene Romero. Track builders Eric Weisler and crew, and the rest of the Lodi Motorcycle Club did a superb job on prepping the track as it was fast and had many lines to race on.

The program got started with time trials and Joe Hernandez let everyone know that this is his house by setting the fast time in the K&N Filters Open class with a time of 15.870 seconds. Chad Cose was the only other rider to clock in less than sixteen seconds. Cose’s time was a 15.960 seconds. Anthony Mitchell had the quickest line around the oval as he set the fast time in the Saddlemen Vintage Class with a time of 16.540 seconds.

The top four riders in the Open and the Vintage class would later square off in the Trophy Dash. In the Open Class Zanoti Racing’s Jethro Halbert proved there are some fast boys from Washington State. He put his Honda out front and never looked back. Fast Vintage Class qualifier Anthony Mitchell had the fast hand at the line and led every lap for a convincing win.

The K&N Filters Open class heat races would only advance the winner to the main event and it was local boy Joe Hernandez on the Mayberry Builders/Andrews Bros. Racing Honda who ran the quickest in heat one. Hernandez took the win over the current District 36 Champion Tony Souza. Heat two was a run away with Fremont’s Chad Cose taking the win over a hard charging Jethro Halbert. Iron man Shawn Raggio took the only other direct transfer of the heat racing to the finish line first in heat three.

Anthony Mitchell got the jump on the pack in heat number one of the Saddlemen Vintage class. Mitchell ran smooth and steady taking the win over RAB Racing’s/ Herrera Racing’s Robert Bacosa on the Donnie Darrah Yamaha TT500. Current Vintage Champion Paul Herman put his Bill Knight Yamaha out front for an impressive win in heat two over Mark Legarra. WPS/FLY Racing’s Ricky Henson from Idaho Proved to be fast learner as he was the only non-California rider to win a heat race. Henson bested Nicely Motorsports Honda rider Mike Besemer in heat three.

Michael Avila and Tony Davila were heat race winners in the 250cc Sportmen Class. Avila got the jump at the start and has an open track in front him as Stockton Honda’s Mikey Martin and Clawson Motorsports Danille Diaz had to work there way through the traffic to grab the second and third spot on the podium respectively. This is a new class in the WCFTS, which caters to 12 to 15 year old. The class gives the kids the building block they need to make the transition from amateur racing to professional racing. These kids are the stars of tomorrow.

The Classic Vintage twins class was won by Paul Herman on his Bill Knight tuned Harly Davidson XR750. Following Herman to the finish line were Boo Boo Bob Scally on his trustee Triumph and Mike Riddel on his Yamaha 750. Herman and Riddel were the two heat race winners.

Jesse Sleeper and Kris Bunch were the two heat race winners in the Top Gun 450 Class. Sleeper jumped out to an early lead followed by NorCal Supermoto rider Darren Johnson and Brandon Inderbitzin. Sleeper held his line and began to pull a slight over Johnson and Inderbitzen. Johnson’s attempt to chase after Sleeper, was interrupted by the constant pressure Inderbitzen was putting on him. The trio would hold there positions to the checkered flag.

At the flash of the green light it was Paul Herman who bolted to the first turn first followed closely by Rick Henson and Robert Bacosa. Coming out of turn two Henson and Bacosa went a little wide and allowed Anthony Mitchell and Mike Besemer to get by. Bacosa got underneath Hinson coming out of turn four while Mitchell and Besemer were trying to find line past Herman. Besemer ran a little wide on the next lap and allowed Bacosa to get beside him down the back straight but it would not be, as Bacosa’s night would come to an end right there as had carburetion problems and would drop from the race. Herman ran a steady race to the finish and took the win over Mitchell and Besemer respectively.

With a huge roar fifteen of the fastest riders thundered into turn one with Shawn Raggio getting the holeshot. It wouldn’t last long as Chad Cose pushed his CRF 450 Honda past Raggio and into the lead. Scott Corsetti on the Bob Swanson CCM wasted no time as also made the pass on Raggio and set his sites on Cose. Fast Qualifier Joe Hernandez, who looked to be on a mission, quickly pushed past both Raggio and Corsetti a lap or two later. Meanwhile, Tony Souza and Jethro Halbert could see the leaders starting to get away. Halbert would make his move first and got himself past Souza on the inside and then would make a daring pass on the outside to get around Raggio. Souza would finally get his CCM past Raggio about the halfway point but by then the lead foursome had gotten away. Hernandez on the Mayberry Builders/Andrews Bros. Racing Honda quickly pulled to the rear wheel of Cose. Team Zanotti Racing’s Halbert would also make a charge and the lead foursome was now nose to tail. After a few laps Hernandez made his move under Cose to take over the front spot. Corsetti was next and he to would get past Cose. Halbert who had to work to get back up the leaders had no time to rest and made his move on Cose and would also get past Corsetti to take the runner up spot. Hernandez would cruise to the win in the end with Halbert, Corsetti, Cose and Souza rounding out the top five.

Judging by the success of this event rumor after the races was that the series would return in the fall. We can only hope so. The Lodi Motorcycle Club and the Lodi Cycle Bowl have been hosting motorcycle races for more than fifty years and are a true American icon. Round two will be in Antioch, Ca at the Contra Costa County Fairgrounds on June 9th.

Page two - Vintage and Twins

Page three - Top Gun 450 and Sportsman 250

Page four - Extra photos

Open Class: A Main

Finish Bike # Rider Brand

1. 23Z Joe Hernandez YAM

2. 69 Jethro Halbert HON

3. BP 3 Scott Corsetti CCM

4. 49Y Chad Cose HON

5. BP 1 Tony Souza CCM

6. 51Z Shawn Raggio HON

7. 50Z Mark Corsetti RTX

8. 34W Jesse Sleeper HON

9. 38Y Chris Canepa KAW

10. 65Y Kris Bunch YAM

11. 93 Jamie Aguilar HON

12. 70Z John Hlebo HON

13. 49M Dustin Pruczinski YAM

14. 20M Brady Mueller HON

15. 55 Ricky Henson YAM

Open Class: B Main

Finish Bike # Rider Brand

1. 20M Brady Mueller HON

2. 55 Ricky Henson YAM

3. 65Y Kris Bunch YAM

4. 49M Dustin Pruczinski YAM

5. 20H Jon Eichelbaugh KTM

6. 90 Darren Johnson HON

7. 26V Jeremy Hannah HON

8. 44 Chris Hart HON

9. 46M Troy Milligan Jr YAM

10. 41Z Austin Helwig HON

11. 12 Anthony De Mario HON

12. BP 7 Danny Knight YAM

Open Class: Semi 1

Finish Bike # Rider Brand

1. 69 Jethro Halbert HON

2. 50Z Mark Corsetti RTX

3. 38Y Chris Canepa KAW

4. 70Z John Hlebo HON

5. 49M Dustin Pruczinski YAM

6. 26V Jeremy Hannah HON

7. 55 Ricky Henson YAM

8. 41Z Austin Helwig HON

9. 65Y Kris Bunch YAM

10. BP 7 Danny Knight YAM

11. 58Z Jesse Sanchez CCM

Open Class: Semi 2

Finish Bike # Rider Brand

1. BP 3 Scott Corsetti CCM

2. BP 1 Tony Souza CCM

3. 93 Jamie Aguilar HON

4. 34W Jesse Sleeper HON

5. 44 Chris Hart HON

6. 20H Jon Eichelbaugh KTM

7. 20M Brady Mueller HON

8. 46M Troy Milligan Jr YAM

9. 90 Darren Johnson HON

10. 12 Anthony De Mario HON

Open Class: Heat 1

Finish Bike # Rider Brand

1. 23Z Joe Hernandez YAM

2. BP 1 Tony Souza CCM

3. 50Z Mark Corsetti RTX

4. 34W Jesse Sleeper HON

5. 55 Ricky Henson YAM

6. 90 Darren Johnson HON

7. 26V Jeremy Hannah HON

8. BP 7 Danny Knight YAM

9. 18E Eric Fountain HON

10. BP 3 Scott Corsetti CCM

Open Class: Heat 2

Finish Bike # Rider Brand

1. 49Y Chad Cose HON

2. 69 Jethro Halbert HON

3. 93 Jamie Aguilar HON

4. 70Z John Hlebo HON

5. 44 Chris Hart HON

6. 65Y Kris Bunch YAM

7. 20M Brady Mueller HON

8. 17 Callum Hennessey HON

9. 74S Mark Biscadi SUZ

10. 61E Joe Cerro HON

Open Class: Heat 3

Finish Bike # Rider Brand

1. 51Z Shawn Raggio HON

2. 38Y Chris Canepa KAW

3. 46M Troy Milligan Jr YAM

4. 49M Dustin Pruczinski YAM

5. 20H Jon Eichelbaugh KTM

6. 41Z Austin Helwig HON

7. 12 Anthony De Mario HON

8. 27E McCarty Robert CCM

9. 58Z Jesse Sanchez CCM

Open Class: Last Chance

Finish Bike # Rider Brand

1. 58Z Jesse Sanchez CCM

2. BP 3 Scott Corsetti CCM

3. BP 7 Danny Knight YAM

4. 17 Callum Hennessey HON

5. 27E McCarty Robert CCM

6. 74S Mark Biscadi SUZ

7. 18E Eric Fountain HON

8. 61E Joe Cerro HON

Open Class: Time Trial

Finish Bike # Rider Brand

1. 23Z Joe Hernandez YAM

Open Class : Trophy Dash

Finish Bike # Rider Brand

1. 69 Jethro Halbert HON

2. 23Z Joe Hernandez YAM

3. BP 3 Scott Corsetti CCM

4. 58Z Jesse Sanchez CCM

5. 49Y Chad Cose HON

6. 38Y Chris Canepa KAW

Page two - Vintage and Twins

Page three - Top Gun 450 and Sportsman 250

Page four - Extra photos