Sparks (Feb. 21) – Burg’s Victorian Bar was jumping Saturday night as Reno’s chapter of the Over The Hill Gang met to celebrate last season, honor its champions and announce plans for this coming season.
Before dinner OTHG members enjoyed Burg’s Victorian Bar and watched the latest round of Supercross.
After watching the latest Supercross round everyone had a nice dinner than settled down for the awards.
A lot of stores from last season were exchanged at the OTHG banquet.
Once special award is named for the late Harry Trainor, who was respected by his peers and always helped the club. Unfortunately he succumbed to cancer about three years ago so the club name a special trophy in his honor and this year it went to Jason Spicer.
The Harry Trainor award is a special honor given annual to an OTGH member. This year it was Jason Spicer shown here with club president Layne Kolbet.
“Harry Trainor was a neat guy, I didn’t know him very well but I did know him for a few years,” Spicer said. “It’s a great honor to him, he was a great man and has a great family and his family come to the races and help out all the time. And for the club to do this and to think I’m worthy of that is a great honor and I appreciate it.”
Topping the overall points was A.J. Turnage, who also won the 38+ Intermediate Class. It’s his first ever championship, all though he didn’t know he won it until the last.
A.J. Turnage was the 2014 overall points champion for the Reno chapter of the Over The Hill Gang.
“Even though it was old guy’s stuff it was something to cross off my bucket list and call it good. There are five separate nationals around between all the chapters so it really wasn’t local. We had our’s here at Fernley then Glen Helen, D.T. One and Hollister so I just hit all five and ended up on the box at each one,” he said. “And I need to thank my wife Crysta for putting up with me, all the work and time away from her.”
Then he added a special thanks to his friend, and second in the overall points, Marcus Gentry for all his help.
Marcus Gentry accepts his award for being second in the overall points championship.
Asked if he had won a championship before Gentry said, “No and probably wouldn’t have if it wasn’t for A.J. as he pushes me to go. We just went to have a good time, ride, to enjoy the different tracks and had a great time. I’ve been racing motocross since 2001 and did desert before that.
“The wife, Ronda, bought me a 2001 dirt bike, a new one and from that point I decided to go motocross. And I need to thank her as she helps me a lot.”
Further down the list was Pete Cannizzaro, who topped the 40+ Pro Class. He also races with MRANN on the desert but was recovering from a crash last week.
The 40+ champion, and 10th in overall points is Pete Cannizarro shown here accepting his trophy and jersey.
“This might be my first championship. It’s pretty cool although there wasn’t much racing but it was fun and I only did the national here,” he said. “Want to thank my wife Nicola for putting up with it as well as my friends, Reno TKM, Parts Unlimited and Layne at Tucker Rocky.”
One spot up the list, in ninth was Ted Griffin, who topped the 52+ Beginner class.
Ted Griffin was ninth overall and first in the 52+ Beginner class.
“I made two nationals this year, Glen Helen and Fernley. I’ve been racing for about 20 years and the highlight was winning the nationals,” he said. “And I need to thank everybody in the club.”
The club also honored the women that help stage the races and do a lot support work. They all got plaques and jackets as well as a big thank you for their efforts.
This year was a bit unusual as the club had to deal with SMRA pulling the plug on its fall racing season. There was also the issue for making sure the Fernley Lion’s Club would not close the track that’s also known as the Sandbox.
Club president Layne Kolbet was third in points but has worked with the Fernley Lion’s Club to secure the use of their motocross track for the upcoming spring series.
Layne Kolbet, the club’s president, explained how they managed to get in a single fall race so there would be some racing this past fall.
He also visited the Lion’s Club in Fernley and explained to the new members how important the track was to area races. This effort helped secure the use of the track for the next year or two.
The club also came to the aid of the Lion’s when a freezer failed and ruined the turkeys slated for needy families.
After doing some work the local OTHG chapter got a great deal and paid for 50 turkeys they delivered to the Lions in Fernley. This enabled that organization to help those families in need.
Asked about the banquet Kolbet said, “It was really good, we had a great turnout of all our club members, both new and old.”
From there he explained what is upcoming for the 2015 season, something the club will make sure happens.
“We’re going to start out a little bit rough but it’s going to smooth out,” he said. “We’re going racing the first week in March, we’ll have a little series and are looking forward to getting something going.”
The plan is to start at the Sandbox the weekend of March 7/8 then the action moves to Exit 28 on the weekend of March 14/15. After a possible week’s break the club, along with MRANN will stage the annual Sandbox Grand Prix.
And there is more planned for the future.
“Hopefully in the next week or so I’ll be able to announce a new track all together,” Kolbet said. “It won’t be local but it will be close enough to be part of the series.”
Asked if he’s optimistic about 2015, he said, “Absolutely, the motorcycle industry is slated to grow 10% next year and hopefully we’ll follow suit with them.”
During the banquet a helmet was raffled off with the proceeds making sure needy 5th grade students at a school would be able to participate in a field trip.
After the awards, there was a huge give away of items including caps, sweatshirts and other accessories people could use on their motorcycles. The donors were Moto Source, RMS and Tucker Rocky Distributing.
RESULTS
2014 Over The Hill Gang combined points
– 1. Aaron Turnage, 2. Marcus Gentry, 3. Layne Kolbet, 4. Chris Gaarenstroom, 5. Jason Ines, 6. Chris M. Dyer, 7. Mike Stumbaugh, 8. Jason J. Spicer, 9. Ted Griffen, 10. Pete Cannizzaro, 11. Duane quick, 12. Peter Mayforth, 13. Tony Fagundes, 14. Jeromie D. Sorhouet, 15. Larry Mulock, 16. Gilbert Chick, 17. Rich Thorwaldson, 18. Chris Ponsock, 19. Eric Gillen, 20. Brody Massman
Class Points:
28+ Assoc: 1. Matt Sorhouet
30+:
Nov. – 1. Jason Innes, 2. Jason J. Spicer, 3. Chris Cross, 4. Jeremy Rials
Beg. – 1. Kevin McCord, 2. Jeff Parsons, 3. Allen Baudizzon, 4. David Bauer
Intr. – 1. Brody Massman, 2. Sam Glaster, 3.Dustin Smith
Exp. – 1. Jeff Simas, 2. Jason Jr. Shakespeare, 3. Sam Glaster, 4. Dustin Smith
Pro. – 1.Eric Gillen, 2. Dean Wilcox,
38+:
Nov. – 1. Mike Stumbaugh, 2. Jeromie D. Sorhouet, 3. David Gipe, 4. Michael Blochowiak
Beg. – 1. Mike Thompson, 2. Jamie Bonner, 3. Travis Hilbish, 4. Christopher Leonard, 5. Scott Bigrig, 6. Brian Dyer
Intr. – 1. Aaron Turnage, 2. Kirk Sego, 3. Chris J. Leone, 4. Steve DeCarli, 5.Chad Olson
Exp. – 1. Marcus Gentry, 2. Tony Fagundes, 3. Chris Ponsock, 4. Kevin DeCarli, 5. Paul Beyer
Pro. – 1. Pete Cannizzaro, 2. Rich Thorwaldson, 3. Eric Gillen, 4. Tim O’Brien
45+:
Beg. – 1. Scott Nelson, 2. Douglas Thomas
Nov. – 1. Chris Gaarenstroom, 2. Larry Mulock, 3. Brian Wagoner, 4. John O’Neill, 5. Dominic Compilli
Intr. – 1. Nick Nichols
Exp. – 1. Layne Kolbet, 2. Gilbert Chick, 3. Allen Rudd, 4. Eric Schacht
52+:
Beg. – 1. Ted Griffen, 2. Robert Ince, 3. Jim Patterson, 4. Kenneth M. Walls, 5. David Howard
Nov. – 1. Brent Allen, 2. Greg Chapel, 3. Christina Ellis
Intr. – 1. Duane Quick, 2. Peter Mayforth, 3. Mike Ellis, 4. Chris Shapiro
58+:
Intr. -1. Michael Alarcon, 2. Kerr Barnes
