One more awards banquet before racing begins in this area.
RENO (Feb. 6) – The local Over The Hill Gang chapter held its annual banquet at “Men Wielding Fire,” on Saturday.
Some of the trophies awarded at the Over The Hill Gang banquet.
It was a festive night of food, drink, humor and reflection on the season past as well as a look into the future. And there was a great selection of free prize drawings for club members.
First order of business was awarding the Harry Trainor award. As president Layne Kolbet explained it, Trainor was a respected racer, great club member and all around good guy.
Allen and Nolan (left) Rudd were the first father-son team to earn the Harry Trainor trophy.
The award honors his memory. And this year, for the first time ever, it was given to a non-member and a father-son team, Allen and Nolan Rudd.
“Harry was a good, good friend of mine for 20-years and it’s very important,” Allen Rudd said. “The award for Harry represents Reno Motocross, what he did and represented and it’s an honor to get it. And it’s a big honor to have Nolan be part of it.”
Then Nolan said, “I just realized that motocross was dying, the kids needed to step up, we needed work, needed to make it come back and I don’t care if I’m not a Gang member. I go to the track to help out, I love motocross and if it’s going to come back good, I’m going to be there to help.”
Then he related as a young boy how Harry was always there and helping at the track and doing what needed to be done.
“I figured that’s what I need to do,” Nolan said. “Harry’s sons still come back to the track and they do everything they can to help. It’s an amazing award to get.”
After that trophies and sweatshirts were presented to the top 20 in the club.
Over The Hill Gang chapter president Layne Kolbet was third in points this year.
As Kolbet, who was third in points, pointed out the top three were separated by a scant eight points with the top only separated by a single point.
Duane Quick was second over all by one point in last year’s Over The Hill Gang title chase.
At the top of the ladder was Jeston Ponciano, who now rides as a 38+ Expert.
Asked about his first place he said, “The Over The Hill Nationals has been in my bucket list since I was 20-years old, so I’ve been waiting to do this and finally had the opportunity to do it.”
He added there is a lot of traveling required for him to pursue his goal. Over the past year he’s raced a Hollister and Glen Helen to name a few.
Topping the OTHG points in 2015 was Jeston Ponciano.
“It’s always and three or four day weekend you’ve got to plan for so to get that under my belt was an accomplishment plus I always wanted to ride Glen Helen,” he said.
He added there were only five guys in his class that made every round and you had to make all of the rounds to be eligible to win the overall in a rider’s class. He also commented that everywhere he went the host club said it was the best turnout they’ve ever had.
“Every club set a record this year so it meant the economy is coming back, everyone is wanting to get out and ride away, which is awesome as this sport needs it bad,” he said. “I also need to thank my wife Diane for sure, she’s been with me the whole way, went to every national and been my backbone. And I need to thank Paul Mudd over at Reno Cycles and Gear as they’ve helped me quite a bit. This means a lot, like I said, I wanted to do it for 20 years, to do my first national and win my class, it’s a personal achievement for my self and I’m very happy to do it.”
He added that he didn’t know the title was his until the banquet.
At the end there were special vests given out to the women on the scoring crew for their efforts in 2015.
Most of the scoring crew attended the banquet and they were presented with vests as a token of the chapter’s appreciation for their efforts in 2015.
At the end of the trophy presentations Kolbet addressed the club and announced they received an $8,500 grant from the City of Fernley, which will help fund the national round and help with expenses for the coming season.
He said the club now has a water truck of its own. An early 2000 vintage in good shape that holds 4,000 of water and owning it will help cut expenses of running a race.
Asked about last season he said, “Last year the fall series was the biggest we had in a long time and our average was way higher than ever so it kind of leading into the spring series. We’re going to do something a bit different, we’re going to run our series basically from March all the way until the end of the year, which is December, much like MRANN does and have an end of the year banquet.”
Kolbet mentioned the schedule isn’t firm yet and he has to meet with the president of MRANN so they can figure out when the annual Sandbox Grand prix will be held. And it could be a stand-alone event either before the OTHG National in May or possibly in June.
Asked if he was confident about the upcoming season he said, “Absolutely, I get a lot of text messages, e-mails, etc., and people are itching to race but they forget its winter. Obliviously with winter happening it’s a tough and a huge financial gamble. That risk is too high right now but we’re pretty confident that in March we can kick something off.”
With that the club members posed for a group shot and the party continued into the night. Now everyone is waiting for the schedule to be set and the first gate drop sometime in March.
OTHG members at the award’s banquet.
A photo gallery from the banquet will be posted by Thursday evening. This article is slightly delayed due to my work schedule this week.
OTHER RACING NEWS
- Steve E. Evenson has updated the information on the upcoming Evenson Law Ironman series in July. The full update, which now includes Hobby Stocks, will be published in the Thursday preview article.
OTHG Award Winners:
- Jeston Ponciano, 38+ Exp, 359, 2. Duane Quick, 52+ Nov., 358, 3. Layne Kolbet, 351, 4. Ted Griffen, 293, 5. Eric Gillen, 265, 6. Aaron Turnage, 264, 7. Marcus Gentry, 261, 8. Allen Rudd, 45+ Exp., 234, 9. Jeromie D. Sorhouet, 38+ Nov, 10. Kevin DeCarli, 38+ Exp., 193, 11. Tony Fagundes, 12. Gilbert Chick, 13. Chris Dyer, 14. Chris J. Leone, 15. Chris Gaarenstroom, 16. Mike Stumbaugh, 17. Bill Webb, 18. Pete Cannizzaro, 19. Kirk Sego, 20. Jason J.Spicer, 21. Joel Ellis, 22. Shami Potratz, 23. Brody Massman, 24. Jamie Bonner, 25. Sedanna Losey, 26. Justin Mastalka, 27. Sedric Robinson, 28. Kerry Barnes, 29 Nick Nichols, 30. Rich Thorwaldson*, 31. Sam Glaster, 32. Matt Sorhouet, 33. Mike Thompson*, 34. Daren Trapanese*, 35. Jason Ines, 36. Jeff Parsons, 37. Scott Nelson*, 38. Eric Schacht*, 39. Chad Olson, 40. Martin Wildeman*, 41. David Gipe*, 42. Jeff Mitchell*,43. Jim Patterson*, 44. Aaron Bissell*, 45. Scott Chick*
* – Earned Help Points Only.
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