PURGATORY PEAK, NV (Oct. 15) – The Tankslappers Motorcycle Club hosted round 7 of this year’s MRANN series of desert races. The area was close to Purgatory Peak located east of the north end of Winnemucca Dry Lake.
The road getting to the pits was a bit of a challenge due to silt areas but everyone managed to get through and arrive at the pits.
And on this day youth was served as a couple of young lions finished one-two ahead of a veteran rider.
Austin Serpa heads to the pits at the end of Lap 1. He went on to win Sunday’s race.
“It was awesome, a little dusty at first because I got a crappy start, was right behind Capparelli for a while but I eventually got past him and had a clear track,” Austin Serpa said after taking the victory. “There’s a lot of side hill, it was fun but made a few mistakes and would fall off the trail, have to shimmy my way back up but nothing too horrible. There were a couple of waterfalls, nothing insanely technical but it was fun.”
He then thanked RPM KTM Racing Team, Carson Motorsports, Maxxis, Pro Taper, Bell, Klim, Tech One Designs, Nitro Bibs and DDC.
Before the start the riders lined their bikes up, shut them off than walked back to about 20 yards away. Once a banner was lowered the race was on as riders sprinted to their bikes, fired them up and took off.
This was repeated for all three classes with a time separation between them. First were the Experts, followed by the Amateurs and Novice riders.
Dan Capparelli (2) gets the hole shot and leads Reece Honea (681n and Austin Wilson (312)
After the experts started first on point was Dan Capparelli with Reece Honea in hot pursuit as the field headed up a sand wash. Later Honea’s bike quite and Capparelli had fuel feed issues that slowed him down.
Up front Serpa had gotten around Capparelli and was in clear air although another young lion Brody Honea was chasing Serpa.
At the end of the first lap the top three, about 50 yards before the pit entrance, were approximately three minutes apart. Serpa came in first followed by Honea and Capparelli, who managed to get his bike back up speed
Up front the chase was on as Brody Honea had the bit between his teeth and was trying to catch Serpa. Despite some challenges Honea did close the gap a bit and finished a solid second for the day.
“The race was super fun, super technical and good to get flowey,” Honea said after finishing his second lap.
After adding the track wasn’t too technical and the novices could make it through he thanked his parents, especially his father, who got the bike prepared for the race as well as well as installing a new motor.
After getting the expert hole shot Capparelli was slowed by fuel feed problems. However he managed to work around that challenge and ended up a solid third for the day.
Asked about the day he said, “I ran out of water, had to push the bike up the hill, it had a little bit of gas but on an uphill it wouldn’t pick it up. So I had to push up the hill then coast down so every downhill would shut off the bike and let it coast in. The course was fantastic, couldn’t ask for a better course, it was dusty but welcome to Nevada right.”
Then he thanked Chidester Transport Racing, Sidi Boots, O’Neil Gear and his wife for always helping out.
Behind the experts came the amateurs and Kurtis Gray was ripping his way through the course. At the end of the first lap he was eighth going into the pits and ended up in the same place when he finished the race.
“It was a really fun race, it’s probably my favorite every year,” Gray said after finishing his second lap. “Well for me the side hill is what got me first as I fell. It wasn’t too bad just going off kind of sucked. I felt last year was more technical but this year was more fun and had a good balance.”
He then thanked his father, Country Financial and CMS for helping him out.
Further back in 16th was Evyn Smith, the first Novice to cross the finish line and he was 17th entering the pits at the end of his first lap.
“It’s my first big bike race,” he said. “It was good, super smooth until about half way through the second lap, then it got worse. Someone lied about those ‘no whoops,’ there definitely big whoops out there.”
As for the challenge he explained, “trying to decide where I can go all out and conserve for those tight technical spots. I need to thank my mom and dad for bringing me out here.”
Josh Wilson, after having bike problems, decided just to ride the race and take it easy. Not something racers really can do but he did try, at least for a brief time.
After the start Wilson began to pass people and the old competitiveness kicked in and he climbed to seventh at the end of the first lap. One position down Donavyn Morris ended up eighth and was the first 4-Stroke to finish while Jack Reader in ninth was the first Over 40 to finish.
• Other classes ran on Saturday and they use short courses as well as cover many age groups.
The overall Pee Wee winner was Seth Rigsby while Peyton Mass was the Under 6 victor. Wyatt Rankin was the 7 and over winner while Gatlin Knight won the 4-Stroke class.
Carson Calder was the 100cc Mini Bike winner while the Bomber victory was Chris Loer. In the V Women the winner was Taylor Kemp and the team winners was the due of Morris-Fitzpatrick.
Unfortunately the full results had not been posted when this article was finished so what is listed is unofficial and subject to change. Eventually they will be found at www.racemrann.com as well as the announcement for the season’s final race in two weeks.
REPORTER’S NOTE: There is a photo gallery after the results.
OTHER RACING NEWS:
- For motocross racers Brett Metcalf is having two riding clinics this weekend. The classes are limited to 10 so if interested be sure to register quickly.
Brett Metcalf poster.
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RESULTS*:
MRANN – Round 7
Purgatory Peak – Oct. 15
• Sunday, Oct. 15
Big Bike Overall: 1. Austin Serpa, Open Exp., 2. Brody Honea, 250cc Exp., 3. Dan Capparelli (Hole Shot), 4. Stephen Helms, 5. Austin Wilson, 6. Wyatt Brittner, 7. Josh Wilson, Over 30 Exp., 8. Kurtis Gray, 250 Ama (Hole Shot), 9. Morris Donavyn, 4-Stroke Exp., 10. Jack Reader Over 40 Exp., 11. Jake Himphill, 12. John Levie, 12. Jesse Cunnally, 14. Dan Rankin, 15. Reggie Wheeler, Open Ama, 16. Thomas Duncan, 4-Stroke Ama., 17. Evyn Smith 250cc Nov, 18. Grey Wyman, 19. Tomas Lay, Over 40 Ama., 20. J.C. Kelly, Over 30 Ama., 21. Josh Cook, (Novice hole shot.), 22. James McMurray.
• Saturday, Oct. 14:
+Pee Wee Overall: 1. Seth Rigsby, 2. Wyatt Rankin, 3. Tyler Davenport, 4. Jacob Surane, 5. Ava Delaney, 6. Troy Pensotti, 7. Charlie Albert, 8. Jacob Engelk, 9. Payton Maas, 10. Henry Young, 11. Tucker Whitworth, 12. Genevieve Miller, 13. Cash Connors, 14. Destry Pigsby, 15. Shea Zastawniak, 16. Gatlin Knight, 17. Hannah Engleke, 18. Kyra Tichenor, 19. Walker Segale-Vandover, 20. Trenton Johnson,21. Payeton Segale, 22. Logan Blaire, 23. Anna Rigsby, 24. Devan Tichenor, 25. Miles Kozlik.
+ Pee Wee (6 & younger): 1. Peyton Maas, 2. Tucker Whitworth, 3. Cash Connors, 4. Walker Segale-Vandover, 5. Payeton Segale, 6. Logan Blaire, 7. Anna Rigsby, 8. Devan Tichenor, 9. Mile Kozlik, 10. Quinn Connors, 11. Landen Ruand.
+ 4-Stroke: 1. Gatlin Knight, 2. Trenton Johnson.
+ 7 & Up: 1. Wyatt Rankin, 2. Henry Young, 3. Shea Zastawniak, 4. Hannah Engelke, 5. Jesse Miller
+Mini/V Women/Bomber: 1. Chris Loer, 2. Curtis Caldez, 3. Scott Martin, 4. Carson Calder, 5. Taylor Kemp, 6. Arie Ferlong, 7. Camie Ingram, 8. Calib Bonneville, 9.Colleen Conners, 10. Shawn Fieste, 11. Blair Rankin, 12. Kyle Faul, 13. Jamie Jenks, 14. Angie Figg, 15. Garrett Dean, 16. Dannielle Horneman, 17. Jordan Maas, 18. Anthony Bravn, 19. Eric Grieve, 20. Elliette Kennedy, 21. Lukas Dean, 22. Jesse White, 23. Alyson Wilson, 24. Karen Loer, 25. Quinn Connors, 26. Jesse Miller.
DNF: Jessie Abpcanalp.
+Bomber: 1. Chris Loer, 2. Curtis Calder, 3. Scott Martin.
+V Women: 1. Taylor Kemp, 2. Colleen Connors, 3. Shannon Fieste, 4. Kayla Faul, 5 Jamie Jenks, 6. Angie Flgg, 7. Dannielle Horneman, 8. Erin Grieve, 9. Elliette Kennedy, 10.Alyson Wilson, 11. Karen Loer, 12. Jessi Abpcnalp.
+ 100 Mini: 1. Carson Calder, 2. Arie Furlong, 3. Camie Ingram, 4. Caleb Bonneville, 5. Blair Rankin, 6. Garrett Dean, 7. Anthony Braun, 8. Luka Dean, 9. Jesse White.
+65 Novice: 1. Seth Rigsby, 2. Tyler Davenport, 3. Jacob Surane, 4. Ava Delaney, 5. Troy Pensotti, 6. Charlie Albert, 7. Jacob Engelke, 8. Genevieve Miller, 9. Destry Rigsby, 10. Kyra Tichenor, 11. Hayden Himphill.
+65 Ama: Jordan Maas.
+Team: 1. Morris-Fitzpatrick, 2. Levie-Maas, 3. Wilson-Wilson, 4. Faul-Albert, 5. Martin-Maas.
* – Unofficial results subject to review.
PHOTO GALLERY:
