NIGHTINGALE, NV (Feb. 18) – The Wildfire 100 opened the 2018 racing season for those that compete in the MRANN (Motorcycle Racing Association of Northern Nevada) series. Since its held on President’s Day weekend the event also turns into a huge campout for many of the competitors and their families.
Like all MRANN races it’s a two-day event and on Sunday the big bikes get their turn. This time the Trail Blazers club hosted the race and used two different courses for both loops.
For Steve Tichenor it was a great weekend as he and Dennis Belingheri won the Team Race on Saturday but he scored the first overall in Sunday’s race.
On his way to winning the big bike race Steve Tichenor heads for the pits at the end of his first lap.
“The race was really fun, the course was well marked, really high wind today and a lot of the markers got blown off so you just have to be careful. Nothing you can do about that but they did a real good job of having a little bit of everything,” he said after taking the checkered flag.
Then he thanked C&J Equipment, Reno Motor Sports, DDC Components, Number Tech and Chick-Fil-A of Sparks, Nevada.
As usual riders were divided into three classes depending on the experience, Experts first then, after intervals, followed by Amateur and Novice riders.
After the start the riders crossed a field, turned up a wash then headed up a hill. Coming down in sight of the pits they then made a right turn and headed north to the first loop.
This time the course was really two separate loops. The first one was north of the pits. After making a stop, usually for fuel and maybe water, riders headed up the hill and south for the second loop.
Since it was a Hare and Hound event one rider from the host club was chosen and gets a head start over the expert line. The goal for the other riders is to be the first to catch the Hare and there is usually a prize for catching him.
Austin Wilson was the Hare for this race and one goal for the racers was to be the first to catch him.
Austin Wilson was the Hare and after the start, when the field goes over a hill and by the pit area Mason Stone was in the lead with Drew Chattin second as they were both chasing Wilson.
At first Tichenor was leading then Belingheri got past them while they soon took over the lead. Eventually Belingheri briefly got lost and that’s all Tichenor needed as he lead the duo into the pits.
By then both of them had a huge lead over third place Zach Martinez. For some riders that first stop is when the ended their race but were still classed as finishers although on this day many decided to ride that second loop.
One part of the first loop was an area that hadn’t been raced in years and had sand that was about a foot deep. Fortunately most got through that in good order
Not far behind winner Tichenor was the Desert Fox himself Dennis Belingheri. After finishing he and Tichenor congratulated each other on a good race.
Dennis Belingheri heads for the pits at the end of the first lap. He would finish second overall for the day.
“It was good, had to make some suspension adjustments. Steve’s going real fast, I got by him on the first loop then somehow I got lost, he got back by me. I chased him the whole second loop, he’s riding good and I didn’t want to over due it, if anybody can win I’m glad it’s Steve,” he said.
Coming home not that far behind the lead duo was Zach Martinez.
“It was good, it was dusty but the wind kind of blew it out of the way,” he said. “Technical in the second loop which was fun, overall a good race. There’s a lot of sand, rocks and the best part of the course was probably the really technical downhill we did, that was a lot of fun.”
Then he thanked Dirt Tricks as he manages that company.
As finishers arrived at the checkered flag the first amateur Cody Gray arrived in 19th place.
“It was pretty good, it wasn’t too bad pretty smooth, little rocks but overall it was pretty fun,” he said. “I thank my dad for hooking up a lot of stuff for my bike.”
Finishing in 23rd place was Ezra “Mini Fox,” Belingheri, who was greeted by his and the Tichenor families.
“The race was good, lots of sand washes and stuff like that,” he said. “There’s lots of sand all the way coming back and at the beginning of the second lap and there’s big mountains in the middle of the second lap and a big downhill. My need to thank my dad and family for helping me.”
There was a pretty big group of big bike riders to begin the season so he rider count could be even higher this year and in the individual events.
REPORTER’S NOTE: There is a photo gallery from Sunday’s race after the results.
Saturday was blessed by almost perfect weather and that’s when those that race the short course get their chance.
Unfortunately there were problems as the club wanted to use transponder scoring but they had to revert to the manual way. As a result only partial results are available at this time.
The full official results should be posted either later this week or next depending on how long it takes for the scoring crew to go through everything, however there are some class winners that are posted in this report. When the results are posted they will be at, www.racemrann.com.
In the V Women, Mini Bike and Bomber race Christina Courtney was first overall followed by CamieIngram and Chrystal Ponsock. The first three Mini Bike racers,Carson Calder, Wyatt and Walker McGreal ended up fourth through sixth while the bomber winner was 12th place Mike Furlong.
Unfortunately this reporter apparently missed the page that had the overall Pee Wee winner’s name listed. Apologies to those riders whose names I missed.
Other Pee Wee winners were sixth place Henry Young, 7 & Over, Brynn Belingheri, 4-Stroke and Landen Ruano, 6 & Under.
The team race was won by Dennis Belingheri and Steve Tichenor.
Next race for MRANN will be on the weekend of March 17-18 hosted by Western State Racing Association.
OTHER RACING NEWS
- Three Nevada natives were in Sunday’s Daytona 500, sadly the race wasn’t too kind to them.
Kyle Busch wrecked out before the end. Both Kurt Busch and Brendan Gaughan saw their chances of a good finish or maybe evening winning wiped out in a late race crash putting them 26th and 28th in the final standings.
• This reporter will be part of the Teresa’s Garage Radio Show on Tuesday afternoon. It runs from 2 until 3 p.m. Pacific Standard time and I’m usually on around 2:15 or will be on the entire show, hope you’ll give it a listen.
Teresa’s Garage Radio Show graphic.
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RESULTS
• Sunday, Feb. 18
Big Bike Overall: 1.Steve Tichenor, 2. Dennis Belingheri, 3. Zack Martinez , 19. Cody Gray, 1st Amateur 23. Ezra Belingheri, 1st Novice.
• Saturday, Feb. 17
V Women, Bombers & Mini Bike Overall: 1. Christina Courtney (V Women), 2. Camie Ingram, 3. Chrystal Ponsock, 4. Carson Calder (Mini Bike), 5. Wyatt Brixey, 6. Walker McGreal, 7. Shannon Fieste, 8. Madden Kirsch, 9. Cassie Searle, 10. Natalie Russ, 11. Baylee Rhodes, 12. Mike Furlong, Bomber, 13. Claire Petrie, 14. Kayla Faul, 15. Landen Williams, 16. Julianne Zotter, 17. Angie Figg, 18. Lawson Williams, 19. Sierra Koch, 20. Anthony Braun.
Pee Wee Overall*: 1. (66y), 2. Peyton Mass, 3. Jacob Surane, 4. (99v), 5. 13y, 6. Henry Young, (7 & Older), 7. Trucker Whitworth, 8. (100y), 9. (116y), 10. Gatlin Knight, 11. Brynn Belingheri, (4-Stroke), 12. Kyra Tichenor, 13. Jackson Sangster , 14. Trenten Johnson, 15. Christa Ponsock, 16. Presley Hayes, 17. Landen Ruano (6 & Under), 18. Devan Tichenor, 19. Oliver McElroy, 20. (188y), 21. Wyatt Berrington, 22. Jake Greathouse, 23. Jake Lazzarino, 24. Teigen Biadle, 25. Lilly Trotter, 26. Westyn Hindman, 27. Ada Sangster, 28. Max Trotter.
Team Race Winner: Dennis Belingheri and Steven Tichenor.
* – Only have numbers for some of the Pee Wee racers.
PHOTO GALLERY:
