Race Recap - Fall Series #8 - Canyon

November 20, 2022 Last Race Ever at Canyon

Very last race ever to be held at Canyon … great turnout . We got our usual Race 3 and Race 6 for nice early starts. AZOT invited all members to come to the Faso RV after racing for a farewell lunch of yummy chili and (as it turned out) overcooked baked potatoes. Hey, by the time we piled on the butter, sour cream, cheese and bacon bits, you didn’t notice the potato that much. Called it motocross health food. We’re definitely a hearty eating bunch. Now back to the racing stuff …

Race 3: You know it’s going to be solid competition in both classes when you see four Masters and five Experts at the gate. Masters David O’riordan #310, Rick Arnold #97, Rick Nagle #4 and Shane Criswell #382 wasted no time in pushing for first place. Criswell had been pining for some more competition and he got it – both motos. Bet he enjoyed putting on a show for his young daughter who was cheering in the stands. It was Criswell, Arnold, Nagle, O’riordan first moto and then Nagle took the 2nd place spot in the second moto. O’riordan had triple duty Sunday, with him and Mom getting his two sons on the track for their races and off again safely…big grins for all.

Experts Alberto Toscano #117, Darren Sebastiani #526, Dave Fouquette #137, Jeff Neil #40 and Kurk Quinn #52 were ready to bolt at the gate drop. It was an especially close battle for Fouquette and Neil, who continues to bask in the AZ sun and not even think about the cold winter they left in Canada. Toscano pushed hard to remind Quinn of their back and forth battle last race! Both motos, they made it Quinn/Toscano, Fouquette/Neil and Sebastiani for two exhausting motos.

Race 6: First gate of Intermediates, Glen Swecker #13, Tim Kennedy #251, Travis Nelson #111v, and William Stevens #860 were quickly pushing with close competition in changing lines. Welcome back, Cowboy, good to see you wrestling that big 500! No surprise, Nelson kept his 1st place position but enjoyed hearing the threat of engines revving behind him. Both motos it was Nelson followed by Swecker, Stevens and Kennedy for the finish.

A big field of seven Novice gathered to say farewell to the Canyon track. Some of those guys (along with guys in the other classes) have raced at Canyon for decades, not years. Dave Kennedy #135, Gary Kritcher #48k, Michael Corral #283, Mike Faso #514, Ron March #200, Scott Mcbrien #679 and Steve Richardson #27 had a great time for this last big hurrah. So good to see Richardson back on the track. With his entourage along for the day, bet the trip to the ice cream stand emptied the wallet. Mcbrien has almost perfect attendance for the Fall Series (and having just gotten the taste of a 1st place finish at ACP), he was set for battle. He led March, Kritcher, Richardson, Corral, Faso and Kennedy off the gate, with March and Kritcher working to chase him down. Kritcher got past March in lap 3, and was eyeing Mcbrien for 1st until a crunch in the downhill corner and an off-track gift stopped Kritcher’s chase for 1st. Fun watching that many Novice going head to head. Overall finish for the day was Mcbrien, March, Richardson, Faso, Corral, Kritcher and Kennedy.

Trophies, photos and food was the theme of the day – a good one for all!