Stateline: Battle at the Border Pecatonica, Illinois - June 2 By Josh Rud More photos at www.ShiftOnePhotography.com
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his weekend I made my way out to Pecatonica to catch their season’s fifth round. The racing was action packed all night with Kevin Markwardt and Tommy Hofmaster leading the fastest of the battles. The track was in great shape, offering a very unique setup that I always enjoy watching. The quads also had a great showing, and are always fun to watch. Speaking of quads, they were the first to come roaring off the gates tonight with Quad A making the races official, and Ethan Pickard taking the holeshot. With it being double points everyone was running hard, but unable to catch Pickard. Justin
Chad Johnson going to fifth in +25.
Medine and TJ Staver swapped spots a few times, but Medine was able to hold on for second. In Quad B, Kory Blake the B class point’s leader, took the holeshot, only to be passed by track new comer George Cibon. Cibon started to build up quite a lead and took the win, with Blake in second and Brandon Cesaroni taking third place. In the 250 classes tonight there was plenty of action and the A class started the battle between Kevin Markwardt and Tommy Hofmaster, that went all the way through Open A and +25. In 250A Hofmaster got off the line and never looked back. Markwardt was right behind him with Kyle White in third and Erik Utech in fourth. Markwardt was trying every spot on the track he knew to get by Hofmaster, but was held off every time. They all crossed the line in that order with Hofmaster taking the win. 250B was up next with Nate Mcleese taking the holeshot. Right behind was Logan Skaggs and Ryan Robinson. Skaggs got by Mcleese through the sweeper, but was quickly passed right back and wasn’t able to get by him again. Lucas Hayes came into the whoops section and got 54
CYCLE USA, July 2012
around Robinson to take over third, holding on to checkers. 250C came out tonight with seventeen riders. Bryce Olson, another new rider at the track took the holeshot with Trevor Hayes close and Brad Cesaroni in third. Coming into the rhythm section Hayes dug into the inside to get around Olson and took off for the eventual win. Olson finished second with Cesaroni holding onto third after a hard fought battle. Open A was out pretty late in the evening and Hofmaster came soaring off the gates taking the holeshot with Kyle White in second and Markwardt third. Markwardt got around White coming down from the first section of jumps and made a line to catch Hofmaster. Halfway through the race White was in a battle and got taken out accidentally, allowing Brandon Pope to move into third. All the while up front Markwardt was trying his best to make it around Hofmaster but was unable to, giving Hofmaster the win. In Open B Logan Skaggs got the holeshot with Lucas Hayes in second and Ricki Williams third. Williams got around Hayes in the sweeper and set his sights on Skaggs. As the race came to a close Skaggs secured his victory holding off Williams who came in second. Open C was up next with sixteen riders on the gates. Right into the first turn there was a pile-up, holding up several riders, but Trevor Hayes got out clean. Nick Blumer and Kyle Blake were right behind him. Coming into the third turn Kolton Day came up from the back and made his way around Blake to take over third place. Hayes held on to first with Blumer in second. 14-24 was up next. Logan Skaggs dug in hard and got the holeshot with Malachi Messenger second and Kyle White in third. White was on a mission looking for any way to get around Messenger. Coming down the whoops section White took the inside line and got underneath to take second place. Then they come over the finish line into the sweeper and White got by Skaggs to take over the lead. Meanwhile Nate Mcleese was charging from the back and got Messenger, and then Skaggs. He was tailing White, but didn’t get by leaving White with the win.