NORTHEAST REGION Photo credit: Brian Palmer
kelso creekclassic Fireworks, Food, and Fun (Racing)
By: bob Close - - - - - - - - September 19th and 20th, 2020
This year’s third annual Kelso Creek Classic took place in the heart of the Adirondacks during peak fall foliage colors. But before we talk racing, I want to show AHRMA MAG readers what you missed if you were not in Minerva, NY, on Saturday Night, September 19th. Click on this YouTube video link; it takes about eight minutes to watch the KCC fireworks show. I will not be offended—the article will still be right here and waiting for your eager eyes when you return: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhTvFhzUJN8&t=7s Amazing right? And the racing hosts, Brett Darrow and Alicia Coon, apply that same enthusiasm throughout this twoday event, whether it’s the Saturday cross country races, the Sunday motocross, or the wonderful food offered up beginning Friday night, throughout Saturday, and again on Sunday. But we did come here to get some AHRMA racing in, as did the racers, families, and friends supporting the 39 cross country and 69 motocross entries. So, let’s get to it! While it was a cold Saturday morning (the event gatekeepers had a fire pit going at the entrance), afternoon warmed up to the upper 50s for race day. The KCC team had laid out a 3.8mile course across the 120 acres that Brett calls home, and he enthusiastically characterized this year’s course as “rugged” at the rider’s meeting. You should have heard the collective groan that went out from the group—okay, maybe it was mostly me—as they contemplated what is often thought of as THE toughest course on our Northeast calendar. Serious elevation changes infused with off-camber challenges, rocks bigger than engine cases, and only a couple of (wider open) connectors that allow you to reach fourth gear. Yep, “rugged” is an appropriate 54
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description. Another fact of life that we Nor’easters have come to accept about cross country racing at KCC: the Spoonagle family shows up and kicks ass. Completely and thoroughly—in both Vintage, where Chris somehow beat his dad Kurt on a pair of beee-utiful white tank Can-Ams, and in Post-Vintage—where Chris once again led the Spoonagle slaughter by winning the overall on his Yamaha IT200. It should be noted that the “old” man opted out for the second race, grabbed a beer cooler and his Mama Bear, and parked himself at several points around the course to offer encouragement (and I think beer) as we struggled by on each lap of the Post Vintage race. Okay—a bit ahead of myself with overalls in that last paragraph, but I just needed to get some KCC ground rules established. Two lines left the starting area at 1 PM for the Vintage XC and after four very painful laps, the results were in, with Chris taking 200 Sportsman Expert and his dad Kurt winning Vintage 50+ Expert. THE race of the day took place between Intermediates Otto DeJager (Vintage 60+ Intermediate) and Rick Ketcham (Sportsman 200 Intermediate) who swapped the Intermediate lead several times during the race. Otto started out by leading a batch of riders the wrong way on the first lap (not me—I brilliantly led the Intermediates and Novices for a third of the first lap before I was caught and passed) and then later lost his chain in one of THE most difficult mud/rock/large log sections on Lap three, allowing Ketcham to pass him and… wait for it… Ketcham did NOT claim the Intermediate victory! DeJager got back by him on the final lap for the win. Rick still enjoyed his 200
AMERICAN HISTORIC RACING MOTORCYCLE ASSOCIATION
DECEMBER 2020
