Rattlers Run - MX/Trials

SEPT.19-20

Sunday morning came with a brisk beautiful sunrise as Saturday evening had quite a long downpour that cleared away not only the smoke but watered the motocross track significantly. The National Rattlers Run Motocross is in its 14th year and had fourteen races and 117 entries. The 60+ Vintage Intermediate had the largest number of entries with 19. Fritz Guenther topped both motos on his Maico over Norm Wright on a CZ and Sean Chase on a Triumph. Guenther even roosted the hole shot on the second moto!

In Race five, Moto two of the Vintage Early Sportsman 250

Dan Steely (54), Jon Seehorn

Expert, it was the battle of the Joes! Joe Klokkevold and Joe Thomas battled back and forth for the lead around the twists and turns of the track. Thomas won over Klokkevold. Arei James was in two back-to-back races. She won the Vintage Women’s Expert Class and had a great battle with George Amaro in the Vintage Sportsman 500 Intermediate class. During most of the race they were exchanging each other’s roost and were side by side as well. Amaro took first over James. Smokin’ Joe also topped the Sportsman 500 Expert over Michael Busch and Mark Sullivan! In the Sportsman 250 Expert class Jon Seehorn, and his Yamaha overcame former National Dirt Tracker, Dan Stanley, riding a Husqvarna. Sean Riddle claimed the overall victory in the Sportsman 250 Intermediate over Dale Tomevi.

(03) Fritz Guenther's hole shot roosting the competition in the 60+ Intermediate race

In the Open Age Expert Class, former Grand National Flat Track Champion, Joe Kopp, led the field and smoked the competition. The battle for second place was a race all in its own as Tim Bentley competed against Jon Seehorn and Steve Liberty. Bentley (second) battled through the tight corners and put on a good show with Seehorn (third) and Liberty (fourth). The battle between Dallas Nyblod and Chet Malito in the Vintage 60+ Expert class was a nail biter in both motos. Nyblod got the hole shot both times. Nyblod and Malito were neck-and-neck going into one of the last turns with one lap to go for the day; Malito used a daring move on the downhill to pass Nyblod for the win.

Joe Koppp (3) racing in front of the (always and distinct) American flag at Rattlers Run

(17) and Brett Giboney (759)) in Sportsman 250 Expert

Joe Klokkevold (117) and Joe Thomas (98T) in Vintage Early Sportsman 250 Expert Arei James (5R) and George Amaro (92Q) in Vintage Sportsman 500 Chet Malito (38M) and Dallas Nyblod (2Y) in 60+ Expert

The very last race of the day is a Rattlers Run Tradition.

This year saw a smaller participation in the ‘Anderberg Z50’ on Honda Z50s. The race was a brother battle between Al and Bryan Anderberg. Al got the hole Bryan and Al Anderberg crossing the shot as he popped finish line on their Honda Z50s a wheelie at the start of the race. They foot paddled and revved the throttles; the crowd cheered as both of them crossed the finish line! Cheers to traditions! Amid all the challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic, it was wonderful visiting the Palouse countryside and seeing our AHRMA family again.

Matt Parsons in section six

Paul Deree in section three

Robert Trono in section four

On a smokey Saturday afternoon, in Fairfield, Washington, thirty-two ambitious trials riders set out for obstacles spread across two miles of wheat fields on the Anderberg Farm for the Rattlers Run National Trials. Over the past couple weeks, Chris Allen and his local crew of trials designers and volunteers (including: Joe Klokkevold, Todd Stanley, Matt Parsons, and Mike Allen) created ten tire spinning, brake squeaking, tight turning, quick thinking sections that kept the trials riders not only on their foot pegs, but on their toes and hopefully not on the ground; three of those sections being entirely brand new!

Section three was challenging for the Modern Classic Experts, Modern Classic Intermediates, Classic Experts, Premier Lightweights and Heavyweights. Those riders had to go over a set of logs, between two signs and then over boulders that were very close to the red outbound line. It was quite the balancing act! Many of the riders caught air on the logs. Matt Parsons dominated the Premier Heavyweight Expert class over Kelly Shane with an exceedingly large difference in points. Parsons cleaned his second loop and he earned only 12 points. Shane earned 61 points.

In the largest class of the day, the Modern Classic Novice, there were eleven trials riders. Dr. Zac McGovern won the class earning six points and only getting one point in two of his loops. Second place was a tie, so it was determined by the number of cleans; Sean McKenna cleaned his third loop and had 27 cleans. Greg Houchin had 22 cleans he placed third. Both McKenna and Houchin scored ten points. Just a point or two apart were the top seven riders in the class.

The Modern Classic Expert Class was between two strong competitors separated by only eight points: Dirk Murphy (scored 68) and Paul Deree (scored 76). Murphy earned first. Jim Allen autographing Matt

Parsons' INTA award

There were a few first-time trials riders participating. Scott Valley of Gig Harbor, Washington, was new to AHRMA and he rode the four line. Valley placed third as a beginner. Welcome to AHRMA! Robert Trono rode one of T. Stanley’s AHRMA first-timer Scott Valley riding the beginner Yamaha trials bikes, earned second place and line in section three even cleaned his last loop! The challenging trials course took points from every participant. T. Stanley, Classic Expert winner and winner of an INTA award, had the fewest points of the day earning only four. This was followed by Conner Conner Walsh in section six Walsh with five points taking first place in the beginner class.

There was a special category for the winners this year and the awards were autographed by Jim Allen, a legend in the community. J. Allen has been around motorcycles his whole life. The award was called the INTA (Inland Northwest Trials Association) Cup. The rules are that the riders must be a full AHRMA member, ride AHRMA approved bikes, abide by the AHRMA rulebook standards, and compete accordingly to the line they ride (i.e., 1,2,3). This year they had 11 riders compete for the cup. J. Allen’s picture was on the award to showcase him competing in an INTA season championship event in the 1980s.

This award is a great way to join two organizations and watch them grow, compete, and have fun!