St Johns Offroad Challenge race story

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AZOP Brings Excitement to Rural Saint Johns


2019 AZOP Rowley White RV Series, Round 8, Saint Johns, AZ August 24-25, 2019


Written by: Miller Truby

All images ©: Miller Truby


With temperatures continuing to soar in Arizona’s populated valleys, AZOP once again brought racers and spectators to the rural mountains to stage a weekend of off-road racing action in the sleepy hamlet of Saint Johns. For the eighth round of the AZOP Rowley White RV Series action was split between a Saturday Grand Prix format and a Sunday Hare Scramble with an extremely unique track featuring the Blue Hills OHV area. As has been the case all year, the race - which was presented by MRT-MotoRaceTire.com, SinFab Industries, and El Camino Restaurant - brought out a large number of spectators and an impressive list of entrants across all the classes.


The Grand Prix racing on Saturday ran on a short, snaking loop in mostly sandy terrain with big bermed corners, wide-open straights, and some legitimately scary blind drop-offs into hidden washes. Continuing the theme of the summer, Saint Johns had not seen significant rain for several weeks prior to the race so dust became an immediate issue as the track was dry as a bone and could not be watered. As a result, the start of each race was a full-blown sprint for the apex of the first corner to try to secure a spot ahead of the dust.


Sunday’s Hare Scramble used the same starting area and ran a partial lap of the Grand Prix course before breaking off and making several long wide open runs down paved farm roads to the access gate for the Blue Hills OHV area. Racers then ran a set number of laps in the Blue Hills before being sent back down the same farm roads in the opposite direction and back onto the Grand Prix course to take the checkered flag. The dust was not as much of an issue on Sunday because the Blue Hills area is comprised of badlands style hard-packed dried mud and gravel. The riding area, which is comprised of a large number of naked ridge lines and twisty canyons, made for a very unique up and down setting and challenged riders and drivers to traverse unique terrain as efficiently as possible.


The unusual format for the hare scramble posed a challenge for race officials as racers would have to be completely cleared from the first section of the course before the leader in each race had completed the prescribed number of laps in the Blue Hills. This meant that in addition to the official scoring trailer at the start/finish area, AZOP also had to have a separate scoring official set up at the entrance/exit gate for the OHV area keeping track of each vehicle to come by manually. Despite the potential for confusion, the races all went off without major incident and the track was widely praised for the unique challenge it presented.


AZOP next returns to beautiful Payson for two days of Grand Prix racing at the famous rodeo grounds off-road course on October 5th and 6th. Registration is open now!


As always AZOP would like to thank all of the sponsors, staff, volunteers, racers, and spectators for making this another successful and fun weekend of racing. For full race results, videos, and photos or to find out about upcoming events go to www.azopracing.com.



Saturday Motorcycle Results


Big Bikes

Pro: 1.) #375 Dominic Dugi Open A: 1.) #824 James Clark 2.) #372 Alejandro Cortez, Jr. Open B: 1.) #590 Matt Dally 2.) #207 Shawn Weese 3.) #249 Dylan Manning Open C: 1.) #343 Jake Moffat 2.) #040 Zack Haroldson 3.) #814 Lewis Wright 125-250cc B: 1.) #429 Kaden Bedlion 2.) #29 Colton Edwards 3.) #303 Trevor Guthrie 125-250cc C: 1.) #700 Anthony Luna 2.) #724 Taylor Wilson 3.) #727 Jaeqon Peterson Vet 30+ A: 1.) #19 Dayton Raper Vet 30+ B: 1.) #049 Kyle Slone Vet 30+ C:1.) #253 Michael Konkright Senior 40+ B: 1.) #43 Jeremiah Schnurpel 2.) #133 Micah Chlarson 3.) #248 James Manning Master 50+ B: 1.) #050 Michael Young





Pee Wee Bikes

Pee Wee 50cc 4-6 years: 1.) #723 Hayden Griffith 2.) #25 Courtney Curley 3.) #301 Jayce Tracy Pee Wee 50cc 7-8 years: 1.) #238 Kaycee Curley 2.) #153 Ryder Yates 3.) #898 Kash Schmidt Pee Wee 65cc C: 1.) #419 Wyatt Massey 2.) #308 Aayden Tracy 3.) #046 Karlyle Barney


Mini Bikes

Mini 65cc A: 1.) #21 Marley Kuhn Mini 65cc B: 1.) #2 Tristin Andrade 2.) #247 Cooper Skersick 3.) #928 Owen Wesley Mini 80-150cc A: 1.) #1429 Jonathan Kirat 2.) #177 Porter May 3.) #22 Travis Boyd Mini 80-150cc B: 1.) #48 Danny Baca 2.) #4 Chase Boyd Mini 80-150cc C: 1.) #130 Clayton Hixon 2.) #413 Colson Skersick 3.) #199 Jaxon Steele Women’s C: 1.) #93 Ellie Koester 2.) #371 Emilee Carter 3.) #38 Nikki Earlewine



Saturday Quad/ATC Results


Big Quads/ATCs

Expert: 1.) #808 Nick Helton Sportsman: 1.) #27 Ian Sessions 2.) #106 Robert Dearth 3.) #133 Brian Jackson


Mini Quads

Mini 250-400cc: 1.) #57 Dakota Hibler Mini 91-300cc 10-15 Years: 1.) #34 Landen Johnson 2.) #17 Brayden Earlewine


Pee Wee Quads

Pee Wee 80cc Advanced: 1.) #95 Brendon Turner Pee Wee 80cc Beginner: 1.) #222 Jack Wilson 2.) #47 William Rogers 3.) #31 Kaiden Lee Pee Wee 50-79cc 4-6 Years: 1.) #88 Tyler Wade 2.) #289 Lane Johnson 3.) #56 Emma Martinez



Saturday UTV Results


Big UTVs

Pro: 1.) #143 Kali Kinsman 2.) #903 Kody Winiecki Unlimited Turbo: 1.) #969 Dan Hurn 2.) #904 Chase De Sousa Dias 1000cc Non-Turbo: 1.) #901 Clayton Winiecki 2.) #2004 John Nix 3.) #914 Barry Bennett


570cc UTVs

570cc: 1.) #1910 Grace Vinagro 2.) #193 Ashton Stowell 3.) #57 TJ Siewers


170cc/250cc UTVs

250cc: 1.) #135 Casen Krah 170cc: 1.) #192 Ryland Stowell 2.) #147 Braden Krah 3.) #1948 Cooper Lake



Sunday Motorcycle Results


Big Bikes

Pro: 1.) #375 Dominic Dugi Open A: 1.) #824 James Clark 2.) #372 Alejandro Cortez, Jr 3.) #95 Austin Alexander Open B:1.) #415 Tate Van Voorst 2.) #047 David Romero 3.) #317 Jarren Atwater Open C: 1.) #040 Zack Haroldson 2.) #403 Jacob Robinson 3.) #174 Tanner Lindley 125-250cc A: 1.) #974 Dustin Queen 125-250cc B: 1.) #429 Kaden Bedlion 125-250cc C:1.) #700 Anthony Luna 2.) #724 Taylor Wilson 3.) #694 Dylan Skaggs Vet 30+ A: 1.) #19 Dayton Raper Vet 30+ B: 1.) #72 Jordan Luke Vet 30+ C: 1.) #253 Michael Konkright Senior 40+ B: 1.) #43 Jeremiah Schnurpel 2.) #133 Micah Chlarson Master 50+ B: 1.) #59 Gary Peterson Women: 1.) #101 Brea Core


Pee Wee Bikes

Pee Wee 50cc 4-6 years: 1.) #723 Hayden Griffith 2.) #25 Courtney Curley 3.) #301 Jayce Tracy Pee Wee 50cc 7-8 years: 1.) #7269 Jeffery Rogers 2.) #153 Ryder Yates 3.) #898 Kash Schmidt Pee Wee 65cc C: 1.) #419 Wyatt Massey 2.) #308 Aayden Tracy 3.) #298 Kaden Schmidt


Mini Bikes

Mini 65cc A: 1.) #21 Marley Kuhn Mini 65cc B: 1.) #2 Tristin Andrade 2.) #928 Owen Wesley 3.) #247 Cooper Skersick Mini 80-150cc A: 1.) #1429 Jonathan Kirat 2.) #177 Porter May 3.) #22 Travis Boyd Mini 80-150cc B: 1.) #48 Danny Baca 2.) #4 Chase Boyd Mini 80-150cc C: 1.) #130 Clayton Hixon 2.) #199 Jaxon Steele 3.) #413 Colson Skersick Women’s C: 1.) #93 Ellie Koester 2.) #191 Grace Vinagro 3.) #371 Emilee Carter



Sunday Quad/ATC Results


Big Quads/ATCs

Expert: 1.) #808 Nick Helton Sportsman: 1.) #27 Ian Sessions 2.) #133 Brian Jackson 3.) #77 Jayden Jackson ATC: 1.) #71 Paul Airey


Mini Quads

Mini 250-400cc: 1.) #57 Dakota Hibler Mini 91-300cc 10-15 Years: 1.) #34 Landen Johnson 2.) #17 Brayden Earlewine


Pee Wee Quads

Pee Wee 80cc Advanced: 1.) #95 Brendon Turner Pee Wee 80cc Beginner: 1.) #31 Kaiden Lee 2.) #200 Cutter Gehrts 3.) #47 William Rogers Pee Wee 50-79cc 4-6 Years: 1.) #289 Lane Johnson 2.) #88 Tyler Wade 3.) #56 Emma Martinez



Sunday UTV Results


Big UTVs

Pro: 1.) #143 Kali Kinsman Unlimited Turbo: 1.) #969 Dan Hurn 1000cc Non-Turbo: 1.) #914 Barry Bennett 2.) #2004 John Nix 3.) #902 Evan Striplin 900cc: 1.) #90 Dan Winiecki


570cc UTVs

570cc: 1.) #1910 Grace Vinagro 2.) #57 TJ Siewers 3.) #193 Ashton Stowell


170cc/250cc UTVs

250cc: 1.) #135 Casen Krah 170cc: 1.) #101 TJ Siewers 2.) #192 Ryland Stowell 3.) #147 Braden Krah
 

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