“SATURDAY AT THE GLEN” RACE REPORT: EVERY GENERATION, FATHERS & SONS, PLUS 200 OF YOUR CLOSEST FRIEND

Kade Walker (653) was a powerhouse in the Pro class, going 1-1 in the 250 class. Photo by Debbi Tamietti

PHOTOS BY DEBBI TAMIETTI, MARK RIKER & DAN ALAMANGOS

Talking about the weather has dominated most of the trackside chit-chat over the last four months. Although the torrential rain seems to have stopped, it was quickly replaced by “May Gray” and “June Gloom” both of which are defined by a thick marine layer of clouds that extend from the ocean all the way out to the Inland Empire—which cover about 40 miles inland. The thick cloud layer stops the sun from shining through and instead of the typical 80-degree June temperatures, it is more like 65 degrees, windy and gloomy.

So, it was a great surprise that “June Gloom” didn’t  make it past the beach cities on Saturday and Glen Helen had a very average 83-degree June day—sunny with no wind. However, once the weekend was over, “June Gloom” came back with a vengeance on Monday. But racers don’t complain about Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday weather, as long as it is clear and warm on race day.

Southern California has a long history of Saturday races, that go against the “On Any Sunday” premise. The most famous of these was Jim Beltnick’s “Saddleback Saturday” races that allowed race-crazy SoCal racers to race on Saturday and still get home in time to work on their bikes so they could race again on Sunday. To make that possible, the Saturday race promoters, most notably Jim Beltnick and REM’s Frank Thomason, ran streamlined programs that used multiple gate starts and virtually promised the racers that they would be out of the track around 2:00 p.m. With most of the other race promoters having 36 classes a day, with the second motos shortened to green/white/checkers and darkness setting in,  the Saturday races attracted a Vet crowd–who didn’t want to spend all day watching four guys go around (because the promoter didn’t want to do multiple gates starts).

450 Pro Preston Tilford (491) flies over the wild flowers and up into the foliage as Southern California is still green from the winter rains. Photo by Dan Alamangos

To successfully host Saturday races, the promoters has to avoid getting too greedy. He has to cater to the wants of a select group with the right kind of track, long motos and a quick, well run program. When “Saturday at the Glen” took over when REM promoters Frank and Myra Thomason decided to retire, they adopted a lot of the Saddleback Saturday philosophies to speed up the race program. Of course there is always the danger of “Saturday at the Glen” catching on, but that’s icing on the cake, if they can keep the schedule tight.

This week, there was a Loretta Lynn Qualifier at Pala which everyone thought bleed off all of the motor home crowd, but for some unknown reason over 200 riders showed up to race on the Arroyo track at Glen Helen. For what is designed to be 30-race series, catering to a specific audience, with approximately 150 riders on average, no one could explain how it was possible that 200 riders to show up on Saturday out of the blue.

But, thanks to Glen Helen’s John Allen, who tweaked some of the previous track changes to make them better, the track was really fun, super challenging and a good test of stamina.

What follow are the photos of Debbi Tamietti, Mark Riker and Dan Alamangos to cover all the aspects of “Saturday at the Glen” this past weekend. Enjoy!

Justin Muscutt (816) went 2-2 in the 250 Pro class. Justin works in KTM’s new Taj Mahal in Murrietta. Photo by Mark Riker

Cody Brownfield (24) was third in the 250 Pros on his Suzuki RM-Z250. Photo by Debbi Tamietti

If you aren’t in the front of the pack coming out of the banked left-hand first turn, you have to ride through a wall of roost in the right-hand second turn.  Here, Miles Shugg (247), Tristin Alvarez (114), Andrew Jennings (X171) and Kyle Heald (616) get to follow in the wake of the leaders. Photo by Debbi Tamietti

This is the banked, 180-degrees, left hand, first turn about to get a dousing from the water truck before the day starts. Photo by Debbi Tamietti

Shawn Bushnell (804) won the Over-40 Expert class, while son Bode was 4th in the 85cc class. Shawn has his rear wheel in a deep rut and his front wheel in a shallow rut—if you’re gonna cross-rut, this is the best case scenario. Photo by Mark Riker

As the graying of motocross continues unabated, the Over-65 class gets bigger every week. Here, former SoCal 125 hotshot Dave Eropkin (811) leads former factory desert and Baja star Bob Rutten (83), with former Indian Dunes number one  racer Will Harper (7) and former Michigan Pro Randel Fout (41) coming up the inside in the Over-65 Expert class. Photo by Debbi Tamietti

Dave Eropkin (811) held off the constant pressure from Bob Rutten (83) to take a well deserved Over-65 Expert victory. Photo by Debbi Tamietti

Former multi-time CMC number one Pro Val Tamietti (31) couldn’t keep his win streak going in the Over-65 Experts class. Val went 3-3. Photo by Mark Riker

In the Over-65 Intermediate class, Jim Hanson took the win over a top five of Tim Hoole, Pete Vetrano, Marc Crosby and Sam Lupear. Photo by Debbi Tamietti

Marc Crosby hustled MXA’s 2023 KTM 350SXF to a 5-4 day in the Over-65 Intermediate class. There were 26 riders, divided into two gates, in the Over-65 group. Photo by Debbi Tamietti

MXA’s Jody Weisel’s (72) didn’t go to the Hangtown National with the rest of the wrecking crew—instead, he opted to race at “Saturday at the Glen” instead—saying, “I’d rather race than watch other people race.” Photo by Mark Riker

Mike Monaghan (34) was a Pro Circuit Husqvarna racer in the 1980s. He helped Tony DiStefano with his Suzuki Motocross Schools in the 1990s and when he wanted to switch to a 125 two-stroke three years ago, Tony D gave Mike his used YZ150 to race. Mike went 4-4 in the Over-65 Experts. Photo by Debbi Tamietti

These are the four major players in the Over-50 Expert class in turn three on the first lap: Robert Reisinger (96) got the start on his Husqvarna FC350 followed by  Polish racer Arek Kruk (79), multi-time World Vet Champion Pete Murray (7) and hidden behind Reisinger is Luther French (21). Photo by Debbi Tamietti

Arek Kruk (79) did something that few people have ever done when he ran down Pete Murray in the first moto, and beat him to the flag by three feet. Unfortunately, Arek couldn’t repeat it in the second moto, finishing third behind Murray and Luther French for a 1-3 day. Photo by Debbi Tamietti

Only the angle that the giant tire is laying at gives you a clue of how steeply banked this corner is. Here, Luther French tucks around the tire on his way to third in the Over-50 Expert class with a 3-2. On the other side of the tire is Michel Carter (50), who went 4-4 for fourth. Photo by Debbi Tamietti

Australian Dan Alamangos (81) came back to race in the Over-50 Expert class for the first time since badly breaking his tib/fib. It had to be rodded and he was off for seven months. Dan finished both motos with no ill effects. Oh yeah, he didn’t break his leg racing, but in a workshop accident. Photo by Debbi Tamietti

Out of the 205 riders who raced at “Saturday at the Glen” there were only two riders with number 23 on their bikes. Guess what? They were both in the Over-50 Expert class and ran nose-to-tail in both motos. Phil Dowell (23) finished 8th, while, while Australian Andrew “Hoppo” Hopson (23) was ninth. Hoppo also works in KTM’s new Taj Mahal in Murrietta. Photo by Debbi Tamietti

Lance Sloan (124) was another rider who has been missing for the last year, but he showed up ready to race this Saturday. He went 6-7 in the Over-50 Novices for seventh overall. Photo by Debbi Tamietti

Chas Tewksbury (45) swept both motos of the Over-40 Novices, which is an excellent way to find yourself in the Over-40 Intermediates next week. Photo by Debbi Tamietti

Bad news for Malcolm Goldsby (62). As he jumped by the checkered flag on the last lap of second moto of the Over-65 Novice class, he slipped rearward on the seat of his Husky and accidentally turned the throttle wide open. The race was over, but he hit the next jump wide open, flew off his bike and suffered a large laceration to his forehead. We will update his condition when we learn more. Photo by Mark Riker

Johnny Hayes (258) and Paul Fitz-Gibbon (38) crest a small hill. Hayes went 4-4 for third in the Over-50 Novice class, while Fitz-Gibbon went 7-6 in the Over-60 Intermediates. Photo by Mark Riker

Patrick Veritch (126) pushed  the front end through this soft berm and laid it down in the Over-40 Intermediate class. Photo by Mark Riker

Patrick then fell off, but was cushioned by the soft dirt. He ended up with a 7-DNF day. Photo by Mark Riker

Rick Richards (45) and Craig Bouman (262) jocky for position in the Over-40 Intermediates. Bouman went 2-3 for second and Richards 4-2 for third. Photo by Debbi Tamietti

Nick Reisinger (96) hasn’t been racing much this Spring, but he came out with his dad to get back in the swing of things. Nick was third in the 450 Novices, while dad was second in the Over-60 Experts and sixth in the Over-50 Experts. Photo by Debbi Tamietti

Damian Collier, the 14-year-old son of Sean Collier, went 1-2 in the 250 Novices, while Mason Aeck, the younger brother of AMA Pro Colton Aeck, went 2-1 for the win. Photo by Debbi Tamietti

Rich Taylor (left) and his dad Hook Taylor (right) came out to spend the day together at the races, while Rich’s son Richard was racing at the Hangtown National. Hook designed and built some of the most creative goggles ever made when he worked for Smith/Scott a couple decades ago. Photo by Debbi Tamietti

Oh no, not another guy who works in the Taj Mahal in Murrietta. Yep! Irish rider David O’Connor came to Glen Helen to ride on the National track, but decided that the Arroyo track looked a lot better, so he signed up for the Over-Intermediates and went 8-6. David works for KTM Factory Services, building engines for the race team. Photo by Debbi Tamietti

Shawn Khacherian (81) race his Husqvarna  to a 10-9 day for tenth overall in the Over-50 Novices. Photo by Debbi Tamietti

Garret Kurth (108) was third in the first moto, but paired that with a seventh in the second moto for sixth overall in the 50cc 7-to-8 year old Pee-Wee class. Photo by Debbi Tamietti

Hudson Jones (15) put together a 5-2 day to earn second overall in the 50cc 7-to-8 year old Pee-Wee class on his Cobra. Photo by Debbi Tamietti

Mavis Alessi (6) might be a continuation of the Alessi gene pool as she went 1-3 for second on  her PW50 in “Saturday at the Glen’s” 50cc class for Yamaha PW50s, Honda XR50s and a wide variety of small displacement entry-level bikes. Photo by Debbi Tamietti

2023 “SATURDAY AT THE GLEN” SCHEDULE

If you are looking for a racing organization that offers long motos, low cost and very consistent race schedule—this is it. “Saturday at the Glen” motocross will race again on June 17, June 24, July 15 and July 29. Pre-entry is only $30 ($25 for minis). Post entry on the day of the race is $40 ($30 for minis). The Gate fee is $10 (per person). You can sign up for the next “Saturday at the Glen” motocross as late as the Friday before the next race (or just show up in person on race day). For more info go to www.glenhelen.com

2023 “SATURDAY THE GLEN” SCHEDULE
Jan. 14…Winter Series #1 (Arroyo Vet track)
Jan. 21…Winter Series #2 (Arroyo Vet track)
Feb. 4…Winter Series #3 (Arroyo Vet track)
Feb. 11…Winter Series #4 (Arroyo Vet track)
Feb. 25…Winter Series #5 (National track)
Mar. 18…Spring Series #1 & Pasha 125 Open (National track)
Mar. 25…Spring Series #2 (Arroyo Vet track)
Apr. 15…Spring Series #3 (Arroyo Vet track)
Apr. 22…Spring Series #4 (Arroyo Vet track)
May 13…Spring Series #5 (National track)
June 3…Summer Series #1 (Arroyo Vet track)
June 17…Summer Series #2 (Arroyo Vet track)
June 24…Summer Series #3 (Arroyo Vet track)
July 15…Summer Series #4 (Arroyo Vet track)
July 29….Summer Series #5 (National track)
Aug. 19…Fall Series #1 (Arroyo Vet track)
Aug. 26…Fall Series #2 (Arroyo Vet track)
Sept. 16…Fall Series #3 (Arroyo Vet track)
Sept. 23…Fall Series #4 (Arroyo Vet track)
Sept. 30…Fall Series #5 (National track)
Oct. 21…Winter Series #1 (Arroyo Vet track)
Oct. 28…Winter Series #2 (National track)
Nov.3-5…World Vet Championship (National track)
Nov. 18..Winter Series #3 (Arroyo Vet track)
Dec. 9…Winter Series #4 (Arroyo Vet track)
Dec. 16..Winter Series #5 (National track)

WARNING! SCROLL DO NOT LOOK AT THE NEXT PHOTO IF YOU ARE SQUEAMISH

These are Malcolm Goldsby’s goggles after the EMTs removed them to get access to the cut on his forehead. Photo by Debbi Tamietti

“SATURDAY AT THE GLEN” RACE REPORT: EVERY GENERATION, FATHERS & SONS, PLUS 200 OF YOUR CLOSEST FRIEND Motocross Action Magazine.