2006 STQRA Rounds 4 - 8 Race Coverage

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With only two rounds left in the South Texas Quad Racing Association’s 10 round series, the Southern Challenge is on!

The points are tight, the competition tough, and these final rounds will determine who takes the class championships and other top positions for the year!

Round 9 is scheduled for September 10th at Austin Del Valle Motocross Park and Round 10, a double points round, will be at Splendora Motocross Park October 15th.

As we head into those last two rounds, here’s a little recap to bring you up-to-date on the 2006 series:

ROUND 4
Rain poured for days leading up to STQRA’s Round 4, which became the first race at Highlands MX Park in Highlands, TX after it reopened under new ownership earlier this year. Mud boots were definitely needed in the pits, mud everywhere, but the rain stopped on Saturday and track personnel did a great job repairing and preparing the track.

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Round 4 racing was on the supercross style “night track,” and riders were glad to see not much had changed since it closed last year.

STQRA’s 2005 champion John Buller piloting the borrowed #9, and Robert Salinas (#738) battled for first from start to finish in the Pro-Am class, putting on a great show for spectators.

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head-to-head at times…

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until Buller finally took the win, with Salinas in second.

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Running two classes, Salinas grabbed both moto wins in the Over 30 A class.

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Leading a tight pack in Open B, #124 Ryan Callahan took both motos

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Bobby Belyeu took second overall in Open B

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Quite a few Open C riders ran in a tight bunch as well.

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#46 Chris Newingham took the overall win in it with a 2-1. Jason Bryant (121) won the first moto and finished second overall.

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#3 Jason Murff finished third overall in Round 4 of the Open C

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In Sport Quad, #390 Kyle Bushen got the Round 4 overall win.

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#00 Grady Antich was flying as he took both moto wins in the Super Mini class

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In just his second time racing with the STQRA, #211 Nathan Clague won both Mini class motos.

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And Nicholas Webster won the Pee Wee class, his third win so far.

Other Round 4 class winners included:
Open A – Robert Hanson
Over 30 B – Mike Shinn
Women – Debra Mercado
Youth – Tyler Webster
Super Pee Wee – Ty Cruse

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As part of the pre-race campout, Team Fury once again hosted the group meal. THANKS Team Fury!!!

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And a few birthdays were even celebrated at the track in Round 4. Kara Corn (Women's class), Zaine Melder (Mini class), and Josh Juneau (Sport Quad), all celebrated their May 6th birthdays with cakes shaped and decorated to resemble each of their quads.

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ROUND 5
STQRA returned to Highlands MX Park for Round 5, this time on the “day track,” a longer, more motocross style track. RJ Slayton (#15) took the overall win in this round with 2-1 finishes.

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Robert Hanson won the first moto and finished second overall. Hanson also took the win in Open A.

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#777 Chris Newland finished second overall in Open A with a 3-2.

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#26 Ronnie Jones takes the overall win in the Over 30 B class of Round 5

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With a 1-2 finish, Kara Corn took the overall win in Women’s Round 5 on a borrowed Suzuki, although Brandi West (#89) won the second moto. Brandi finished second with a 3-1.

Other Round 5 class champs included:
Open B – Ryan Callahan
Open C – Skyler Jankowiak
Over 30A – Richard J Slayton
Sport Quad – Ryan Anderson
Youth – Tyler Webster
Super Mini – Blayne Neely
Mini – Sara Trevino
Super Pee Wee – Ty Cruse
Pee Wee – Nicholas Webster

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OFF TRACK
The “STQRA High Flyers,” a mentoring program that pairs older racers with younger ones as “big brother/ little brother” and “big sister/ little sister” formed during Round 4 and their first activity, a water balloon toss, was held at Round 5.

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Dee Manshack got a quick cooling afterward.

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Campers enjoyed a fantastic fajita meal during Round 5, thanks to Fred Castillo, and a few birthdays _ those of Sara Trevino and Nicholas Webster _ were celebrated with cake for all. Both of the young racers were attacked with the traditional birthday silly string, and they even turned it on themselves.

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STQRA proudly displays the ATVriders.com banner, as well as those of series sponsors, including The Holeshot and Tejas Motorsports, at each round!

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ROUND 6
The former San Jacinto Cycle Park in Splendora, considered STQRA’s home track, was another local track to change ownership this year. It was purchased in late June by Antonio Pacheco of New Jersey, father of national quad racer Tony Pacheco _ just in time for Round 6. Michele Manshack, who, along with her husband, Dee Manshack (Rage ATV), heads the STQRA, became the new track manager.
(L to R) Antonio Pacheco, Michele Manshack & Dee Manshack.

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At the newly renamed Splendora Motocross Park, Tony Pacheco competed in STQRA’s Round 6, taking second behind John Buller in the Pro-Am class and winning the Open A.

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Buller (#18) and Pacheco (#121) were slinging dirt!

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#7 Josh Bateman was slinging it, too, only in Open B. Bateman got both moto wins in Round 6's Open B class.

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#53 Marco Castillo placed second in Open B with 2-3 finishes.

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Gary White (#040) won both motos in the Over 30B.

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J and J Racing's JOSH JUNEAU (#56)got the win in Round 6 of the Sport Quad class. :D

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And Blayne Neely finished first in the Super Mini

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Hunter Gengo placed first overall in both the Super Pee Wee and Pee Wee classes, although Camden Nichols won the first moto of the Pee Wee class.

Other Round 6 winners included:
Open C - Paul Gray
Over 30 A - Rick Peacock
Women – Kara Corn
Youth – Hart Walker
Mini – Sara Trevino

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ROUND 7
STQRA’s Round 7 became the first ATV motocross event held at Austin/ Del Valle Motocross Park. Dust was flying at times, as you can see, but riders said they loved the jumps on this technical track and can’t wait to return the weekend of September 10th for Round 9.

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Once again, John Buller took the overall win in the Pro-Am class.

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#124 Ryan Callahan grabbed his fourth overall win this season in Open B.

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In honor of his birthday, Alex Kohl (#357 Sport Quad class) had to race with a pretty pink basket attached to his quad. It sure didn’t slow him down!

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Tyler Webster got his sixth overall win in the Youth class

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In his first time racing with the STQRA, Youth racer Seth Ward gets a Top Five!

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#55 Skyler Jankowiak won the Open C class in Round 7, as well as Round 5.

Other Round 7 class champions included:
Open A – Kyle Baker
Over 30A - Arturo Fierro
Over 30 B - Gerardo Corral
Women - Brandi West
Sport Quad - Kyle Bushen
Super Mini – Blayne Neely
Super Pee Wee - Kentleigh Nichols
Pee Wee - Camden Nichols

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ATVriders.com already posted a front page feature about Round 8 that focused on Austin Wilson and his “udderly entertaining” show. (THANKS! :D ) Wilson took the overall win in Round 8.

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Chris Brian (#82) got the holeshot and took second in Round 8

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John Buller, who won the first Pro-Am moto, finished third.

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A few other notables in Round 8 included the Open A class, in which #15 Joe Messina placed first overall.

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After racing most of the season on a borrowed quad, J and J Racing’s Justin Lawson just got the motor on his new Honda 450R rebuilt and ready. He was in the throttle! Lawson passed Megan Manshack for first place in the first moto of Open A, but tumbled after overshooting a jump.

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Thankfully, he was ok and able to finish the race, although it looks like he’ll need a new chest protector.

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Megan won the first moto in Open A and finished third overall.

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Round 8 included some tense moments, and several people said it must be a full moon, considering the number of crashes. The worst came when Kevin Carothers flipped in the Over 30 A holeshot and suffered a spinal injury as the grab bar hit his back. After surgery, Kevin remained paralyzed in one leg, but is hopeful about regaining the feeling and being able to walk again. We’re all praying for him and wishing him the best as he continues his rehabilitation.

Competitor Tony Wo stopped racing after seeing the crash to check on Kevin and wait with him for paramedics. It’s common to see STQRA racers, especially Tony, stop when a competitor goes down, at least until they know the rider is ok. Such a serious injury, however, is thankfully not common on a local or national level, although it seems this year has seen more than previous ones.

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After missing the last two rounds, youth champion Ryan Anderson came back for what is said to be his final win in the Sport Quad class.

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Anderson, STQRA’s 2005 Youth and Sport Quad class champions, was on a roll this year. He took a 1-1 win at Round 2 of the ATVA nationals at Oak Hill MX Park, placed fourth in Round 1 at Glen Helen, and won all but one of the first five STQRA Sport Quad rounds before missing the last two.

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Surprising many, Anderson and his family this week announced on the STQRA website his retirement from quad racing.

“As some of you may have already heard, Ryan has officially retired from quad racing. Look at the classified section for the details of everything that is for sale. Ryan has made this decision on his own due to certain circumstances that have happened this year concerning the safety of this sport. In no way am I or Diane going to try to talk him out of his decision. Although we have met many, many very nice people and many life long friends, the one that helped Ryan the most is DEE. We as a family want to say THANKS DEE, THANKS to all, GOOD LUCK in the future, and we have enjoyed the ride!!!!!!!!!!!!! Mike, Diane and Ryan Anderson”

Anderson was competing in the Youth Production class when #23 Zak Griffin died at Gatorback March 11th, and he witnessed the tragedy. He afterward rode with the #23 stickers. Then came J. Jones’ accident, plus the countless other serious injuries the ATV motocross family has suffered this year, including Kevin's. Anderson has made the decision to hang up his helmet, and his quad and gear are posted for sale on the STQRA website.

Anderson’s seasoned skill and natural ability made him one of the best in youth ATV motocross, and this young friend will certainly be missed on the track! We wish him the best.

The photo's from Round 8 of STQRA class champions Ryan Anderson and Ryan Callahan.

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Also in the Sport Quad class, #320 Jesse Velasquez sure stepped it up after finally getting a good aftermarket suspension. He had his Blaster screaming in Round 8! He took third overall with 3-2 finishes. Kyle Bushen finished second.

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Kara Corn took another win in the Women’s class, and the battle for second raged between #21 Kayla Melder and #121 Angela Bryant, with Kayla’s 3-2 finishes getting it.

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Angela, who took second in Round 7 Women’s class, finished third with a 2-3

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Current Open C points leader Jason Bryant got his first overall win during Round 8.

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#5 Chris Thomas, who got the holeshot, finished second overall with a 3-2

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James Lozano (741) won the first moto of Open C and was leading the second one, with #105 Paul Gray, who took second the first moto, right behind him.

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Gray, the Round 6 class champ, went for a pass and the two crashed. Lozano was still able to pull off a fifth place finish, which gave him third overall. Gray wasn’t as lucky. Currently third in points, he will likely be out for the season as he recovers from knee surgery. We wish him a speedy recovery!

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For the fourth time in a row, Blayne Neely of K&D Motorsports got both moto wins in the Super Mini class

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Hart Walker (#10) had shot out front in the holeshot and was leading before his chain came off, a regular occurrence in the last few Super Mini rounds.

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He’s always smiling, though. True sportsmanship!

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For the fourth time in a row after getting a new TRX90 from sponsor K&D Motorsports, #61 Sara Trevino got the Mini class win. Nathan Clague finished second.

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Briana Helms (05) has the holeshots down, taking them often in the Mini class

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#55 Zaine Melder and #7 Lat Nichols race for third in the Mini class, with Zaine getting it.

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Kentleigh Nichols (#13) got the holeshot and both wins in Round 8 of the Super Pee Wee class, her second win in a row.

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#3 Tre Keene finished second.

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Kentleigh, a young cancer survivor, sure looks happy with her wins!

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Her brother, Camden Nichols, also won the last two rounds, only in the Pee Wee class. Camden’s sister Keigan (#10) races the Pee Wee class, too. With four Nichols kids racing, they often share their little ATVs. The #13 belongs to Camden, a big John Natalie Jr. fan.

Other Class champs from Round 8:
Open B – Ryan Callahan
Over 30 A – Robert Salinas
Over 30 B- Gary White
Women – Kara Corn

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Thanks to the Nichols family and Splendora Motocross Park, kids of all ages (and even a few moms and dads) were able to cool off on a rented water slide during the Round 8 weekend.

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Also in Round 8, Michele and Megan Manshack both got covered with silly string as part of a surprise birthday celebration for them

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There’s always some kind of family fun included in the STQRA rounds, which helps ease the tension of intense race action and makes for an even more FUN weekend. New riders are always welcome, and membership is not required to race, so…

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STQRA Points Leaders going into Round 9:
Pro Am - John Buller
Open A - Robert Hanson
Open B - Ryan Callahan
Open C - Jason Bryant
Over 30A - Robert Salinas
Over 30B - Gary White
Women - Kara Corn
Sport Quad - Josh Juneau
Youth - Tyler Webster
Super Mini - Grady Antich
Mini- Sara Trevino
Super Pee Wee- Hunter Gengo
Pee Wee- Hunter Gengo

With the points being so tight, the last two rounds will determine this year’s top class positions. As mentioned previously, Round 9 will be Sept. 10 at Austin/ Del Valle Motocross Park and the final, double points round, will be back at the home track _ Splendora Motocross Park _ Oct. 15th.

For additional information on the STQRA and its annual series, visit www.stqra.com

[bobbo97f150]

Great coverage!

[QuadJunkies]

VERY NICE!!
great pics too!

[esr250r86]

awesome pics.:)