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Story by: Terri Stevens
Photos by: Judy Fedd or J and J Racing
STQRA (South Texas Quad Racing Assciation) -
Round 1 Results
The South Texas Quad Racing Association
kicked off its 2006 Southern Challenge Series February
26 at San Jacinto Cycle Park in Splendora, Texas.
About 100 riders competed in the quad motocross
race, including a few national pros on their way
to the next ATVA national motocross series. The
turn-out was better than expected, considering the
circumstances, and STQRA members called the opening
round a success.
Although last season’s STQRA races averaged about
the same number of riders, after the recent formation
of another series in the area by former STQRA members,
those who remained with the original association
worried the split would cause their numbers at each
race to be too low. Quad motocross riders throughout
the nation face an uphill battle to get track time
of their own. Even time on a motocross track with
the dirt bikes can be a struggle, with some tracks
refusing to allow quads at all. Although the number
of riders in the STQRA series had doubled in the
last year or so, it was just barely enough to keep
tracks satisfied with the quad-only races, and then
came the split.
If that was not enough to concern STQRA promoters
and members, the weather also brought uncertainty
for race day. Rain fell most of the day Saturday,
so only a few riders were able to get a lap or two
of practice in before it began, although many had
camped at the track the night before. As the rain
continued, the racers and their families remained
optimistic. Some joked that they would use towels
to mop up water on the track, if necessary, so they
could still race on Sunday. National Pro Pat Brown
had a difficult time getting in to park, and had
his big rig stuck in the mud, but he was not the
only one who would need a tow from the dozer to
get out after racing.
Luckily, the rain ended Saturday evening, and
the racers with family and friends just kept pouring
in. Track officials worked to get the track into
the best shape possible, and by Sunday morning excitement
filled the air as each class took extra time for
practice before racing began.
Mud was flying as the quads made their way around
the national style track, and many were sliding,
yet that did not stop them from keeping the throttle
pinned and their momentum flowing. Several riders,
out of shape from the off-season, were breathing
heavy as they finished their rounds, and the nervousness
of the beginners was obvious, but most were smiling
with optimism and sheer joy as they raced into the
new series.
The locals were eager to see #199 Pat Brown,
get out on the track and tear it up against #44
Chad Wienen, also a national pro, and #49 Pro Am
racer Sage Baker. Brown had talked to STQRA President
Dee Manshack about the race, and then told the other
two. On their way to Gainesville, Florida for Round
3 of the national series, they each arrived for
the race, and afterward spent a few days riding
the track. The Splendora track is a favorite among
local riders, and Manshack is tight with the owner.
Manshack, also owner of Rage ATV Racing, as well
as mechanic and engine builder for John Natalie
Jr., is becoming well-known on the national circuit,
and along with his wife, Michele, and daughter,
Megan, have made many friends in the ATV motocross
world.
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Local #18 Expert John Buller
battles with Pro
Am #49 Sage Baker for third in the Expert
class. |
Brown, Wienen and Baker all competed in the STQRA’s
Expert class, giving the locals who have yet to
attend a national race the opportunity to see a
few top pros in action. Brown and Wienen battled
for first both motos, as did Baker and local Expert
John Buller, #18, for third, with Brown taking a
1-1 win. Wienen had jumped out front in the second
moto, but Brown, right on him, took first about
mid-race. Wienen, then running without a seat, kept
the second place position for second overall, with
Baker taking third. Buller had stayed right with
Baker, passing him and taking third for a few laps
in the second moto, but was passed back and ended
up in fourth. Robert Salinas, #738, who also ran
the Over 30 A class, finished both motos in fifth.
Megan Manshack, #11, surprised many with an overall
win in the Open A. After dominating the women’s
class in Texas the last few years, Megan moved to
the Open A this season, hoping the new competition
would help her increase her speed before she turns
16 and can run in the national women’s class. She
started out the first moto in about sixth place,
with #94 Robert Hanson in first. After two of the
front runners, #783 Kyle Baker and #15 Joe Messina
crashed, Megan finished third in her first Open
A race. Anthony Trevino, #36, took second.
The second moto, however, was a different story.
Megan blasted out of the holeshot in first and never
slowed up. She led the entire race, with Adam Woodard,
#22, finishing in second and Hanson in third. Hanson’s
1-3 finishes gave him second overall, with Woodard
coming in third. #777 Chris Newland took fourth
in both motos and finished fourth overall, and #782
Scott Woodard got fifth with 7-6 finishes.
Another exciting race to watch was the Sport
Quads. This highly competitive class includes riders
ages 12-17, with maximum 2-stroke 240cc and 4-stroke
350cc engines, although many of the quads stay within
the national engine limits of 200cc and 300cc for
youth production. Even running within those national
limits, the lap times for some of these top youth
riders on mid-size quads have been compared to those
of the full-size ones in the Open B class.
Ryan Anderson, #414, took first overall, which
was no surprise. Anderson is STQRA’s champion Youth
and Sport Quad rider, and currently holds first
in points in the national Youth Production class.
However, this win did not come easily. In the first
moto, Anderson got the holeshot, with #56 Josh Juneau
in second. By the end of the first lap, #71 Corey
Trevino fired his blaster into second place and
went for first. A battle to the finish began between
him and Anderson, with Trevino passing, Anderson
spinning out, Trevino going over in a turn, and
the two racing right down to the checkered flag.
The battle continued in the second moto, with
Anderson getting the holeshot, then Trevino making
a pass in half a lap, and Anderson passing back
before the checkered flag. Juneau held third easily,
with the battle for fourth and fifth running between
#390 Kyle Valasquez, #32 Travis Hanus, and #357
Alex Kohl. Valasquez took fourth in both motos and
Hanus, with 6-5 finishes, placed fifth overall.
Kara Corn, #454, got her first win in the Women’s
class after racing the last few years under Megan
Manshack. Corn took the checkered both motos, followed
by #111 Courtney Leax, in second, #8 Brandi West
in third, and #43 Leslie Smith in fourth. Brittney
Keene, #13, placed fifth overall with 7-5 finishes.
The first race of the day was the Open C for
beginners. With 17 on the gate, the crowd collectively
held their breath as the racers made their way into
the first turn. In the first moto, it was a smooth,
clean start, but the second one had about a 10-quad
pile-up, each returning to the race as quickly as
possible. Kyle Underwood, #8, took the win in both
motos, and #121 Jason Bryant placed second overall
with 4-2 finishes. Zack White, #711, finished third
both motos, and Jake Janacek, #1, took fourth with
a 5-4. Skyler Jankowowiak, #11, placed fifth overall
with his 2-9 finishes.
In the Open B, #7 Josh Bateman, took the first
moto holeshot and pulled a big lead, with #02 Shawn
Lane and #124 Ryan Callahan battling for second.
Bateman crashed coming off of a jump about half
a lap before the white flag, and Callahan, last
year’s STQRA Open C champ, took the win in both
motos. Lane finished second, with #39 James Peacock
in third. Michael Schindewolf, #122, got fourth
overall with 5-4 finishes, and #53 Marco Castillo
had 4-5 finishes for fifth overall.
Doug Cucco, #9, took the overall win in the Over
30 A class with 3-1 finishes. Robert Salinas, with
1-3, finished second, and #08 Ramiro Medina got
third overall with 5-2. Tony Wo, #137, finished
fourth, and #06 Kevin Carothers got fifth overall.
In the Over 30 B, #44 Bryan Fuhre got the win
in both motos, followed by #43 Robert Smith in second
and #26 Ronnie Jones in third. Gary White, #040,
took fourth with 4-5 finishes, and Mark Zarzour,
#7, took fifth with a 6-4.
Tyler Webster, #104, won both motos of the Youth
class, although #29 Brent Sellers gave him a good
race. Sellers, with 3-2 finishes, got second overall,
and #22 Cody Bales took third. Joshua Valasquez,
#892, took fourth both motos and Randy Grantham,
#22x, finished fifth.
In the Super Mini class, Sellers raced a different
quad and took the win in both motos, although #00
Grady Antich got both holeshots. Antich placed second
overall with 3-2 finishes and #10 Hart Walker took
third with a 2-4. Blaine Neely, #16, got fourth
overall and #17 Hunter Oliver finished fifth.
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#11 Megan Manshack, aboard
her pink "Barbie"
bike, puts a smack-down on the Open A guys. |
Kyla Mercado, #4, walked away with both wins
in the Mini class, followed by Nathan Clague, #211,
in second, Connor Zarzour in third, Lat Nichols,
#7, in fourth, and #61 Sara Trevino in fifth.
Nicholas Webster, #105, won both motos of the
Pee Wee class, followed by #9 Hunter Gengo in second,
#13 Camden Nichols in third, #3 Tre Keene in fourth
and #121 Cole Mc Cray in fifth.
The day ended with an awards ceremony and presentation
of trophies, and riders began planning for the second
round of the series, to be held March 26 at the
Holeshot Mx in Victoria, TX.
STQRA membership is not required to compete in
the races, but rather only for points and series
awards. Complete race results and information on
the STQRA series are available online at
www.stqra.com.
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