Friday, Aug. 06, 2010

Local riders fight for Summercross standing

Crashes, competition give riders plenty to think about when it comes to the battles at the fairgrounds

Right off the start line in the second moto of the 250cc class July 31, David Waite Jr. knew it wasn't going to work.

Heading through the first turn of the motocross track at the Los Banos Fairgrounds, Waite leaned back, riding his Yamaha dirt bike with one hand. Over the first jump, Waite grabbed his handlebar, only to release it again as soon as he landed, in obvious pain and frustration.

Less than an hour earlier, the paramedics picked Waite up off the dirt after he crashed in the second moto of the 450cc Beginner class.

"I jumped, tried to transfer over to the inside, and I nosedived," he said. Lesson learned: trying to change direction in mid-air is not a good idea.

The medics wrapped his left wrist with an ice pack, telling him it was either sprained or broken. If it was still hurting later, it was probably broken.

Waite walked back to his tent in the pit area, sat down, and pondered his next move.

"I was doing pretty good up until this point," he said, holding the ice on his wrist. "I'm worried about my next class. I'm in second in that one."

He ended up going for it, trying to catch Jacob Dillashaw of Angels Camp, three points ahead in the standings. Waite won the first moto earlier, with Dillashaw second.

But as soon as he left the starting gate, Waite knew it was over. He eased over the course for two laps, then headed for the exit. But he couldn't grip the clutch with his injured hand, so he turned back onto the track. A crewmember helped him off after the third lap, his family already gearing up to head to the hospital, where Waite is on a first-name basis with several doctors.

By making the start, Waite only lost two points to Dillashaw, also holding off Firebaugh's Kameron Geuder.

In the 450cc Novice class, Los Banos' Steven Lopez won both his motos easily, leading from wire to wire. He also took both motos of the 250cc Novice class.

"I did a lot better this week. The track is watered pretty good, which makes it easier," Lopez said. "I got a lot better starts. I usually get pretty good starts lately."

Another Los Banos rider with a frustrating day was young Colby Copp, who crashed two races in a row after leading both. In the 65cc Open class, Copp took the lead heading into the last lap after two riders ahead of him crashed into each other. Copp had the lead at the white flag, but slipped on the first turn.

In the 65cc Novice class a few races later, Copp had the lead from the start, but mis-timed a jump.

"I overshot it, I fell over and my bike landed on my ankle," he said. "It still jurts a little, but it's just a bruise."

Copp came back to win the second round in the open class, moving up a spot in the standings.

His friend Brody Silva also walked away from a race with bruises after a collision, favoring his ribs and left shoulder.

"I was doing good, then I went to pass on the outside, she went to the inside, and we went..." he said, making a crashing motion with his hands. "I'll try taking different lines next time."

Topher Ingalls of Templeton won the Top Gun Main Event, catapulting him past Vincent Blair into first place in the standings.

Enterprise reporter David Witte can be reached by phone at 388-6565 or by e-mail at sports@losbanosenterprise.com