MONSOON SERIES: 5 of 6 RACES

Pete Castro navigates a single track jungle section enroute to the Open Atv class win. (courtesy photo)

PRESS RELEASE – Offroad motorcycles and all terrain vehicles popularly known as Atv’s of all sizes were on course this past Sunday for the fifth round of the six round Monster Energy Offroad Monsoon Racing series. The course for round five was a grueling offroad loop that included slow single track jungle trails, the motocross track and the high speed Shell V-Power Smokin Wheels Offroad Endurance track. The weather was hot but didn’t seem to be a factor as racers attacked the course for a forty five minute double points scoring heat.

High Lights

During round four of the series #31 Tim Wenden was a locomotive in the Open Motorcycle class as he was unstoppable on his way to the round four win and was looking once again to be the locomotive in round five as he led the rest of the entire field around the course for the next thirty eight minutes. Reigning Guam motocross champion JR Cepeda aboard the #5 Cycles Plus Kawasaki had hooked up onto the Wenden train early and wasn’t letting go as put the pressure on the leader. With just seven minutes left Wenden lost control dropping the big Honda 450 in a tight rock strewn corner of the Shell V-Power Smokin Wheels course allowing Cepeda to take advantage and the lead. Wenden had quickly remounted but was now in the second place position and nearly out of time in the race. With a quick sprint to the finish it was Cepeda taking first, Wenden second and #3 Jacob Einloth placing third on his Yamaha. Current points leader Marshal Vawter Jr. took fourth and remain the points leader going into the December second final round with 196 points over Cepeda who is five points back with 191 points. Mathematically Einloth who sits in third in the points with 159 points still has a shot at the series title.

In the Open Atv class Pete Castro took a Yamaha Yfz 450 to offroad stardom as he took the win launching himself from last in the points to third in a single fortyfive minute race. Taking second was first time 2012 racer #111 Ray Manibusan who was racing aboard a modified 200cc Yamaha Blaster. Currently #1 Robert Bucek still holds onto the series lead with 100 points over #69 Ray Aromin who sits in second with 69 points. Pete Castro is in third with 50 points.

In the Kids Mini Bike class Yamaha mounted #29 Ethan Camacho took the win over Ry’niko Camacho, his younger brother, aboard a Kawasaki and third place finisher and first time racer Sasha Song aboard a Honda. Ethan Camacho takes over the series points lead from Stoney Bucek with a score of 181 points over Stoney who has 139 points. Ry.niko sits in third with a 126 points.

8-year-old Sasha Long rode hard to take a podium finish in his first race Sunday during the Monster Energy Monsoon series. (courtesy photo)

In the Kids Mini Atv class #23 Jordan Leon Guerrero dominated aboard his Drx to take rthe win and remain the series class points leader with 180 points over second place finisher and second in the series standings #75 Jesse Leon Guerrero with 156 points. In third is Victoria Clark with 126 points.

Up next will be the final series event round 6 of the Monster Energy Offroad Monsoon Race Series on Sunday December 2nd. The event will see the big Open atv and motorcycle classes racing a challenging offroad loop for one and a half hours. The loop will consist of rugged back country single track jungle trails along with portions of both the Shell V-Power Smokin Wheels course and the high flying motocross course. Gates open at 9am at the Guam International Raceway Rt15 Yigo with racing scheduled to start at 1pm with a full day of off road racing. For more information contact GRF PIO at 727-5381 or visit www.AtvMotocrossGuam.com . Special thanks to Cycles Plus, Kawasaki, Honda, Suzuki, GTR Motorsports, Bobcat Guam and Monster Energy.