GUAM/CNMI RENEW MOTOCROSS RIVALRY

PRESS RELEASE – The deafening roar of bar-to-bar motocross was on the holiday table this past Thanksgiving weekend on the Northern Marianas Island of Saipan as a large contingent of Guam racers along with their moto head families made the island hop for this high-flying event known as the Turkey Cross. The Turkey Cross started in 2021 with the Marianas Racing Association hosting a fun off season event for its members out at the Cow Town Motocross Park in Marpi just to take advantage of the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

It was such an outstanding success with all its members that they immediately made plans to do it again the following Thanksgiving but this time to reach out and invite their friends and family motocross racers from Guam to join them. Its become an island motocross tradition to make the pilgrimage from Guam to Saipan ever since that first invite in 2022.   

The Cow Town facility located right along the ocean on Saipan is a beautiful facility with an organization the Marianas Racing Association that runs a very respectable top-notch program which incudes a championship series that runs early in the calendar year up into August. The course itself is a hybrid of an outdoor motocross and a stadium type supercross. The jumps are many and range from small to big sending riders up high into the nose bleeding altitude zone before reentering into the many high banked turns. 

Highlights from the event were many but the Turkey Cross top gobbler race class was in the premier Open Motorcycle class which saw Saipan’s top aces lining up bar to bar and elbow to elbow at the starting gates with Guam’s own top aces. When the gates dropped for the start at the Cow Town facility the thundering sound of stampeding high horse powered motors was not just being heard but also could be felt as they tore their way down the straights. The racing was close with both islands’ riders battling for position on each and every lap keeping fans that lined the course on their feet cell phone cameras on hand recording every moment of the high-flying antics. When all the dust had settled it was Guam’s own champ Jr Cepeda aboard his #7 Yamaha that took the overall win for Guam with #31 Tim Wenden from Guam on his KTM right behind in second and with Cycles Plus Guam rider #85 Blaze Aiken in third making for a Guam podium sweep.

In the premier Atv class the battle between Saipan and Guam was another on your feet action packed class. It started with veteran rider Robert Bucek aboard the Cycles Plus Guam Suzuki taking an early lead but being passed by lap four by both Guam’s reigning champ #1 James Lujan aboard a Yamaha and Saipan’s current reigning champ #1 Christian Camacho also on a Yamaha. The two champs were in a completely different zip code by the time the checkers were waived having left the rest of the field to fight over third place. #25 Aaron Blaz on a Yamaha along with #88 Cam Lorenzo both on Yamahas were stalking the old guy Bucek with Blaz at one point up in front in third with Bucek maneuvering to take the position. Bucek made an inside dive at the end of a long straight to take third. At the checkers its was #1 James Lujan of Guam taking the win with #1 Christian Camacho of Saipan in second and Guam’s Robert Bucek in third.

Guam’s participation would not have been possible without the generous support of the following support sponsors. Seabridge Inc., Pacific Trucking, MSA, Triple J Motors, Hertz car rental, Cycles Plus, Rocky Mountain Precast, Guam Marine Services, Proa Restaurant, Vinny’s Mart, Protection Concepts Unlimited and Marinas Racing Association 

2024 Turkey Cross official results: 

 *OPEN MOTORCYCLE* 

1^st #7 James Cepeda Guam

2^nd #31 Tim Wenden Guam

3^rd #85 Blaze Aiken Guam

4^th #1 Shane Alvarez Saipan

5^th #18 Little John Aguon Guam

6^th #27 Aric Cruz Saipan

7^th #11 Michael Limtiaco Guam

8^th #44 Patrick Togawa Saipan

9^th #23 Jordan Leon Guerrero Guam

10^th #33 Jacob Jones Guam

11^th #86 Ellery Cruz Saipan

*MOTORCYCLE VET* 

1^st #31 Tim Wenden Guam

2^nd #111 Cuki Alvarez Saipan

3^rd #77 Gregorio Perez Guam

4^th #11 Michael Limtiaco Guam

5^th #827 Melvin Cepeda Saipan

6^th #22 Maurice Jones Guam

7^th #327 Ray Yumul Saipan

7^th #21 Charles Cepeda Saipan

 8^th #86 Ponce Rasa Saipan

 *MOTORCYCLE LEGENDS* 

1^st  #75 Jeff Rios Guam

2^nd #21 Charles Cepeda Saipan

3^rd #327 Ray Yumul Saipan

 *OPEN ATV* 

1^st #1g James Lujan Guam

2^nd #1s Christian Camacho Saipan

3^rd #2 Robert Bucek Guam

4^th #12 Camillo Lorenzo Guam

5^th #24 Aaron Blaz Guam

6^th #38 Donavan Pitter Guam

 *ATV VET* 

1^st #2 Robert Bucek Guam

2^nd #57 Henry Camacho Saipan

3^rd #38 Roberto Pitter Guam

4^th #71 James Sandlin Guam

*WOMENS OPEN MOTORCYCLE* 

1^st #28 Shade Pitter Guam

2^nd #33 Mariana Wenden Guam

3^rd #777 Billie Pangelinan Saipan

4^th #18 Maribel Igitol Saipan

5^th #86 Merissa Rasa Saipan

*MOTORCYCLE INTERMEDIATE* 

1) #33 Richard Wenden Guam

2^nd #27 Aric Cruz Saipan

3^rd #111 Vicente Palacios Saipan

4^th #86 Tristan Sablan Saipan

5^th #827 Melvin Cepeda Saipan

6^th #75 Owen Rios Guam

7^th #21 Charles Cepeda Guam

*MOTORCYCLE NOVICE* 

1^st #08 Kanen Arceo Guam

2^nd #905 Mathew Guerrero Saipan

3^rd #28 Shade Pitter Guam

4^th #180 Colton Engling Guam

5^th #530 Wes Lane Guam

6^th #203 Jacob Kendal Guam

7^th #66 Anthony Blaz Guam

8^th #369 Frankie Sablan Saipan

9^th #29 Byron Castro Saipan

10^th #86 Ponce Rasa Saipan

*OPEN ATV NOVICE* 

1^st #71 Mathew Sandlin Guam

2^nd #57 Henry Camacho Saipan

3^rd #12 Austin Blaz Guam

4^th #23 Kione Sandlin Guam

5^th #19 Angelica Aguon Guam

Kids Classes

*MINI BIKE 65cc* 

1^st  #10 Daryan Camacho Guam

 *MINI BIKE 85cc* 

1^st #8 Johnboy Aguon Guam

2^nd #141 Julian Lane Guam

3^rd #777 Calix Cruz Saipan

4^th #12 Tekoa Camacho Guam

 *MINI ATV* 

1st #816 Anella Igitol Saipan

2^nd #32 Payton Pangelinan Saipan

3^rd #415 Nakoa Torres Saipan

*POWER PUFF GIRLS* 

1^st #86 Miyako Celis Saipan

2^nd #17 Kesiil Camacho Saipan