Originaly printed in Amateur MX Magazine 2006.
Words and photos by Scott Lukaitis.
For the last thirty years October in New Jersey has meant one thing to motocross fans. It was time for the Race of Champions held at Old Bridge Township’s Raceway Park in Englishtown New Jersey. Just as the temperatures begin to drop racers all over the northeast prepare for their date with destiny. Over the years the Race of Champions has been the springboard for many riders pro careers. Originally sponsored by a local country club, the Forsgate Country Club Race of Champions eventually gave way to the Kawasaki Team Green Race of Champions and has remained that way ever since. Virtually all Team Green riders over the years have used this event to showcase their talents. Guys like Billy Liles, Donny Schmidt, Eddie Warren, Ron Tichenor, Denny Stephenson, Ricky Carmichael, James Stewart and even just a couple of years ago, MX Lights Champion Ryan Villopoto used this race to make his big bike debut. But although the race is sponsored by Kawasaki riders on all brands are welcome. The excellent competition brings riders in from all over the northeast from Maine to Florida and as far west as Michigan. This is truly the place to be for racing each fall.
In an effort to make the playing field more level track designer Mickey Kessler, a former nationally ranked rider himself, and his crew brought in sixty truck loads of sand the week before the event to create a rough and challenging course.
Paul Lamb rips up one of the new sandy corners.
The busy weekend began on Friday night with the final round of the Trapani Pit Bike Series. Now in its second season the series championships would be decided under the lights. Xtreme Pit Bikes teamed up with Trapanis to give away three brand new pit bikes. Two of them went to riders and one went to a lucky fan in attendance. These weren’t the only bikes to be given away this weekend as there was three more motorcycle ready to be given away on Sunday.
Pit Bike racing under the lights on Friday night.
Racing on Saturday was intense. Racing was scheduled for all classes except for the premier 125 and 250 Expert classes that would run on Sunday. The youngest racers of the weekend were the 65cc 7-9 year old riders. KTM rider Darian Robinson won both motos on his way to the overall. The most dominant mini rider of the weekend had to be Nick Desiderio. The Washington NJ rider won five out of his six motos taking the overall wins in both the 65cc and 85cc 10-11 classes. His first moto third in the Junior Mini class only came after a problem on the line forced him to come through the pack was the only glitch in an otherwise perfect day. The 10-11 class must be glad that Nick is moving up next season. Keep an eye on him at all the big races in 2007.
Nick Desiderio
In that junior mini class it was KTM rider James Justice going 1-2 for the overall. Other mini bike winners were James Decotis in the 85cc 14-15 and double class winner Huntersville, North Carolina Kawasaki rider Cody Robbins taking both the Supermini and 85cc 12-13 classes.
Cody Robbins
In big bike racing Derek Rodgers and Lowell Spangler both won their qualifying motos in 125 Amateur racing with Hall taking the second moto victory and overall as well. Despite not winning a moto Ryan Gainey, in his last ride as an amateur, used his consistent 2-3 motos to take the overall. Team Green rider Lowell Spangler won the Schoolboy and Kyle Chisholm won the Collegeboy class as a warm-up for Sunday’s main event. Local hero Barry Carsten showed that he has no sign of slowing down. Carsten was a perfect six for six winning all of the Vet Expert classes.
Ryan Gainey
Lowell Spangler
Barry Carsten
Torrential rains woke everyone up on Sunday morning but when the sun came out in the late morning the track began to come around creating a rough course for the expert classes. In 250 Expert class racing Kyle Chisholm grabbed the early lead only to go down hard while jumping into the new sand section the back. Chisholm would get back up but not finish the moto. Phil Nicoletti showed the Northeast what he is all about and took the moto win over Arenacross star Damien Plotts and Barry Carsten. Chisholm was out for redemption in the second moto and the Canadian MX champion was the class of the field winning the moto. Chisholm was followed across the line by Nicoletti and Kawasaki rider Robbie Marshall. Seventeen year old Nicoletti would be the overall winner with 1-2 moto scores. At the other end of the spectrum forty year old Barry Carsten was second overall and Plotts was third overall. In 125 Expert action Chisholm was the top gun but not without some excitement. After winning the first moto with Marshall and Carsten in tow the second moto saw Chisholm grab an early lead and begin to stretch it out. When he went down in the Pension Road berm at the back of the track Marshall closed the gap and went by. Chisholm was struggling with his finger stuck in his glove and couldn’t pass Marshall back. But when Marshall crashed hard in a tricky rutted section Chisholm got back by. Marshall was back up quickly but the damage was done. Chisholm won the moto followed by Marshall in second and Nicoletti in third. The rough track took its toll on all the riders as Nicoletti was in pain from a rotator cuff injury. Marshall was too shaken up to even conduct his podium interview. Chisholm was the overall winner followed by Marshall and the ever consistent Carsten in third overall.
Kyle Chisholm
Phil Nicoletti
As part of Sunday’s pro racing schedule the top 13 in each 85cc class would go on to compete in a special exhibition moto. The Mt Holly/Fox mini cycle shootout was won by Frank Lettieri with Damian Krause being the lucky raffle winner taking home a brand new KX85 courtesy of local dealer Mt Holly Kawasaki. The 65cc class had its own special race for the top twenty 65cc riders from Saturday. The Town and Country/Kessler Cup was won by Zachary Bell after a race long duel with Nick Desiderio. The Bell family was very happy as younger brother Chase was the lucky winner of the new KX65 courtesy of Town and Country Cycle Center.
Frankie Lettieri
Kawasaki factory riders James Stewart and Timmy Ferry were flown in to sign autographs and put on a special riding exhibition on Sunday afternoon wowing the crowd with their skills.
The 30th annual event had it all from rain to shine and great racing in all the classes. Be sure to put this race on your schedule for next year. I know I will.
30th Annual Kawasaki Team Green Race of Champions
Saturday Results:
65cc 7-9: 1.Darian Robinson (KTM), 2. Damon Fiore (KAW), 3. Trevor Shaffer (KTM), 4. Robert Allen (KAW), 5. Jacob Hartranft (KAW)
Darian Robinson
65cc 10-11: 1. Nick Desiderio (KTM) 2. Zachary Bell (KAW) 3. Chris Canning (KTM) 4. Rowland Papp (KAW) 5. Taylor Perry (KAW)
85cc 7-11: 1. Nick Desiderio (SUZ), 2. Joey Peters (KAW), 3. Luke Renzland (KAW), 4. Zachary Bell (KAW), 5. Chris Canning (KAW)
85cc 12-13: 1. Cody Robbins (KAW), 2. James Justice (KTM), 3. Frank Lettieri (SUZ), 4. Tyler Hawk (KAW), 5. Jake Abbott (KAW)
85cc 14-15: 1. James Decotis (YAM), 2. Ray Leybovich (HON), 3. Andrew Johns (KAW), 4. Billy Allen Jr. (SUZ), 5. Aaron Houser (YAM)
Junior Mini: 1. James Justice (KTM), 2. Nick Desiderio (SUZ), 3. Joey Peters (KAW), 4. Luke Renzland (KAW), 5. Kyle Peters (HON)
Supermini: 1. Cody Robbins (KAW), 2. Frank Lettieri (SUZ), 3. Kyle Peters (HON), 4. Tyler Hawk (KAW), 5. James Justice (KTM)
Womens: 1. Jessye Davis (HON), 2. Haley Burke (SUZ), 3. Katelyn Crowley (SUZ), 4. Nikki Stewart (YAM), 5. Virginia Roma (HON)
125 Novice: 1. Dustin Bailey (KAW), 2. Douglas Zee (HON), 3. Kevin Hudson (YAM), 4. Arthur Stryker (HON), 5. Vincent Cianci (KTM)
125 Amateur: 1. Michael Hall (KAW), 2. Derek Rogers (KTM), 3. Lowell Spangler (KAW), 4. Brad Keister (KAW), 5. Ryan Gainey (HON)
Derek Rogers
250 Novice: 1.Travis Ferry (HON), 2. Douglas Zee (HON), 3. Jeff Mesler (HON), 4. Arthur Stryker (YAM), 5. Doug McHenry (HON)
250 Amateur: 1. Ryan Gainey (HON), 2. Kyle Whritenour (KAW), 3. Ryan Blizzard (KAW), 4. Dakota Kessler (KAW), 5. Alex Hotchkiss (KAW)
Schoolboy: 1. Lowell Spangler (KAW), 2. Malcolm Stewart (KAW), 3. Michael Stryker (SUZ), 4. Matt Babbitt (KAW), 5. Kyle Peters (HON)
Collegeboy: 1. Kyle Chisholm (KAW), 2. Ben Ritter (KAW), 3. Ryan Gainey (HON), 4. Roy Holt (KAW), 5. Paul Lamb (YAM)
25+ Amateur: 1. Chris Brice (HON), 2. Sean Gillies (HON), 3. Johnny Palmieri Jr (KAW), 4. Victor Palmieri (HON), 5. Peter Occonnell (HON)
25+ Expert: 1 Barry Carsten (SUZ), 2. Damien Plotts (KAW), 3. Greg Pamart (HON), 4. Mark Waldele (KAW), 5. Darren Edsall (KAW)
30+ Novice: 1. John Ward (HON), 2. Neal Kitson (YAM), 3. Bill Ostlin (HON), 4. Bill Mazzucco (HON), 5. George Greenaway (KAW)
30+ Amateur: Johnny Palmieri Jr (KAW), 2. Sean Gillies (HON), 3. Victor Palmieri (HON), 4. Michael Lewis (HON), 5. Michael Yonkowski (HON)
30+ Expert: 1. Barry Carsten (SUZ), 2. Damien Plotts (KAW), 3. Greg Pamart (HON), 4. Pat Barton (SUZ), 5. Kurt McMillen (SUZ)
40+ Amateur: 1. Jeffrey Mesler (HON), 2. Edward Rapp (KAW), 3. Phil Spagnola (HON), 4. Ted Howell (HON), 5. Doug Kitchell (KAW)
40+ Expert: 1. Barry Carsten (SUZ), 2. Pat Barton (SUZ), 3. Kurt McMillen (SUZ), 4. Jerry Seip (HON), 5. Jim Kapitan (HON)
Sunday Results:
125 Expert: 1. Kyle Chisholm (KAW), 2. Robby Marshall (KAW), 3. Barry Carsten (SUZ), 4. Ben Ritter (KAW), 5. Paul Lamb (YAM)
250 Expert: 1. Phil Nicoletti (HON), 2. Barry Carsten (SUZ), 3. Damien Plotts (KAW), 4. Ben Ritter (KAW), 5. Robby Marshall (KAW)
Town and Country Cycle Center/ Kessler Cup: 1. Zachary Bell (KAW), 2. Nick Desiderio (KTM), 3. Chris Canning (KAW), 4. Darian Robinson (KTM), 5. Rowland Papp (KAW)
Zachary Bell
Mt Holly/ Fox Top Gun mini shootout: 1. Frank Lettieri (SUZ), 2. Nick Desiderio (SUZ), 3. James Justice (KTM), 4. Zachary Bell (KAW), 5. Cody Robbins (KAW)
Monmouth Cycles Ironman Classic: 1. Michael Hall (KAW), 2. Ryan Gainey (HON), 3. Ryan Blizzard (KAW), 4. Alex Hotchkiss (KAW), 5. Malcolm Stewart (KAW)
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