From Cycle News online:

A Tale of Two Days

ENGLISHTOWN, NJ – Two words say it all. Loretta Lynn’s. The road to the Amateur Nationals at Loretta Lynn’s Dude Ranch in August begins many months before. If you want to race against the 42 best riders in your class, you must start in March and April and do well in the local area qualifiers, and from there you go on to the regional qualifier and, finally, the big show.

On the weekend of April 14 and 15, for the first time in its 32-year history, Old Bridge Township Raceway Park played host to an area qualifier. With the weather forecast differing greatly for the two days, riders were going to have to contend with all that nature could throw at them.

Saturday’s program went off under sunny skies and in cool temperatures, but the racing was anything but chilly. Several riders make the long trip to New Jersey in search of a National Championship. Honda rider Oscar Diaz from Dade City, Florida, showed impressive speed en route to finishing fourth in the MX Lites A class and winning the Motocross A class. Also making a long trip were the Medaglia brothers, Tyler and Jeremy, from Ontario, Canada. Jeremy won both the Motocross and MX Lites B Stock classes on his Yamaha, while Suzuki-mounted Tyler was the winner of the Lites A class and the nonqualifying Open A class.

Sunday’s weather was the complete opposite. Overnight, a powerful nor’ easter blew in, bringing torrential rains and winds with gusts up to 50 mph. The storm, which encompassed the entire East Coast, caused widespread flooding and even temporarily closed one of the roads to the track. But motocross runs rain or shine, and although not all classes had enough entrants to run, several classes braved the conditions and ran their moto. Due to the track and weather conditions, a one-moto format was run and practice was canceled. Riders were given a hot lap to check out the track before their moto. The track was shortened due to safety concerns, and racing was started.

One of the best races of the muddy afternoon was the MX Lites C Modified contest. Zak Klaptosky made a last-ditch pass on the leader and fellow Kawasaki rider Kyle Thompson to take the victory.

Local Suzuki rider Frank Lettieri (461) was a double-class winner on Sunday, taking the victories in both the Supermini (12-15) and MX Lites Schoolboy (14-16) classes.

Good luck to all of those riders who made the cut and will go on to the regional.

Results

Saturday

51 (4-6) STK SHAFT: 1. Nathan Rocuskie; 2. Janice Matias (Yam); 3. Zakary Shaffer (Yam); 4. Devin Kusmider (Yam); 5. Ryan Treveliese (KTM).

51 (4-6) STK: 1. Seth Hammaker; 2. Ricci Randanella; 3. Hunter Fenelon; 4. Dawson Driscoll; 5. Nathan Rocuskie (Yam).

51 (7-8) STK: 1. Scott Meshey; 2. Reggie Powell Jr. (KTM); 3. Trevor Pritchard; 4. Alexander Guerrierie (KTM); 5. Justin Dunn.

65 (7-9) STK: 1. Justin Cooper (KTM); 2. Jared Jennings (KTM); 3. Damian Thompson (KTM); 4. Brandon Hartranft (Kaw); 5. John Sheaffer (KTM).

65 (10-11) STK: 1. Rowland Papp (Hon); 2. Christopher Prebula (KTM); 3. Austin Littler (KTM); 4. Trevor Shaffer (KTM); 5. Jake Runkles (KTM).

85 (7-11) STK: 1. Robert Piazza (Kaw); 2. Eric Grondahl (Hon); 3. Rowland Papp (Hon); 4. Christopher Prebula (KTM); 5. Jacob Hartranft (Yam).

85 (12-13) STK: 1. Joey Peters (Kaw); 2. Kameron Page (Yam); 3. Kris Corey (Hon); 4. Scott Carpenter (Suz); 5. Ryan Zaveral (Hon).

MX LITES C STK: 1. Michael Wanser (Kaw); 2. Kyle L. Thompson (Kaw); 3. Cameron L. Siegel (Suz); 4. Josh Venti (Suz); 5. Travis Sullivan (Hon).

MX LITES B STK: 1. Jeremy Medaglia (Yam); 2. Chase Burdette (Yam); 3. Javier Hernandez (Hon); 4. Henry Rojas (Suz); 5. Joshua Emmi (Kaw).

MX B STK: 1. Jeremy Medaglia (Yam); 2. Javier Hernandez (Hon); 3. Nicholas McPhee (Suz); 4. Marshall Hurd (Kaw); 5. Henry Rojas (Suz).

MX LITES A: 1. Tyler Medaglia (Suz); 2. Barry Carsten (Suz); 3. John Lawrence (Suz); 4. Oscar Diaz (Hon); 5. Michael Stryker (Suz).

MX A: 1. Oscar Diaz (Hon); 2. Barry Carsten (Suz); 3. Ryan Gainey (KTM); 4. John Lawrence (Suz); 5. Greg Pamart (Kaw).

OPEN A: 1. Tyler Medaglia (Suz); 2. Adam Blessing (Hon); 3. Ryan Blizzard (Kaw); 4. Victor Schepisi (Yam).

OPEN B: 1. Vincent Veneziale (Hon); 2. Nicholas May (Hon); 3. George P. Dennis (Suz); 4. Mike Emick (Yam ).

OPEN C: 1. Raymond Brewer (Kaw); 2. Stephen Michael (Hon); 3. Andrew Flood (Yam); 4. James Wegner (Kaw); 5. Daniel Regan (Yam).

GRLS (9-13): 1. Samantha Mandelke (Kaw).

WMN (12+): 1. Haley Burke (Suz); 2. Nikki Stewart (Yam); 3. Jessica Saxum (Yam); 4. Erica Rizzo (Yam); 5. Ashleigh Smith (Kaw).

SCHBY (12-15): 1. Frank Lettieri (Suz); 2. Chase Burdette (Yam); 3. Damon Rummel (Yam); 4. Joey Peditto (Suz); 5. Joey Peters (Kaw).

Sunday

85 (12-13) MOD: 1. Scott Carpenter (Suz); 2. Kevin Carpenter (Suz); 3. Kris Corey (Hon); 4. Zachary Lang (Suz); 5. Kameron Page (Yam).

S/MINI (12-15): 1. Frank Lettieri (Suz); 2. Scott Carpenter (Suz); 3. Kris Corey (Hon); 4. R.J. Beck (Kaw); 5. Kevin Carpenter (Suz).

MX LITES SCHBY (14-16): 1. Frank Lettieri (Suz); 2. Justin Frederick (Yam); 3. Benjamin Rio (Kaw); 4. Marshall Hurd (Kaw); 5. Ryan Blizzard (Kaw).

MX LITES C MOD: 1. Zak Klaptosky (Kaw); 2. Kyle L. Thompson (Kaw); 3. Stephen Michael (Hon); 4. Tobias Levine (Kaw); 5. Charlie Miller (Yam).

MX LITES B MOD: 1. Matt Babbitt (Kaw); 2. Jeremy Medaglia (Yam); 3. Justin Frederick (Yam); 4. Nicholas McPhee (Suz); 5. Joshua Emmi (Kaw).

MX B MOD: 1. Joshua Emmi (Kaw); 2. Marshall Hurd (Kaw); 3. Nicholas McPhee (Suz); 4. Nick Hall (Hon); 5. Vincent Veneziale (Hon).

VET B/C 30+: 1. Michael Lewis (Hon); 2. Pete Sass (Yam); 3. Ben Krygier (Hon); 4. Michael Dore (Suz); 5. John Dejanna (Hon).