Dave Bettencourt Classic Short Track & TT

[sideways pete]

The Dave B Classic Short Track & TT on October 15 will be, like the man, a classic event. Originally planned around the end of the AMA National Dirt Track Series to include the top riders as Coolbeth, Johnson, Weidman, Lewis etc, an additional date added in Pomona California slightly changed the plans. Even with a reduced purse several Nationally ranked riders will trek to Wachusett Valley Riders Club in Winchendon MA to pay tribute to The Bettencourt’s support of motorcycle racing for over 50 years.
The day starts off at noon with a Vintage Bike display, which may have rare restored RS 600 and 750 Honda dirt trackers. There will be a wall to display your favorite Bettencourt pictures along with a gathering of Bettencourt racers dating back to the late 60’s. Participants are encouraged to sell any vintage parts they have for no extra fee. The afternoon will be full of food, fun and reminiscing.
Practice will start at 4:30 p.m. with 10 classes on the oval dirt track. With $500 plus a 100% pay back pro purse, it should be about $1,500. There are 5 signed Dave B pictures, 4 to raffle off with all proceeds to a “Dash For Dave” and the 5th will go to the dash winner. National #65 Corey Texter from Lancaster Harley-Davidson in PA along with 2 buddies will be coming. Several pros from New York have expressed interest in wanting to take the cash from our New England hot shoes. At press time, rumors of some riders coming out of retirement are being talked about. A confirmation of pro riders will be on the website. Classic Bettencourt trophies will round out the night!
The race that has everyone talking is the 50 lap 4 stroke TT race. The last race of the season will feature air-cooled 4 strokes from 100 to 160cc. While it’s a minimal purse, it’s about the bragging rights. Qualifying for this 20 rider main event will be tough. A 50 lap race will be about a half hour of flat out competition. We intend to make this a traditional end of the season celebration of Dave Bettencourt and the Bettencourt family.
Gates open at 11:00 am, adults $10, kids age 10-15 $5 and under 10 always free. Classes of oval: 4-6 and 7-8 50CC Stock, 70-110 4 stroke youth, 85 youth, Amateur, Vintage Light / Heavy, Open Pro $, Senior 30+ Mid Life Crisis age 47+ includes Born to Be Wild age 58+, The Big One 50 lap Mini 4 air cooled 4 Stroke TT -$ smooth rear tires. Rain date October 16. NO membership required. $40 Entry fee. 99DB limit for all bikes, NO Open Jemco’s

Wachusett Valley Riders Club is located on Rt. 12 (783 Spring St.) Winchendon, MA. For more information call Sideways Promotions at 978-874-1732, peterg11@verizon.net or www.sidewayspromo.com

[Kitt]

Would have been all over this with more than 1 days notice...

[sideways pete]

I had another event yanked by the moderator a few weeks ago so i sent a message asking questions, never got a reply. I threw it out today to see what happens.

[b0xmonkey]

It's too bad it's an LRRS weekend also...

[sideways pete]

Next year I'll work around lrrs for an open weekend

[sideways pete]

After mother-nature was ahead two to nothing in the rain out department last month, anticipation was high for good weather at the Dave B Classic Short Track and TT. She gave us fits during the week with two days of rain but the track crew at WVR stayed ahead of her with pumps and hoses. The day of the race, just before practice started we had a fifteen minute downpour. The track crew went to work to make it race able. While it wasn’t the perfect track we wanted it did word out to be safe and produced some great racing.

Ninety two entries from New England, New York, Pennsylvania and Florida showed up to pay tribute to Dave Bettencourt. The night was run as Dave would have liked it, limited classes with exciting handlebar to handlebar racing. Jane Wood, Dave’s girlfriend and his brother’s wife Tina organized a Dash for Dave with five autographed pictures of Dave racing. The big surprise of the night was during the intermission and raffle drawing that the family and Jane sprinkled some of David’s ashes in turn two. Mark Bettencourt’s comment was, “We’re sprinkling a bit of David down low and inside right where he liked to race.” Many hard core Bettencourt fans made the almost two hour trip up and back on their street bikes regardless of the cold weather.

After a brief downpour and track work the modified dirt karts were sent out for practice and to work the track in. The twelve experts went out next and struggled on a really greasy track. The expert’s feedback was to give extra practice laps and the track was getting better with use. A decision was made to run more practice than the kart heat race at which point we would harrow up the track a couple of inches to hopefully get some dryer dirt. It was a very risky decision but we thought it would work. The Dino and 50cc kid classes struggled a little by the third race of the 70 to 110cc Youth it was coming in good. The open pro had two heat races which was a preview to the main event. In the first heat race #14 Jeff Swensen lead from start to finish beating #98 Roger Durkee #59 Jake Constantine and #65 Cory Texter. Jeff has been on a roll this year winning three NEDTS championships. The top three riders also qualified for the Dash for Dave. The second heat was one by #17u Kyle Marble over hard charging #57u Asa Irish and out of retirement Bryan McKenna.

During the emotional intermission the track crew went to work dragging and rolling the surface to prepare for the “Dash for Dave.” It was decided the Karts polished the wet clay and brought the moisture up making the trak slick and dangerous for bikes. The Kart guys agreed to running the last oval race. The six riders lined up with Durkee getting the hole-shot followed by Swensen, Constantine, Marble, Irish and McKenna. Second lap Constantine took over 2nd from Swensen while Durkee pulled a few bike lengths out front. Despite the tight racing behind Durkee, the results after 9 laps were Durkee 1st, Constantine 2nd and Jeff Swensen 3rd. The tight action in the dash was a preview of things to come.

The Vintage class always has an array of cool bikes. Bryon Dailey took the hole-shot over Jim Durkee on his 450 Honda Twin followed by 2010 Vintage Champion Mark Methe on his Husky. It took 2 laps for Mark to get in the lead and pull away for the win. Bryon Dailey is 2nd followed by Jim Durkee 3rd and Bobby Bettencourt 4th.

The 70-110cc 4 Stroke Youth first lap was lead by local youngster Alec Hart with C.J. McAdams and best friend Bobby Bettencourt behind him. It took several laps for Bobby to take the lead which he held to the finish. McAdams was 2nd followed by 2011 Mark Dickens Most Improved Rider Award winner Elizabeth Tinker for 3rd.

The Born to Be Wild class is age 58+ and features some great guys that still enjoy getting sideways. Alan Niles on his 250 2 Stroke Honda jumped out to an early lead over Rick Oberst, Earl Durkee and Class Champ Dave Austyn. Lap 5 Austyn worked his way through the pack to take the lead over Niles. Lap 8 Oberst got around Niles for 2nd place with Niles finishing 3rd, Earl Durkee 4th and Jack Elliott 5th.

The Open Pro, 12 riders, $980 purse with a 15 lap feature. Asa Irish took the lead with Durkee, Marble, Jake Constantine, McKenna, Minor, Mitchell and Cory Texter 10th from the penalty line. The pack was tight with riders pushing and shoving to get to the front. Six laps into the main, Constantine made his move. Asa and Durkee left a very small opening coming to turn 1 and Constantine took advantage going from 3rd to 1st. As the laps wore down, Jeff Swensen was solidly in 4th with Marble 5th and Cory Texter worked his way to 6th. The checked flag flew with Jake Constantine winning, Durkee 2nd, Asa Irish 3rd, Jeff Swensen 4th, Cory Texter 5th and Kyle Marble 6th. The Dave B Classic Open Pro Class was the best race ever at Wachusett Valley Riders Club, it truly was a classic.

We had 16 then 18 riders signed up for the 50 lap tt which was pandomonian before the start. Originial plan was to start no more than 20 in the main and have 2 qualifiers then 4 rows of 4 for the feature. With only 18 riders we give them 5 laps of practice,Then let them go. Trying to line up 18 hooligans when everybody wants a front row start was impossible at that point. When there was roughly 3 rows I told sean to let them go! A crash in turn 1 brought out the red flag and then I realized. 18 riders, wet track we could be here all night restarting! A promoters decision was made while everyone loosely lined up. Start the race and unless somebody is really hurt, keep racing! Jake Constantine took the early lead with Kory Texter on a borrowed 110 in second. Craig Starzynski, Dick Mitchell, John McDonald and many others close behind. Everyone fell down at least once. About lap 42 Texter took over the lead to take the win over Jake Constantino with Dick Mitchell 3rd, Craig Starzynski 4th and John McDonald 5th

Overall, it was a great day of memories, seeing old friends and showing off restored bikes. Hell yes, it’s coming back next fall with some improvements, bigger & better!




Wachusett Valley Riders Club Race 10/15/11

Karts
1st David Comeau-Palmer, MA
2nd Gary Hublard-Ellington, CT
3rd Roy Gauthier-E. Hampton, CT

Dino
1st Steve Hall-Sturbridge, MA KTM
2nd Joe Picardi-Acton, MA Rotax
3rd Mark Methe-Fitzwilliam, NH SUZ

50cc 4-6
1st Hayden Paydos-Ware, MA Husky
2nd Brianna McHugh-Plymouth, MA KTM
3rd Nicholas Sadowski-Selkirt, NY YAM

50cc 7-8
1st Jack Ferrante-Milton, MA HON
2nd Justin Cokely-Raynham, MA HON
3rd Jayde Carriasquillo-Rindge, NH HON

70-110
1st Bobby Bettencourt-W. Brookfield, MA HON
2nd C.J. McAdams-Pembroke, MA HON
3rd Elizabeth Tinker-Franklin, NH HON

Senior 30+
1st Roger Durkee-Dudley, MA Rotax
2nd Jeff Swensen-Grantham, NH HON
3rd Joe Bonanno-Northfield, NH YAM

Vintage
1st Mark Methe-Fitzwilliam, NH Husky
2nd Bryon Dailey-W.Springfield, MA YAM
3rd Jim Durkee-Dudley, MA HON

85cc
1st Ragin’ Ricky Moroge-Wareham, MA B-HON
2nd Dalton Brisbois-Ashburnham, MA HON
3rd Elizabeth Tinker-Franklin, NH YAM

Born To Be Wild
1st David Austyn-Vernon, CT HON
2nd Rick Oberst-Alstead, NH HON
3rd Alan Niles-Harrisville, R.I. HON

Amt.
1st Alex Paquette-Milton, NH HON
2nd Joe Bonanno-Northfield, NH HON
3rd Gary Simcock-Swansea, MA HON

Open Pro
1st Jake Constantine-Selkirt, NY HON
2nd Roger Durkee-Dudley, MA Rotax
3rd Asa Irish-Carver, MA HON
4th Jeff Swensen-Grantham, NH HON
5th Cory Texter-Willowstreet, PA HON
6th Kyle Marble-Halifax, MA HON

Dash for Dave
1st Roger Durkee-Dudley, MA Rotax
2nd Jake Constantine-Selkirt, NY HON
3rd Jeff Swensen-Grantham, NH HON
4th Kyle Marble-Halifax, MA HON
5th Asa Irish-Carver, MA HON
6th Bryan McKenna-Plymouth, MA HON

TT 100-150 4 Stroke 50 Laps
1st Cory Texter-Willowstreet, PA HON
2nd Jake Constantine-Selkirk, NY HON
3rd Dick Mitchell-Bolton, MA HON
4th Craig Starzynski-Gardner, MA HON
5th John McDonald-Nashua, NH HON
6th C.J. McAdams-Pembroke, MA HON
7th Morgan Coolbeth-Morris, CT HON
8th Matt Beland-Brookfield, MA HON
9th Jamison Minor-Barrington, NH HON

[OreoGaborio]

I had another event yanked by the moderator a few weeks ago so i sent a message asking questions, never got a reply. I threw it out today to see what happens.

Stoneman is the guy you want to talk to about promoting your events, but he's a busy guy.

We discussed your last event advertisement thread in the Mod section and those of us that responded didn't have a problem with it. Try following up if you don't get a response in a reasonable amount of time next time.

[sideways pete]

Thanks guys! This place covers all the bases! I promise to post earlier next season.
Pete
www.sidewayspromo.com