Royal Mountain kicks off season today
By JAMES A. ELLIS, The Leader-Herald
POSTED: May 25, 2008
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Racing on his home track at Royal Mountain Ski Area, Duesler placed 17th and fifth at the two-day Memorial Day Weekend meet. He recovered to turn in a strong season and claim the 85cc 12- to 13-year-old division Central New York Motocross Racing Association championship.
Duesler and over 500 other riders will converge on Royal Mountain in their quest for CNYMRA championships today and Monday.
“The track is probably in the best shape it has ever been in,” Royal Mountain owner Jim Blaise said. “We have made some changes in the track this season. We took out a couple of doubles and put in some more tabletops.”
The American Motocross Association-sanctioned event will begin with practice both days at 8:30 a.m. and the gate is scheduled to drop on the first race at 11 a.m. Rider sign-up starts at 7 a.m. Classes for the weekend competition range from the 4- to 6- year-old 50-cc division to the plus-40 super seniors and quads. A new class has been added to the competition this season, the 85cc-250cc women’s class.
Locals coming into the competition off strong outings May 11 at Thunder Ridge include Ken Crouse III of Fort Plain (second 125 2-stroke, sixth schoolboy) and Aaron Bell of Palatine Bridge (third, 125 2-stroke). Zack Kollar of Fort Plain won the first moto in the 65cc 10- to 11-year-old division and finished second overall before finishing third in the Jr. Mini 9- to 11-year-old division. Gloversville’s John Berthiaume placed second in the plus-25 expert division, while Travor VanAlstyne of Fort Plain was runner-up in the schoolboy
“We are looking forward to one of the biggest turnouts we have ever had,” Blaise said. “We are pretty psyched up for Sunday and Monday.”
