Hunter GP
12.3.23
Race Report Hunter GP
BROUGHT TO YOU BY
THE VOICE OF TOR
@VOICE_OF_TOR
Stoner on Top!
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The 2023 TOR Triple Crown came to an epic conclusion at New Jersey Motorsports Park on December 3rd. NJMP, typically known for hosting major Car and Street bike events on their road courses, opened their doors for some dirt bike racing action. The perfect location to host The Hunter GP. This special event was named in memorial to South Jersey native Hunter Harbs. Tragically, in August of 2022 we lost Hunter in an auto accident. Hunter, a local off-road racer, had a unique friendship with TOR founder Tegan Temple. Some would call it a big bro little bro type of relationship. Hunter always looked up to Tegan, following in his footsteps any way possible. And Tegan, always guiding Hunter to be a better rider, and including him with the big boys when out riding in the South Jersey pits. Even from a distance, you could tell the two had a special friendship. So for Tegan, when planning the first TOR race in New Jersey it was an easy choice for him to name round three, The Hunter GP.
For those of you who are familiar with the venue it may have seemed odd, or perhaps a misprint. A dirt bike race at New Jersey Motorsports Park? But wait, there’s no dirt bike track there, how can you have a dirt bike race at a race car track? That’s the beauty of Temple Off-Road, the crew is capable of building new courses at just about any facility or property location. If you have the space for parking, we have the equipment and knowledge of how to design, and build a GP style race course, as well as property/track restoration post race. The track crew at TOR mowed in about 2.1 miles of fresh, never ridden before trail. Consisting primarily of grass track mixed with woods and of course an extreme section!
With a lousy weather forecast, the TOR crew knew they were going to be tested, and that proved to be true in more ways than one. With a huge turnout expected, it was all hands on deck to make sure everything went off without a hitch. Despite the dreary conditions, campers began to fill the parking lot Friday evening and by Saturday morning it looked like a full blown national with all of the rigs parked up. By Sunday morning there were over 1000 spectators and racers on hand to catch some TOR racing action!
Saturday morning, you could feel that positive and fun energy that TOR has come to be known for. Surprisingly, the rain held off for both our PeeWee and our Stacyc eBike races. The Stacyc racing at TOR has become a fan favorite. TOR is a family oriented, family run series. Having the Stacyc bike event on Saturday affords parents who are also racers the opportunity to have their kiddos get some seat time, and a bit of racing action for themselves. For example, the big story around the Stacyc pits was the Economou boys. Riding in the 2-4 year old class, out of Neptune City, NJ is Jettson Economou. And Jett’s Dad, “Big Joe” Joe Economou riding in the A Veteran class on Sunday. Taking it right down to the finish, Jett and another rider got tangled up as they both crossed the line; making it a true photo finish! Jett is an up and coming rider to keep your eyes on. Soon he will be making the jump onto a motorbike and will be competing on Sundays alongside his pop. Jett put on a show for the Stacyc bike fans who lined the course to get a glimpse of the racing action. On Sunday, with Jett cheering from the sidelines, Big Joe would go on to finish 1-2 for 1st overall in the Vet A class!
The PeeWee riders had arguably the best racing/track conditions on Saturday afternoon. WIth 60 total racers across 8 classes there were some TOR regulars, as well as some new faces on the starting line. I asked Preston Siniavsky, the points leader in the 65cc 10-11 class to wear the TOR GoPro, check Instagram to see some footage! Preston would go onto win the race and wrap up the championship! Preston is the first PeeWee rider in TOR history to take home the # 1 plate! Preston, and his family dedicated themselves to racing the Triple Crown and we are thrilled to have Preston representing the next generation of Temple Off-Road GP racers!
Something you will quickly notice at TOR is how well represented the ladies classes are. From the PeeWee to the Pros, there were multiple classes with 10 or more female riders at all 3 of the TOR races this year. Honorable mention to the Girls 4-11 class at round 3. With a total of 10 young ladies racing bar to bar the 4-11 class was won by Jesse Slatten (KTM) followed by Alivia Regalbuto (YAM) in second and Hayleigh Kaisinger (KTM) in third.
Possibly the gnarliest story I heard all season came from Brighton Richards. Making her TOR debut after a self described “retirement”, Brighton was at NJMP on Saturday to watch her cousin race where she was then talked into racing on Sunday; Brighton raced the Girls 12-17 class on a Husqvarna she borrowed from her cousin! Richards, described herself as a motocross racer, so she was used to the GP format but not used to dodging trees while racing through the woods! While up on the podium talking about her race, Brighton casually mentioned that she had fallen while out on the race course and dislocated her shoulder. At this point she was out in front with the lead, she had two choices. Option 1, pull off the track and seek medical attention(logical). Option 2, pop that shoulder back into place by herself with no assistance and finish the race(hardcore). I was speechless when Richards said she took option 2. Not only did she finish the race but she WON the race! That is what racing is all about, pick yourself up, dust yourself off and keep moving forward! Brighton went 1-1 in the Girls 12-17 class.
After hanging out at all of the triple crown events this season, one thing that stuck out to me was the tight nit community of youth racers. Watching the youngsters ride around their bicycles and ebikes, playing, laughing and cheering each other on during the races; it was great to see kids being kids. Thank you to those dedicated moto parents, this little series is nothing without you! Saturday came and went, with little rain during the day. However, the overnight hours delivered about ½”-1’ of rain. By day break on Sunday morning the heavy rains had tapered off and we were left with a light drizzle that stuck around till about 11am. The TOR track crew, tech crew and sweep crew was ready to rock and roll for the first race of the day at 8am. Everything was working properly as far as the MotoTally scoring system goes, and it seemed as though riders were now familiar with the TOR GP format and found themselves on the starting line with no troubles.
All season long there have been stellar battles in the supermini and youth classes. The final round did not disappoint and delivered some more great racing action. The Supermini 14-16 is considered the premier youth class, with riders like Dominic Griffith and Ryder Sigety. Even though Sigety took 1st at round 2 and 3, unfortunately, he missed round 1 and it was enough to set him behind in the points. Sigety showcased his skills and proved why he is one of the top youth riders in the country. Ryder Sigety went 1-1 and first overall on the day in the Supermini class and finished 2nd overall for the Triple Crown championship. What matters most when you're battling for points is consistency. The Supermini Championship was awarded to Dominic Griffith! Dominic showed up and went work at all 3 rounds, going 1-2-2. Starting out strong with a victory at the Hurricane Hills GP, Dom carried that momentum into round 2 where he took 2nd place. Then at round 3, the champ went out there and rode fast and clean knowing that the championship was on the line. Dom went 2-2 at round 3 and wrapped up his Triple Crown Championship! It’s written right in the TOR mission statement “our goal is to develop the next generation of national caliber champions” I would say were off to good start!
Later that morning, the big bike races got rolling. The C class riders were first up, C Open, C 250 and C 200. The C class is intended for novice riders and youth riders making the transition from mini bike to big/full size bikes. Sandbaggers beware, if you race B class or A class at any other series you MUST race that class at TOR. No self demotion! TOR will be doing our best to patrol this ourselves, however protests are always welcome if you believe a rider is trying to pull a sneaky one on the TOR registration officials.
The top 3 overall riders from the C classes were Evan Moyer (HUS) 3rd, Connor Wilford (YAM) 2nd. 1st place overall went to Keith Hughes (YAM) riding in the C200 class! Hughes had himself quite an impressive season racing the TOR Triple Crown, winning all 3 races in the C200 class. Total domination, congrats Keith! We are grateful for all of our C racers, the show doesn’t go on without your participation. If you know someone who is curious about racing, encourage them to sign up for C class in 2024!
Following the C class is the B class, B Open, B250 and B(beef)200. Also included in this race is the Schoolboy A/B class. The top 3 overall from the B race; 3rd Noah Ritz (YAM), 2nd Dalton Robbins (KTM) and 1st Overall was Mannix Mathis! Joining the B classes, row 1, is the PRO/AM 125 dash for cash. The dash for cash is a single moto, all out sprint, limited to 125cc small bore dirt bikes! The goal of the PRO/AM 125 race is to entertain the spectators while giving the top pro riders another class to race.
Top 3 in the PRO 125 class: Robert Weiss (HUS) 3rd, Lucas Seelman (KTM) 2nd, and taking home his first win in the class was Mikey Beeler (KTM). Although he missed the podium at The Hunter GP, Ryan Quinn had a strong points lead going into the race and only needed a top 10 finish to wrap up his championship. Aboard his ultra cool KX125, Quinn Dawg would go onto finish in 7th place and thus taking home the # 1 plate and the championship in the PRO 125 class! One thing in common across the board for all of our Triple Crown championship winners was their dedication to attend and compete at all 3 rounds. Quinn is a rider, and riders ride. All season long, no matter the conditions or the location, Quinn made sweet music with his small bore Kawasaki! I personally cannot wait to watch Quinn defend his title in 2024! Do you know an old washed up pro rider who absolutely shreds a 125cc? Send them our way and we will PAY them to win!
For the Veteran A class riders (ages 30+) it was an all out battle for the overall! After the first lap of Moto 1, it was non other than Timmy Hunter (KTM) with the lead! However during lap 2, and all the way to the finish, the battle was between Joe Economou (HON) and Justin Harris (KTM). Big Joe would take the Moto 1 win with Harris in second and Hunter in 3rd. Moto 2 had a similar start, with Hunter leading the first lap and then fading back to a respectable P5 by lap 3. Hunter went on to finish 3-5 for 4th overall on the day. The moto 2, battle for the lead was primarily between Big Joe and Darren Huff. The 2 went back and forth for the first 3 laps, and just when Big Joe thought he was going to take the win, in comes Zach Page with a last lap charge! Going from 6th to 4th, and then to 3rd, Page was reeling in the leaders and managed to get by Economou and Huff on the last lap! Page took the win Moto 2 win with Economou in 2nd and Huff taking 3rd. The final results from A Veteran: Economou 1-2 for 1st overall, Harris 2-4 for 2nd overall, Huff 4-3 for 3rd overall. On the outside looking in, was Timmy Hunter in 4th and Zach Page in 5th.
The main event: PRO Class(AA), PRO Veteran(35+), A OPEN, A 250, and A 200. With names like Jason Tino, Kyle McDonal, Corey Doughten, Mike Lafferty and Jerod Stoner; this is the big show! Mike Lafferty, the OG of off-road racing took home the win in the Pro Veteran class. At 48 years young, Lafferty’s flame burns strong! Mike’s passion for riding has never been stronger, and TOR is keeping his skills sharp. After finishing 2nd overall to Craig DeLong at round 2, Jason Tino knew he had to come back for more TOR racing at round 3. Unfortunately, Tino missed round 1 which set him back in the Triple Crown points Championship. The PRO class battle for the championship was between Jersod Stoner and Corey Doughten. Coming into the 3rd and final round at NJMP, only 1 point separated the two racers. In dramatic fashion, the final race of the year would determine the Champion.
Jason Tino did not dissapoint, landing his Magna 1 Husky on the top spot of the podium! The young sprint rider went 1-1 whilst leading every lap of both motos. Even in the tough conditions, Tino showed speed and grit. Seemingly never letting off the gas, Jason was able to take both wins by over a minute ahead of second place. It was great to see BETA Factory support rider, Kyle McDonal out there for round 3. Kyle finished 2-2 for 2nd overall! The beauty and curse of GP racing is that you never know what is going to happen once the combined results of each moto shake out. It’s all about consistently showing up and giving it your all. Rangers Emmons(GG) proved that point as he went 5-4 for P3 overall in the PRO class! The PRO class podium: Jason Tino 1st, Kyle McDonal 2nd, and Ranger Emmons 3rd.
But wait...what happened to Stoner and Doughten??
Through the first few laps of Moto 1 Stoner and Doughten banged bars and battled for 2nd place. For a brief moment, Doughten actually led the race before Tino made the pass just before going through the scoring area on lap 1. By lap 3 in moto 1 it was clear that something was wrong with Doughten’s Yamaha as he faded back to 5th and off the lead pace. Corey, visibly frustrated, was forced to pull off the track on the final lap which resulted in a DNF. I went over to visit Team Doughten in the pits post race to get the scoop. Turns out, Corey had gotten stuck in the mud and dropped the motorcycle on its side, completely burying the throttle side of the handlebars. When Corey picked up the bike it was missing a vital component...apparently Mother Earth decided to keep his throttle grip! Picture yourself walking through some mud and all of sudden your foot get stuck and the mud sucks your shoe right off your foot; same concept with Doughtens throttle grip. Left with nothing but a slick piece of plastic(throttle tube), Corey was unable to grip and twist his throttle.
With a Doughten DNF, Stoner went on to finish P3 in Moto 1. Now with a small points advantage, Jerod could breathe a little easier going into Moto 2. It was going to take placing 2nd and beating Stoner or winning the second moto for Doughten to take the championship. Meanwhile, mathematically speaking, Stoner just had to make sure he finished in 10th place or better in the second moto to gain enough points to win the title. The race would end in heartbreaking fashion for Doughten. After addressing his grip issue from moto 1, the kid couldn’t catch a break. Corey went out there and laid it all on the line only to have a mechanical failure on his dirt bike. The wicked muddy conditions allowed water to find its way into the air box, ultimately causing the bike to run poorly. The result, another DNF, closing the door on championship dreams for the southern Chester County boy.
Whether this was your first year being around the race community or you have been racing for 30 years, a name that will live rent free in your head is Jerod Stoner. At 34 years of age, Jerod has cemented himself as a local icon within our community. The kids who now race at the top level usually are around 18-24 years old. That’s quite a bit of age difference there, but I only bring age into it because when Jerod was an 18 year old kid riding at the top level he never knew he was influencing an entire generation of riders. “I spent my whole life looking up to this guy and now I get to stand on the podium with him” - Corey Doughten “I always wanted to be like Jerod, and tried to model my riding style after his” -Tegan Temple/TOR Founder. Stories and memories of Stoner could be heard echoing all throughout the pits at every race this season. Personally, I remember Stoner's hay day like it was yesterday. Circa 2007, I entered in my first harescramble on a big bike race at The Flying Dutchmen MX track. I cautiously made my way around the course, when I could hear a bike coming from behind, the unmistakable sound of a properly tuned 2 stroke. Above the sound of the motor, I could hear Jerod politely(screamed) instructing me to move out of his way as he was the overall leader. Meanwhile I was probably last place overall. Jerod went by in a blurr, but to this very day, 16ish years later, I can still picture the back of that iconic jersey; “STONER 33” as he left me in his dust. The influence Jerod had on us when we were kids is part of the reason we are here today talking about a brand new off road series in 2023. It sounds corny, but passion breeds passion.
Going 3-6 for 5th overall at the Hunter GP, Stoner captured the 2023 Temple Off-Road Triple Crown Championship! While on the starting line, Stoner’s KTM EFI light came on, indicating that there may be a mechanical issue with his motorcycle. His last thought before the green flag: “Are you silly? I'm still gonna send it!” And send it he did, grabbing the moto 2 holeshot! After lap 1, Jerod settled into 6th place, riding smart and consistently all the way to the finish. Ultimately the EFI warning light did not hinder the bikes performance. Stoner's impact on another generation of racers, cannot be denied. Youngsters and youth riders will never forget their first TOR PRO Class Champion. The championship could not have been won by a more honest and deserving racer, we are proud to award Jerod with #1 plate and write his name in the TOR history books. Congratulations, Jerod Stoner!
After sending out shock waves, stirring up a little ruckus and turning a few heads, the 2023 Temple Off-Road GP Racing Series has come to an end. TOR is exactly what the local region has been waiting for. New, never raced before locations. New family fun events such as pit bike racing and Stacyc racing. Finally, a new style/format of racing, the likes of which has never been seen before in the Tristate area. This little experiment, and the dream of Tegan Temple has proved to be a smashing success. The TOR crew assembled by Tegan, is a force of nature who will stop at nothing to deliver the ultimate dirt bike racing experience. The positive response and support TOR has received from the racing community is truly overwhelming. If you missed out on the 2023 Triple Crown, don’t worry the 2024 schedule with 10+ rounds will be released before year's end!
Like it or not, TOR is here to stay.
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Jerod Stoner
2023 Pro Champion
Ryan Quinn
2023 Pro-125 Champion
Mike Lafferty
2023 Pro Vet Champion
Annelisa Mcalinney
2023 Women's Pro Champion
Eagles Nest
11.12.23
Race Report Eagles Nest GP
BROUGHT TO YOU BY
THE VOICE OF TOR
@VOICE_OF_TOR
Welcome back folks! It seems like forever ago that we left round one at Hurricane Hills GP. After much anticipation, we are back to TOR racing in Pennsburg, PA at the Wentz Training Facility for round 2. The event was dubbed “The Eagles Nest GP “
The Veterans Day weekend event was jam packed with action, not only Sunday, but Saturday as well. In an effort to make the most of the day/daylight, the TOR crew opted to hold the PeeWee race on Saturday. In addition to the PeeWee race on Saturday there was a Cornhole tournament, a Stacyc Bike Race (more like a free ride), and finally under the lights was a full on Pitbike Supercross race! Sunday, the racing action resumed, bright and early, at 8AM and continued throughout the day with the final moto going off around 3PM. PHASE MOTO, DELB, MILE HILL CYCLE, CROSSROADS POWERSPORTS made up the vendor booths surrounding the registration/podium area. LEATT was also represented and gave away a ton of merchandise to our riders. Food was provided by The WOW Wagon! “its wow at first bite!” Chicken Tendies 8/10, uniquely sweet and delish! The excitement doesn’t stop there……..
The TOR spectators were graced with the presence of recently crowned GNCC Champion, Craig DeLong! Follow along as I highlight the details of the weekend.
With lots of great action going on all across the Wentz property, there was no shortage of good times and great memories made! Aside from the racing action, the big story of the weekend was the fundraiser that was held for Tom Smith and the Smith family. The “Cornhole for a Cause” tournament was a cash buy in, double elimination tournament, with nothing but bragging rights on the line, sign up proceeds went directly to the Smith family. Shout out to The Haggerty Boys for winning the tourney. In addition to the cornhole tournament funds, CROSSROAD POWERSPORTS offered up 4 brand new Stacyc bikes for sale, with proceeds of the sale being donated to the Smith family! Although you may not know them personally, I can assure you that you probably know a family just like them or have run into people like them at the races. A dedicated racing family, they are the ones that open up their camper to everyone in the pits, the family who helps fix your bike when it seems unfixable, feeds you when you didn’t bring your own dinner, and fills your cup till it runneth over with cheer, the kind of people that make our off-road community so special. Sadly, a few months ago, Tom was diagnosed with brain cancer. Our goal was to raise money for Tom and garner support for the Smith family. The TOR family and the entire off-road community has got your back, keep fighting Tom!
Whilst the Cornhole tournament wrapped up, the green flag dropped on the PeeWee classes just after 2pm on Saturday. The premiere peewee classes, AKA the 65cc classes feature top riders such Preston Siniavsky(YAM) and Easton Haggerty(KTM) in the 10-11 class. As well as George Stronhilos(KAW), Jaeger Bloch(HUS) and Mario Vargas(KTM) in the 7-9 class. Preston would go on to finish P1 in the 10-11 and 1st overall in the peewee division aboard his YZ65! Easton Haggerty finished P2 with a strong ride all the way to the end. 3rd place in the 10-11 class went to Cole Dillman aboard his KTM. In the 65cc 7-9 class, Wyatt Wheeler and Tanner Unger battled for a few a laps, ultimately Wheeler pulled away and hung on to take the win! Unger took 2nd in his first appearance at TOR. Finishing in 3rd was George (Georgie) Stronghilos, Georgie proves that consistency is key and walks away from round 2 with the triple crown points lead in the 7-9 class! The 50cc SR 4-8 class was won by TOR first timer Caleb Matthias(HUS). Bruce Brauer(HUS) and Lukas Stimmell battled for the win in the 50cc JR 4-6 class, Bruce took the win and Lukas took 2nd. Battling it out with the boys, and securing her spot on the podium in third place was Rylee Huff(KTM). In the 50cc 7-8 AirCooled class was Lorenzo Sheppard(HON) taking home 1st place. Ryder Schimpf would go on to finish 1st in the 50cc 4-6 AC class. The girls of the 4-11 class were Hayleigh Kaisinger 1st, Winter Swartz 2nd, and Kennedy Cox 3rd. After one heck of a battle, the rough and rowdy Trail Rider 4-11 class was won by Hayden Grogan! Impressively, Hayden lead all 9 laps aboard his Honda! After giving it his all, Gino Togno took 2n place. Zayden Caraballo rounded out the podium in 3rd.
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Preston Siniavsky is now 2-2 winning both Round 1 and 2.
Can he pull off the triple crown?
Photo by: Ashley Myers
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Soon after the peewee race concluded the Stacyc bike free ride got rolling! We called it a race but truly it was more like mini ebike mayhem! Nearly 40 kiddos, aging 2 years old up to 7, were out there riding a mini off-road GP course built specifically for them! With no real rules other than to have FUN, we gate dropped the tykes on bikes by age class just as if they were racing their very own GP. This little event was a real hit! TOR is a family motivated organization, so it was truly special to see some of our PRO racers who are also parents out there pushing along their youngsters, guiding the next generation on their way to victory! Thanks to CROSSROAD POWERSPORTS and Stacyc for their help putting this on.
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Joe and Jetson having some fun.
Photo by: Ashley Myers
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The Pit Bike Racing action under the lights Saturday night was truly mayhem and deserves its own race report. To keep things light I will just say that it was a huge success with over 60 riders in 4 different classes. TBOLT USA was the title sponsor of the pitbike event and gave out tons of free T BOLT merch as well as goggles, chain lube and sprays, and pitter accessories! Check them out at www.tboltusa.com !
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Even E-bikes got in on the action.
Photo By: Ashley Myers
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Sunday morning, the racing action continued around 8am. The first Moto of the day would be the youth classes. Going 1-1 in both motos was Ryder Sigety in the Super Mini 14-16 class. Ryder would take the youth overall as well. 2nd overall youth rider was Dominic Griffith and taking 3rd on the day was Brent Myers coming from the Super Mini 12-13 class. The Girls youth class is stacked with young women, who soon will be racing big bikes amongst the women’s professional ranks. Top 3 in the Girls 12-17 class would go to Addison Platt 3rd, Jordan Dillman 2nd and taking home first place, Mattie Sims!
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Some tight Racing in the youth motos
Photo By: Ashley Myers
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Overall C class rider was Evan Moyer(HUS) from the C Open class. Special shout out to the C open class as our most full gate; respectively, 30 riders in total lined up in the class. Behind Moyer, in 2nd place was Mike Ochoa(KAW) and Ryan Knight(HUS) in 3rd.
The backbone of TOR is the women’s classes. From the youth ranks, all the way up to the PRO class our series has been graced with some fast ladies! Making her TOR Women’s PRO Class debut was Cara Langenbach. Cara took the overall aboard her KTM 105! Cara has a bright future, racing Temple Off-Road! We are starting to see our “regulars” show up to the races, and there are few names that stand out. Specifically, in the women’s amateur class is Emily Miller. Emily is on an absolute tear this season, in addition to winning all of her motos, she has also led every single lap, of every single moto at rounds 1 and 2! Emily, a south Jersey native has the opportunity to go 3 for 3 at her “home” track as we head to Millville, NJ for round 3. Another one of those TOR regulars is Annelisa McAlinney. Annelisa, known nationally for racing GNNC at the pro level has decided to try her hand at GP racing. Mrs. McAlinney has a BIG lead in the Triple Crown points standings. I have a strong feeling that Team McAlinney will be celebrating at round 3.
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The PRO/AM 125cc Dash For Cash is proving to be a big hit at TOR! We encourage all racers who love the small bore to find one to race for 1 moto and get paid! This class only races once in the morning and lines up on the front row of B class moto 1, this gives some of the top riders in the Pro/AA class a second option so they can get more track time while also conserving energy for their main event, if they so choose to enter multiple classes. Small bore enthusiast, JDay OffRoad rippah, and New England legend; Nate “The Captain” Smith made the journey south to get his first taste of TOR. Nate put on a show as he made sweet music with his Precision Off-Road Husky 125 landing it on the top step of the podium! Nate led every lap of the race while Kyle Grenowicz battled with Max Fernandez for 2nd place. At the checkered flag was Fernandez 3rd, Grenowicz 2nd and The Captain, Nate Smith P1 !
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Nate Smith made the long trip down to put on a clinic on
the one two five, not only in this class but also raced it
in the pro motos as well.
Photo by: Ashley Myers
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Throughout the day, the racing continued and buzz about the first pro moto began to intensify. By now, word had gotten around the pits that 2023 GNCC XC1 Champion, Craig Delong was in the house! Apparently, rumors of the TOR movement had been going around the pits at the nationals, and DeLong knew he had to come out and test himself and his Rockstar Energy Factory Husqvarna FC350 against the best GP racers in the country! The track definitely favored the PA native, with a mix of fast flowing woods with rocks and roots, a motocross track and of course the TOR Extreme section!
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Craig dicing it up in the gator pit,
making the difficult section look easy.
Photo by: Ashley Myers
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PRO Moto 1 was an all out war between Magna 1 Racing Husqvarna rider Jason Tino and the natty champ, DeLong. The holeshot, and the BIG check went to Ryan Lasher. But from there on out Tino led all 5 laps with Craig DeLong seemingly attached at the hip. Tino managed to edge out the factory boy for the moto 1 win! It was truly a masters course on how to hold it wide open! Tino, considers himself more of a sprint racer, and boy did he prove that! I had a chance to talk to both Craig and Jason after moto 1; what they both noted was that line choice was the ultimate factor. The layout of TOR courses provides passing opportunities around every turn. Craig shared with me that the combination of line choices, paired with the pace of 30 minute moto caught him off guard and forced him to find a higher level focus. Jason was all smiles after Moto 1. He told me that he and Craig both didn’t get good starts but that when they turned into “gator pit” it was like the parting of the red seas with riders crashing left and right! He and Craig managed to move right through the pro pack and were 1-2 the entire moto. Finishing in 3rd place was none other than Andrew DeLong! Craig’s elder brother got off the couch for his first race in quite sometime! It was a special moment as Craig and his big bro lined up next to each for the first time with Craig as national champion. The DeLong family has been a staple in the tristate and national off-road communities for years and we are happy to have them around the TOR pits!
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As more than 500 racers took to the 2.1 mile course throughout the day, track conditions changed slightly but not dramatically. We were blessed with a beautiful day for racing with no clouds in sight. Some sections of the course became more hard packed and dusty but that was quickly forgotten as riders entered the “gator pit” which consisted of a 75 yard straight away right down the middle of creek bed. The gator pit sent riders and spectators into a frenzy! With carnage guaranteed, pictures and videos were being snapped along the creek bed as riders did their best to keep the motorcycle upright. A side from the gator pit there was also the Extreme section, comprised of rock gardens, log crossings, tire jumps and more! It seemed like the most challenging obstacle in the extreme section was the X log, which tossed riders like they were rag dolls!
Green flag for Pro Moto 2 was around 3pm. As the racers made their way around lap 1, the running order was Tino 1st, C. DeLong 2nd and A. DeLong 3rd. Jason and Craig were truly on a whole new level compared to the rest of the competition. As the race progressed, it seemed like Craig would begin to gain an edge, only for Jason to shut the door and hold the lead. Wheel to wheel, bar to bar, around the entire course for the whole moto! It wasn’t until lap 5 of 6 that Craig was able to make the pass for 1st. While the 2 race leaders were going through the Extreme section, lap traffic played a role in slowing down Tino, DeLong was able to capitalize and went on to lead the final 2 laps and take the moto 2 win! As per the TOR rule book, if riders go 1-2 and then 2-1, the tie breaker goes to the moto 2 winner. By winning the second moto, going 2-1 on the day, Craig was able to secure 1st overall! Truly exciting action for all of our fans and spectators. Part of our goal at TOR is to develop the next generation of national champions; thank you Craig and Jason for being awesome role models for our young racers! A special shout out to PRO rider number #399 Anthony “AFed” Federico, a dedicated GP racer, representing the JDay ridahhs of New England. AFed went 12-6 for 9th overall; thanks for coming down AFed!
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Jason and Craig wheel to wheel through the extreme section.
Photo by: Ashley Myers
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We're halfway through the Triple Crown and the PRO class championship is heating up! Here's how things sit after Round 2. Jerod Stoner proved that showing up and being consistent wins championships. Although Stoner missed the podium, he came away with the Pro class points lead. Right on Jerod's heels, is Corey Doughten only 1 point behind! And quietly sneaking up on the pack is Hunter Keen, sitting in 3rd. Thorn Devlin and Craig DeLong each taking an overall, however both have missed 1 round, setting them behind but not out for a championship run!
Thank you to our country's veterans, who afford us the oprotunity to do what we love in the country we love! Also, thanks to all our wonderful sponsors, most importantly the Wentz family for hosting us! If you missed rounds 1 and 2, don’t panic! You can still experience TOR once more before the 2023 Triple Crown series comes to an end. Round 3 will be held at New Jersey Motorsports Park, Millville, NJ where a champion will be crowned! And of course, we will be bringing that national vibe to the local level; I will see you down in the sands of Millville!
Hurricane Hills
9.17.23
Race Report Hurricane Hills
BROUGHT TO YOU BY
THE VOICE OF TOR
@VOICE_OF_TOR
DEVLIN UNTOUCHABLE AT HURRICANE HILLS
Nestled deep in the hills of Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, lies a sleeping giant. A race track with generational history; Hurricane Hills Motocross Park. On the 17th day of September 2023, this legendary facility played host to a revolution in the dirt bike racing community, Temple Off-Road. The high speed, bar to bar racing of TOR is the spiciest thing to hit the moto scene in the last 30 years!
With a rich history of events in both Motocross and Harescrambles held at Hurricane Hills MX Park, word of the 1st TOR event spread like wildfire. Once it was announced that KTM, Husqvarna and GasGas would be offering contingency money for the triple crown, it solidified the commitment TOR has made for this new GP series. The event drew a variety of dedicated racers from both the Off-Road and Motocross scenes. Stories and conversations about yesteryear and the good old days of racing could be heard all morning long, as racers and fans alike gathered around the registration trailer and podium. Registering for their respective classes, scanning their transponders (using the latest and greatest form MotoTally), and finally picking up some TOR merchandise before heading back to their pit. While the sounds of Creed and Motley Crue blared in the background across the track sound system, the buzz and hype began to grow. The excitement and energy around the track was truly infectious. Something new, something fresh; exactly what the moto community in the tri-sate area has been begging for.
To kick off the morning at 8am sharp was the PeeWee race. Unlike the youth and adult classes who race 2 thirty minute motos; the PeeWee riders do only 1 moto that lasts 45 minutes long. These youngsters set out on a tough course, however, they handled the rocks, roots and mud like seasoned professionals! Amongst the top 3 overall riders were: Jaeger Bloch P3, from the 65cc 7-9 class, Easton Haggerty P2 from the 65cc 10-11 class, and 1st place overall went to Preston Siniavsky from the 65cc 10-11 class. In dominating fashion, Preston led every single lap of the race aboard his YZ65! Special mention goes to Nora Lloyd, better known around the track as “Gnarly Nora”. Gnarly Nora went on to ride her CRF50cc to an 8th place overall finish and 1st place in the 50cc air cooled 7-8 class! Shout out to the TOR sweep riders for helping our PeeWee riders through the wicked deep mud and pushing them up some of those hillclimbs!
Next up at 9AM, moto 1 for the youth classes and Moto 2 for the youth riders at 1PM. Throughout the day, the weather forecast as well as track conditions began to change. Moto 1, the riders had a prepped and relatively dry course to go out and burn in new lines. By the time they got back to the track for moto 2, more than 250 riders had attacked the course and rain had begun to fall. As you could imagine, the track had changed drastically for the youth riders. However, those young men and women held their own on the challenging course. Making the trip all the way from Cheshire, Massachusetts, was DJ LeBlanc P3 overall and 1st place in 85cc 12-15. Carter Siniavsky of Millville, NJ, took 2nd overall and 2nd in the Super Mini 14-16 class. 1st Place Overall Youth rider and 1st place in the Super Mini 14-16 class was Dominic Griffith from Vineland, NJ. Letting it all hang loose, Dominic went 1-1 on his KTM! The future of this sport is looking bright!
C class riders took the course at 9:40am and then again at 1:40pm. Top 3 overall C riders were Caleb Hoffman P3 from the C Open class, Mark Biesecker P2 from the C open class, and 1st Place overall C rider was Keith Hughes from the C200 class!
Top 3 overall B class racers were Noah Ritz P3, Zachary Garrison P2. Tucker Beddiges aboard his Beta Motorcycle took 1st overall and 1st place in the B250 class! B class races were at 11AM and then once again at 3PM for moto 2.
Top 3 overall from the Women’s classes combined with C Vet, C Senior and Super Seniors were Bill Sellers P3 from the Sup Sen. Class, Cara Laganbach P2 from the Womens Amateur class, and 1st place overall went to Emily Miller aboard her YZ125 from the Women’s Amateur class! The sole entry in the women’s Pro class was none other than, Annelisa McAlinney! Annelissa went on to take women’s Pro win and notched 10th overall on the day.
Your top 3 A/B Vet and Senior class racers feature some familiar names. P1 went to Jared Stoner, P2 Mike Lafferty, and P3 Jason Sipe. Legends, Jared Stoner, and Father Time himself, Mike Lafferty, showed up to do some TOR racing! Jared, a local legend who has been around and supporting the moto community for decades still has what it takes to win at the top level. Jared raced both the A Vet class and the Pro Open Class. Mike Lafferty, 8x National Champion and the KTM poster child for the last 20+ years decided he wanted a piece of the TOR racing action and raced both the A Senior Class and the Pro Vet class!
A special race that will be held at all TOR events will be the PRO/AM 125 Dash for CASH! TOR loves 2 strokes, and we want to keep them alive! There is nothing more exciting than the smells, sounds and sights of the iconic 125cc dirt bike zipping around a track. The top riders really put on a show for the first round at Hurricane Hills, the perfect course to let the small bore motor make music as the riders ripped up the hill climbs. Taking the course for a single 30 minute moto, this class races during moto 1 of the B class race at 11AM. This single moto format gives some of these same riders time to prepare to race the main event/pro moto 1 at 12:20pm.
Top 3 PRO/AM 125cc riders on the day were Aaron Heess P3, Ryan Quinn, P2. Piloting a YZ125X, outfitted with a headlight and an oversized gas tank, seemingly ready for any challenge was 1st place, and the man going home with the big check, Bob Lapinski!
History was made at 12:20pm that day, as the green flag dropped on Pro Moto 1. Taking the course were the premier classes Pro, Pro Vet, A Open, A 250 and A 200. Taking the hole shot in the Pro moto 1 was Hunter Keen riding a YZ250. Hunter went on to finish 4th in moto 1. Your top 3 overall Pro riders from moto 1 were Mike Lafferty P3, Jerod Stoner P2 and Thorn Devlin P1. Devlin, riding a GasGas MC350F BoneCutter Off-Road Racing machine, was on another level. Thorn won moto 1 by 1 minute and 12 seconds ahead of second place. 2nd Place in moto 1 went to Jarod Stoner, and 3rd to Pro Vet rider Mike Lafferty.
That afternoon, Pro Moto 2 went off at 4:20pm. Weather conditions had worsened throughout the day and there was slow but steady rainfall. The course had changed drastically from moto 1, line choices were of the utmost importance going into moto 2. The holeshot award and big check went to Phase Moto backed rider Dylan Recchia. Recchia went on to finish 10th in moto 2, going 11-10 for a respectable 10th overall on the day. Top 3 from moto 2 went to Corey Doughten P3, Jerod Stoner P2 and going 1-1 on the day was Thorn Devlin! Devlin, on the BoneCutter GasGas machine, was untouchable all day! The combined results from moto 1 and moto 2 played out in exciting fashion! With Thorn and Jarod about a minute ahead in moto 2, the real battle was for third. Bar to bar until the very last turn, was Doughten and Lafferty. Corey managed to edge out the OG and held on for 3rd place. Doughten proved that it ain’t over till it's over, going 5-3 for 3rd overall for the day! Jerod Stoner, the ironman of the day raced 2 classes back to back, for a total of 4 motos and a grand total of about 2 hours on his motorcycle. He had enough stamina and gas in his tank to ride his KTM to an impressive 2-2 finish, locking him into a 2nd place overall. The fastest man on the track all day was Thorn Devlin! Going 1-1, Thorn was crowned the overall winner at the inaugural Temple Off-Road grand-prix race! Thorn was right at home in the slick, rocky PA woods. Thorn also got a chance to show off his motocross skills as he threw some gnarly whips off the huge jumps at Hurricane Hills! After the race when asked about his moto skill, all too humble, Thorn said, “Not bad for a woods guy, I guess.”
With a stellar turn out, an awesome course and facility, the 1st ever TOR event was a smashing success! Nothing but smiles under the helmets of racers, as they maneuvered the course providing high octane entertainment for spectators. The Extreme section consisted of log crossings, rock gardens, and a big gap jump over a live Gator Pit! Race fans could be seen gathering at the extreme section with coolers and lawn chairs, to ensure they got a view of the action all day! The staff at Hurricane Hills Motocross Park did an excellent job as host. A volunteer gang of misfits and dirt bike junkies with a passion for racing make up the TOR staff. Rallying behind mastermind, Tegan Temple, the gang at TOR delivered an unforgettable event! The sky is the limit for this series, bringing that national race vibe to the local level! We can’t wait to see you at round 2, on November 12th, at The Wentz Training Facility in Pennsburg, PA !
Thorn Devlin #109
Pro Overall Winner
Dylan Recchia #347
Pro holeshot award winner
DJ LeBlanc #4
85cc 12-15 Overall Winner