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Sparks Racing dominates first TT
photos by: Julie LeMay

Jeremiah Jones rails a "Keen"-looking berm to pass Jathan Seale in his 250 Pro-Am heat race. Jones won the class and took a respectable 2nd in the pro class. Jones now leads the points. Watch out -- Jones wants the 2001 championship and he's determined to take it.

Mark Keen of River Bottom Promotions delivered a barnburner of an event with his round 3 of the Maxxis Tires GNC Series. Keen came up with a new idea for TT racing. He bulldozered huge amounts of clay-based dirt on the outside of the turns making the usual flat turns into high banked massive berms that allowed two completely different lines for racers to use. "I new it was working when I saw three quads side by side in the pro class", commented Keen on his new creation. "I saw Travis (Spader) and Natalie, (John) jamming on the berm turns. I'm pretty sure they were shifting up while other riders down shifted for the inside line. It worked out really good. I'm thinking we might see some of these bermed turns at other events like Orrville this year", added Keen in a post race conversation about the lack of passing at TT race events". This new pass friendly track and a freestyle expo by Nac's Racing's Dana Creech and Duncan's Tavis Cain kept the many spectators on hand at the Birch Creek facility on the edge of their seats all night - or should we say edge of their blankets, which seemed to cover the hillside spectator area.

Mother nature cooperated with Keen's new layout as well. Racers were treated to picture perfect weather all weekend long. As for the actual race action, here's how it went down...

TT -- as in Hitt

Shane Lee Hitt, one of the best TT racers in the history of the sport, won the first TT of the year on his new Sparks Racing powervalve motor.

Travis Spader bolted a Sparks Racing motor (Sparks' 265cc non-powervalved style) into his K&K Lone Star ride and proceeded to holeshot the twenty-rider pro main. Take a guess as to who quickly found space directly behind Spader. Good guess, Mr. TT himself, Shane "Dog" Hitt. Hitt and his highly tuned Sparks Racing Powervalved 250R was dialed in and on the gas.

Tim Farr bolted on his fourstroke plastic to his trusty 250R back-up quad and took home a respectable fourth overall.

It didn't take long for Hitt to maneuver to the front. Hitt took advantage of a Spader bobble and never looked back. All the while another Sparks powered rider named Jeremiah Jones (JPMX) aimed at the #1 target on Spader's back. Behind Jones, Tim Farr (Baldwin/DG/Ferrell) held ground on "Digger" Doug Gust and his Suzuki powered TC/Hinson Racing thumper. Farr stuck the piston on his Yamaha YZ 440 during the parade lap of the 250 Pro-Am heat race, so he was riding his old 250R. "It took me half the race to get used to my old two-stroke again", said Farr about the switch from his usual YZ Baldwin Racing superthumper. "All in all I'm happy with fourth considering the YZ could have broke in the pro heat race. There was no way we could have torn it apart and fixed it in time for the main".

Doug Gust leads Travis Spader in heat race action. Doug easily won his heat race and earned a 6th in the main event.

As laps progressed Jones turned it up a notch and logged in some of the fastest laps of the night. Jones passed Spader and pressured Shane-dog for the big W. "I gotta say, that boy sure can ride", said Hitt about Jones after the race. "It took everything I had to hold him off, but I wasn't surprised to see him up front with me. He got a fourth here last year and the track started to get a little rough (Jones' specialty) plus he's riding a Sparks Powervalve like mine. We definitely had the best motors out there, no doubt about it".

"I think Mark (Keen) did a great job with this track. There sure wasn't a one line freight train to the checkers like there sometimes is in TT racing. I think the spectators were treated to some great race action. From what I could see behind me, there were many action packed battles for position all race long", said a happy Hitt after winning the main event.

Jason Luburgh rode the wheels of his TC Racing Yamaha YZ and proved his rookie debut in the pro class is not too early by bettering the '99 National Champion, Doug Gust for the fifth spot! He won the pro thumper class as well.

1. Shane Hitt (Sparks/Kames)
2. Jeremiah Jones (JPMX/Sparks)
3. Travis Spader (K&K)
4. Tim Farr (Baldwin/DG/Ferrell)
5. Jason Luburgh (TC)
6. Doug Gust (TC/Hinson)
7. Joe Byrd (East Coast ATV)
8. John Natalie (Nac's/LRD)
9. Michael Walsh (Walsh Racecraft)
10. Jimmy Elza (Nac's/LRD)

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