Press Release | October 29, 2019
2019 AZOP Rowley White RV Series, Round 8, Payson, AZ October 5-6, 2019
This is a race recap provided by AZOP. Story and Photos by Miller Truby
With the 2019 AZOP Rowley White RV Series rolling into the home stretch for the year, racers were invited back to the charming mountain town of Payson to take a second shot at the popular track for two days of grand prix-style racing.
Ryan Wells
Presented by Four Seasons Motorsports and DragonFire Racing, the second go-around in Payson saw a track that was mostly familiar, save for a totally new single-track section thrown in for the big bikes, which totally changed the complexion of the racing. The course challenged riders to quickly transition from a motocross-style start into a series of endurocross-style obstacles before sending them into a steep single-track climb and descent through the cedar trees and rocks native to Payson, making for some tough and tight racing.
With the weather pleasantly warm and sunny (especially compared to the Payson race from the fall of 2018, which saw a torrential downpour turn the track into a mud pit), racers and fans showed up in large numbers looking forward to a weekend of short-course action. The two previous races—Cinders and Saint Johns—both featured courses largely inaccessible to those wanting to spectate, whereas nearly the entire Payson track is visible from the pit area or any of the adjacent grandstands.
Dylan Manning
Porter May
The crowd was in a good mood and there was something of a family barbecue atmosphere among the toy haulers and moto-vans parked in the packed rodeo-grounds lot. And with a variety of restaurants, shops, and casinos just a mile or two away in town, it’s easy to see why the Payson location has long been a favorite on the AZOP calendar. With plenty of help on hand throughout the week prior to the race, the AZOP crew presented competitors with a well-groomed track from the very start and worked hard to keep water on the course between races to keep the dust down.
With only three points-paying rounds remaining in the season coming into the weekend, many of the championship races remained undecided. The most competitive drivers and riders all seemed to be keenly aware that their opportunities to make moves on the leaderboard were dwindling and that this was the weekend to really start the final push.
Tate Van Voorst
The Open B bike class especially has been a back-and-forth affair all year, with Jarren Atwater holding the slimmest of advantages over Tate Van Voorst. Unfortunately, the Saint Johns race saw Atwater suffer a broken collarbone and forced him to skip the Payson race altogether. Van Voorst capitalized with two fourth-place finishes on the weekend, and he now finds himself in first place with just a couple more race weekends to go. With Atwater expected to be back on the bike in Wickenburg, it will be up to Van Voorst to put himself in position to defend his slim lead and go into the final race of the season in shape to win his first championship.
Emilee Carter
Similar scenarios are playing out across many of the other classes, and, while some points races have been more or less sewn up for weeks now, there’s still plenty of bar-to-bar, wheel-to-wheel action left in the 2019 season! AZOP next heads west to Wickenburg for the second Vulture Mine race of the season for two days of hare scramble-style racing on one of the roughest, most technical desert loops in the state. The race is scheduled for October 19-20 and registration is open now.
Colton Edwards
As always, AZOP would like to thank all of the sponsors, staff, volunteers, racers, and spectators for making this another successful and fun weekend of racing. For full race results, videos, and photos, or to find out about upcoming events, visit www.azopracing.com.
AZOP Rowley White RV Series, Payson Grand Prix
AZOP Rowley White RV Series, Round 8, Payson Grand Prix (October 5-6, 2019)
Saturday Motorcycle Results
BIG BIKES
PRO: 1. Ryan Wells (444) 2. Dominic Dugi (375) 3. Miguel Cordovez (909). OPEN A: 1. Drake Hacker (214) 2. Mark Gent (717) 3. Alejandro Cortez, Jr. (372). OPEN B: 1. Zach Burgett (002) 2. Vincent Popovich (989) 3. Nick Reynolds (158). OPEN C: 1. Jake Moffat (343) 2. Lewis Wright (814) 3. Tanner Lindley (174). 125-250cc A: 1. Tim Dana (104) 2. Dustin Queen (974). 125-250cc B: 1. Kaden Bedlion (429) 2. Colton Edwards (29). 125-250cc C: 1. Anthony Luna (700) 2. Taylor Wilson (724) 3. Catalina Springstroh (048). VET 30+ A: 1. Dayton Raper (19) 2. Jesse Belcher (044) 3. Michael Whiteley (754). VET 30+ B: 1. Martin Craven (6) 2. John Spires (004). SENIOR 40+ A: 1. Jay Jewell (77). SENIOR 40+ B: 1. Jeremiah Schnurpel (43) 2. Micah Chlarson (133) 3. Andrew Smallhouse. SENIOR 40+ C: 1. Vinnie Wyatt (041) 2. Dallas Brown (144) 3. Lewis Stephan (831). MASTER 50+ A: 1. Gary Peterson (59). MASTER 50+ B: 1. Bob Chartier (808) 2. Michael Young (001). SUPER SENIOR 60+: 1. Ron Kenyon (1946).
PEEWEE BIKES
PEEWEE 50cc 4-6 YEARS: 1. Brayden Almendarez (187) 2. Hayden Griffith (723) 3. Jayce Tracy (301). PEEWEE 50cc 7-8 YEARS: 1. Kaycee Curley (238) 2. Ryder Yates (153) 3. Kash Schmidt (898). PEEWEE 65cc C: 1. Aayden Tracy (308) 2. Tiernan Finnegan (910) 3. Michael Vogelzang (7).
MINI BIKES
MINI 65cc A: 1. Marley Kuhn (21). MINI 65cc B: 1. Tristin Andrade (2) 2. Cooper Skersick (247) 3. Owen Wesley (928). MINI 80-150cc A: 1. Samuel Campbell (168) 2. Keegan Hardy (381) 3. Cody Reyes (138). MINI 80-150cc B: 1. Danny Baca (48) 2. Cody Smit (604) 3. Chase Boyd (4). MINI 80-150cc C: 1. Clayton Hixon (130) 2. Jaxon Steele (199) 3. Colson Skersick (413). WOMEN’S C: 1. Grace Vinagro (191) 2. Rebecca Lowery (046) 3. Emilee Carter (371).
Sunday Motorcycle Results
BIG BIKES
PRO: 1. Miguel Cordovez (909). OPEN A: 1. Alejandro Cortez, Jr. (372) 2. Mark Gent (717). OPEN B: 1. Zach Burgett (002) 2. Vincent Popovich (989) 3. Ant Samora (063). OPEN C: 1. Jake Moffat (343) 2. Lewis Wright (814) 3. Jacob Moraga (800). 125-250cc A: 1. Tim Dana (104) 2. Dustin Queen (974). 125-250cc B: 1. Kaden Bedlion (429) 2. Colton Edwards (29). 125-250cc C: 1. Jaeqon Peterson (727) 2. Anthony Luna (700) 3. Taylor Wilson (724). VET 30+ A: 1. Dayton Raper (19) 2. David Moskat (058). VET 30+ B: 1. Jacob Letner (83) 2. Adam Geiger (061) 3. John Spires (004). VET 30+ C: 1. Andrew Boyd (687) 2. Robbie Willis (8081) 3. William Milbourn (335). SENIOR 40+ A: 1. Jay Jewell (77). SENIOR 40+ B: 1. Micah Chlarson (133). SENIOR 40+ C: 1. Jason Baxter (98) 2. Juan Rivas (5) 3. Lewis Stephan (831). MASTER 50+ A: 1. Gary Peterson (59). MASTER 50+ B: 1. Dallas Brown (144) 2. Bob Chartier (808) 3. Ron Simpson (625). WOMEN’S: 1. Lauren Thompson (059).
PEEWEE BIKES
PEEWEE 50cc 4-6 YEARS: 1. Brayden Almendarez (187) 2. Hayden Griffith (723) 3. Adrian Hopkins (060). PEEWEE 50cc 7-8 YEARS: 1. Kaycee Curley (238) 2. Jake Pennington (881) 3. Kash Schmidt (898). PEEWEE 65cc C: 1. Aayden Tracy (308) 2. Tiernan Finnegan (910) 3. Wyatt Massey (419).
MINI BIKES
MINI 65cc A: 1. Marley Kuhn (21). MINI 65cc B: 1. Tristin Andrade (2) 2. Cooper Skersick (247) 3. Owen Wesley (928). MINI 80-150cc A: 1. Samuel Campbell (168) 2. Keegan Hardy (381) 3. Chase Haynes (052). MINI 80-150cc B: 1. Jacob Jewell (78) 2. Danny Baca (48) 3. Chase Boyd (4). MINI 80-150cc C: 1. Jaxon Steele (199) 2. Clayton Hixon (130) 3. Colson Skersick (413). WOMEN’S C: 1. Grace Vinagro (191) 2. Emilee Carter (371) 3. Jade Vogelzang (332).
