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Ron Johnson

Masontown, WV - Sunday March 18 was the first round for the AMA D5 Harescramble series, Promoted by Paul Koontz Motor Sports, LLC. Although temperatures rose in the afternoon, the Youth Bike race and Big Bike races both started in cold, windy conditions.

Exactly 40 riders braved the March in Masontown conditions on Sunday. Masontown was a brisk 20 degrees when the bikes lined up for the start at Noon. In the first line stood the Open A and Vet A riders. West Virginia Honda rider Ron Johnson grabbed the holeshot up the knarly bank and after a switch back to the barrels, they were racing on the mountaintop. A good way to start off the AMA D5 Series for Johnson, as he was the runner up in last years points. Ron’s holeshot did him well, but by the end of the second lap, he had surrendered the lead.

Young West Virginia KTM rider Corey Arbogast stunned everyone as he took the overall and led 2nd place by 3 minutes. Corey worked his way from 4th on the first lap to take the checkers. 2nd overall/Open A went to PA Suzuki rider Shane Lawson.

After suffering from arm pump for the first three laps, and then losing his rear brakes, Ron Johnson went from the holeshot back to finish third, still getting on the podium. Not bad for riding the majority of the race with only front brakes.

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Overall Winner
Corey Arbogast

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Josh Miller

2006 Series champ Ryan Echols broke a chain on the starting line and was dead last into the woods. The end of the day was a different story. Echols passed 36 riders to get within 7 minutes of the overall finishing 4th Overall/Open A. Echols was 4 minutes behind the overall at the end of the first lap! West Virginia KTM Rider Josh Miller tried to hold off Echols but was unable to do so and finished 5th Overall/Open A.

The Vet A class could have had the best battle of the day as all three riders finished in the same minute. West Virginia Yamaha rider Cliff Davis held off 2006 VET A Champ Ron Stetz by 7 seconds to take the win. KTM Mounted Mike Reese was on Stetz back tire through the barrels and finished third in the class.

Honda mounted Dean Tomasello was the top B rider for the day coming out of the Vet Class. A lap back, Ivan Bell got second in Vet B and Suzuki mounted Chris Fraizer finished 3rd. Nick Mellinger took 13th Overall and topped the Open B Class on the muddy mountain top. PA Yamaha Rider Dorsey Morehead finished second and Bradley Shaw took third.