It was high time that the older generation had their own Big Event. The first annual XBux/AMA Vet Nationals at Reno-Fernley filled that glaring omission and showed there are some more Jeff Wards out there going around the track at paces anybody of any age would love to match. Fast vets like a fast track, just the thing you find at Fernley. A newly modified 1.2 mile course combined asphalt sweepers and serpentines with two separate dirt sections, each having enough jumps, bumps, berms and turns to balance the fast asphalt sections. This layout was well received. Said Jason Conlon, AMA Nationals rider and a newcomer to Fernley, "It's awesome - one of the best tracks I've ever ridden."

Counting the Nationals, the NASMOTO qualifiers, and the SMUSA series, there were seven vet classes, with age thresholds at 30+, 35+, 40+, 45+, and 50+. These attracted riders from as far as Oregon, Texas, and Maryland. The packed pit area was reflected in the 338 entries for the weekend, and that number doesn't include Saturday afternoon's team racing.

Outstanding riders emerging from the weekend's statistics were: Jason Conlon, who topped out with first places in Vet (+30) Open, Leo Vince 450 and the Motostrano Expert classes. His teammate, Roger Hensley, won the Vet (+40) Premier and captured a first in the 250 Vet (+30) class. Local Andrew Dickson won the Vet Mini (+30) and Mammoth Mini-Motard classes, and first places also went to Brian Pecore in the Vet (+50), Rob Campbell in the RV Joe's Vet (+45) and Mark Agan in the Vet (+35). Casey Yarrow chased Conlon in the 450 and Expert classes for second place, Dickson did the same in the Vet (+30), and Mark Agan pursued Hensley in the (+40) Premier. Top spots in other NASMOTO qualifiers went to up-and-coming younger riders: Michael Corbino (SMR 250-F), Ricky Colindres (400 Am), and the Patterson brothers, Derrick (DH Cycle Open Int.) and John (Cycle Trader Open Nov.). Regulars Vincent Guisande, Jr. and Joey Pascarella were also racing that weekend, but injuries in team races or timed qualifiers kept them out of competition.

The action these two days was fast and intense, the kind that comes through better in images than prose. Continue this report by clicking on this photo.

The top-five finishers are listed below and full results are available at the SupermotoUSA web site.

Results

Vet Nationals:

Vet +30: 1. Jason Conlon (Hon); 2. Andrew Dickson (Hon); 3. Scott Hoffman (Ktm); 4. Steve Hawkins (Hon); 5. Mike Haydel (Hon).

Vet +40: 1. Roger Hensley (Hon); 2. Mark Agan (Hon); 3. Ron Hampshire (Hon); 4. David Deveau (Hon); 5. Colin Macdonald (Apr).

Vet +50: 1. Brian Pecore (Apr); 2. Robert Hansen (Hon); 3. Ed Derda (Ktm); 4. Jim Kimberly (Hon); 5. Robert Lount (Ktm).

Vet 250: 1. Roger Hensley (Hon); 2. Brian Bartlow (Hon); 3. Jeff Beaubier (Hon); 4. Don Hayler (Yam); 5. Eldon "Brooke" Parker Iii (Kaw).

Vet Mini (30+): 1. Andrew Dickson (Hon); 2. Colin Macdonald (Apr); 3. Randy Brunelli (Hon); 4. Dan Caldwell (Hon).

Round 6 SupermotoUSA and NASMOTO qualifier classes:

* Motostrano Expert (16+): 1. Jason Conlon (Hon); 2. Casey Yarrow (Yam); 3. Michael Corbino (Yam); 4. Andrew Dickson (Hon); 5. Tyler Ohara (Yam).

*400 Amateur: 1. Ricky Colindres (Yam); 2. Brandon Sakai (Yam); 3. Ross Reppond (Hus); 4. Colton Welch (Yam); 5. Brandon Case (Hon).

*Beginner: 1. Daylan Platt (Hon); 2. Richard "todd" Clark (Yam); 3. James Mckay (Hsb); 4. Ricky Snow (Yam); 5. Paul Park (Hon).

*Bernal Racing Sportsman: 1. Brian Bartlow (Hon); 2. Brian Pecore (Apr); 3. Colin Macdonald (Apr); 4. Armando Miranda (Yam); 5. Sven Stillmock (Ktm).

*DH Cycles Intermediate: 1. Derrick Patterson (Hon); 2. Daryl Tenbrink (Hon); 3. Steve Hawkins (Hon); 4. Mike Haydel (Hon); 5. David Lucas (Hon).

*Leo Vince 450: 1. Jason Conlon (Hon); 2. Casey Yarrow (Yam); 3. Michael Corbino (Yam); 4. Tyler Ohara (Yam); 5. Andrew Dickson (Hon).

*Mammoth Mini Motard: 1. Andrew Dickson (Hon); 2. Paul Kellogg (Hon); 3. Logan Lackey (Hon); 4. Greg Kamholz (Hon); 5. Mike Lawrence (Kaw).

*Mission Motorcycles 150: 1. Gage Mcallister (Hon); 2. Brian Martinez Jr (Hon); 3. Curtis Walker (Ktm); 4. Josiah Rundall (Hon); 5. Nic Pestoni (Yam).

*Cycle Trader Open Novice 1. John Patterson (Hon); 2. Mike Haydel (Hon); 3. Kyle Minor (Ktm); 4. John Willenborg (Ktm); 5. Colton Welch (Yam).

RV Joe's Vet 45+: 1. Robert Campbell (Hon); 2. Al Mcelroy (Yam); 3. Jon Eichelbaugh (Ktm); 4. Ted Tamagni (Hon); 5. Joe Martin (Yam).

*SME Vet 35+: 1. Mark Agan (Hon); 2. David Deveau (Hon); 3. Al Mcelroy (Yam); 4. Robert Campbell (Hon); 5. Steve Hawkins (Hon).

*SMR 250-F: 1. Michael Corbino (Yam); 2. Steve Marty (Ktm); 3. Ricky Colindres (Yam); 4. Ronnie Jones (Hon); 5. Brian Bartlow (Hon).

*Super Lightweight: 1. Jake Thompson (Hon); 2. Dominic Colindres (Hon); 3. Ryan Kearns (Yam); 4. Brian Martinez Jr (Hon); 5. Wyatt Farris (Hon).

Formula 110: 1. Matthew Kellogg (Kaw); 2. Tanner Costa (Ktm); 3. Josh Serne (Ktm); 4. Andrew Snow (Pol); 5. Tucker Lancaster (Ktm).

Super 50: 1. Ben Anolik (Hon); 2. Ronan Lancaster (Hon); 3. Josh Serne (Ktm); 4. Kia Bartlow (Hon); 5. Ezra Beaubier (Ktm).

Supermoto School 125 S/S: 1. Tucker Lancaster (Ktm); 2. Gage Mcallister (Hon); 3. Mark Anolik (Apr); 4. Dan Caldwell (Hon); 5. Josh Serne (Ktm).

*also NASMOTO qualifier classes