AHRMA National Cross Country:
Reynlow Park, June 12 &
13, 2021
Author: Joshua Schucker
Photos: Becky Schreckengost
Once again, the town of Reynoldsville, PA warmly welcomed
the AHRMA gang to enjoy its Reynlow Park for a fantastic weekend of racing.
While the park contains the typical amenities that you would expect in a
community park, such as pavilions, picnic areas, and playgrounds, the large
area in the northern part of the park is what makes it unique. This area is
reserved almost exclusively for hiking, hunting, and use by off-road
motorcycles and ATVs. As has been the case in the past, the yearly vintage
events at Reynlow Park are a tremendous fund raiser for the park’s operating
and upkeep expenses. It is wonderful to see a community embrace the cultural
and economic benefit that comes from catering to off-road enthusiasts. In fact,
the Reynlow Park Board of Directors has recently formalized the area as a
membership-based off-road riding area known as “Reynlow Riders” to further
embrace the off-road community and provide additional resources to maintain and
improve the experience in Reynlow.
After many years as a regional event, 2021 marks the second
consecutive year that Reynlow has stepped up to hosting a Hagerty National
Cross-Country Series event. Key to the event’s continued success on the
regional and national level is the cooperation and dedication of Reynlow board
member Tim Doan, who has consistently been the point man in facilitating the
event and is always looking to provide the best experience for the series.
After working in a trials course at last year’s event, Tim was hard at work in
the months prior to this year’s event to build a motocross track that allowed
the inclusion of National Motocross in the 2021 event schedule. Built adjacent
to the ample parking/camping area, the motocross track was a winding one-mile
beauty planted with fresh grass and incorporating natural terrain with only
minor manipulation to jump faces to increase the safety and vintage-friendly
nature of the course. There was a tremendous amount of cross-over participation
between the cross-country and motocross races, and there was quite a positive
buzz vibrating throughout the pits on the MX portion of the event.
Craig Lowery and Joe Cole above helped lay out this years course.
But, Tim and trial-bosses Mike Zdybak and Randy Marshall
were not about to let the motocross track outshine the cross-country trail,
after all, this location has a reputation of top-notch terrain and layout. With
additional support from Craig and Anthony Lowery, Connie Zdybak, Joe Cole, and
Becky Schreckenost, the pair of trail bosses set a plan of action that would
create two wholly separate and unique courses for each day. Being a site of a
former coal mining operation, the level of terrain variety and elevation change
present on this site is breath-taking. Mike and Randy took full advantage of
the ample acreage to push the courses into new areas for this year with only a sparse
amount of trail re-used from the previous year. While both courses incorporated
the fan-favorite hill climb shortly after the starting area, they diverged
shortly thereafter. Mike’s Saturday course focused on the western section of
the property where long-ago piled mining spoils provide some extreme and
entertaining elevation changes. Navigating the peaks and valleys of these piles
and incorporating some tight pines, fresh single track, and a grass track, the
course measured out at slightly less than four miles. Randy’s trail was laid
out to the east for Sunday’s races in a similar area as last year’s day-two
course. This area consists of more reclaimed mining areas with a bit less
elevation change, but plenty of younger growth vegetation used to install some
fresh single track. A couple grass track sections were interspersed among the
single track, and in general the course, at over four miles, was a bit more
open and faster than Saturday. Reactions to each day’s contest was very
enthusiastic with near universal praise of the layout and competitiveness of
the courses. Concerns earlier in the week, due to frequent rain showers leading
up to the weekend, were relatively unwarranted as the course drained rather
well with only minor sections showing significant evidence of the recent
rainfall, and dust was of little to no concern. Excellent weather throughout
the weekend further showcased the beauty and joy of Reynlow Park.
Vintage:
Thirty-nine riders hit
the track on Saturday morning, but none was faster than overall winner Josh
Zerance. Once out front on his Can-Am, Josh settled into rock-solid consistency
with nearly identical lap times throughout the last three laps to pull away for
the win. Mid-Atlantic region head honcho Dave Kutskel piloted his Honda to the
second overall position and class win in Vintage 50+ Expert over Chris
Gillespie, also on a Can-Am, who rounded out the podium in the overall
standings. Josh Horvath pushed the envelope of his Intermediate classification
with a very strong ride into fifth place overall while taking the victory in
Sportsman 200 Intermediate on his rare Yamaha YZ175. Horvath made the move past
early leader Grant Reichart for the win while Reichart settled into second
followed across the finish line by Suzuki-mounted Ken Cichy. Reichart and Cichy
turned the tables on Horvath during Sunday’s race by finishing one-two and
shuffling Josh’s YZ back to third. Ed Stagel found himself nearly a full minute
ahead of Fred Walker’s Yamaha after lap one on Saturday, but Fred was on the
hunt for Stagel’s Husqvarna as he staged a come from behind win with a last lap
pass to claim the win. Dave Lyle was right behind Ed in the overall standings
to lay claim to the top novice rider just ahead of fellow novice Dave Leibgold.
Each Dave was in command of their class by winning Post Vintage 60+ Novice and
Post Vintage 200 Novice respectively. Leibgold would push himself in day two to
claim Sunday’s unofficial top novice distinction. Jenn Smith topped the Women’s
Vintage Intermediate class on her way to a weekend sweep on her familiar “3R”
Suzuki.
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Brian Grove exited
Saturday’s race too early for his liking and entered day two determined to
salvage a strong finish for the weekend, thereby setting the stage for an epic
duel with Zerance for Sunday’s overall. Both riders would take a turn in the
lead with never more than two seconds separating them at each appearance
through the scoring area. Grove’s Husqvarna charged to the lead on the last lap
and he made it stick leaving Zerance and twenty-seven others behind him.
Zerance followed closely behind for the runner-up spot with John Fischer third.
Fischer, although never quite close enough to the top two to witness the duel,
was flying and took the victory in Vintage 60+ Expert over runner-up Charlie
Walker and his MX360. Several riders used strong runs in Sunday’s event to wrap
up weekend sweeps including Mike Stivason piloting a Triumph to the Classic
Intermediate sweep, Pam Leibgold (Post Vintage Women’s Novice), and Dennis
Brown (Premier Expert) on a Greeves. Steve Harouff spent most of Saturday’s
race following eventual runner-up Ed Weger until making a last lap pass for the
win. But Sunday, Harouff pushed his Yamaha to the front right off the start and
never looked back in a dominating performance to win the Vintage 50+
Intermediate class. Lynn Parkins supplanted Weger for Sunday’s runner-up
position.
Josh Zerance grabs the overall Vintage win.
Post Vintage:
Kurtis Palmer, Brian Grove, and Russ Dixon swapped the
overall lead several times throughout Saturday’s afternoon race with sixty
other competitors navigating the course behind them. Palmer’s turn in the lead
was the most effective, as he pushed himself up front for the initial time on
the last lap and remained there to be the first to see the checkered flag.
Grove was on his rear tire pressuring Palmer right to the flag only three
seconds shy of the win himself. Mike Blackwell would make his way past Dixon to
take third with Dixon falling to fourth, which was a remarkable finish considering
Dixon was running in an intermediate class. Grove and Blackwell would take the
first two spots respectively in the very competitive Post Vintage Open Expert
class, with Dane Brownawell (YAM) and Mark Hummell (HUSQ) as third and fourth
in class also locking down a spot in the top-ten overall. It has been a number
of years since former Indiana Pacers star Rik Smits joined in the fun at an
AHRMA National, so it was great to see him sitting on the starting line with
his trusty Maico. With a solid eighth overall and a Post Vintage 50+ Expert win
over 2020 National Champ Joe Cole’s Husqvarna and third place Joe Wallace, Rik
made his return a resounding success. While a repeat win and top-ten overall on
Sunday wrapped up a weekend sweep, the cooler story was seeing Rik joined on
the line by his son Derrik, who is also a speedster and ended up just seconds
behind the elder Smits in the day-two overall standing. Josh Horvath was poised
to take a win in the morning and afternoon Saturday until Jeremey Peace made a
last-minute pass on lap five to take the Post Vintage Open win. Josh held
position for the runner-up with Aaron Walker and Eric Bolin following. Emily
Reichart’s lap two pass for the lead was enough to take the Post Vintage
Women’s Intermediate win over Kelley Pearce, but typical of the relentless
battle between these two, Pearce flipped the script Sunday by leading
wire-to-wire for the win.
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Brian Grove put the disappointment of losing the lead on the
last lap Saturday behind him quickly on Sunday, as well as the rest of the
field of fifty-seven. Grove led every lap on his Husqvarna with Saturday’s hero
Palmer holding close by turning nearly identical lap times throughout. However,
a lap one sprint to the front by Grove was enough to carry him to the checkered
flag for the victory. John Ashcraft was right in the mix as well with a third
overall. Cameron Pennington’s seventh overall finish was an example of another
top-notch performance by an intermediate rider as he also took home the win in
Early Modern Open Intermediate action over the Suzuki RMX of Timothy
Brendlinger and Wally Naletko’s Yamaha in second and third. Jacob Ritorto
hustled his KDX by early leader Grant Reichart’s CR250 to stand atop the
Pre-Modern Open Intermediate podium on Sunday with Josh Folmar rounding out the
top three, also on a Honda. Larry Miller had his XR200 out front early in the
Post Vintage 60+ Intermediate until Saturday’s victor Fred Walker made a
successful challenge for the lead on lap three. Walker’s lead was short lived
however as he was unable to complete the white flag lap thus handing the win
back to Miller. Fred would fall back to third as Mike Zdybak also took
advantage of his early exit to jump into the second spot. Kevin Thomas wound up
in fourth behind the freight train of XR200s on his Yamaha IT.
The 50 and 60 + year old experts leave the line.
Reynlow is always a highlight of the schedule in my book,
and this year was no disappointment. The panache that the National status has
brought to the atmosphere, as well as the additional competitions that are available
for spectating and/or participating (trials and motocross) just add to the
overall experience. The event just keeps improving and intends to do so again
in 2022. If you can make it to Reynoldsville on Father’s Day weekend next year,
do so, it is worth the trip! Many thanks to the town of Reynoldsville, Tim
Doan, and the rest of the Reynlow Park Authority board for providing access to
their slice of off-road heaven. Thanks to Cross-Country Coordinator Becky Hayes
for leading the National series efforts, regional coordinator Dave Kutskel for
lending his talents, crew, and trail bosses to manage the event, and the
participants for making the event a hit. Also, thanks to Hagerty Insurance for
stepping up as the primary sponsor for the 2021 AHRMA National Cross-Country
Series. Full results and national series point standings can be found at https://www.ahrma.org/schedules-results/.
