2022 WORLD VET CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS: THE BEST OF THE 1000 RIDERS AT GLEN HELEN

On Nov 7, 2022 Last updated Nov 7, 2022

A scenic view of Glen Helen, but this view doesn’t show you half of the layout.

PHOTOS BY DEBBI TAMIETTI & TREVOR NELSON

The 2022 World Vet Motocross Championship was blessed with pleasant 75-degree weather, riders from 13 nations, big stars, repeat winners, massive hills, steep downhills, the fastest, longest and most banked start in motocross and a track that pushed riders to the limit if they wanted to break three-minute lap times. Here is a quick snapshot of the results.

Local knowledge always pays off and Sean Lipanovich (505) was able to make the most of what he has learned about mastering Glen Helen’s incredibly rugged track to win the prestigious Over-30 World Championship.

Sean Lipanovich, Sean Collier and Ryan Morais on the podium in the Over-30 Pro class.

2022 OVER-30 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
1. Sean Lipanovich (KTM)..1-2
2. Sean Collier (Gas)…3-1
3. Ryan Morais (KTM)…2-3
4. Ben Lamay (KTM)…4-4
5. Guenter Schmidinger (KTM)…5-5
6. Mike Brown (KTM)…7-6
7. Preston Tilford (Gas)…9-7
8. John Mason (KTM)…6-11
9. Benny Breck (Yam)…11-8
10. Marcello Disetti (Gas)…8-12
Other notables: 11. Michael Staufer (12-9); 12. Bryce Huffman (13-10).

Now 50 years old, former 125 National Champion Mike Brown took advantage of new options at the World Vet. Mike won the Over-40 Championship, finished 6th in the Over-30 Pro class, got second in the Over-30 Pasha 125 Pro two-stroke race and came back to win the first moto of the Over-50 Pasha 125 two-stroke class, only to DNF the second moto.

Mike Brown tipped-over in the first Over-30 Pro moto, but he still charged through the pack, passing riders 20-years younger than him, to finish 7th in the first moto.

Jeremy McGrath was invited to receive the 2022 Edison Dye Lifetime Achievement Award and said, “Well, if I’m coming to Glen Helen Helen for the Award, I might as well race while I’m there. Jeremy could have raced the Over-50 Pro class, but elected to race the Over-40 Pro class along with the Pasha Over-50 125 two-stroke class). Jeremy was third in the Over-40s and second in the Over-50 125 class. In the end Jeremy got the Award and made some money in his spare time.

2022 OVER-40 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
1. Mike Brown (KTM)…1-1
2. Kris Keefer (Yam)…2-2
3. Jeremy McGrath (Kaw)…4-3
4. Michael Staufer (KTM)…3-4
5. Mark Tilley (Kaw)…5-5
6. Danny Ham (Hon)…6-6
7. Shawn Bushnell (Hus)…7-7-
8. Ryan Gauld (Yam)…10-8
9. Jim Frederickson (Kaw)…9-10
10. Jeremiah Moore (Hon)…8-11
Other notables: 11. J.R. Vielle (11-9);. 12. Justyn McCabe (12-12).

The bravest man at Glen Helen was Kurt Nicoll. Kurt delayed surgery on his ailing hip so that he could win the Over-50 World Vet Championship (which was held on Saturday). He went 1-1 to win his fifth Over-50 World Championship. Then rested his hip for his upcoming operation.

2022 OVER-50 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
1. Kurt Nicoll (KTM)…1-1
2. Julien Cerny (KTM)…2-2
3. Bryan Sabbaugh (Gas)…4-5
4. Scott Steffy (Kaw)…6-4
5. Justyn McCabe (Hon)…8-3
6. Bill Sauro (KTM)…3-11
7. Ed Foedish (KTM)…10-7
8. Steve Nelson (Jaw)…9-8
9. Luther French (Yam)…12-6
10. Arek Kruk (KTM)…7-13
Other notables: 11. Ralf Schmidt (13-10); 24. Jeff Matiasevch (11-DNF).

Pick a line, any line. This three-lane uphill turn comes right after the Talladega first turn and is designed to avoid a log-jam should riders crash into each other, it is split into three different sections up Shoei Hill, with a fourth lane in reserve. That helps avoid, not only pile-ups after the start, but eliminates races being red flagged because the second gate can’t be let go.

2022 OVER-60 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
1. Pete Murray (Yam)…1-1-1
2. Jon Ortner (Yam)…3-3-2
3. Michael Clements (Hus)…4-4-3
4. Doug Frankos (Hon)…5-5-4
5. Dave McGregor (Hus)…7-6-6
6. Ed Guajardo (Yam)…6-11-5
7. Randel Fout (Hus)…8-9-7
8. Bill Stork (KTM)…10-7-9
9. Rick Nagle (Hon)…11-10-8
10. Jerry Hampton (KTM)…12-12-10
Other notables: 12. Andy Jefferson (2-2-DNF); 16. David Claybaugh (20-17-15).

Four-time 250 National Champion Gary Jones (R88) won the Over-70 World Championship. That win put him in the exalted position of being the only rider to ever win the Over-30, Over-40, Over-50, Over-60 and Over-70 titles. It was his 9th win since he won his first crown back in 1987.

2022 OVER-70 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
1. Gary Jones (Hon)…1-1-1
2. Tom Jessmer (Yam)…2-2-2
3. Carl Gazafy (Hus)…3-4-3
4. David Chunn (Yam)…5-3-4
5. Dwight Catalano (Yam)…4-5-5

The youngest riders at the World Vet Championship are in the Over-25 class. They don’t get as much credit because they aren’t wrinkled, graying or collecting Social Security, but they put on a great race. MXA’s Josh Mosiman won the Over-25 title for the second time (and he’s only 26), but he had an epic battle with Jacob Hayes and R.J. Wageman.

On the first lap of the second moto, Josh Mosiman (45) was passed by Jacob Hayes (90) on the downhill and they both passed Brazil’s Marcello Lima in the next turn.

Shortly after Jacob got by, Josh snuck into the lead in the back section.

Jacob stayed close, but Mosiman grabbed the win in the second moto. Unfortunately, while leading moto two, Jacob Hayes dabbed his leg in a corner and injured his knee, causing a DNF.

OVER-25 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
1. Josh Mosiman (KTM)…3-1-1
2. R.J. Wageman (Yam)…2-3-2
3. Hunter Carmody (Yam)…4-4-3
4. John Mason (KTM)…7-5-4
5. Jordan Borowski (Yam)…6-7-5
6. Jacob Hayes (Kaw)…1-2-DNF
7. Brett Stralo (Gas)…10-9-6
8. Manukau Autai (Yam)…8-8-9
9. Billy Leas (Yam)…9-10-7
10. Blayne Thompson (Hus)…12-6-8
Other notables: 11. Dane Rouse (11-11-DNF).

Mike Brown was second in the Over-30 Pasha 125 two-stroke race and would have won the Over-50 125 race, but his bike let him down. Here, Pasha Racing teammate Preston Tilford looks across at Mike as they race up the long start straight in the Over-30 race on Saturday. The Pasha races paid the biggest purse as the two classes split $13,000

PASHA OVER-30 125 OPEN
1. Sean Collier (Yam)…2-1
2. Mike Brown (KTM)…1-2
3. Ryan Morais (KTM)…3-3
4. Preston Tilford (KTM)…4-4
5. Bryce Huffman (KTM)…6-5
6. Guenter Schmidinger (KTM)…5-6
7. Dustin Pulliam (KTM)…8-7
8. Ben Griffin (Yam)…7-8
9. Joe Hall (Hus)…9-9
10. Michael Brown (Gas)…10-10
Other notables: 11. Robert Worth (11-11); 12. Trevor Pollock (13-12).

Doug Dubach has 26 World Vet Championship split between the 30, 40 and 50 classes. Technically, his win the in the Over-50 two-stroke race could be considered his 27th win, but it’s not an official World Vet Championship class. But it was memorable as Doug had to chase down Jeremy McGrath for the win.

PASHA OVER-50 125 OPEN
1. Doug Dubach (Yam)…3-1
2. Jeremy McGrath (Kaw)…2-2
3. Alan Jullien (Gas)…4-3
4. Arek Kruk (Hus)…8-4
5. Kevin Barda (Yam)…5-5
6. Ed Foedish (KTM)…7-6
7. Aaron Athanas (KTM)…11-7
8. Kyle Killebrew (Gas)…13-8
9. Rod Tapia (KTM)…14-9
10. Ralf Schmidt (TM)…10-10
Other notables: 14. Pasha Afshar (17-14); 26. Mike Brown (1-DNF).