CMC Copperstate Classic Motocross Championship Round 4
Story and Photos by Robert Van Damme
Arizona Cycle Park
Buckeye, AZ April 3

Steinberger, Mikkelsen and Bartlett stay the course at the Copperstate

Clear skies and mid 80 degree temperatures greeted our competitors at the Fourth Round of the CMC Copperstate Classic presented by Scott USA, Hinson, ZR1, Muscle Milk, MotoCity, FMF, The Pit, DVS, and Ruby Tuesday. 

Andy Steinberger used solid starts and smooth lines to take the win in the 30+ Intermediate class. Steinberger on the first moto was in the top spot as the pack came into the sand pit section. Pursuing Steinberger was the Dearing Brothers Kelly and Danny, followed by Ed Hession and Bobby White. Kelly Dearing was keeping in Steinberger in sight on the first lap and was trying to show wheel on the leader. Then during lap two, Kelly dove to the inside of the u-turn that led to the front rhythm section, but grabbed too much throttle and did a 180 and stalled the bike. That let Danny Dearing, Hession and White to move up a spot each temporarily. Kelly would get by White and then Hession on lap three. Then Kelly moved around Danny to regain second. Danny Dearing pulled off the track as the white flag was out. Steinberger, racing in three classes, held on for the moto win with Kelly Dearing second, Hession third and White fourth. The Daystar backed Steinberger would win the second moto and take the overall besting Hession, Kelly Dearing, White and Danny Dearing.

Dakota Mikkelsen doubled up this weekend with wins in the 85 (12-13) and Supermini. Mikkelsen bested Blake Harguess and Skylar Beckman in the age group. Then Mikkelsen won both motos in the Supermini with Larae Harguess got second in the first moto holding off her brother Blake Harguess. In the second moto, while Mikkelsen was pulling away, Larae once again started second with Blake in third. By lap one Larae had a ten-bike length cushion over Blake. But Blake chipped away and was on her sister’s rear wheel as they started lap four. Blake moved around Larae after the sand pit section taking over second. The 661/FMF/O’Neal sponsored Mikkelsen took the moto win followed by Blake Harguess with Larae Harguess in third.

In the 250/450F Junior race it was a case of slide outs for our top riders. In the first moto Odin Bartlett absconded the lead over Brandon Deatherage and Thomas Chavez. Then Bartlett couldn’t complete the left hand turn going down and handing the lead to Deatherage. From that point Deatherage pulled away with the moto win with Chavez taking second and Bartlett recovering for third. Deatherage jumped out in front of everyone in the second moto and was pulling away for over half a lap. Then Deatherage went wide after the uphill triple and slid out on the lefthander. It took a while for Deatherage to get his Suzuki re-fired and by then the damage was done. Bartlett inherited the lead and never looked back taking the moto win over Chavez. With his 3-1 score, the MotoCity sponsored Bartlett took the overall.