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Podium Productions, Round 1, Fall Frenzy Series Story and photos by Rodney Rutherford August 26, 2006, Lake Elsinore, California Podium Productions, dropped the green flag on the nine round Fall Frenzy series under sunny Lake Elsinore skies, with a nicely prepped track and racers ready to rocket. Heather Brobeck of Podium Productions was also celebrating her birthday, and making sure she handed out chocolate birthday cake to everybody. Podium Productions will also be starting their Mini MX series on September second at Competitive Edge. Let’s start round one, the thirty second board is turned, let`s race. Dj Lombardo had one of the best motos of his life, racing in the 80 (thru 11) class. Lombardo’s gate was mixed, with 80 Open (thru 16), 80 (12-13), and 80 (14-16). Lombardo had clean air early in moto one, slowly gapping Tommy Cagle (80 Open thru 16), and Jacob Marler (80, thru11). Marler passed Cagle, but Cagle paid him back with another pass as he set his sights on Lombardo. At this point Lombardo had built a seven second lead, but it was being decreased as Cagle increased the tempo hoping to catch Lombadro, but Lombardo held on the overall moto win, Cagle second, and Marler third. Reece Whisler (80 Open thru 16) came back from a dismal moto one where he had a bad start, and tangled with a slower racer when trying to make up time, leapign to the hole shot in moto two, Marler, Lombardo, and Cagle in his rear view mirror. Whisler fired off a hot pace, but Marler was up to it keeping within two seconds of Whisler in the early going. Cagle made the pass on Lombardo, as Lombardo faded but resurged and was close enough to pass Cagle, but with a roost full of dust Lombardo was out of the battle for the moto top three. Whisler (2-1) took the 80 Open (thru 16) overall, Cagle (1-2) second, and Logan Jones (3-3) third. Marler (2-1) roared in both motos taking the 80 (thru 11) overall, Lombardo (1-2) second overall. Whisler was nice enough to share a few words with me after his win. "Went pretty good, got the holeshot, just kept on going. The second place guy was catching me, but I just cruised until I won the race." Whisler has been racing for four years, he would like to thank Klotts and Real Sports. A disappointed Lombardo explained to me that he had some cluch problems in moto two, but he still had a very good moto one, and would like to thank Temecula Motorsports, FMF, and Spy Optics. In the 80 Beginner class moto one, Federico Prieto was in front with Hagen McGill, James Hartwell, Phanhthilath, and Keith Olsen following up. Hartwell moved into the lead, with McGill now in second, Prieto in third, taking that pecking order to the hen house. Hartwell (1-1) went on to win moto two, Prieto second (3-2), McGill (2-3) third, finishing on the box in that order respectively. In the Vet 40+ Open, David Fox was able to win moto one, summer series 125 Beginner class winner David Blunk second, and Mike Dunlap third. Blunk came back in moto two for the win, Fox second, and Mike Rusk third. The final overall was Bulnk (2-1), Fox (1-2), and Rusk (4-3) third overall. Eric Francis enetered the 250 Intermediate class, but is now working and going to college and will not be able to race as often as he once did. Always a force on the local scene, Francis`s speed and deering-do will be missed by this writer, although he does plan on racing infrequently. Tyson Taylor was the lone 250 Pro racer out for some hot laps after shattering his foot earlier this season. He has it fused now, so he is still in a phase where he is getting use to the condition. He looked pretty good throughout the track, riding smooth, scrubbing and speeding through corners with relative grace. He has plans to race the West Coast portion of the 2007 AMA Supercross series if all goes well. Taylor would like to thank Schmidt Performance. For more information on Podium Productions please call (951) 723-8555, or go to www.podiumproductions.com. #96 Logan Jones #25 Mike Dunlap & #511 Mike Rusk #375 Shane Pickerill & #156 Taylor Hiner -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fall Frenzy Results, Round 1 Women 1.Lauren Jung, 1-1 2.Kristen Buscemi, 1-1 50 Beginner 1.John Buscemi, 1-1 2.Noah Davis, 2-2 60 Beginner 1.Cody Gutierrez, 1-1 2.Luke Forgay, 2-2 60 6-8 1.Jake Koehnke, 1-1 80 Beginner 1.James Hartwell, 1-1 2.Federico Prieto, 3-2 3.Hagen McGill, 2-3 80 Open Thru 11 1.Jacob Marler, 2-1 2.Dj Lombardo, 1-2 80 12-13 1.Cody Jones, 1-1 80 14-16 1.Braden Banfer, 1-1 2.80 Open Thru 16 3.Reece Whisler, 2-1 4.Timmy Cagle, 1-2 5.Logan Jones, 3- 125 Beginner 1.Jehan Tetangco, 1-2 2.Cecil Ogle, 4-1 3.Hunter Rollins, 2-3