By R. Vincent Tupaz with
Rob Bucek, GMAC
For Variety

EIGHT rounds remain in the 2007 Guam Moto-X Championship race as last Sunday, Jan 28, saw the second round of a 10-Round series at the Calvo Memorial Off-road Park, Guam International Raceway in Yigo.
According to GMAC’s Rob Bucek, the course was identical to the course used in Round 1 of the championship but was much rougher with lots of ruts and braking bumps making for a physically demanding event. HE added, “Throw in the dry dusty conditions and the heat and you have an event where riders who can conserve their energy by riding smart and who are physically and mentally prepared will be the ones up at the front to beat.”
In the Open Atv, Bucek himself, aboard the #1 Cycles Plus Suzuki LTR 450 overcame a bad start to take the win in the Open Atv class while RPM Yamaha Rider #5 Robert Santos took second and #99 Mark Schiavone placed third. Santos grabbed the hole shot in heat 1 with Schiavone, Jason Wassom, and Bucek all in tow second through fourth respectively.
Schiavone at first looked strong in second and was putting the pressure on Santos for the lead while Wassom had his hands full trying to navigate through the blinding dust kicked up by the two leaders of Santos and Schiavone and the constant assaults from Bucek to hold on to third place. Bucek explained that the quartet stayed packed together for the first six of the ten lap heat one, until Wassom, aided by blinding dust allowed Bucek to capitalize on an opportunity. Bucek then took third, snuck to the inside of Schiavone and outmaneuvered him for second. Finally, Bucek set his sights on Santos who had taken a look back over one of the big doubles to see Bucek on his heels. Santos kicked it up a gear in an attempt to get away but by the eighth lap Bucek conquered all as he made the pass to take the lead and the win.
In the second heat Santos was able to once again grab the hole shot with Bucek nipping at his heels, and Schiavone in third, Wassom would stag out at fourth. This time however, Bucek hurried to overtake Santos and the lead. Santos charged hard for several laps keeping up with Bucek but was unable to challenge to retake the lead. Midway into the heat the pack had spread out with everyone looking as if they were just waiting for the checkers to come out. Bucek took heat two as well win giving him the two heat sweep with Santos in second, Schiavone in third
In the 50cc atv, it was first place went to 7-year-old Stoney Bucek sporting a prophetic #1 aboard the Cycles Plus sponsored Kawasaki KFX 50. Stoney Bucek beat out #29 AJ Windham (Kaw) and Devin Chiguina (Yam) who placed second and third respectively. Bucek was able to take the hole shot at the start of both heats and with throttle pinned went on to sweep both heats.
In the Mini Midrange class a young and impressive Trevor Eustaquio, battled with #5 Blair Bates and #11 Jose Simpson to take the win. Jose Simpson took second with Bates finishing third despite a crash and remount to finish the race. Early in heat two Bates with a great start aboard his Hendricks Honda 90 was looking fast and a possible winner. However, reigning champ Eustaquio had other plans and made up ground fast. Bates was in for a battle. With half the heat complete Eustaquio pulled to the inside of Bates and went for a block pass on the early leader to move into first. Bates poured on the gas in an attempt to retake the lead but went down hard over a large 50 foot table top. Unhurt and only shaken up a bit Bates remounted after his miscue to finish third in the heat.
In the Atv Women class #2 Keara Bucek took her first win of the new season with #14 Kelly Simpson the round 1 winner placing second and #69 Taffy Wassom finishing third. The hole shot award once again for the second round in a row goes out to Taffy Wassom as she has had three hole shots out of four heats run so far this year. Wassom had it pinned for the first three out of six laps but ran out of steam allowing both Keara Bucek and Kelly Simpson to get past her. Simpson ran strong in the first heat taking the win while Bucek dominated the second heat by taking the win. Bucek and Simpson are having the makings of possible year long battle as both women are tied in the championship for first with each having 94 points.
The 2007 season seems to have started out to be the year of the families who have several members racing to dominate the sport of atv racing on Guam. Brother and sister combo of Jose and Kelly Simpson along with husband and wife duo of Jason and Taffy Wassom all making the podium in round 2 not to mention the round two winning Bucek’s with papa Robert first in the Open Atv, his daughter Keara first in the Atv Womens and his son Stoney first in the 50cc Atv. With more and more families becoming involved we are happy to report the sport seems to be standing on ever firmer ground on the island of Guam.
The next scheduled Guam Moto-X Championship race will be round 3 to be held on February 11th at the Calvo Memorial Off-road Park in Tigo. Racing is set to start at 1pm and will be once again free to the general public to come out and watch. All interested in joining in on the racing are urged to contact the GMAC by visiting their website at www.AtvMotocrossGuam.com <http://www.AtvMotocrossGuam.com>