Grinding Stone GP
Round 1
Sponsored by Fort McDowell Yavapai Materials

By Dave Brosius
Grinding Stone Sports Park, Fort McDowell, Arizona
2/1/09

“Kyle Beshaw Tops Grinding Stone Opening Round”

The secret is out as Arizona’s newest off-road racing facility, Grinding Stone Sports Park, kicked off their Grand Prix and Endurance Race series with an incredible first time effort. The facility, located on the Fort McDowell Indian Reservation, played host to the first round of the AMRA 2009 season, with a rider turn out  of over 275 entries. Already known as a great place to practice with a 1.2 mile motocross track, a Desrty Abbott/Steve Hatch designed Enduro Cross course and a rider friendly pee wee/mini bike track,  located just north of Scottsdale, had riders excited when the news broke of the upcoming series. The race course consisted of 6.8 miles of single track, sand wash and a bit of moto, but the big news was the use of the full Enduro Cross course. Riders had a choice, but the fast line was the challenging EnduroX section, if you stayed on the bike. The fun factor was huge as rain had fallen over night making it a dust free event. With lap times, for the AA riders in the 15 minute plus range, riders in all classes came away from the event with smiles on their faces knowing they had just participated on a “real” course designed for motorcycle racing by motorcycle racers.
At the wave of the green flag the AA/Pro class roosted away with Northland Motorsports Steve Hengeveld guiding his Honda 450X to the front of the pack. Following the “Baja” specialist into the high desert course was Bryan Bruning and Kyle Beshaw on their KX450’s with the young gun, Max Gerstone, hot on their heels in the “no” dust environment. As the riders completed the first half of lap one it was Hengeveld still in the lead, but Bruning and Beshaw had bigger plans and as the riders completed the EnduroX section the two Kawasaki pilots had moved to the front. 
As the pace picked up Beshaw raced into the lead and pulled away from the pack at the halfway point in the 2 hour race. “I got the lead and set a pace that I thought would last to the end and I guess I was right.” As Beshaw and his BOR KX450 held the point position a great battle ensued for the next hour between the veteran racer Bryan Bruning and sixteen year old Max Gerstone. Bruning was riding with a failing rear brake, but was able to hold the “kid” back in third until the last lap. Both riders would go down in the EnduroX section and scrambled to see who could clear the section first. As they picked up their bikes and pushed them over the rocks it would be Gerstone, on the Moto House KTM, getting a wheel on Bruning and taking second by just a few bike links at the end of a great race.
The next event at Grinding Stone will be Round 1 of the Endurance series with teams “grinding” it out for 6 hours on 2/28/09, ya’ll come.
Results Round 1 Grinding Stone Grand Prix
AA/Pro 1. Kyle Beshaw  2. Max Gerstone  3. Bryan Bruning 
Expert/ Exhibition 1. Bobby Russell  2. Eric Brink  3. Wade Kohlhase 
50cc 1. Lyle Berryman 2. Clay Parten 3. Kelby Brownell   65 A 1. Clayton Hengeveld 2. Leighton Dimler 
3. Cole Henegeveld    65 B 1. Brian Sharkey 2. Matthew McKay 3. Dylan Kennedy   65 D 1. Lucas Duba 2. Joe Maynard 3. Ryan Reck   Open Mini A 1. David Broderick 2. Anthony Barajas 3. Tyler Griffith Mini    Open B 1. Andy Morris 2. Edi Santibanez 3. Parker Kruse   Mini Open C Jacob Duba 2. Josh Berryman    85 B 1. Leah Brum   85C 1. Colton Hopper   30+ A 1. Steve Hatch 2. Pernell Yazzie 3. William Bedlion   30+ B 1. Shawn Robert 2. Phil Martin 3. Paul Gerbl   30+ C 1. Reese Grosser 2. Mike Stine 3. Ron Simpson   30+ D 1. Matt Eglin   2. Derren Hopper 3. Justin Pfuff   40+ A 1. Todd Johnson 2. Tim Wussow 3. Don Gratton   40+ B 1. Carlos Ramirez 2. Eric Zite 3. Shawn Robert   40+ C 1. Clint Fincher 2. Chris Cocalis   
3. Derek Hanna    40+ D 1. Pete Oale 2. Matt Eglin   50+ A 1. Marty Haak 2. Brad Bendy 3. Bobby Hoyt    
50+ B 1. Joe Schneider 2. Mike May 3. Kevin Higgins   50+ C  1.Thomas McArthur   60+ 1. Robert Stimson
85 A 1. David Broderick 2. Jonny Garcia 3. Taylor Griffith   85 B 1. Parker Krause 2. Westyn Smitt 3. Kevin Higgins   Womens A 1. Brenda Jankowski   Womens C 1. Dannielle Berryman 2. Cindy Cocalis 3. Bobbie Stafford    Open A 1. Bobby Russell 2. Scott Miller 3. Geoff Brownell   Open B 1. Anthony Defazio 2. Sam Chupurdia 3. Dante Hormey   Open C 1. Sam Myers 2. Mark Kessler 3. Clint Carpenter   Open D 1. Levi Picket   250 A 1. Zach Golden 2. Derek Staley 3. Zach Bunch   250 B 1. Billy Dipley 2. Erik Hallstead     3.Mason Ottersberg  250 C 1. Colby Landin 2. AJ Wells 3. Zach Ebright 250 D 1. Taylor Dixon 2. Chris Cites
3. Tyler Peterson   200 B 1. Anthony Defazio 2. David Broderick 3. D. T. Brosius   200 C 1. Parker Krause
2. Ryan Wells 3. Alan Stanley