2018 GLEN HELEN NATIONAL: TWO-STROKE CHALLENGE PHOTO GALLERY

Robbie Wageman (1410, son of former National Pro Russ Wageman, has become a two-stroke specialist. He is the two-time 125cc World Two-Stroke Champion and easily won the 2018 Glen Helen National Two-Stroke Challenge.

Don’t be confused, second place Kai Aiello (11)) is not banking off the cliff behind him—that is a bush that looks like roost coming off his rear wheel. He’s well clear of the wall.

R.J. Wageman just missed being on the podium with his brother, but his 4th put two Wageman’s in the top five.

Mike Sleeter made the bottom step on the podium on his KTM—normally it would have been KTM’s bike, but Mike doesn’t work for the KTM factory anymore.

Richard Taylor, the son of former National Pro Rich Taylor, as fifth on a 15-year old Suzuki RM250.

MXA’s Dennis Stapleton was sixth on MXA’s 2018 KTM 250SX test bike. Dennis raced a 2018 Husqvarna TC125 at the Hangtown 125 Dream race and just missed the top ten after a first lap crash.

Justin Muscutt finished 7th at the Glen Helen 250 two-stroke race and was 11th in the Hangtown 125 Dream race—the opposite of his MXA buddy Dennis Stapleton, Justin raced a KTM 125SX up north and a Husky TC250 down south. Justin had to go back and forth between his job as Alpinestars race rep and the starting line.

As with most of the Two-Stroke invitational races at the AMA Nationals, something always go wrong with the scheduling. The Glen Helen 250 race was schedule to be a 15-minute moto, but TV stepped in to shorten it three laps. Brian Begin (22) could have used more time to move up from 8th.  With only three laps of practice and a three-lap race, the two-stroke racers didn’t have a lot of time to learn the long Glen Helen course, or build up the nerve to jump the Triple Step-Up. Jeremy McCool was ninth.

Mike Smith (994) was on a Yamaha YZ250—as were almost 40% of the riders in the Glen Helen 250 Challenge. Mike ended the day in 11th.

Mowglie Guttierez (51) grabs some big air on his way into Glen Helen’s Canyon section. Mowglie was 12th.

Morgan Machado (14) captured halfway up to the top of Mt. Saint Helen on his very cool Honda CR250. Morgan was 24th.

Former Pro Circuit and Tryo Lee Designs rider Darryn Durham was the odds-on favorite to win the Glen Helen National 250 Challenge race, after all, he had finished second at the MTA World Two-Stroke Championship to Zach Bell. Bell is nursing a knee injury (and leading an offroad series) and elected not to race at Glen Helen. Unfortunately, Durham was a DNF.

GLEN HELEN 250 TWO-STROKE CHALLENGE RESULTS
1. Robbie Wageman…..Yam
2. Kai Aiello……………….KTM
3. Mike Sleeter ………….KTM
4. R.J. Wageman……….Yam
5. Richard Taylor………..Suz
6. Dennis Stapleton…….KTM
7. Justin Muscutt………..Hus
8. Brian Begin……………Yam
9. Jeremy McCool………Yam
10. Jeff Willoh…………….Hon
11. Mike Smith…………..Yam
12. Mowglie Gutierrez…Hus
13. Dane Rouse…………Hon
14. Christian Gardner…Yam
15. Dylan Bennett………Hon
Other notables: 16. Jeff Matiasevich (Kaw); 18. Jared Thomas (Kaw); 20. Justin Lee (KTM); 22. Jim Chamberlain (Suz); 25. Darryn Durham (Yam).

2018 GLEN HELEN NATIONAL | COMPLETE COVERAGE