New Champion Speedway
East River Drive
Owego, New York

Tom Sephton Races Both Coasts on the Same Weekend and WINS The Spring Classic!
Results May 28, 2000
From: Timothy J Mathewson E-mail: TMATHEWSON677@prodigy.net

Mother nature relented and The First Annual East Coast Spring Classic did go on as scheduled Sunday. After the rainiest May in recorded NY history (7 inches plus), we were really beginning to wonder. The track was a bit dry and dusty but extremely smooth and held up well through the night.

There were FIFTY ONE riders! That must be a record of some sort at least out here. FOURTY FIVE riders were in the support classes. There was one Junior rider that came all the way from Georgia! There was a Canadian contingent that included Guy Fafard and Nick Fafard, Gary Hesmer and Aaron Hesmer and at least one other D-2 rider who's name escapes me. It was nice to see Guy back after his 1/2 mile crash last season.

Spectator count is unknown at this time but I would have estimate in the 2000 range. We had at least as many as our US Open last season. The only problem that I saw with the event it was TOO FREAKING LONG!!! We finished up at 11:55pm! A late start, rider introductions, lots of support heats, lots of multiple restarts and just too long between races. It escapes me how you can have the next heat waiting at the pit gate and not put them on as the last rider from the previous heat comes off the track.

Tommy Sephton fresh off a marathon bike re-assembly stint from his trip to the World Championship Qualifier in Auburn, CA took advantage of Warren Deim's absence to take his JBR Sponsored laydown to the D-1 win. "Mean Gene" Bonsignore held off a determined charge by both Lenny McBride and Cam Rafferty to take second place and promoter Jason Bonsignore took fifth.

The Main event had to be restarted after Jason and Rafferty got together on the second lap. Rafferty's bike was sufficiently bent that he had to borrow an upright for the restart. McBride who is back after a one year hiatus, showed his old form but his Mk 5 Godden was clearly at a disadvantage to the laydowns. He took advantage of the restart to drive into the corner deep, park and come back up the inside to make the fight for second extremely interesting. Rafferty quickly adjusted to his borrowed bike and drove around the younger Bonsignore to join in the chase for second. In the end the Fifty-one year old Bonsignore was able to hold the charging youngsters at bay to finish second. Sephton, who had a scare when his Jawa almost refused to fire for the restart, cruised to a comfortable win.

NCS Spring Classic results 5-28-00
Owego, NY.

D-1
1) Tom Sephton (Jaw)
2) Gene Bonsignore(Jaw)
3) Lenny McBride(Gdn)
4) Cam Rafferty(Jaw)
5) Jason Bonsignore(GM)

Sup A Handicap
1) Jerry Harmon Jr.(Jaw)
2) Craig Lane(Jaw)
3) Joe Heitman(Jaw)
4) Kendall Brookes(Jaw)
5) Frank Ditmer(Jaw)
6) Tim Mathewson(Gdn)

Sup B Handicap
1) Duane Smith(Jaw)
2) Jerry Grenga(Jaw)
3) Chris Strong(Jaw)
4) Brian Hollenbeck Jr.(Jaw)
5) Tony McElroy(Jaw)
6) Eugene Wilmarth(Jaw)

Thanks,
Tim Mathewson