Quantz and Watt split ice wins

By John Hopkins

Calgary racers Greg Quantz and Brian Watt split the wins in the second round of the CMA National Ice Race Series in Gull Lake Feb. 15.

Quantz took his second straight victory in the Expert 600 class, beating fellow Yamaha rider Watt and the Husaberg of Airdire, AB's Monty Brown, respectively. The podium was identical to round one of the series, leaving Quantz with a six-point lead over Watt in the standings, 30-24, and Brown third on 20.

In Expert 250 Watt beat Quantz to the win, with Ryan Middleton, also from Calgary, third on a Kawasaki. Watt and Quantz are now tied for the class points lead with 27 each.

Mitch Hlushak of Spruce Grove, AB took his second straight Intermediate 600 victory at Gull Lake, riding his Yamaha to the win ahead of the Husaberg of Airdrie's Mitchell Brown. Yvo Schmucki of Red Deer placed third on a KTM. Hlushak leads Mitchell Brown 30-24 in the class standings.

The positions were reversed in Intermediate 250, with Mitchell Brown, now on a Yamaha, topping Hlushak, with Schmucki again third. Brown and Hlushak are tied for the class points lead.

Riley Stormoen of Water Valley, AB won both the Novice 600 (on a Yamaha) and Novice 250 (aboard a KTM) features in Gull Lake and leads both classes after two rounds.

Red Deer's Trent Hlushak rode his Yamaha to a second straight win in Youth 85cc, Laurie Anne Benko of Innisfail, AB also repeated in the Women's class with her Husaberg, as did Airdrie's Monty Brown in Veteran, also on a Husaberg.

In the ATV classes, Calgary's Charles Wakelin took a second straight win in Expert Over, Mitch Hlushak did likewise in Expert Under and Calgary's Bill Mackie also repeated in Novice Over. All were aboard Yamahas.

The blue tide was interrupted by Sheldon Chick of Erskine, AB, who won ATV Novice Under for Honda. Runner-up Jamie Cayer of Dewinton, AB still leads the class standings on a Yamaha, however.

Alex and Rita Baumann of Thorsby, AB won the Sidecar Traditional event on their Honda and moved into the class points lead. Matt and Scott Coonfer of Chestermere, AB claimed their second straight win of the season in Sidecar Modified, also on a Honda.