St. Charles, Missouri - For the first time, the Arctic Cat Nitro Arenacross Tour rolled into the Family Arena in St. Charles, Missouri with two nights of excitement and tension filled racing. The 250 and 450 Pro classes kept fans on the edge of their seats as many local pros wanted to impress their hometown fans.
Two locals, Kyle Hussey and Aaron Gulley dominated the wins both nights in the pro main events. Gulley captured his third win of the season both 250 Pro and 450 Pro while Hussey earned his sixth and seventh win in combined classes.
250 Pro Main Event Saturday Night
From the start, it looked like it was going to be an intense battle between the two locals, the two winners of Friday Night, Aaron Gulley and Kyle Hussey. Gage Mast was also in striking distance in third. Drayke Sizemore, who was fast all weekend got a terrible start, but was making quick moves and advanced to fourth in the early laps. Aaron Gulley separated himself from Hussey by a few bike lengths and seemed to have this one in the bag. However, near the halfway point, Gulley was intentionally taking out by a lapper in the corner after the whoops section. That gave the lead and win to Kyle Hussey. Adam Gulley held on to second and Mast rounded off the podium. After remounting and obviously frustrated, Aaron Gulley ended up finishing sixth.
“I got at decent start, I think I was first and dumped into second,” said Hussey.” Aaron Gulley was winning and this lapper just cleaned him out after he went by him. Fortunately, it worked out for me. They both went down; I got in first. Gage Mast was on me for a good bit of the main. I finally got a little gap on him and just rode smooth and finished it off.”
That win gives Hussey seven overall wins and thirteen podium finishes for the season in combined pro classes. Sean Hackley sat out the St. Charles’ rounds but holds onto the points lead by ten over Gage Mast.
250 Pro Main Event Results Saturday Night
1. Kyle Hussey
2. Adam Gulley
3. Gage Mast
4. Drayke Sizemore
5. Logan Kustanborter
6. Aaron Gulley
7. Travis Eck
8. Ian Naccarato
9. Tyler Auten
10. Kyle Porter
11. Carter Stephenson
12. Dustin Olson
13. Logan Sanders
250 Pro Current Top 10 Point Standings
1. Sean Hackley
2. Gage Mast
3. Adam Gulley
4. Kyle Hussey
5. Logan Kustanborter
6. Aaron Gulley
7. Tanner Young
8. Tanner Moore
9. Addison Emory
10. Chris Thies
450 Pro Main Event Saturday Night
All the major players, Aaron Gulley, Drayke Sizemore, Kyle Hussey, Adam Gulley, and Travis Eck, in the 450 Main Event were off to a good start - all the right the ingredients for an epic race. Aaron Gulley secured the holeshot and led the first lap and Sizemore applied instant pressure with Adam Gulley in tow. On lap two, Sizemore left the door open in the turn after the catapult; Sizemore went wide, and Adam Gulley took the inside and made the pass in the rhythm section. But it was brief. Sizemore had the inside line going into the turn and took back second place. Then Adam Gulley stole it right back in the turn after the straightaway. Hussey had a front row seat of the battle for second. On the next lap, Sizemore got Adam Gulley back for the final time in same turn Gulley made the previous pass.
That battle was over and now Sizemore had his sights on Aaron Gulley for the lead. Hussey passed Adam Gulley on the next lap and a new battle began. Sizemore began to add pressure to the leader, but then made a huge mistake in the rhythm section and went off the track. Hussey wasted little time taking advantage over Sizemore’s slipup. Hussey tried to pass him in the corner, but Sizemore fought hard to keep the position. Then on the next lap, in the same section, Sizemore bobbled in the turn before the rhythm section and was not able to hit it cleanly. Sizemore and Hussey banged bars going into the turn, but this time Hussey fought harder and captured the second spot. Two laps later, Sizemore retaken second from Hussey but lapped traffic affected the battle. With the white flag out, Sizemore choose the outside line, the wrong line and had to check up going through the rhythm section while Hussey had a clean path through the inside line. Aaron Gulley took the checkers by only a few bike lengths over Hussey who held onto second.
450 Pro Main Event Results Saturday Night
1. Aaron Gulley
2. Kyle Hussey
3. Drayke Sizemore
4. Adam Gulley
5. Gage Mast
6. Carter Stephanson
7. Logan Kustanborter
8. Travis Eck
9. Ian Naccarato
10. Tyler Auten
11. Dustin Olson
12. Jared Swank
13. Billy Adkison
14. Brad Fechter
450 Pro Current Top 10 Point Standings
1. Sean Hackley
2. Kyle Hussey
3. Gage Mast
4. Adam Gulley
5. Aaron Gulley
6. Addison Emory
7. Tanner Young
8. Logan Kustanborter
9. Tanner Moore
10. Cody Agler
Amateur Spotlight
Dalton Hull was close to a three-class perfect weekend racing in the 250 Novice, 450 Novice and Open Outlaw classes. On Friday night, Hull was perfect with wins in his heats and mains. However, his perfect weekend was shattered in the Outlaw Open class main by a bad start and crash.
Ethan Sloniker had to deal with Hull in the Novice classes, but dominated the Schoolboy classes over the weekend by winning all his heats and mains.
Race Baker had a perfect night Saturday by winning all his heats and mains in the College Boy and Intermediation Open classes.
She may not have won a race, but perhaps the most improved rider over the winter is Kiley Cento. In the Women’s class, Cento battled with notables, Holly Hill and Alyssa Cole for first place. Hill got the better of them both nights but it was never an easy task. On Saturday night, Cole won the heat but Cento beat out Cole for second place in the main.
In what might have been his last race on a 50cc, Grant Sweeney won the 50cc 7-9 class both nights.
After a disappointing Friday night, Brett Greenley of New Memphis, IL came back Saturday night with vengeance to earn wins in the 85cc 12-16 and Supermini classes.
The next gate drop will be on weekend of February 26 and 27 at the Tulsa Expo Square and The Ford Truck Arena in Tulsa, OK. Tickets can be purchased in advance online at https://www.nitroaxtour.com/events/buy_tickets before the race or at the event the day of.
