GIBSON A-GO-GO In Croton !
By Rupert X Pellett 
Ohio County Fairs Motocross Championship Series – Round 15 
Hartford Independent Fairgrounds
Croton, OH 
Aug 11

Taking a break from the arduous routine of the AMA National Motocross Series, Jeff "Gibby' Gibson strolled into this farm-town with local buddy and fellow pro-racer Willy Browning, not just for the racing - but to return to see friends, family and have a bout of fair-cross pandominium on familiar grounds . Mounted on his team's Subway / Coca-Cola Honda's, Gibson went about business in his usual way - as the Westerville, Ohio native used this mid-week fair-motocross to tune up for upcoming rounds of the Nationals. In the 125 pro main, it was F&S Suzuki's Zach Ames with the quick start, as Gibson fell behind from the first turn and had to patiently and methodically work his way around slower riders - on his way to the front. After forcing his way past the battling Kawasaki's of Flether Shryock and Jared Grabiel, he stuffed buddy Andy Willard before the triple and set out after Ames. After a few laps of following Ames, Gibson took the inside line through the whoops and then stuck his Honda's front wheel ahead and inside of Ames at the corner, pushing Ames outside and clearing the doubles in first place. Ames would follow Gibson to the checkers behind Gibson, with Willard in third. The 250 pro main was not so eventful, as Gibson pushed his big four-fifty Honda quickly into the lead and let the pack sort themselves out. Ames ran strong and fast for second ahead of local vet Dickie Hoy in third, while Willard held off surprise entrant Jeromy Buehl (former AMA Nationals, Supercross and Arenacross star) aboard a borrowed Honda, for fourth. Besides the refreshing appearance of local hero Buehl, SuperMoto's Mark Burkhart and road-racing hero Larry Pegram were also in attendance and enjoying this "Hartford National", as many of the area's fans call it. Officially the "Hartford Fair" in Croton, this farmer's carnival is billed as "The Biggest Little Fair In The World" and, with nearly five-hundred riders and over ten thousand spectators - who would doubt it?

With the huge turnout, came a hefty number of pit-bike racing entries - not to mention the nation's top pit-bike racer and local legend - "Wild" Willy Browning. Browning, sponsored by Classic Honda and a part-time Mini-Moto magazine test-bike rider, was on top of his game, as he whipped his potent and very trick Honda into the win in heat one of the pit-bike class, stylishly jumping all manner of obstacles in his path.

125 C Group 1: 1. Garrett Gatrell (Hon); 2. Kristopher Hand (Suz); 3. Erick Fisher (Hon); 4. Justin Michel (Hon); 5. Josh Eby (Hon) .
125 C Group 2: 1. Shea Corzatt (Yam); 2. Michael Kraft (Hon); 3. Brent Naylor (Suz); 4. Greg Orr (Hon); 5. James Blamer (Suz) .
125 Pro: 1. Jeff Gibson (Hon); 2. Zach Ames (Suz); 3. Andy Willard (Hon); 4. Jared Grabiel (Kaw); 5. Fletcher Shryock (Kaw) .
125B: 1. Tylor Pemberton (Suz); 2. Shawn Iles (Suz); 3. Emmett Rowland (Yam); 4. Zack Leddingham (Yam); 5. Joey Pellett (Kaw) .
16-24: 1. Jared Grabiel (Kaw); 2. Tommy Cunningham (Yam); 3. Derrick Arledge (Ktm); 4. Tylor Pemberton (Suz); 5. Craig Manning (Suz) .
25+A: 1. Tony Robinson (Suz); 2. Richard Hoy (Hon); 3. Joe Evener (Ktm); 4. Rob Bingman (Yam); 5. Brian Gonser (Yam) .
25+B/C: 1. Jeff Woolum (Hon); 2. Jamie Triplett (Hon); 3. Brian Purdy (Yam); 4. Charles Kilkenny (Yam); 5. Brad Haser (Yam) .
250 Pro: 1. Jeff Gibson (Hon); 2. Zach Ames (Suz); 3. Richard Hoy (Hon); 4. Andy Willard (Hon); 5. Jeromy Buehl (Hon) .
250B: 1. Tommy Cunningham (Yam); 2. Jeff Woolum (Hon); 3. Craig Manning (Suz); 4. Cameron Reagan (Yam); 5. Ross Adams (Yam) .
250C: 1. Garrett Gatrell (Hon); 2. Danny Auker (Hon); 3. John Leake (Hon); 4. Shawn Williams (Hon); 5. Corey Schwartz (Yam) .
30+: 1. Richard Hoy (Hon); 2. Joe Evener (Ktm); 3. Mike Russell (Yam); 4. Patrick Thrall (Yam); 5. Rob Bingman (Yam) .
4 Stroke Bikes: 1. Tylor Pemberton (Suz); 2. Ross Adams (Yam); 3. Joshua Hamilton (Hon); 4. Shawn Iles (Suz); 5. Mikey Nibert (Yam) .
40+: 1. Rick Custard (Hon); 2. Kenny Thomas (Hon); 3. Dale Ringwald (Ktm); 4. Ben White (Hon); 5. Barry Grosscup (Suz) .
65cc 7-11: 1. Austin Primavera (Suz); 2. Mitch Dowell (Ktm); 3. Nathan Yoder (Ktm); 4. Tyler Seymour (Suz); 5. Tyler Parkinson (Ktm) .
80cc 12-15: 1. Brandon Mcelwee (Hon); 2. Zack Leddingham (Yam); 3. Cody Smith (Suz); 4. Jordan Skinner (Ktm); 5. Jerred Neil (Hon) .
80cc 7-11: 1. Austin Primavera (Suz); 2. Anthony Calland (Kaw); 3. Mitch Dowell (Ktm); 4. Zachary Dutton (Hon); 5. Cole Voltz (Suz);
80cc Extra 7-11: 1. Austin Primavera (Suz); 2. Anthony Calland (Kaw); 3. Cole Voltz (Suz); 4. Zachary Dutton (Hon); 5. Joey Woosley (Hon) .
Girls 12+: 1. Taylor Mckinney (Yam); 2. Amanda Kern (Yam); 3. Kara Rouse (Yam); 4. Sierra Hodge (Hon); 5. Allison Bradford (Hon) .
Girls 7-11: 1. April Cordle (Suz); 
Micro 4-6: 1. Hayden Justice (Cob); 2. Triston Landrum (Ktm); 3. Dakota Perry (Ktm); 4. Cameron Minton (Ktm); 5. Austin Spicer (Ktm) .
Micro 4-8 Group 1: 1. Patrick Russell Iii (Cob); 2. Nick Wells (Ktm); 3. Hunter Hulse (Ktm); 4. Hunter Mcdaniel (Ktm); 5. Cope Beckert (Ktm) .
Micro 4-8 Group 2: 1. Hayden Justice (Cob); 2. Dakota Perry (Ktm); 3. Nick Mosher (Ktm); 4. Cody Mcmanus (Ktm); 5. Dillon Coventry (Yam) .
Micro 7-8: 1. Robert Stiers (Ktm); 2. Nathan Yoder (Ktm); 3. Caleb Houser (Lem); 4. Dylan Voltz (Ktm); 5. Patrick Russell Iii (Cob);
Open B/C: 1. Seth Rowland (Yam); 2. Adam Tonn (Suz); 3. Charles Kilkenny (Yam); 4. Corey Schwartz (Yam); 5. Dale Ringwald (Ktm) .
Pitbike Group 1: 1. Willy Browning (Yam); 2. Timothy Haning (Kaw); 3. Jeff Gibson (Hon); 4. Joshua Dohn (Hon); 5. Todd Patton (Hon) .
Pitbike Group 2: 1. Joey Pellett (Kaw); 2. Tj Hartshorn (Yam); 3. Eric Forbes (Kaw); 4. Adam Tonn (Suz); 5. Eric Browning (Hon) .
Schoolboy: 1. Emmett Rowland (Yam); 2. Matthew Bonnes Jr (Kaw); 3. Brett Gatrell (Hon); 4. Andrew Murnane (Kaw); 5. Nathan Heskett (Yam) .
Supermini 12-15: 1. Matthew Bonnes Jr (Kaw); 2. Jordan Skinner (Ktm); 3. Brandon Mcelwee (Hon); 4. Andrew Murnane (Kaw); 5. Zack Leddingham (Yam) .