Riding since back in the day

Dawn and Dustin Spangle from Meade, Wash., did the things parents always do recently.

As they sat in the stands at the Lewiston Roundup Grounds on Saturday, the wife and husband told embarrassing stories about their 19-year-old son Braden - who just so happened to be one of the stars in the pro class at the evening's Lewiston Supercross.

What's their earliest memory of him riding dirt bikes?

"(When he was) 3," his dad responded instantly. "I had to get him off his bike (after) he (pooped) his diaper."

Dawn and Dustin Spangle also talked about how hard their son worked to become a pro athlete at such an early age.

How much time does he put in?

About four hours a night - two of them spent at the gym, the other two on his bike.

"It's a good workout," Dawn Spangle said.

Braden's parents beamed as they recalled mentioning their son's name to someone upon arriving in Lewiston - and that individual immediately telling them what a big fan he was.

"He's kind of like right at the edge where he can almost go into qualifying for some serious stuff," Dawn Spangle said.

That may be the case, but on Saturday, the evening belonged to another millennial rider, Kele Russell, from Seabeck, Wash.

Russell took both pro events - the 250 and the 450 - along with a nice payday: some $2,000, event promoter Eric Christiansen said.

Before the 250 main event started, Dustin Spangle made a promise to a reporter: "This is gonna be epic."

He patted a nearby spectator on the shoulder repeatedly and excitedly as his son raced out to an early lead - an advantage which seemed to widen.

"C'mon B," yelled Dawn Spangle.

Several laps in, Russell took the lead - a comeback he attributed to studying Spangle during an earlier preliminary.

"I could see he goes here, so maybe I could put a wheel in there (to come from behind)," Russell said.

Dawn and Dustin Spangle never gave up hope their son would find a way to rally - with Dawn repeatedly pointing to the track and stating, "this is where Braden could catch up." Or noting that in motorbike racing, "you can go from way behind to in front like this (snaps fingers)."

It didn't happen, but after the 250 pro event, both Spangle parents were hopeful their son would bounce back later in the evening in the 450.

"He'll get the next one," Dustin Spangle said.

The next one also went to Russell - though not in quite the same way.

Instead of rallying, Russell shot out to the lead right out of the gates.

Racers from all over - Russell and his friend, Jonathon Tucci, started their day at 6 a.m. when they began their drive from western Washington. And that 370-mile trip wasn't even the furthest a competitor traveled to compete at Saturday's event.

Nobody likely came from further away than 14-year-old Antonio Atiyoot, who's from Thailand (and is a youth-level national champion there, Christiansen said).

If all goes as planned, this won't be the last time area dirt bike fans get to see Atiyoot in action.

Atiyoot, who won the 85 open on Saturday - and has been visiting the past month with a friend of his father's, Mel McCormick, who hails from Cle Elem, Wash. - hopes to come back to this region as an exchange student next year, McCormick said.

Date night - So what brought Daniel Kimsey, a Pullman High student, out to the event as a spectator?

"Actually, I'm going on a date with my girlfriend right now," he explained, motioning to his right, where Elsa Munster of Lewiston High was seated.

"My mom just took us here," Munster said, "and then my best friend is here, too."

While Saturday marked Munster's first Supercross - compared to three for her boyfriend - she wasn't a stranger to the Roundup Grounds. She's attended demolition derbies in the past - and will perhaps come back for another Supercross - at least judging by how she gushed about her first one.

"It's cool how this brings people together," Munster said, adding that the youngest riders were "adorable."

Father-son bonding - Andy Torchilo said he really appreciated getting to spend time with his dad - not just on Saturday in the stands, but at work, too. Andy, a Clarkston 19-year-old, and his dad, Ivan Torchila, work together at Mac's Cycle, a Clarkston motorsports shop.

"Having someone to go to if you need something, it's nice," Andy said.

"(He's) the next generation," said Ivan, who's plied his trade as a mechanic at the shop for more than two decades (and likely worked on a some of the bikes that competed on Saturday, he said).

Supporting their friends - Gavin Grijalva, a Jenifer Junior High student, said he came out at the races to support a friend's cousin, while Lewiston High student Devany Lyons attended Saturday's Supercross to support her friend, Hailey Jenkins (who placed third in the women's class).

Getting reconnaissance - Tim Kiele, along with his wife, Tonya and three of their five sons - Ashton (15), Andrew (15) and Dylan (11) - attended Saturday's event with a goal in mind. The Kamiah residents - who have a track on their property, upon which their sons ride - are thinking of letting their sons enter as racers next year, but wanted to catch an event, to see if they approved (which they seemingly did).

Weather be darned - This year's event saw temperatures get chilly with whipping winds.

And last year? It poured rain.

"So that's why we're under the cover this time," said Kevin McInerney, who didn't let that discourage him and his wife, Jamie McInerney, of Deary, from bringing their daughter, Katie Carr, to watch the latest races.

Would they have taken a rain check if the weather turned wet again before this year's Supercross?

Not a chance.

"No matter what, it doesn't matter if it's snowing, we still come down," Kevin said. "Every year."

As they have for the past four years.

Attendance counts may vary - While Christiansen estimated around 3,000 spectators showed up in all, by the time the evening's final pro event took place, there were probably about 500 fans - if that.

"My butt's cold, I'm out of here," Christiansen said, as a way of explaining the early exodus.

A First timer's impression - Chris Perini, a Lewiston 35-year-old, said this was his first time out - but it won't be his last, he added.

Long time fan still coming back - Quentin Zemantz, 25, of Lewiston, said he's been coming "as long as (Lewiston Supercross has) been around," which would be since 2006 (according to Christiansen).

ATV -1, Brandon Smith.

Mini ATV - 1, Hadley Bergamo. 2, Gage Farr. 3, Cody Pearce.

Vet 30 - 1, Dustin James. 2, Jeremy McFarlane. 3, Jake Hamburg.

Vet 40 - 1, Grey Fry. 2, Roy Bremenour. 3, Ed Barnowski.

Women - 1, Renee Jenkins. 2, Chelbee Pace. 3, Hailey Jenkins.

Working man's class - 1, Ed Barnowski. 2, Ryan Haygood. 3, Steve Matthews.

OPEN

50 - 1, Enzo Bergamo. 2, Chase Gordon. 3, Grady Caudill.

65 - 1, Zachery Isbell. 2, Damon Sutterlin. 3, Kayson Sexton.

85 - 1, Antonio Atiyoot. 2, Brayden Schultz. 3, Garrett Secord.

Beginner

50 - 1, Ellie Austad. 2, Mallory Secord. 3, Braylon Thomas.

65 - 1, Preston Knox. 2, Kash Lundeberg. 3, Luke Lundeberg.

65 Division 2 - 1, Sawyer Biery. 2, Kash Lundeberg. 3, Dalton Coburn.

85 - 1, Brayden Buell. 2, Lane Austad. 3, Kolby Hix.

125/250 - 1, Blake Layton. 2, Mark Calene. 3, Connor Madden.

250/450 - 1, Blake Layton. 2, Kyle Reynolds. 3, Wayne Hodges.

INTERMEDIATE

125 - 1, Garret Flach. 2, Trace Hansen. 3, Cody Crea.

250 - 1, Garret Flach. 2, Cody Crea. 3, Trace Hansen.

125/250 - 1, Garret Flach. 2, Trace Hanson. 3, Cody Crea.

250/450 - 1, Flach. 2, Beutler. 3, Canyon Ashley.

Junior

50 - 1, Preston Knox. 2, Blayze Shea. 3, Enzo Bergamo.

65 - 1, Zachery Isbell. 2, Sawyer Biery. 3, Kayson Sexton.

85 - 1, Cooper Biery. 2, Brayden Schultz. 3, Cooper Figueroa.

125/250 Class 1 - 1, Austin Schiermeister. 2, Ben Blakely. 3, Antonio Atiyoot.

125/250 Class 2 - 1, Kyler Miller. 2, Seth Beaver. 3, Lincoln Skinner.

250/450 - 1, Travis Schierman. 2, Lincoln Skinner. 3, Wesley Green.

PROFESSIONAL

250 - 1, Kele Russell. 2, Braden Spangle. 3, Houston Keane.

450 - 1, Kele Russell. 2, Braden Spangle. 3, Cody Holzer.

---

Edelman may be contacted at bedelman@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2277.