Maas Manhandles Millville at Super Series RD2
May 5
By Rolfe Otterness
Milo Maas had one of the more successful days as the ’24 Super Series returned after the winter hiatus for the second round. Maas snapped up overall wins in Schoolboy 1, 125 2-stroke, and 250 B, the only rider to take home three first-place trophies. But all the riders enjoyed the return to racing which took place on a somewhat muddy track through the first set of motos but continued to improve as the day went on. There was considerable rain (4 inches plus) in the week leading up to the race, as the drought conditions seem to have now abated. The day itself was very nice with sunshine for all and temps in the high 60s. Entries totaled over 700 for a nice start to the season.
The 125 2-stroke class looked like a barn burner based on entries of 26 screaming smokers. As the riders navigated the tricky, rutted, muddy starting straight, Kyler Hagedorn surged out front with Milo Maas hot on his tail. It didn’t take too long before Maas stole away the lead while Hagedorn maintained second over Tanner Schlegel. Maas had a bit of an edge and pulled out a decent lead of around 6 seconds or so on Hagedorn by the conclusion of the moto. Hagedorn was strong in second with a safe gap over Schlegel, who was feeling pressure near the end of the moto as Jeff Rinkel was coming up quickly for a challenge but was too late. Gavin Pettit crossed the line shortly after for fifth.
Hagedorn is usually quick off the line and roosted into the lead as the second moto began. He led the first lap with Maas, Rinkel, and Schlegel in pursuit. Maas made his move shortly after that, though and would lead all the way to the checkered. Hagedorn then came under attack by Rinkel, who had a decent start this time out and would not be denied a second-place finish as he demoted Hagedorn on the last lap. Schlegel also managed to get by before they crossed the finish line, but all four riders were close at the end. Gavin Pettit was just a bit back to take another fifth.
Wyatt McGrath stormed into the lead of the first 14-24B moto. He was trailed by Lance Geis and Garret Becker at the end of lap one and started to pull a gap as the race continued but had a problem on the last lap as the chain derailed in the sand wash leaving him stranded in the whoops. Geis then went on for the win and was followed across the line by Becker. Brodie Boumeester displaced Vincent Harens on the last lap to take third just a couple of bike lengths behind Becker. Owen Nelson also managed to get past Harens late in the race as those two finished close behind Boumeester to fill the top five positions.
McGrath once again led the way in Moto Two with a strong ride. Geis and Boumeester gave chase but couldn’t make a successful challenge for the lead, and McGrath was first at the checkered. Carson Johanningmeier improved his finish from a sixth to a fourth this time out, giving him third overall. Dalton Hein rounded out the top five, and his 7-5 overall score slotted him in fifth overall.
Open A class featured 13 entries with Josh Boaz a strong favorite for the win. Boaz pulled the holeshot in Moto One and set a fast pace out front. Noah Miesen provided pursuit in second with Cole Harrington and Nick Jackson in his slipstream. This running order held for a couple of laps until Philip Maus bulled his way up to third, passing Jackson and Harrington at the mid-moto mark. Then Harrington took a digger on Collarbone Hill and dropped way back in the order. When the moto finally concluded, Boaz took the win by a large margin with Miesen and Maus next across the line. Brandon Espe-Tiegs grabbed fourth away from Nick Jackson on the second to last lap and maintained that to the flag.
Boaz once again led through turn one as the next moto began, then started to pull out a lead over Espe-Tiegs, who had a much better start this time. Chase Becker settled into third over Miesen and then Gavin Tilford. On the last lap, Boaz lost the lead when his chain derailed, leading to a DNF as he could not get it back in place. Espe-Tiegs took the win in the moto and the overall with his 4-1 placings. Becker, Maus, Tilford and then Miesen filled the finish order of the top five.
