Locals strong in Road to Mammoth event

Josh Camarena is well on his way to becoming the King of the West in motocross and he says he can thank in large part the city of Porterville OHV Park.

Camarena, 20, and his older brother, Jonathan Camarena, 26, and Seth Hughes all used their home track advantage to have an outstanding day on Sunday in the Monster Energy Road to Mammoth event at the OHV Park. About 350 riders competed in the event.

Camarena won the 450 intermediate class and was followed right behind by his good friend, Hughes, who took second. Camarena also won the open intermediate class while his brother, Jonathan, took third. Jonathan also won the Non Pro Class and was followed by another local rider, Jake Osborne, who took second. Another local rider, Terra Bella’s Dalton Wilbur was second in the 450C Division I class.

Josh Camarena, a 2011 Monache graduate, has competed in the first two events in the six event King of the West series, which is used as a qualifier for this summer’s event at Mammoth, considered one of the nation’s most prestigious motocross events. The winner of the King of the West series will have an advantage in his draw when he competes at Mammoth.

Camarena also won the open intermediate class in the first event in Hesperia, so he’s well on his way to claiming the King of the West title in that event. He’s also in the running to become King of the West in the 450 Intermediate class.

Camarena said he’s certain he’ll compete in five of the six King of the West events, adding he’s not sure if he’ll be able to make it to the event in Reno, Nev.

The event in Porterville certainly went well for him, his brother and his friend, Hughes, Josh said. “It was a great time, for sure,” he said. “We were all up in the front of the pack, so it was good.”

An overflow crowd attended the event, Camarena said. “I enjoyed having a big crowd out there,” he said. “It was a great feeling. The whole track was packed. It was awesome to see.”

Camarena said he, his brother and Hughes ride the track all the time. “That was a huge advantage,” he said. “We knew the track like the back of our hand. It definitely gave us an advantage over our competitors.”

While his more realistic goal is to compete at the top level as a pro racer, Josh said the ultimate would be to receive a factory sponsorship from Yamaha, the motorcyle he rides. Companies like Yamaha choose only so many factory riders and provide everything a rider needs. “It’s definitely a dream of mine to be a factory rider,” Josh said.

The top three finishers in each class from the Road to Mammoth motocross qualifying held on Sunday:

250 B: 1 Joseph Marroquin, Bakersfield; 2 Jake Osborne; 3 Cal Johnson, Columbia. 250 B/C Open: 1 Cal Johnson, Columbia; 2 Joseph Marroquin, Bakersfield; 3 Tyler Matcham, Riverside. 250 C Division I LCQ: 1 Bryce Stroud, Bakersfield; 2 Josh Howard; 3 Sam Franklin, Atascadero. 250 C Division 2 LCQ: 1 Kyle Carvalho; 2 Dylan Brown, Palmdale; 3 Don Licon, Fresno. 250 C Main New: 1 Blaine Silveira          Lemoore,; 2 Josh Briggs; 3 Tanner Leach, Fernley, Nev.

250 Pro Sport: 1 Jessy Nelson, Templeton; Michael Maze, Tulare; James Southwick, Pioneer. 30 B: 1 Bryan Maze, Tulare; 2 Mike Cundari, Rancho Cucamonga; 3 Aaron Arnbrister, Kerman. 40A: 1 Shaun Palmer, South Tahoe; 2 Jason Fields, Victorville; 3 Rich Graham, Oakley. 40B: 1 Zak Crabb, Taft; 2 Chad Felicio, Orangevale; 3 Andrew Cummings, Tracy. 40C: 1 Kris Martin, Perris; 2 Antoin Daily, Moreno Valley; 3 Joe Ketterl, Newhall.

450B: 1 Josh Camarena, Porterville; 2 Seth Hughes, Porterville; 3 Nick Beall, Arroyo Grande. 450C Division I: Cooper Lehnert; 2 Dalton Wilbur, Terra Bella; 3 Michael Scurggs. 450 Division 2: 1 Blaine Silveira, Lemoore; 2 Kyle Crabb, Bakersfield; 3 Tanner Leach, Fernley. 450 LCQ: 1 Dolin Mininni; 2 Cory Conner, Temecula; 3 Derrick Hernandez. 450 C Main: 1 Blaine Silveira, Lemoore; 2 Dolin Mininni; 3 Cooper Lehnert.

450 Pro Sport: 1 Jessy Nelson, Templeton; 2 Mitch Vandermortel, Yorba Linda; 3 Nick Baker, Thousand Oaks. 50 A-B: 1 Gary Bowman, ; 2 Donald Franklin, Atascadero; 3 Joel Harriott, Simi Valley. 50C: 1     Russ Watts, Sacramento; Dave Mozingo, Sonora; 3 Scott Sligar, Yorba Linda. 50CC Open: 1 Tyler Blankenship, Bakersfield; 2 Chase Myer De Herrera; 3 Jace Grandstaff, Oakdale. 65CC 6-8 years: 1 Tyler Blankenship, Bakersfield; 2 Eric Acevedo; 3 Jakob Adams.

65CC 9-11 years; 1 Ryan Cunha, Riverbank; 2 Dylan Cunha, Riverbank; 3 Cyrus Christensen. 65 CC Open:  1 Ryan Cunha, Riverbank; 2 Cyrus Christensen; 3 Caden Stoll, Raisin City. 85CC 12-13: 1 Ezra Lewis, Cyrpress; 2 Michael Sandoval, Fallbrook; 3 Ryder Ely, Bakersfield. 85CC 14-16: 1 Zach Bierbower, Lancaster; 2 Carson Carr, Escondido; 3 Christopher Capilla, Castro Valley. 85CC 7-11: 1 Colby Copp, Los Banos; 2 Blake Machado, Tulare; 3 Austin Dooley, Rancho Cucamonga.

85CC Open: 1 Zach Bierbower, Lancaster; 2 Ezra Lewis, Cypress; 3 Zach Darnley, Fresno. College Boy B-C 16-25: 1 Seth Hughes, ; 2 Josh Camarena, Porterville; 3 Nick Beall, Arroyo Grande. FMF 2-Stroke Challenge: 1 Michael Lapaglia, Murrieta; 2 Marc Rossiter, Tulare; 3 Cobe Lehnertz, Lodi. Open B: 1 Josh Camarena, Porterville; 2 Jordyn Scalvini; 3 Jonathan Camarena, Porterville. Open C: 1 Tanner Leach, Fernley; 2 Michael Manhire, Fresno; 3 John Milner, Agua Dulce.    

Open Pro-Sport: 1 Jessy Nelson, Templeton; 2 Mitch Vandermortel, Yorba Linda; 3 Jessie Huntley, Nuevo. Plus 25 Non Pro: 1 Jonathan Camarena, Porterville; 2 Jake Osborne, Porterville; 3 Bryan Maze, Tulare. Schoolboy 12-16 B/C: 1 Carlen Gardner, Paso Robles; 2 Cobe Lehnertz, Lodi; 3 Cole Canatser. Schoolboy 2 12-16 B-C: 1 Joseph Marroquin, Bakersfield; 2 Carlen Gardner, Paso Robles; 3 Kyle Murphy. Supermini 112/150 f: 1 Carson Carr, Escondido; 2 Zach Bierbower, Lancaster; 3 Matt Veercamp, Placerville. Women Amateur up to 250CC: 1 Amber Felicio, Orangevale; 2 Ryann Bradley; 3 Taylor Lauris, Clovis.