AUGUST 22, 2026

This is the lower section of the National track. The Arroyo track is on the bluff beyond the cliff.

PHOTOS BY DAN ALMANGOS, JON ORTNER, DEBBI TAMIETTI & MARK RIKER

There was a time the Saturday races, best known as the REM series, raced 40 times a year, venturing over to the AMA National track only a handful of time a year. The two tracks are only one separated by one cliff and they share lots of the same things in common.  (1) Both have ellipical first turns that are steeply banked. (2) Both tracks have there share of big hills. (3)  They both can easily be watered by water truck and fire hoses. (4) Both have two-story scoring towers. There is different clientele on each track. The the old school REM racers remain loyal to the track that they raced on for 30 years. There are even a handful of racers pushing their 70s who raced on the same track when it was called Arroyo Cycle Park. On weekdays the Arroyo track  is consider to be the “Vet track,” while the National track attracts faster riders and lots of Pros. (4) You would think that the National track would wear out the riders faster, but the Arroyo track’s, tighter corners and tricky drop-offs saps the energy of every rider more because unlike the long straights on the National track, there is no place to rest on the Arroyo track. It is constantly going up and down and someone is always pressing you from behind.

Jon Ortner (10) missed morning practice because he was busy changing tire on his YZ450F

The National track has the 22-story Mt. Saint Helen uphill, followed by the incredibly steep Mount Saint Helen downhill, the Arroyo track runs up the hidden canyon behind the visible part of the Arroyo track and and then climbs up the backside before jumping over the top of what is know as Mt. Whitney and landing on the down side.

This is how steep the Mount Saint Helen downhill is and why they don’t allow Pee-Wees and 65s to come down it.

Giovanni Spinali won the Over-60 Experts with a 1-3 score.

Dave Eropkin (811) was second in the Over-65 Expert class behind Pete Murray, but ahead of Mike Monaghan, Val Tamietti and Ron Lawson.

Mic Rogers (115) was fourth in the Over-70 class

Pete Vetrano (37) leads Randy Skinner (383).

You see the strangest things in the pits in SoCal— including a RatRod bigger than a school bus. Best of all the whole thing was hand-made and was driven from New Hampshire to Glen Helen.

RACE SCHEDULE: WHAT’S IN STORE FOR “SATURDAY AT THE GLEN” IN 2026

If you are looking for a racing organization that offers long motos, low cost entry fees and  a very consistent race schedule—this is it. “Saturday at the Glen” motocross will race  again on the National track on September 19 and September 22.

Pre-entry is only $30 ($25 for minis). Post entry is $40 ($30 for minis) on the day of the race. The Gate fee is $10 (per person). You can sign up for the next “Saturday at the Glen” motocross as late as the Friday before the next race (or just show up in person on race day). For more info go to www.glenhelen.com

On August 22 “Saturday at the Glen was on the National track and played host to 220 racers. A week later “Saturday at the Glen” was on the Arroyo track and had 175 racers.

Kurt Nicoll (2) was a four-time runner-up in the FIM 500cc World Championship and a multi-time British National Championship and his father Dave Nicoll won the first-ever AMA Trans-AMA Champion  in 1970.

THE LOCAL HEROES OF “SATURDAY AT THE GLEN”

Every track has it’s local heroes, normally a rider who raced his way up through the Novice, Intermediates and Expert ranks before turning AMA Pro. For Glen Helen that AMA Pro hero was Josh Grant—although today Josh watches his kids race now a days

Pete Murray (7) has raced at Glen Helen for years and earned a reputation that has been cemented by six World Vet Championship in the Over-40, Over-50 and Over-60 classes

Bob Rutten (83) was a famous desert racer and raced on the Harley team as far back as the Harley Baja trail bike days. He switched to motocross, while working at Ame grips. He won the 1975 Baja 1000. And Bob is the current Over-70 World Vet Champion. He went 1-1 in the Over-70 Expert class on Saturday.

Dave Eropkin (811) was a super successful 125 Pro in  Southern California during the 1970s and 1980s, competing in day and night races including Indian Dune, Ascot, Saddleback and Carlsbad Raceway. As he got older he found his niche by racing the REM series at Glen Helen Raceway, clinching the Glen Helen Number one plate in 2019. In the photo above Dave (811) grabs the lead ahead of Gary Jones (88) and Bob Rutten (83).

Gary Jones was the most famous American racer of the 1970s when he won four consecutive AMA 250 National Championships, three AMA titles and the 1971 Inter-Am 250 Championship and is the only rider to have won World Vet Championships in the Over-30, Over-40, Over-50, Over-60 and Over-70 classes.

Mike Monaghan (34) was a class winner on four-strokes, but elected to switch back to a YZ125 two-stroke four years ago, even though he races in Vet Classes that are 90 percent 450 four-strokes. He is sponsored by Tony DiStefano and does beat all the four-strokes when he gets a good start against them.

Val Tamietti  (31) was a Saddleback Specialist and won the CMC Number one plate three times. He won the REM number One plate in 1917 and 1918. Unfortunately on New Year Day in 2024 Val collided with a rider who had stopped on the downside of tabletop and Val was thrown over the bars. He broke his pelvis, several ribs and suffered a major head injury. He was in the hospital for almost a year and returned to racing in 2025.

Shawn Bushnell is an MXA test rider who owns a Gym and races both motocross, cross-country and Grand Prixs

Alison Bushnell (192) is also an MXA test rider and was a former WMX Women’s Pro. Today, she races full- time against the men. She could race in the Woman’s class if she wanted to, but, she wants to race against the men and won the Over-40 Intermediate class on Saturday. She also is the mother of two teenage motocross racers. 

When Bill Sauro (311) first showed up to race at “Saturday at the Glen” he found  a home. Bill is a very nice man, proven by the fact that he agreed to wear motocross gear designed by a pre-teen friend of the family. Even though Bill races in the Over-50 Expert class his “Snot Rocket” gear has cartoon characters and bold colors befitting  a 16-year old racer.

AUGUST 29, 2026

Former Costa Mesa Fairground’s speedway racer Randy Skinner (383) has finally healed up from his knee replacement surgery and is back to racing again.

MXA’s managing editor Josh Fout (946) picked up some kind of bug when he flew to South Carolina for the 2027 Yamaha intro. He decided to race at Glen Helen anyway, but within a couple laps he shut it down and coasted off the track.

Craig Davis (811) went 1-1 in the Over-50 Expert class in front of Alan Jullien and Ricky Richards. Craig would get a third in the Over-40 Experts

Marc Crosby (19) came down the left side of the whoops, which very poorly placed at the end of a straight. Alison Bushnell (192) used the right side. 

RACE SCHEDULE: WHAT’S IN STORE FOR “SATURDAY AT THE GLEN” IN 2026

If you are looking for a racing organization that offers long motos, low cost entry fees and  a very consistent race schedule—this is it. “Saturday at the Glen” motocross will race  again on the National track on October 17.

Pre-entry is only $30 ($25 for minis). Post entry is $40 ($30 for minis) on the day of the race. The Gate fee is $10 (per person). You can sign up for the next “Saturday at the Glen” motocross as late as the Friday before the next race (or just show up in person on race day). For more info go to www.glenhelen.com