World Cup Ice Racing off to a flyer.

The historic first ever Manufacturers World Cup Ice Racing Championship was welcomed with enthusiasm by 5,000 plus Portland, OR race fans. A fine field of riders, on meticulously prepared factory 450 race bikes weren't the least bit tentative as they took to the thickened sheet of ice.

Racers adapting to the ice immediately and winning both of their two heats were Johnny Murphree from Mt. Zion, IL, Wess Church from Mountlake Terrace, WA and Mica, WA's Joe Kopp.

The 8 rider, 8 lap Main Event was everything and then some it had been billed to be. Passing and battles throughout the field gave Murphree an opportunity to take the lead and keep it. Kopp was reeling him in every lap, but fell just a bike length short at the checker. Dan Stanley from Sedro Wooley, WA was a close third for the final podium spot followed respectively by Shawn Russell from San Jose, CA; Kevin Kanard from Portland, OR; Seth Church from Mountlake Terrace, WA; Shane Vance from Macomb, IL and Wess Church.

Round 2 of the Inaugural Manufacturers World Cup Ice Racing Championship was set to go with early series rivalries already building. Case in point was Heat 1. A five rider, four lap duel that lined up Joe Kopp and Johnny Murphree side by side in the number two and three starting slots.

As you could have imagined, those two duked it out to the finish with Murphree edging out Kopp. Those two were following closely by Donnie Steward from West Burlington, IA, Shane Vance from Macomb, IL and Steve Tonsgaird from Saohomish, WA.

The Main Event was a wild affair with Murphree leading 71/2 laps followed by his buddy Kopp breathing down his back. Entering the last corner, Murphree while attempting to work lapped traffic, hooked a lapped riders wheel guard while passing. The incident caused "Showtime" to fall hard sending Kopp rocketing by for the victory. Kopp was joined on the podium by second place, Shawn Russell and third place, Donnie Steward. The rest of the Main Event field finish respectively as follows; Jeff Annen from Everett, WA; Dan Stanley from Sedro Wooley, WA; RJ Yamamoto from Monro, WA, Murphree and Shane Vance. The winning Kopp was riding a Honda.

Round 3 of the Inaugural Manufacturers World Cup Ice Racing Championship was played out in the Deep South. The true spirit of this new ICE Racing Series showed when local boy, Mike Gilkey from Ashville, NC showed up to take on the Big Dogs!

Shane Vance came to life tonight winning both of his heats, as did series newcomer Mark Cheza from Clio, MI. The 8 lap, 8 rider Main Event was a southern barnburner! The start was excellent and all eight chargers hit the first corner at nearly the same time. There was more slicin' and dicin' going on in one second than any Popeel 1/2 hour infomercial ever made! Cheza took the early lead being dogged by teammate Jared Mees from Honeybrook, PA. The passing was intense! By lap three, Mees has overtaken Cheza followed by Shawn Russell.

Remember local boy Gilkey? Now he was on the move with a slick fifth lap pass by Russell for 3rd spot. As Mees held on to the lead, the passing behind him was hard to keep up with. On lap six, Gilkey rode his way past Cheza with authority for second and on the final lap, Russell worked his way by Cheza for the final podium spot. While all this was happening the back half of the field had their own race going on for positions. Mees became the third winner in as many races followed respectively by Gilkey; Russell; Cheza; Vance; Johnny Murphree, Donnie Steward and Wess Church. Mees rode a Honda to victory.

This new series is turning out to be everything and then some it had been planned to be. Top riders from various racing disciplines, different winners, very aggressive racing with much more passing than expected. The rider points battle is heating up and even the Manufacturers chase for ICE supremacy is looking good.