Press Release
2024 Saipan Turkey Cross

The deafening roar of bar-to-bar motocross was on the holiday table this past Thanksgiving weekend on the Northern Marianas Island of Saipan as a large contingent of Guam racers along with their moto head families made the island hop for this high-flying event known as the Turkey Cross. The Turkey Cross started in 2021 with the Marianas Racing Association hosting a fun off season event for its members out at the Cow Town Motocross Park in Marpi just to take advantage of the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. It was such an outstanding success with all its members that they immediately made plans to do it again the following Thanksgiving but this time to reach out and invite their friends and family motocross racers from Guam to join them. Its become an island motocross tradition to make the pilgrimage from Guam to Saipan ever since that first invite in 2022.

The Cow Town facility located right along the ocean on Saipan is a beautiful facility with an organization the Marianas Racing Association that runs a very respectable top-notch program which incudes a championship series that runs early in the calendar year up into August. The course itself is a hybrid of an outdoor motocross and a stadium type supercross. The jumps are many and range from small to big sending riders up high into the nose bleeding altitude zone before reentering into the many high banked turns.

Highlights from the event were many but the Turkey Cross top gobbler race class was in the premier Open Motorcycle class which saw Saipan’s top aces lining up bar to bar and elbow to elbow at the starting gates with Guam’s own top aces. When the gates dropped for the start at the Cow Town facility the thundering sound of stampeding high horse powered motors was not just being heard but also could be felt as they tore their way down the straights. The racing was close with both islands’ riders battling for position on each and every lap keeping fans that lined the course on their feet cell phone cameras on hand recording every moment of the high-flying antics. When all the dust had settled it was Guam’s own champ Jr Cepeda aboard his 7 Yamaha that took the overall win for Guam with 31 Tim Wenden from Guam on his KTM right behind in second and with Cycles Plus Guam rider 85 Blaze Aiken in third making for a Guam podium sweep.

In the premier Atv class the battle between Saipan and Guam was another on your feet action packed class. It started with veteran rider Robert Bucek aboard the Cycles Plus Guam Suzuki taking an early lead but being passed by lap four by both Guam’s reigning champ 1 James Lujan aboard a Yamaha and Saipan’s current reigning champ 1 Christian Camacho also on a Yamaha. The two champs were in a completely different zip code by the time the checkers were waived having left the rest of the field to fight over third place. 25 Aaron Blaz on a Yamaha along with 88 Cam Lorenzo both on Yamahas were stalking the old guy Bucek with Blaz at one point up in front in third with Bucek maneuvering to take the position. Bucek made an inside dive at the end of a long straight to take third. At the checkers its was 1 James Lujan of Guam taking the win with 1 Christian Camacho of Saipan in second and Guam’s Robert Bucek in third.

Guam’s participation would not have been possible without the generous support of the following support sponsors. Seabridge Inc., Pacific Trucking, MSA, Triple J Motors, Hertz car rental, Cycles Plus, Rocky Mountain Precast, Guam Marine Services, Proa Restaurant, Vinny’s Mart, Protection Concepts Unlimited and Marinas Racing Association

2024 Turkey Cross official results:

OPEN MOTORCYCLE 1st 7 James Cepeda Guam
2nd 31 Tim Wenden Guam
3rd 85 Blaze Aiken Guam
4th 1 Shane Alvarez Saipan
5th 18 Little John Aguon Guam
6th 27 Aric Cruz Saipan
7th 11 Michael Limtiaco Guam
8th 44 Patrick Togawa Saipan
9th 23 Jordan Leon Guerrero Guam
10th 33 Jacob Jones Guam
11th 86 Ellery Cruz Saipan

MOTORCYCLE VET
1st 31 Tim Wenden Guam
2nd 111 Cuki Alvarez Saipan
3rd 77 Gregorio Perez Guam
4th 11 Michael Limtiaco Guam
5th 827 Melvin Cepeda Saipan
6th 22 Maurice Jones Guam
7th 327 Ray Yumul Saipan
7th 21 Charles Cepeda Saipan
8th 86 Ponce Rasa Saipan

MOTORCYCLE LEGENDS 1st 75 Jeff Rios Guam
2nd 21 Charles Cepeda Saipan
3rd 327 Ray Yumul Saipan

OPEN ATV 1st 1g James Lujan Guam
2nd 1s Christian Camacho Saipan
3rd 2 Robert Bucek Guam
4th 12 Camillo Lorenzo Guam
5th 24 Aaron Blaz Guam
6th 38 Donavan Pitter Guam

ATV VET 1st 2 Robert Bucek Guam
2nd 57 Henry Camacho Saipan
3rd 38 Roberto Pitter Guam
4th 71 James Sandlin Guam

WOMENS OPEN MOTORCYCLE
1st 28 Shade Pitter Guam
2nd 33 Mariana Wenden Guam
3rd 777 Billie Pangelinan Saipan
4th 18 Maribel Igitol Saipan
5th 86 Merissa Rasa Saipan

MOTORCYCLE INTERMEDIATE
1) 33 Richard Wenden Guam
2nd 27 Aric Cruz Saipan
3rd 111 Vicente Palacios Saipan
4th 86 Tristan Sablan Saipan
5th 827 Melvin Cepeda Saipan
6th 75 Owen Rios Guam
7th 21 Charles Cepeda Guam

MOTORCYCLE NOVICE
1st 08 Kanen Arceo Guam
2nd 905 Mathew Guerrero Saipan
3rd 28 Shade Pitter Guam
4th 180 Colton Engling Guam
5th 530 Wes Lane Guam
6th 203 Jacob Kendal Guam
7th 66 Anthony Blaz Guam
8th 369 Frankie Sablan Saipan
9th 29 Byron Castro Saipan
10th 86 Ponce Rasa Saipan

OPEN ATV NOVICE
1st 71 Mathew Sandlin Guam
2nd 57 Henry Camacho Saipan
3rd 12 Austin Blaz Guam
4th 23 Kione Sandlin Guam
5th 19 Angelica Aguon Guam

Kids Classes
MINI BIKE 65cc
1st 10 Daryan Camacho Guam

MINI BIKE 85cc 1st 8 Johnboy Aguon Guam
2nd 141 Julian Lane Guam
3rd 777 Calix Cruz Saipan
4th 12 Tekoa Camacho Guam

MINI ATV 1st 816 Anella Igitol Saipan
2nd 32 Payton Pangelinan Saipan
3rd 415 Nakoa Torres Saipan

POWER PUFF GIRLS
1st 86 Miyako Celis Saipan
2nd 17 Kesiil Camacho Saipan