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I passed Chuck [Woodford) on the last lap and was able to pull away." Being passed on the last lap of a twohour-long race is a tough pill to swallow, but Woodford was able to keep a positive outlook on the whole situation. "I got a good start and rode well ," Woodford said. "I let the race come to me , and then as the white flag came out, Shane came up on a fast section where I was tapped out. He was riding well all day. I didn't have any more for him, but I just pinned it. I thought I could get a lead on him, but I got into a few lappers in the wrong places. One mistake snowballed into more, and he was able to get past me in the end." Woodford was disappointed not to get the win, of course, but he kept everything in perspective. "1 feel like I rode well and stayed safe," he said. "I am hoping to win the championship this year, so staying co nsiste nt is important. I have the points lead, and that's what mattered most to me today. " Woodford and Watts weren't the only two riders who had a shot at t he win : so did Brian Garrahan. The KTM ride r was able to take the lead position for a lap or two before cras hes re leg ated him to third place . "The race went okay for me ," Garrahan said. "I got a good third- or fourth-place start, then I started to catc h the lead ers and got out in front, but then I pumped up a little and dropped back. I tried to charge and catch up, but I crashed, and they start- ed to pull away; I wasn't able to handle the pace they were at. I think I crashed four or frve times. I had too many crashes to win the race. I came here to win, but you can't win with crashes." But the important t hing for Garrahan is that he 's still very much in the po ints race. "I am st ill second in the points with Chuck Woodford in the lead, " Garrahan said. "We were tied, but he has four points on me now." While the top three riders swapped positions all day loog, Am-Pro Yamaha's Raines was able to ride coosistently and remained in fourth for the entire race. Raines, the defending champ, didn't like his chances going into the race, 50 he played it safe, keeping the championship in the back of his mind. Raines, who lives back East, said he is looking forward for the series to return to the tighter, more technical rounds found in his part of the country. "It was good that I finished , but I was n't comfortable at the pace everyone was going," Raines said. "Th is track wasn 't my style; I like more te chnical tracks . I could n't get into a groove and now. The speed was 50 fast , I didn't want to push it. WIst yea r, I did [push it] and knocked myself out . I got a fourth overall today, and I feel good abo ut that. It is a lot different on the West Coast than the East Coast; look where everyone on the podium today finished at the last GNCC. I like the more technical or rough terrain on the East Co ast. One section was two miles, and you co uld go as fast as you wanted. I let Garrahan go by because I didn 't feel comfortable on that section. He was really going fast . I just decided to focus on finishing, not trying to w in, I am happy to walk away and can't wait to get back to the East Coast races." Uke Raines pointed out, riders from the West indeed ruled this one . One of those was Arizona 's Abbott. He had a good race and felt that he was able to learn a lot abo ut hare scram bles racing. "The race was good for me," he said. "I got a not-so -good start and was able to work up to fifth, but then I had to pit o n the second lap, 50 they got aw ay from me after that. I tried to catch up, but I landed upside down and decided to settle into fifth for the rest of the race. It was a lot of fun, and I came he re to learn, 50 I am happy with that. I am th inking about doing a few more hare scram bles races this year. I t hink next time I'm going to key off www.cyclenEWs com the leaders instead of trying to pass them at the start of the race." eN BIG K IlANcH ELKTON, OREGoN RuuLTS: MAy 29-30, 2004 (ROUND 4 OF 10j OIA: I. Shane Woot" (KrH); 2. Chuck Woodford (Kaw); l . Brian Garrahan (KTN) ; 4. J""'" Ra;"", (Yom); 5 . D..try Abbott (Kaw) ; 6 . Patrick GMrahan (KrH); 7. N athan Kanney (Yom); 8 . 8rian Brown (Kaw); ��� . John Ileal (Kaw); 10. Ro')' N . 5011Mn(Hon); II. Brenden Rotzman (Hon); 12. Ru>setl (KrH); 13. Eric Mashbi, (Hon); 14. Dove Neome6t... (Kaw) ; 15. 5t eve 5i1Yestri (KrH); 16. Jesse E. Ilarnow (Hon); 17. Nason Harrison (Yom); 18. J""'" R Dahners (KTM); 19. Phil Stevens (Suz) : 20. Brandon Johnson (50,). Billy AHA NATIONAL HARE SCRAMBLES CHAMPI�� ONSHIP SERIES POINTS STANDINGS (Alter 4 of 10 ...... nels) : I. Chuck Woodford (77) ; 2. Brian Gamv..n (73/1 win) ; l . Rodney Smith (6(412 wins) ; 4 . Jason Roine> (43) ; 5 . (TIE) Patrick Garraha

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