Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

(C·A); 3. Reed Bright (KTM). 200 EX: 1. Joseph McCormich (Gag). 125 EX: 1. Matt Cullins (KTM). FOUR·STROKE EX: 1. Scott Wolfersberger (Hon); 2. Bruce MacArthur (KTM); 3. Rod Nordstrom (Han). SR EX: 1. Bob Hurst ISul); 2. Paul Bostrom (Hon); 3. Oon Ma.heson (Hus). SUPER SR EX: 1. Jeff Smith (C·A): 2. Jesse Gold· berg (KTM); 3. Bob Sorensen (KTM). OVERALL JR: 1. John Wells (Han). OPEN JR: 1. John Wells (Hon): 2. Ken Kramase (Han); 3. Robert Rice (KTM). 250JR: 1, Ken Nickerson (C·A); 2. Scott Reynolds (KTM); 3. Michael Carlson (KTM). 200 JR: 1. Richard Have (Han); 2. Greg Sheehan (Kaw). '25 JR: 1. Don Hoagland (Kaw). SR JR: 1. Vic Hannah (C·A); 2. Bill Cooper (Mai): 3. Louie Marshall (KTM). SUPER SR JR: 1. Norman Trap.an (KTM); 2. Bob Sangalli (KTMI. OVERALL NOV: 1. ScOIl Taggart (Hus). OPEN NOV: 1. Scott Taggart (Hus); 2. Mark Locev (Honl; 3. Richard Over (Husl. 250 NOV: ,. Brad Hinson (KTM): 2. Mike Nicholls (Yaml; 3. Bob Hanlon (Hus). 200 NOV: 1. James Weiss (Hon); 2. Brian Ver· mette (Kawl; 3. Paul Swinney (Han). 125 NOV: 1. Steve Ledwith (Hus); 2. Oa.. Nicholls (Yam). FOUR-STROKE NOV: 1. David Crowell (Hon); 2. Ross 8ennett (Hon); 3. Doug Chestnut (Hon). SR NOV: ,. Jack Varnum (KTM); 2. Oan O'Keefe (Suz); 3. Tim Nichols (Hus). SUPER SR NOV: 1. Bob Young (KTM); 2. Oan Welsh (Mai); 3. William Fries (Kaw). WOMEN NOV: 1. Julie Duffek (Yaml. Second place Charles Halcomb. Eric McKenna overcame two flat tires to win at Shasta Dam. AMA/Hi-Point National Hare Scrambles Championship: Round 3 McKenna scores Shasta Dam silver By Jim Bowman SHASTA DAM, CA, APR. 15 Northern California motocrosser Eric McKenna led a local-rider sweep of six of the top eight positions at the Shasta Dam National Hare Scrambles for the overall gold medal position and the $1,000 silver bar offered by promoters Mike Vincelli and Terry Rust of VR Racing. Second overall 10 went to nonhern California crosscountry ace Charles Halcomb while northern California's enduro star Dave Bertram took third, just seconds ahead of Team Husky's Kevin Hines from Massach usellS. The VR Racing silver bar was the main reason McKenna, who had placed 12th in the 500cc race at the Hangtown National MX the week before, had entered the National Hare Scrambles. Although McKenna enjoyed riding the longer four-hour race as opposed to motocross and he may allend the next National Hare Scrambles in southern California, he has no plans to race the rest of the series. Despite being richer the $1 ,000 precious metal bar, McKenna plans to continue with his motocross goals and, like the other two past Shasta Dam winners, keep his bar for the rather unique trophy that it is. For McKenna and the other local riders, the unique terrain around the Shasta Dam area and the warm and 1 dusty conditions created a considerable advantage. Without rain, the ground in this area is very hard with either slippery dustor all ~izes of rock on top. Can-Am's John Manin from Minnesota hated the ride all the way to eighth overall, commenting that this was what he thought a desen race should be - and he hates desert races. Hines echoed Martin's opinion. claiming that the dust was the biggest problem and that he wouldn't want to come back again. But the local riders suffered their own problems. Motocrosser Larry Hooper had a three-minute lead by the end of two laps, but was halted with a £lat front tire. Meanwhile, McKenna picked up a rear flat on the first lap and Cycle Gear Hi-Poinl Bell/O'Neal/Team Husky's Bertram was su[ferin~ underneath a cloud of dust after a poor start. Australian Geo[f Ballard wasn't as fortunate as the e riders, though; his bike seized at the stan and he spent the day as pit crew for Manin and Super Senior Expen class winner Jeff Smith. Hi-Point/]esse's Cycles KTMsponsored Halcomb was running third at the end of lap one and moved into first on lap three. McKenna had repaired his £lat and moved into the runner-up position ahead of Hines and the 250cc Expen class winner Duke Dowell (DiabLe Spon Cycles KTM). But the race was only half over and Hines took a fall over an embankment that knocked him 0 silly that he had to stop and ask where Ihe gas was at the end of the founh lap. Dowell also had LTouble that lap, picking up a flat and electing to ride the £inallwo laps on that lire to drop lhree places to seventh overall. Halcomb probably fell the most victimized on lap four as a collision with a lapped rider caused him to £ly over·an embankment and forfeit the silver bar position to McKenna. Despile another flat tire on the final lap, McKenna would hold the position to finish just seconds ahead of Halcomb. Benram finished third with Hines charging back to finish moments behind, still feeling out of it from the fall that had cau ed him to black out. Fifth went to another local cross ('ountry rider. Ken Ramst'y. who finished ahead of his regular weekend foes Pat Brown and Dowell. Martin. Yamaha suport rider Barrett Brown and Honda-mounted Dexler Hayhurst rounded out the top 10. Behind the Expen class, the] unior class wars raged for five 20-mile laps as overall class winner John Wells put his Honda in the lead on lap one only to be displaced by the 250 CanAm of Ken Nickerson on the next lap. Wells stLIck with it, though. and passed 250cc] unior class winner Nickerson on the final lap. Vic Hannah won the Senior Junior c1as on a Can-Am. Open Novice Scott Taggan earned the Novice class overall while Brad Hinson (250cc Nov), James Weiss (200cc Nov), David Crowell (FourStroke Nov) and Bob Young (Super Senior Nov) won their classes. An added bonu to Taggan's overall Novice win was thaI his girlfriend Julie Duffek was equally busy during the race pUlling in three laps to win her class. Results OVERALL: 1. Eric McKenna (Hon): 2. Charles Hek:omb (KTM); 3. Dave Benram (Hus); 4. Kevin Hines (Hus); 5. Ken Ramsev (KTM); 6. Pat Brown: 7. Ouke Dowell (KTM); 8. John Martin (C·A): 9. Bar· nett Brown (Yam): 10. oelller Havhurst (Hon). OPEN EX: 1. Eric McKenna (Hon); 2. Charles Halcomb (KTM); 3. Dave Bartram (Husl. 250 EX: 1. Duke Dowell (KTM); 2. Laslie Shirk AMA/Hi-Point National Championship Hare Scrambles Series: Round 2 Melton slides to Loretta Lynn's win By Suzi Mingo HliRRICAN[ MILLS. TN. APR. 8 Team Husqvarna's Mike MelLOn scored a decisive win in the econd round of the championship series, beating teammate Eddie Lojak by ncarly I-I minutes on correctcd lime, Can-Am's John Mar'Iin and Geoff Ballard \\'erc third and fourth o\'erall. with Team Husky's Ke\·in Him's rounding- out Ihe lOp fi\'c. " was also Lhe first round of the \Viseco 100 Miler Championship Snies. AfJer he sprayed the speClalOr with his \'icJory champag-ne. Melton said, "Ii was an exccllent course, I thought. Ii may ha\'e bcen 10.3miles long-, but we probably went 12 miles toward the end, just zig-zagging back and forth across the ruts. The race seemed pretty long." He was right-it took Melton, the 1983 National Enduro Champion, three hOUTS, 42 minutes to finish 82.4 miles. Sunday's event started at 12:42 p.m. under cool, cloudy skies. However, the weather forecaster's gloomy predictions were soon fulfilled and the second half of the race was run in' a steady drizzle. Melton's fastest lap time of the day was his 24-minute second lap, the next three laps averaged around 27-minutes, and the eighth lap took the skilled mud rider over 32-minutes. It was the second National Hare Scrambles to be held at Lorella Lynn's Dude Ranch, a charming facility which can best be described as "biker friendly." On behalf of the sponsoring cI u b, the Western Kentucky Trail Riders, promoter Dave Coombs said at the rider's meeting, "This is one place you can bring- your ATVs and your dirt bikes and ride all year 'round ... In a surprise maneuver, Coom bs then as.ked Eddie Lojak to reach into a hat and draw out the starting order for the race. To the delight o( some and the dismay of others, the Senior riders started off first, followed at 30second intervals by lhe 125,200, 250cc, Open, 4-Stroke and Stiper Senior classes. The B Support classes departed afterward. also at 30-second intervals. "If I'd known what he was doing, 1 wouldn't have done the drawing,"

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