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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126920
, Yamaha YZ250-mounted Tony Hendon was riding well before his YZ seized on the eighth lap. Gene Orail took top 250cc. Can-Am's Geoff BaRard survived the 1000 F. temperatures in North Carolina to win the Devils Ridge National Hare Scrambles. Husqvama's Mark Hyde said the heat and dust made him feel sick. but he wound up taking second overall regardless. AMA National Hare Scrambles Series: Round 8 Ballard red hot at Devils Ridge By Jenny Scott Photos tiy Bob Lenk SANFORD, N.C., JULY 20 Geoff Ballard and his Can-Am continued their winning ways as the combination captured the Devils Ridge AMA National Championship Hare Scrambles in the blistering heat. The severe beat wave' . the area kept temperatures well ~, 'Ul~(,.)luolf.1t.ull:o).9J4. ;".I.j 1 ... 1 I 'lit over the lOO°F. mark, making this race the survival of the 1: ., 1 J.j" 4. fi tess. The organizers of the Devils Ridge course did a superb job of running wday's program despite the hot weather conditions, which played its toll on the national rider line-up. It was obvious that the start would be more than just important in the dusty track conditions, so Ballard knew what he had to do. Shortly after the start, it was Can-Am's Ballard who exited the long downhill straight in the envied position - the lead. By the time he had exited the MX portion of the track. Ballard had a sLim [ivesecond lead over Husqvarna's Mark Hyde and Ohio's Gene Orail. Husky's Fritz Kadlec su[[ered a first-turn crash and finished the MX section midfield in the first wave of the 250cc and Open A riders. Other riders who suffered poor starts were Can-Am's Johnny Martin and Ron Naylor, and former National Hare Scrambles Champion Ed Lojak. By the end of the first 8.2-mile lap, Ballard had pulled a 35 second cushion over Hyde, while Orail held on to third, Leading the 250cc ranks. Heading into the second lap, the leaders were already running into lapped traHic. Ballard said, HI was hoping my good start was going to pay 0[( for at least three laps, but by the II-mile mark, I was already lapping." Still, the Can-Am rider's lead continued, while Hyde fought pressure from behind. HI gassed it up a bit harder when Gene was catching me," said Hyde, "butl neverfeltgood. The heat and dust was making me feel sick. " By the midway point of the 2.5hour race, Martin was in the pits helping in Ballard's crew. With the combination of his wrist injury, and his lOth-place position in the dust, he decided to pullout. "My wrist is still giving me problems since (last year's) six-days," said Martin. "I've got tendinitis in my wrist and it won't go away. " Crashes and similar dust problems led to Lojak deciding to call it quits. Honda-mounted Kurt Hough, member o[ this year's ISDE Junior World Trophy Team, was battling a severely bleeding nose. "It just started bleeding, and nothing I could do would seem to stop it," said Hough. HI was scared I was going to bleed to death out there." By this stage o[ the race, almost all the riders were stopping every lap [or liquids. Some riders were broken down on the course, and the reports were, "they're down to their jocks and seeking out water." Eight laps into the race, Ballard had a commanding 5.5-minute lead over Hyde, while Kadlec had worked up past Naylor for fourth and was going after the 250cc class leader Orail. Husky rider Fred Hoess had fought the heat and clutch problems before seizing on the eighth lap at the end of the powerline section. Joining his eighth-lap breakdown was Yamaha's Tony Hendon with a similar seizure. At the checkered nag, Ballard had extended his lead over Hyde to nearl y 7.5 seconds, followed 1.5 minutes by Kadlec, who had caught and passed Orail for third overall. Orail took top honors in the 250cc class. Fourth overall went t0500cc rider Naylor, 16 seconds behind Orail. The Four-Stroke class win went to Honda 6OO-moumed Scott Summers, who finished ahead of Tony Colinger and series leader Charles Dailey. Tom Buckles, riding a new liquidcooled Husky, dropped out after discovering a burst radiator hose. Eloon Keen led home the 125cc A class by an impressive 12 minutes over Edwin Lowerre, who was followed two minutes later by Greg Erwin. Can-Am's Gray Leonard easily took the win ahead of Brad Sells in the 200cc A class, with Glen Sch~fer taking the number three spot. In the Senior A class, it was a battle between Husky 4OOXC-mounted Terry Meiler and Can-Am's John Fero. Fero eventually suffered nat tire problems, giving Meiler an easier win. KTM's Scott Wol£erpenger made eight laps in three hours and five minutes to take third in class. The Old Timers Super Senior class win went to Harry Greenlee who also won the Hi-Point age group at 46, ahead of second-place finisher Charles Calbraith, 51, and Can-Am's product manager Jeff Smith, 52. • Results OVERALl: 1. Geoff IllIlIard (C·AI; 2. Merit H,de (Hust 3. Fritz ~ (Hust 4. Gene Orail (Hon); 5. Ron Naylor (C-Al; 6. s-t PlaAingar; 7. Mike Ka«!; 6. David White; 9. Tony Hendon (Yam); 1O. Bob ShiHinQer (M·S). 125 A: ,. Eloon Keen; 2. Edwin Lower",; 3. Greg Erwin. 200 A: I. Grav Leonard; 2. 9rad Sail.; 3. Glan Sch_r. 25011.: ,. G_ Orail; 2. s-t Plessinger; 3. David White. OPEN A: 1. Geoff IllIlIard; 2. Marl< Hyde; 3. Fritz Kadlec. 4·STRK: 1. SCOll Summers; 2. Tonv Colinger; 3. Charla. Dailey. 200'B: 1. Paul Bic..k; 2. David Ashlev; 3. Roben Galyon. 250 B: ,. Roland Kaan; 2. Richard Canupp; 3. James Banklev. OPEN B: 1. Micheal Hix; 2. Grog Bunn; 3. Oa"oll Cox. SR: 1. Terry Mailar; 2. John Foro; 3. SColl Wolforspenger. SR B: 1. Steve McSwain; 2. Warren Walmore: 3. Jim Unk. SUP SR: 1. Harry Greenlee; '2. Charles Calbrailh; 3. Jeff Smith.