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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126932
Despite breaking his chain, Ed lojak wound up taking ninth on the day. Husky riders swept every Expert class in overall standings. was' also wrapped up early, as Daubert pushed his 2S0CR further and further away from the pack on his way to the win. David Molnar ended up the second place man with Gig Roach third alter starting all the way back in 31st position. As the frontrunners set out on lap three Lojak turned up the pace a few notches and ran down Hyde and Ballard, who were just three seconds apart. Lojak's strategy at this point could have amounted to holding back in third and icing the title with a conservative ride. But that is not what made the Lojak name synonymous to "going for it," and Eddie disappointed no one as he muscled by first Ballard then Hyde to take the lead and try to add the Big Bear win to the National title he was seemingly assured of. And then there were two. Racing through a rock-infested tree section, Lojak's luck caught up with him and a snapped chain left him and his Iuck on the side of the trail. Now it was up to Hyde and Ballard as to who would wear the crown at the end of the day, and all the while Naylor drew closer. jeff Smith came to Big Bear in need of a high finish in order to claim his Super Senior title and that's just what he got with a first in his class. Title hopeful Harry Greenlee fought on until the bitter end and crossed the line four minutes behind the Super Senior National Champion. john johnson, Johny Lee and Charles Hawk rounded out the top five. Hamrick reached the barrels on the final lap IS minutes ahead of Donald Bigley in the 200cc A class, and that was good enough for an admirable 10th overall on the IT200. But it was third place Kent Stanley that nailed down the title with another high finish. The Kentucky "Kawasaki rider won only one event in the 11 race series but showed that he has some serious speed by finishing in the 'top three seven times. , . Lojak's chain reaction was Yamaha pilot Tony Hendon's take-overofthe 2S0cc A class lead. Like Naylor, Hendon had been moving through the West Virginia trails at a rapid pace but was gaining little attention as all eyes were on the top guns. Hendon would finish up JUSt eight minutes off of H de's winnin mark in fourth overall with Lojak returning to the race in a vain effort to make up the 10 minutes he lost on the sideofthe trail and grabbing second in the 2SOcc A rank. Jim Maltba, Steve Chapkovich, and Joe Lojak ran 3-4-5. Part-time motocTosser Dave Fallas put in his usual hard ride to score the 125cc A win ahead of Mike McCarren and Brad Lowe going almost the entire race in second and third. Fallas, like 200cc B winner Stark and Senior A victor Stankiewicz, had the distinction of being the only rider in his class to complete an five laps. One lap left and Hyde and Ballard were just 10 seconds apart. The two survivors had practically never left the sight of one another, save for the altemating pit stops. Butas they simultaneously picked up the trail for the final lap, the final 12 miles in a: battle that had lasted for nearly eight months and several hundred other difficult . miles, Ballard realized he was losing his grip ... literally. Severe blisters had formed on both of his hands. And then there was one. As his hands slid across his bloody grips, Ballard's title hopes slid away. Hyde had quickened his already intense pace and Ballad could only watch him ease away. In essence, Hyde had the title in the palm oJ Ballard's battered hand. With just a few miles of rough trail and lapped traffic ahead of him, Hyde slowed the Husky and turned up the volume as he screamed his way by the backmarkers, wanting no one to mistakingly take his well-earned title away with a bush league block . pass. Across the line awaited Hyde's family and friends, as well as a TV camera or two, and all cheered when the lone survivor appeared, out of the woods. As the champ was accosted by his ever-exuberant father, Ballard' rolled into the barrels a disappointed second-soon-to-be third. In all the excitement that surrounded the final lap, Naylor's climb to Ballard's rear fender went all but unnoticed.. When the stagger was thrown in Naylor's fifth lap push was good for second overall. But like Kadlec and Lojak before him, Ballard was probably too preoccupied with another disappointment to worry about it. • Results OVERALL: 1. Mark Hyde (Husl: 2. Ron Naylor (C-A): 3. Geoff 8llllard (C-AI: 4. Tony Hendeon Husky-mounted Mark Hyde claimed the overall win at the Big Bear National Hare Scrambles and captured the 1986 championship title. Can-Am's Ron Naylor made a late-race pass on teammate Geoff Ballard and wound up taking second overall. Ballard finiShed third. (Yaml: 5. Drew Smith (Han): 6. Kevin Hines (KTM): 7. Stan Lojak (Yam): B. Tom Harris (Yam): 9. Eddie Lojak (Hus): 10. Ben Hamrick (Yam). OPEN A: 1. Mark Hyde (HuI); 2. Ron Naylor (C-A): 3. Geoff Ballard (C-A). 250 A: 1. Tony Hendon (Yam): 2. Eddie Lojak (Hus): 3. Jim Maltbe (KTMI. 200 A: 1. Ben Hamick (Yaml: 2. Donald Bigley (Yaml: 3. Kent Stanley (Kaw).· 125 A: 1. Dave Fallas (Kaw); 2. Mike McCarren (Yam); 3. Brad Lowe (KTM). 4-STRK: 1. Drew Smith (Hon); 2. SCott Summers (Han): 3. Tom Buckles (HUll. SA A: 1. Henry Stankiewicz (Hus);. 2. S. Wolfersberger (KTM): 3. Mike Parks (KTM). SUPER SR: 1. Jeff Smith (C-AI: 2. Harry Greenlee (Han): 3. Jon Johnson (KTMI. OPEN B: ,. John Vincent (Husl: 2. Jeff Barnhart (Hus): 3. Bob Ellil (Yaml. 250 B: 1. Martin Oauben (Han); 2. David Molnar (KTM): 3. Gig Roach (Kaw). 200 B: 1. Forre'St Stark (Yam); 2. John Dennis (Yam); 3. John Woods (Han). SR B: 1. Joseph Hull (KTMI: 2. Mike Dugan (Yam): 3. Charlel Lester (Yam). 7