Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

Yamaha-mounted Eric Hallgath captured the 125cc class win. Team Husqvama's Dan Smith (1 N) survived dusty conditions for the Moore Run overall. At one point of the race, Paul Krause led before getting passed by Smith. Shortly after, Krause's Husky broke, dropping him out of the race. AMAINationa. Championship Hare and Hound series: Round , Smith charges to Moose Run victory By Anne and Tom Van Beveren Photos by Tom Van Beveren FREMONT VALLEY, CA, FEB. 8 Team Husqvarna's Dan Smith overcame a prestigious field of desert racers to capture the overall victory, Sunday, and after just being named AMA Amateur Athlete of the Year for his domination of last ' he year , . N' IH . s Inaugura I senes, t d . relgmng aU0!la. are an Hound Champion IS launching a determined effort to make it two series wins in a row. With the Moose Run win under his belt, he's off to a good start "I' I'· 'd' II f h m panning on n tng a 0 t e National events this year," Smith said. "A lot of the Nationals conflict with our regular District 37 races and that forces you to decide which is the most important. I've decided to concentrate on the Nationals this year, even if that means that I won't be able to go out to the regular desert races. I'd really like to try to win tbe series again this year." Round one of this year's nineevent Nationals program was held at the 36th Annual Moose Run, which is organized by the Four Aces M.e. And with this being the only Nationals event scheduled for District 37, instead of•the two events included in last year's Nationals program, Smith was determined to make the most of the home-turf advantage. The banner dropped for the start of the race just after 9 a.m. and the battle for the early points lead in the championship series was on as the riders swarmed across Fremont Valley towards the bomb. The first section of the course headed six miles out across the valley and then turned to run an almost parallel course six miles back to camp, where the racers had to negotiate a short motocross section before heading out on the remainder of the 52-mile first loop. KTM pilot Phil Gorgone said, "I didn't particularly care for the way the start was laid out. I headed straight to the bomb and was third as we passed it, but a couple of miles later someone held up 10 fingers. They told me I was back in 10th and yet nobody bad passed me. "Laying the course out like that let everyone cheat. About seven or eight people got past me by cutting the bomb and heading straight back in. That's garbage and it really ticked me off. " Team Husky's Larry Roeseler described loop one as, "the stupidest loop in the whole worldl Everyone went 01£ the bomb run," said Roeseier. "People were cutting off the wbole start and going straight back in. Guys were five miles off the course and were just going everywhere." As the riders came in off the 12. mile opening section and wove their way through the twisty motocross secrion, Dale Knapp was out in from by about 10 seconds. Team Husky's Paul Krause was pushing hard in second with Smith only five seconds behind. Eric Hallgath had his 125cc Yama- ha up in fourth overall with Suzuki. RM250-moumed Charlie Morris, Jr. about 20 seconds back in fifth. A close batLle was raging for sixth overall between Team Honda's Dan Ashcraft and Husky pilot Don Griew.e. The Open class pair went into the motocross section neck-in-neck and refused to back off despite the tight comers and tricky sandy terrain. Darin Cartwright, Phil Gorgone and the first amateur rider - Kirk Kovaleff rounded out the top 10. With the 12-mile starting loop and the motocross section behind them, the racers headed out to tackle the remainder of loop one, which consisted of a mainl}"Wide-open 40-mile loop around the base of the Rand Mountains. Krause soon grabbed the lead from Knapp, but his reign at the head of the pack was cut short when Smith swept by to take over the number one position. "I gOt the lead right where you cross the pavement for the second time in loop one," said Smith. "1 guess it was about 15 miles imo the race. I passed Dale Knapp and then Paul Krause, and from then on, I led all the way." Cagiva's Duane Summers, who took the 125cc class honors in last year's Nationals series, agreed with Smith's "too fast" verdict. "The first loop was wide open all the way," said Summers. "It was way too fast. It was juSt roads, roads, roads. This was supposed to be a national - it was meant to be hard." The one-two-three order stayed the same for the remainder of loop one, and when the from-runners headed imo the pits, it was Smith by about 30 seconds over Krause, with another 10 seconds back to Knapp. Ashcraft powered through in fourth overall, with Hallgatb's C-class Yamaha in fifth. Going imo the pits in seventh overall was Don Griewe, with Cartwright, Summers, Roeseler, and Team Honda's Randy Morales in hot pursuit. Ron Naylor, a Can-Am factory pilot, had worked his way up to 12th at the end of the first loop. Behind Naylor were Garth Sweetland, Mike Alexander, Dan Dawson and Kirk Kovaleff, who was still holding first place in the amateur ranks. Loop two provided a sharp contrast to the open, sandy terrain of loop one. After leaving the pits, the course ran straight imo the Rand Mountains and subjected the riders to 40 miles of steep, rock-strewn mountain terrain. Out in from of the pack, Smith was enjoying a trooble-free ride, but a number of his comPetitors were less fortunate. Krause's HOcc Husky developed mechanical problems and

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