Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126957
Kevin Brown splashes through a creek crossing on his way to capturing the overall victory at the Moonshine Run HS in Kentucky. Ed lojak battled overall winner Kevin Brown throughout the race. but had to settle for second overall. AMA National Championship Hare Scrambles Series: Round 4 Brown raids Moonshine Hare Scramble . By Merle Acord CADIZ, KY, APR. 5 Kevin Brown guided his Honda, CR250 through nine 10-mile loops in a time of three hours, 21 minutes and 22 seconds to claim the overall win in the Western Kentucky ~rail Riders-o.rgani!ed Na- tIonal ChampIOnshIp Hare Scrambles. Brown edged Husqvarna-mountedEdLojak by 12 seconds. With his win in Kentucky, a second in Louisiana, and a third in Tennessee, Brown has a slight points advantage over his competitors after (our rounds o( the 12-race series. Only a rider's best six rides count wards the series championship. Brown and Lojak's race (or the (inal barrel was much closer than the (inal 12-second spread indicates. Brown was half a bike length ahead when the pair came into the spectators' view 300 yards (rom the barrel. Traversing a rocky wash, Brown never let up as Lojak made his move (or the lead just before the (inal corner 25 yards (rom the barrels. "I had one chance at the end to get the lead," said Lojak. "Square the last corner and go to the inside. But I hit a rock and it put me right into a tree. I was able to restart and get to the barrels without losing a position. My bike got messed up, but I'm not hurt. I should have won this one. I pretty much rode the race I wanted to, but I didn't push hard enough at the beginning." Brown said, "I just wanted to stay loose, up on the pegs with my elbows out and take all the inside lines. My Honda has a small gas tank and I knew I'd have to stop (or gas once more than Hyde or Lojak would, so I needed to be in the lead when I gassed. I wanted to be ahead o( Ed on the last loop and that's the way it worked out." Brown added, "Ed's got some kind o( inner drive that keeps him (rom getting tired. He got into a little trouble and I got the lead going into the last lap and that's where I wanted to be. But with Ed and Scott Plessinger right behind me I wasn't sure of anything until I went through those barrels for the last time." Plessinger, riding a Yamaha YZ250, finished third. "J had the lead a couple of times in the last hour, but [ fell down once and the other time [ missed a corner and spent time getting out of a tangle o( vines.-I'm happy [ finished third, but I'm still disappointed. I thought I had a good chance to win it all," said Plessinger. Team Can-Am's Tony Hendon and Ron Naylor were also disappointed with their finishes. Naylor took the holeshot from the dead engine start, but when the pack came through the barrels for the first loop Hendon had the lead with Naylor on his rear fender. The next five riders were Mark Hyde, Fritz Kadlec, Lojak, Plessinger and Fred Hoess. They were all dicing in a tight pack just feet behind Hendon and Naylor. Hendon, who suffered two flat tires the previous weekend in Tennessee, pulled in at the start of the second loop to change a flat. He came back to within two minutes of the winner and finished (ourth overall. Nay lor suffered a variety of small problems and (inished back in the pack. . Team Husqvarna's Kadlec lost the spring and nut off the rear brake rod o( his 430 Husky during the second loop and then demonstrated how rubber bands, wire and tape can keep one in a race. But the repairs took too much time and Kadlec had to play catch up (or the rest of the race, finishing second in the Open A class. "I had some problems," said Kadlec, "but [ had a lot o( (un. This is a great course. It ~ot a little rutted because the ground IS so sort, but the traction is good so you could really gas it." What almost never happens, happened to '86 National Champion Hyde. The water-pump on his Husqvarna 430 Automatic self-destructed when his motor overheated. "I wanted to .win today," said Hyde,. "but it's early in the season. and even now with Brown's overall win no one has a commanding points lead. Sci, (or the rest o( the season I plan on doing what I did last year and that's to be consistent. I want to finish near the top with my equipment intact and be ready to race again next week." The Keens, who are to Michigan what the Lojaks are to Pennsylvania, won two o( the A classes; Eldon topped the 125 division and Mike took the win in the Open class. Team Kawasaki's Jeff Fredette