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/127192
Ed Lojak (2) battled back and forth for the lead with Plessinger. but a last-lap pit stop ended his chances for a win. Lojak settled for second. AMA National Championship Hare Scrambles Series: Round 6 Scott Summers (left) and Scott Plessinger fought the thick mud at the Hookstown National Hare Scrambles. Plessinger took the overall win. Plessinger edges Lojak in Hookstown victory Former National Hare Scrambles Champion Mark Hyde was a frontrunner before falling and injuring his ribs. He still finished ninth overall. By Douglas S. Schaub and Larry Bell Photos by Larry Bell HOOKSTOWN, PA, MAY 14 Kawasaki-mounted Scott Plessinger and Yamaha YZ250WR pilot Ed Lojak spent the entire Hookstown National Hare Scrambles battling back and forth, with Plessinger taking advantage of a ~ate-race pit stop by Lojak to claim his d 11' f h sec.on avera WIn a .t e senes. Yamaha YZ125 nder Je[£ Russell stormed to third overall (or the I 25cc class win, while Ohio's Kevin Brown and Pennsylvania's Mike Toole rounded out the top five. Althou~h the weather for today's race was Ideal, heavy rains prior to the event left certain sections of the Tom Meyers' Beaver Valley Raceway course a muddy mess, but Plessinger prevailed and finished just a few seconds ahead of lbe former National Hare Scrambles Champion, Lojak. There was plenty of action throughout the day, and it all started when Lojak took the early lead. Unfortunately for Lojak, though, the Yamaha pilot crashed during the third lap, injuring his knee. "I hit a tree and hurt my right knee," said Lojak. "I just laid there; I was in so much pain, I was yelling and rolling around. Scott (Plessinger) stopped and asked if 1 was alright. He lbought I needed an ambulance. But lbe pain went away and I started my bike." Lojak's never-say-die detf'rmination .paid 0[£ as he reeled-in the new leader, Plessinger. The two riders swapped ~he le~d position back and forth untIl LoJak finall~ took S?le command of lbe lead while Plessmger closely trailed in second. After completing lbe second-tolast lap, Lojak decided to take on fuel and make a pit stop, while Plessinger elected not to pit. Lojak wasn't sure if he could've made it one more lap without stopping. "I don't know if I would've made it - we were debating," said Lojak. "There's so much wheelspin out there it would've been tight." Once again, Plessinger found himsel£ in the lead with Lojak on lbe move. At this point, it was all a matter of time as Lojak slowly chipped away at Plessinger's lead. "When he gassed," said Plessinger, "I must've gained about 15 seconds on him. He came up and caught me; passed me, and then I passed him back. Then he got stuck somewhere and 1 never saw him again." "I ran into a lapped rider and the bike fell over," said Lojak. However, Lojak wasn't farbehind Plessinger as the two racers closed in on lbe checkered £lag, but it was apparent that Lojak was running out of time. The Kawasaki pilot crossed