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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/127196
Team Green 's Terry Cunningham led from start to finish and took overall honors at the Idaho City Four-Day ISDE Qualifier; Suzuki's Dave Bertram crosses one of the many streams on day four. Bertram finished second overall and first in the Open class . AMA National Reliability Trial Series: Round 3 Cunningham comes alive in Idaho City By Kit Palmer IDAHO CITY, ID, JUNE 2-5 Four-time National Enduro Champion Terry Cunningham captured his first ISDE Qualifier overall win in six years, demolishing the competition at the Idaho City 22 Four-Day Qualifier. It was also the first time that Team I Gree n's Larry Roeseler or Kurt Hough haven't taken the over- Rid ing a Kawasaki KX125, Jeff Fredette finished third overall and second in the 1 2 5 cc class. He is a top choice for the U.S . Trophy Team. all victory in an ISDE Qualifier since Ma y, 1987, when KTM's Kevin Hines took top honors in Wrentham, Massachusetts. Cunningham, riding a Team Green-sponsored Kawasaki KX125 had the lead in Ida ho after day one and was never really challenged throughout th e remaining three days. His nearest competitor was Open class winner Dave Bertram, who was riding a modified Suzuki RMX250 that was bored out to 253cc. Third overall went to another 125cc pi lot, Cunningham's Team Green teammate Jeff Fredette. Rounding out the top five were Yamaha riders Fritz Kadlec, riding an over-bored YZ250WR in the Open class, and 250cc class winner J eff Russell. "Although this event had its problems, overall I thought it was the best Qua lifier I've ever ridden, " said Cunningham. "Except for the erratic and fast speed averages on days one and two, this Qualifier reenacted the actual ISD E better than any I've seen - it had different trails each day, with different colored ribbons, the terrain and special tests were similar to what is used in Europe, it was long, and the tech inspection was strict. It was a good enduro." Hosted by the Boise Ridge Riders, the four-day event covered approximately 150-miles a day in two loops, featured five special test sections each day (two grass tracks and three terrain tests), except for day four which featured one 50-mile loop, one terrain test and a fina l MX special test. . Dust p layed a major factor as warm and dry wea th er conditions made the trails extremely dusty, and in Cunningham's words, ", . . very dangerous." , Day one started off wi th a slow speed average and gradually increased u ntil some riders were u p to 20 minutes late by check five. Cunningham dropped the least amount of points, arriving at check five seven minutes late, dropping 420 points. Other top contenders' scores included Fredette and Kadlec 480 points (eig h t minutes late); Larry Roeseler 660 (II min. ); Randy Hawkins 780 (13 rnin. ) and Kurt Hough 960 (16 min.). At check six , even more points were dropped due to the abnormally fast speed averages, and to complicate the problem, the severe dust conditions made it even tougher to make up time. "The speed averages were ridiculously fast , and the dust made it too dangerous," said Cunningham. " After dropping so ma ny points on the trail, I wo uld get to the special tests and think 'Why bother?' What's a few seconds gained or lost in the special tests when you're dropping h undreds of points on the trail? T he Six Days isn't that way. Yo u ' re supposed to be able to cruise on the trail and make the checks and let the special test scores determine ,the outcome. That's what it's all about." In the five special test sections on day one H o u gh , Hawkins, Cu nn ingham and Roeseler had collected the fastest times. Cunningham and H awkins tied in one of the tests. However, it wasn't until after finishing the day that Hawkins realized that he missed both the first and third grass track special test sections. "Someone asked me how I did in the grass track tests," said Team Suzuki's Hawkins. " I said, 'Wha t grass track? ' Apparently I overshot the turn-off into the test and got back on the trail immediately followi ng the test. " Def e n d i n g National End uro Champion Hawki ns was penalized for his mistakes by being hit wit h doubl e the points of the ri der(s) who had the slowest time in eac h of the two tests, Former ISD E gold medalist Charles Halcomb drop ped out early in th e day af ter trying to make u p time on th e trial, which resulted in a cras h when h e overs hot a turn that he ' couldn't see because of the dust. " I had to fix my throttle th at was sticking, which made me la te," sai d Halcomb. " I was catching back up when I crashed; I reinjured my wrist