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/127248
•Kawasaki Team Green riders Ted Hu nnicutt and Dan Ashcraft (show n) were the overall winners at the SCORE Parker 400 in Arizona. KTM's Dan Smith (shown) and Danny Hamel were leading the race. but dropped out durinqthe second loop w ith transmission problems. Despite crossing the f inish line first. Larry Roeseler (shown) and Danny laPorte finished second overall. SCORE,Parker 400 Hunnicutt/Ashcraft hot in the Arizona desert By Anne and Tom Van Beveren Photos by Tom Van Beveren PARKER, AZ, JAN. 27 In an all -ou t 2S0-plus-mile blitz across the Arizona desert that lasted more than four hours, the Kawasaki KXSOO duo of T ed Hunnicutt and Dan Ash craft finish ed just ahead of teammates Larry and Danny LaPorte 14 . Roeseler I at the 17th Annual SCORE Parker 400. Despite physically crossing the finish line 'in second place behind Roeseler and La l'orte , Hunnicutt and Ashcraft edged out the Roeseler/LaPorte team by a scant 23 seconds on adjusted time. Overall, Kawasaki Team Green riders topped the charts in three classes - Open, 250cc and the O ver 30 classes, Kawasaki 's newes t recruits Joey Lane and Scott Morris took the ' 250cc ho nors in fifth overall, and Over 30 racers Ken ny Parry and Pa ul Ostbo came home in seventh. In the 125cc class, Yamaha rider John Braasch soloed to the 'class win, Hunnicutt was thrilled to be on the top of the rostrum. "This is great - just great," Hunnicutt told ' Cycle N ews. "I've never won this race before and it was on e of 'm y goals for th is year. The year is off to a great start. " "Kawasaki had a good day and we're all really happy about that," said Roese ler. "It wou ld've been even better if Danny (LaPorte) and I had won it, though, but I guess finishing second isn't too bad." A smaller-than-us ua l motorcycle ' field lined up for the start of th is year's event at Blue Water Marina. T he 37 mo torcycle entries faced th e same course as last year - two loops of the 130-mile Arizona course - and car and truck racers ran Arizona-only for the first time after desert tortoise concerns forced SCORE to abandon its California loop. The .co u rse re ceived mixed reviews , " I think they sho uld bring back the California loop," said Morris. "It was a lot tou gher and it made for a better race." Parry was more concerned with wear and tear. . "There was a lot more concentrated prerunning th is year, so the course got a lo t more beat up,': said Parry. " But we shouldn't complain - at least they gave us a chance to race." The first bike was flagge d off the line at 6.30 a.rn. and the rest of the field followed, one bi ke at a time, every 30 seconds. The racers made fast work of the new eight-mile starting section and then joined last year 's course for the in famou s run up Osborne Wash. "We lost time going up the wash, because I'm so gun-shy" said Hunnicutt. " It's really rough, the sun's righ t in your eyes, and you can't see a thing in the dust. People get hurt there all the time so I took it easy. I just wanted to get o ut of the wash and see what happened from there." KTM's Dan Smith wasn't wasting any time as he headed up the wash. • The KT M he shared wi th Danny Hamel was hard on the gas all the way and was gaining ground fast. "I passed everybody in front of me going up the wash and then I was dust free," said Smith. "I knew everybody else was having a miserable time so I pinned it all the way ' and tried to pull out a lead." Some of the less fortunate starters were struggling just to stay in the race. Morris had problems when his roll -offs unwound on the first pull and caught in his rear sprocket, and