Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

---------~ ------------------------------------------ AFter faili ng to score at the previous National, Steve Hatch rebounded for fifth. neath hi s engi ne cases , which in turn held o n h is rea r brake through the next sectio n. H e burned u p his brak e pads 10 the m etal a nd had to su rvive th e next 30 miles wi th no rear brak e. When Ru ssell reach ed the second gas, his m echa ni c T om Ko m a r fra ntically replaced th e rear wh eel , pads and the brake lever, as well as th e br ake fluid , in two min ut es. R ussell was qu ickl y back on hi s way bu t co ntin ued to experience bra ke p roblems. " I musr 've d a maged th e master cylinder because the bra ke d idn' t work rig h t for the rest o f th e day ," sai d R ussell . "With th e very tigh t sectio ns they ra n us th ro ug h , tod a y, we didn ' t have much time a t the ga s SlOpS 10 do much of anything 10 correct it. In a way, with the trail bein g so tech ni cal , it was a blessing, beca use if it was a high speed run, I proba bly would 've ended up on my hea d." Russell wasn 't th e o nly rider having problem s. Hough , wh o had co me down with the fl u ear lier in the week , said, " I was reall y weak , m y sta m ina didn ' t ho ld up too well. It was very humid a nd hot out th ere. I also hi t a tr ee with my kn ee th a t I hurt in Oklahoma, so th at ki nd of slo wed m e down, too ." Natio nal Hare Scram bl es and Cross Country Cham pio n SCOII Summers gave this Na tional Enduro a shot b ut was knocked ou t of th e running early, wh en h is bi g Honda XR 600 fourstrok e broke an oil line: H eading in to the final ga s sto p, Ha wkins was three points off the pace, but still had o ne section left to make up time. Like ' the cha mp io n he is, Hawkins kn ew what he needed 10 do and made up th at lost time, sco ring the win. " I ca n 't believe I ca me back a nd wo n this thi ng," sai d a n obvious ly hap p y Hawkins. " I was down three points at the last gas , bu t 1 j ust tri ed to con cen tra te a nd rid e hard." Throughout th e end uro, H a wk ins' thumb was gi ving him some pain . " Before th e last section, I put some medicine on my thumb to numb it, trying to hide th e pain from m y m ind," said H a wkins. " T hat seemed to work beca use in the morning, 1 was riding a li ttle too cautiously, bu t it all wo rked out." Despite his bad start in th e National C hampio nship Series, Ha wkins is optim ist ic about nabbing his fourth co nsecu tive titl e. " Last year I was do wn a nd toward the end of th e seri es, I wo n four or five events in a row ," said H aw kins. " If I ca n do th at now , I can gai n five poi n ts r ig ht qu ick and h opefull y someone will ge t between J eff (R ussell) and m yself, I' ve go t a good shot of rep ea ting my title. At least now I'v e go t som e o f my respect back and I mentall y rea lize that I can actua lly win th e series:" " I 'm happy with second p lace," said th e seri es points leader , Russell. " It (bra ke p ro blems ) was someth ing 1 cou ldn't co ntrol, so all in all , I' m happy. "My hat goes off to the club for .p u tt irig o n a n exce llent end uro ," added R ussell. " I' ve never ridden a n event wi th as m uch new tra i l as th is one toda y; th ey defi nitely separa ted the men from the boys here." Only 45% o f th e 250 starters fin ishe d th e event. New Jersey's Kevin Ben nett, who fin ish ed sixth o vera ll on e poi nt behind Ha tch, sa id , "I 'm phy si call y exha us ted , I' ve never rid den a race that has worn me o u t like th is o ne did. T hey barel y gave you any tim e to gas u p at the gas stop. I' m happy 10 have survived to get six th." J o ey H opkins (6 1 pt s . ), Br yan Adams (67), J eff Fredet te (70) and last round's overa ll winner Blair Sh arpless (73) rounded o ut th e top 10. The Ca n adian, Sharpless , is cu rre ntly second p lace in t he se r ies p oint sta ndings. CN Resu lts 0 / A: I. Ran d y Hawkins (SUl) 57 poin ts; 2. Jelf Russell (KT M) 58; 3. Allen Grav itt (KT M) 58; 4. Kurt Hough (Ka w) ; 5. Steve H atch (Suz) 60; 6. Kevin Benn eu (Ho n) 61; 7. J oey Hopkin s (Ka w) 61; 8. Bryan Adams (KTM ) 67; 9. J ell Fred ette (Ra w) 70; 10. Bla ir Sharpless (SUl ) 73; II. George Waller J r. (SUl ) 74; 12. Kelly Geu (H us ) 75; 13. Alan Ra ndt (KT M) 80; 14. Mitch McRee (KT M) 81; 15. Dwight Ruddez (Hon) 90; 16. Gary Barr (Raw) 91; 17. Wad e Baxel y (SUl) 99; 18. Raym ond Davi s (SUl ) 99; 19. Do ug Deato n (Kaw ) 100; 20. Steven Smith (Suz) 100. AA: I. 0 / A Ra ndy Hawkins (SUl) ; I. J ell Russell (KT M); 2. Allen Gr avi tt (KT M); 3. Kurt Hou gh (Raw). A 0 1A: I. Blair Sharpless (SUl ). A 200: I. Gary Barr (Raw); 2. Sam Plumb (Hon ); 3. Kenn eth Kelly (KT M); 4. Pa ul Thistle (Ya m ); 5. Ian P eters (Ka w) . A. 250: 1. Raymond Davis (Suz); 2. Steven Sm ith (SUl ); 3. Marti n Pruett (SUl) ; 4. J ohn T . Nutt (H on) : 5. J oh nn y McCoy (SUl). A OPEN: I. Wade Baxley (KT M); 2. earl Ennis Privateer Kevi n Bennett fin ished one point behind Ha tch for si x th ove rall. Can adian Blair'Sharpless, who is currently second in the point standings, was lOth. (KT M); 3. Rod Th url ey (Ra w); 4. Fran k Schoe nbeck (AT K); 5. Dana Exlin e (H us). . A VET: I. Mitch McRee (KTM ); 2. Cha rles Bridges (Ya m); 3. Jan B. \Varn er (Ha n ). A 4·STIlK: I. Dwight Ruddez (Hon); 2. B. Scott Miller (Ha n); 3. Ken Arn old. A SR: I. J oh n H offma n (SUl) ; 2. Sa m my Pau lk (Hon); 3. Ga ry Doerr (Raw). A S/S R: I. Lloyd Widener (Hon); 2. La rry Baxley (KT M). B 0 1A: Do ug Deat on (Kaw). B 125: 1. Kevin Bra ndon (Kaw); 2. Alan Giddens (SUl ); 3. T im King (Hon ); 3. Todd H e lto n (SUl ); 5. J ack Barnett (KT M). B 200: I. Ted Csil (Raw); 2. Allen Vine' (Raw); 3. Bruce Wilson (Yam); 4. J erry Doward (Raw). B 250: 1. Steve Hardeman (C-A); 2. Don ni e Brewer (SUl); 3. Greg Mau (Suz); 4. An dy' N ich ols (KT M); 5. Forres t Hardema n (KTM ). BOPEN: I. J aso n Cha ncey (KT M); 2. T on y Parker (KT M); 3. Andy Graben (Hon ); 4. David Morgan (KT M): 5. David Cripe (KTM). B VET: 1. Sta n Gan lt (SUl ); 2. David Anderson (KT M); 3. Da vid Andezson (KT M); 3. J ohn Strange (SUl ). B 4·ST RK: I. Pat Crutchfield (SUl ); 2. John Thompson (Han ); 3. Chase Furnas (Han); 4. Char les Dai ley (Ho n); 5. Gr eg Blackwe ll (SUl ). B SR: l. Ro n Miller (Han); 2. Larry Whi te (H us): 3. Joh n Thomas (KT M). B S/S R: I. Mike C ar reu If-lon): 2. Ha rold McGra w (Hon ); 3. Bud dy Gaillard (H us). MST R: I. Ch arli e Burk (Hon); 2. J am es Bra nsford (SUl ); 3. J oe Hal ey (SUl ). WMN: l. Ela ine Nobels (Ho n ); 2. Sherry Gra ham (Raw). ~ C 0 / A: Ro bert Pea rson (Ya m ). C 125: 1. Steven Edwa rds (Suz): 2. Lee Stevens (Raw); 3. J ell Schaeu (KTM); 4. Ro bert w hisenam (H on ); 5. Brad McCars on (Hen). C 200: I. Russell Arant (Raw); 2. Ra nd y Koral (Kaw); 3. Mark Loyd (Kaw); 4. Byro n La ne (Raw); 5. Ah met Akayd in (Kaw). C 250: 1. John G iles (H a n ); 2. J eff Gasto n (H us); 3. Kerry Co mer (Ho n); 4. J ared Smith (Ho n); 5. Budd y Simpson (Ka w) . C O P EN: I. J oh n La ng sto n (Ho n): 2. J oe Smi th (KT M); 3. Jack Derryberry Jr . (KT M); 4. Jeff rey Smith (KT M); 5. Paul Rollins (H us). AMA NATIONA L CHA MPIONSH IP ENDU RO POINT STAN DINGS (UnolliciaJ):* I. Jell Russell (101); 2. Blair Sharpl ess (67); 3. Allen Gravitt (65); 4. KUrI Ho ugh (50 ); 5. Kevin Benn ett (46); 6. Rand y H awkins (43); 7. Steve Ha tch (41); 8. Kevin Hines (40); 9. Alan Randt (36); 10. Geo rge Wa ller Jr . (31). " Best seven o ut of nine events. 13

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