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/127383
eENDURO AMA National Chameionshie_Re li_abl_'lit..t.-Sen'es_:R _D_d2 _ Y_ _ _OU _ ~ Chris Smith claimed third overall and will likely make the Junior World ISDE team. Steve Hatch captured his first-ever victory in National Reliab ility Enduro competition. Randy Hawkins went easy on his injured thumb and rode a 125 to second overall. Hatchleads thewayat Michigan Two-Day P h o tos by Dick Burleso n an d Larry Randt TROUT LAKE, MI, MAY 18-19 uzuki su ppo rt rider Steve H atch, 21, scored hi s first-ever National Reliability Enduro/lSDE Qualifier win of hi s career after edging out ru nner-up arid teammate Randy Hawkins a t the Stu mp jumpers M.e.hosted two-day event . "Things are reall y coming together; I' m havin g a rea l good tim e ou t there and I'm hav ing fu n. 1 th ink tha t's a big part of bein g successfu l," said Hatch , who lives in Ithaca, New York. " I got do ne with finals last Wednesda y which helped out, too . Las t semester has just been a nightmare, so 1 finally got that don e and 1 th ink th at took I00 pounds 0[[ my shou lders. It 's d~finitel y a great feeling getti ng the S W in . 28 " I have to thank my family and all of my New York friends for supporting me," added H atch . "They've been real helpful over the years and it's beginning to pay off. " Altho ugh H at ch has o n ly been competing serio us ly o n the Nat ional Enduro and Reliabil ity End uro circui t for a year and a half now , he has already proven to h is competitors that he will be a serio us threat for both series titles . Hatch was the top mem ber of the U.S. junior Wor ld team at the gruelling Internat ional S ix Da ys Enduro in Sweden las t Fall, where he " earn ed a silver meda l, and he has two top -five fini shes in the 1991 Nation al End uro circu it thus far , including a second overall at the March 17 Louisiana National. H atch's nearest ri val at the Michigan two-day was three-time National Enduro Champion Hawkins, who posted a second-place overall finish aboard a 125cc Suzuk i, nailing the l25cc class win in the process. Haw kins was riding the 125 to ease the pressure on th e thum b he injured ear lier th is year. . " My th umb is still injured, and it) easier to ride a 125," said Hawkins. "The 125 is lighter and the power - doesn ' t hit as hard as a 250. The 250 pulls all the tim e." Claim ing thi rd overall and second place in the 250cc class was KTM 's Chris Smith , wh o, alo ng wi th Hatch , . is one of the sport's fas test and most p rom ising u p-and -com in g en du ro riders. Sm ith , 20, the younger brot her of multi-tim e ISDE gold ' medali st Drew Sm ith, is trying to qualify fo r this year's U.S . junior World team , and after a promis ing ride at the Tulsa Qual ifier, as well as the Michigan even t, Smith looks to be a shoo-in for the team. Sco ri ng fourt h overa ll was Kurt Hough. " I just couldn 't get it going this weekend," sai d Hough , a three-time ISDE rider. H ough, wh o has"numerous ISDE Qualifier overall victories to his credi t and was highly favored to win th e Mi chigan Two-Day, was hampered by cl utch problems in some of the special tests. Ro u ndi ng out the top five was an other m ulti -time ISD E go ld