Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

Bmooww~~~~~~~R_cl_~_il~~_E_~_m_oS_m_'e_S:R_o~oo_d_4 ~ e Larry Roeseler scored his second ISDE Qualifier overall victory of the year, nipping teammate Kurt Hough by four points. John King survived the river crossings and finished second in the 125cc class. Roeseler wins Idaho two·day By Mike-Thuleen IDAHO CITY,ID, JUNE 1-2 t was a struggle down to the wire, as KTM's Jimmy Lewis, Suzuki's Steve Hatch, and Kawasaki Team Green teammates Larry Roeseler and Kurt Hough battled for overall honors. All four riders were separated by just one second at . the conclusion of day one of the two-day event. Resuming the battle on day two - a fight that lasted right down to the last special test - it was multi-time ISDE gold medalist Roeseler prevailing, finishing just four seconds ahead of teammate Hough, and Hatch, respectively. It was Roeseler's second ISDE Qualifier overalI win of the season. The hosting Boise Ridge Riders Motorcycle Club laid out a lengthy 120·mile course. The competitors rode the same course both days but in reverse direction on day two, and most of the riders had plenty of time at the checks. Three special tests, a grass track, which was run twice , and one terrain test were utilized each day. The tight, twisty Lfi-mile long' grass trick I 22 was run in alternating directions over the weekend. Day one's terrain test featured primarily a high-speed switchback road, while the second day 's terrain -test presented' a rougher mix of terrain. A final MX special test was not held. The first test of the day, a grass track test, saw Suzuki's defending National Enduro Champion Randy Hawkins click o££ the fast time in the 125ccclass, while teammate Hatch did the same in the 250cc class, edging Hough, Lewis and Roeseler. The next fastest time was scored by Open class leader Dave Bertram, who was trailed by 350cc Four-Stroke front-runner David Rhodes: An easy section of trail led the riders to the next test - a terrain test - in which Lewis clicked off the fastest time, edging Roeseler by two seconds. "It (the test) was awesom e," said Lewis. " I just got back from Baja (Mexico) where I spent a week prerunning the Baja 500 race course. The Jimmy Lewis was a front-runner before mechanical problems forced him out. National Enduro Champion Randy Hawkins scored the 125cc class win. terrain test was a lot like that - dry and dusty." Hough, who ' also was two seconds 0(£ Lewis ' pace, said of the terrain test: "I tried not to kill myself, it was pretty . berserk . " Hatch, too, tied both Roeseler (and Hough) in the terrain test, keeping the dogfight in the 250cc Intent class close. Suzuki rider Darren Sanford also - turned in a good time, four seconds behind Roeseler, Hough and Hatch. His time was a good two seconds faster than Bertram and three seconds faster than 125cc Intent leader Hawkins. Rhodes continued to dominate the Lightweight Four-Stroke class, while Idaho's Todd Peugh extended his lead in the Heavyweight Four-Stroke division. FolIowing the terrain test, the riders jumped onto a tight uphill trail that carried them up to the 7ooo-foot mark. "The trail was great," said Hawkins. " I just wish we would 've turned right and went up into the snow. " Sanford's hopes of a top 10 finish ended when he drowned out his bike in a deep river crossing. "That was a costly mistake," said a disappointed Sanford after the event. "I lost some route points and I can't afford to do that. Otherwise, I would've been fifth 250 and in the top 10overall." "Sanford was on the other side of the river pumping his bike out," said Hough. "Larry (Roeseler) was in front of me and he looked at Darren, got scared, and pushed his bike across. I decided to push, too. The creeks are so clear you don't know how deep they are - you have no idea. So when you see somebody pumping a bike out on the other side, you look and look real hard for a good line." After winding up ridges through buckbrush, the riders hit the first grass track test for the second time of the day. Lewis, again, ser . the fast time, though just one second faster than Hough. Roeseler was one second slower than Hough, as was Hatch and Hawkins behind Roeseler. Bertram, again, set the fast time in the Open class, extending his lead, while Rhodes did the same in the Lightweight FourStroke class. Curt Wilcox smoked the Heavyweight Four-Stroke riders and moved into the class lead. Peugh crashed in the grass track test. "I was in fourth gear and hit some pine nettles, or something, and the front end washed out,". said Peugh. "My engine quit and by the time I got my bike started, more than a minute had passed," J.D. Bently scored the fastest time in the Senior class, yet it wasn 't enough to wrest away the class lead from Lyle Duronso. The day ended with Hatch and Lewis tied for the overall with 963

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