Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

GOFF ROAD AMA District 37 Best of the West Series: Round 2 e As always, Larry Roeseler was a favorite with the high desert crowd. Roeseler scored the overall win in the Vet class. 18 Staten, and Donatoni rounded out the top three on his crashed bike. "After my spit-off 1 just played it cooL 1 need a 500 for this," said Donatoni. Steams failed to show up for second in the 250cc ranks, and in his place was an elated Braasch. "1 got him, 1 wicked it up," said Braasch. "1 wasn't messing around." Pierce followed for third, with a dejected Stearns following in fourth. "1 ran out of gas and had to switch over to reserve':' explained Stearns. "1 spent a lot of time kicking." Lawson pushed his bike across the line for fifth and looked as if. he were going to collapse. "My bike ran out of gas and 1 had to push it for about six turns." The 125cc race got underway like a pack of bees as the Expert class raced down the pavement. Kris Keefer led the group with Ty Davis, Jeff Capt, Roeseler, Jason Kawell and Jeff Kawell following closely. Women Experts were off on the same wave, with Anna Cody picking up where she left off last year, out in front. Susan McWilliams and Christine Ogren were in second and third, respectively. Capt quickly began to pull out from the pack, as Roeseler and Davis argued over second position. Roeseler became stranded after a lap, as his chain lost its master link. This meant that Davis had second position all to himself, and he set after the leading Capt. Dust was becoming a factor, as the course began to dry out. '1 couldn't see Capt, so I was just taking it easy when 1 passed him on the side of the course, just like Larry (Roeseler)," said Davis. Mechanical gremlins played havoc on Capt, leaving Davis all alone out in front for the win. The final race of the first day was the Pro contest. With a $4000 purse up for grabs, all of the reguIar desert fast guys and some noteworthy motocrossers were present. Team Green had Roeseler, Hamel, Davis, Staten, Jimmy Lewis, Ted Hunnicutt and Dave Ondas entered and KTM countered with their factory team of Zitterkopf and Todd Hoy. The Husky factory four-stroke team was also in attenqance with Pro motocrosser Mike Young, Terry Fowler and Pete Murray all mounted on 610cc four-strokes. Off the line it was Dirt Bike-backed Jimmy Lewis' KX500 in the lead with Zitterkopf in tow. Zitterkopf quickly hooked up on the inside of a rough section to assume the lead in the hour-and- a-half race. Lewis momentarily took back the point position by using smoother lines, but as the pair hit the first choppy double-track road, Zitterkopf pushed back in front. Hamel was sitting in third, waiting for a clearing in the dust to get by Lewis. As the course fanned out, Hamel made the break and charged through the deep whoops to steal second place right before check two, then set off after Zitterkopf. Far back in the pack were the fourstrokes of Young and Fowler, who had suffered poor starts. Dust made passing difficult, causing the field to quickly spread out. As the first lap was completed, Zitterkopf held a small margin over Hamel. Lewis was third, followed by Davis and Roeseler, who also had a bad start. Hamel searched for a way around Zitterkopf for the entire second lap. "The dust was so thick that I couldn't pass him. 1 knew 1 could go faster than Zit out in the desert if I could just get by," said Hamel. During the third lap, Davis found his way around Lewis, and Hamel got his break at the end of the lap. Zitterkopf pitted for gas, allowing Hamel to get into range. "Zit pulled out of the pits right as I was coming around," said Hamel. "We went down the pavement together and I knew 1 could get him. When I got out in front 1 just roosted, 'cause 1 knew 1 would have to pit the next lap, and 1 needed a cushion." The plan worked, as Hamel made enough time to pit cleanly, and keep the lead over Zitterkopf. Davis was still holding third, and made his pit on the fourth lap. Lewis came into the pits in fourth with Roeseler right on his fender. With the advantage of a dry-brake refueling system, Roese1er was quicker in the pit and took fourth from Lewis. The positions remained the same for the most of the race, with the exception of a 1ate-rece charge by Ondas. In the last couple of laps, Ondas managed to work his way past Hunnicutt and Lewis to assume the fifth position. Hamel continued to dominate, earning the win and a check for $2500. Zitterkopf was left no room to advance, and continued on for a second-place finish. Third went to Davis, who was followed by Roeseler and Ondas. One of the most interesting races of the weekend was the Vintage competition. The crowd gathered on the starting line to reminisce about the days of old, and to examine the roots of desert racing. Almost 200 entrants filled the line, including entries in the Bomber, Obsolete, Vintage and Sidehack ca tegories. The starting grid was filled with everthing from BSA and Triumph desert sleds to the usual Hodaka, Bultaco, and CZ entries. Many Suzukis, Hondas and Yamahas from the '70s and late '60s were also on hand, but when the bikes charged the first turn it was a HarleyDavidson 250 out in the lead. This bike quickly retired from the race with mechanical troubles, however, as did a fair percentage of the machines. The Vintage class was contested on a shortened course in order to elimina te some of the brutal desert whoops, but riders still voiced fears of the remaining whoops. Z Racing's Mark Zoler was riding an old Husqvama, and while working his way through the pack, discovered a difference from his normal mount. "Man, compared to the new ones, you take a beating," said Zoler. Darrin Cartright was out in front on a Bomber-c1ass YZAOO. Following closely was Jason Truby on his Scotts-backed '76 RM25O, but Cartwright was having smooth sailing out in front. "This bike won the race last year with Tim Cobby riding it, so I thought I'd give it a whirl," said Cartwright. "I was surprised when I realized that this thing goes through the whoops better than my '93 YZ," said Cartwright. It looked as if Cartwright had the win in the bag 1J!ltil Truby kicked up his pace on the last lap. As the pair entered the motocross track for the last time, Truby had Cartwright in his sights. Slicing through the lapped traffic, Truby got right on the leader's tail. They were side by side. over the triples, though they took the jumps one by one. Cartwright had hit a hay bale and bent his shift lever, and with just five turns left, Truby made the pass for the win. "That 400 would pull me about a half mile on the roads, it seemed. I'd twist the throttle till there was no more, said Truby. "I might have been able to hold him off if I could've shifted, but it was still real fun," said Cartwright. Kurt Hintz was riding a bizarre TT500 contraption instead of his normal KX500, and had to work his way up through the field. "My carburetor fell off three times," said Hintz. "I had to wait for a screwdriver to fix it." Similar stories were common, and even Checkers M.e. member Larkin ff Wight had his share of probleI!ls, trying to keep the gas tank on his Baja 1000proven Triumph 650 from flying off. "But it was a hell of a lot shorter than Baja," said Wight. Lewis was back out in front in the 250cc race, banging bars with Roeseler and Davis, with Hamel not too far behind. The whooped-out course was beginning to make line selection critical, and Lewis used his dust-free lead to pick smooth.lines and stay out in front. The dust slowed Roeseler and allowed Hamel to get by, and Zitterkopf was a little ways back after a poor start. Davis was chewing on Lewis' rear fender through the motocross section at the completion of lap one, and Lewis missed a shift and gave Davis the break he needed. The former 125cc Western Regional Supercross Champion wasted little time, immediately stretching his lead. During the second circuit, Hamel used his incredible desert speed to gain on Lewis. The pair went back and forth, with Hamel making passes in the rough and Lewis motoring by in the fast sections. After the long back straight, Hamel established himself in second position. Roeseler ran into problems when his front wheel came apart, forcing him to drop out. Zitterkopf took advantage to inherit the fourth position. The positions remained the same as the leaders made their way around the third lap, but controversy was in the wind as Zitterkopf allegedly jumped the water jump under a yellow flag. The flagman clubbed Zitterkopf with his flag as the KTM rider went by, and Zitterkopf was disqualified as he went through the scoring chute. Team KTM and an unhappy Zitterkopf packed up and were gone before the completion of the race. Ed Pierce was running in the fourth spot, with Braasch right behind, but Braash soon passed Pierce for fourth. Davis came around again to take the checkered flag and his second win of the weekend. Hamel followed closely and Lewis was still there for third. Davis and Hamel were back out to settle up in the final race of the weekend. As the 500s roared off the line it looked as if Davis' chances were shot, as he remained on the line, kicking his Kawasaki. Roeseler was out in front, trying to shake the bad luck that had been following him all weekend. Hamel was right on Roeseler and was anxious to pass. "I used a good line from the 250 race and passed everyone off to the right," said Hamel. Once in front, Hamel turned up the pace and had a good 15second cushion on second-place Roeseler by the end of the lap. Hunnicutt held third for most of the first lap, until Davis passed him out of nowhere. Making up for lost time, Davis snuck by Roeseler on the second loop and set after Hamel. Ondas wa~ moving through the pack and bad worked past Hunnicutt for fourth. Roeseler was hanging on in third, and Davis was surprisingly putting· time on Hamel. The gap between first and second was closed down to 10 seconds, but time ran out in the four-lap race and Hamel took his third win of the event, with Davis right behind. Roeseler finished third, with Ondas fourth and Hunnicutt rounding out the top five. CN Unofficial Results PRO: 1. Da~y Hamel (Kaw); 2. Greg Zitterkopf (KTM); 3. Ty DaVIS (Kaw); 4. Larry Roesel.. (Kaw); 5. Oave Ond.. (Kaw). _ 1. Danny Hamel (Kaw); 2. Ty Davis (Kaw); 3. I !.any _let- (Kaw). I 2SO: 1. Ty Davis (Kaw); 2. Danny Hamel (Kaw); 3. Jimmy t-is (Kaw). 125; 1. Ty Davis (Kaw); 2. Jason Kawe1l (Kaw). V£T: 1. Larry R.-Ier (Kaw); 2. Rex Slaten (Kaw); 3. ~ Donatoni (lion).

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