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G OFF·ROAD AMA National Championship Hare Scrambles Series: Round 4 e ~---.-------, Rodney Smith scored the overall win at the Shasta Dam GP National Hare Scrambles.. Scott Plessinger, the defending champ, had to pit for gas every lap. He finished third. Smith scores Shasta DamGP win Photos by Tom Zarraonandia JlF 12 REDDING, CA, APR 4 inally! After two seconds, a third - now a win," said Team Suzuki's Rodney Smith following the Shasta Dam Grand Prix, where he recorded his first-ever National Hare Scrambles victory. "I just had to stop making mistakes like I've been making at the last couple of races." The win didn't come easily for the Team Suzuki/Thor /Bieffe/Smith/ Dunlop /Pro- Taper /Bel-Ray /UniFilter /FMF /Race Tech-backed Smith, as he had to fight back and forth the entire race with two-time National Hare Scrambles Champion Scott Summers and seven-time Shasta Dam event winner Ron Naylor. For the fourth time in a row, Summers was the runner-up at Shasta, while Naylor eventually recorded a DNF. The defending champ Scott Plessinger ended up a distant third, far ahead of the fourth-place finisher Jan Hrehor, who won the previous round in Tennessee. Rounding out the top five was ISDE veteran David Rhodes. The event, hosted by the Redding Dirt Riders, was described by most of the racers as extremely fast, but unlike many previous Shasta Dam GP races, it was dust-free. A downpour prior to the race forced the organizers to make lastminute changes to the track. Most of the tight and technical sections had to be cut out because of flooded areas in the woods, so much of the race was held on slick logging roads. The first lap of the four-lap race was approximately 28 miles; the remaining three laps were 2S miles each. Each go-'rouhd took the top riders approximately 50 minutes to complete, and the long laps meant that fuel consumption would playa major role in this race. The competitors left the start area in rows of 10 at approximately IS-second intervals; the AA riders began on the first wave, followed by the A-class riders, the B division and finally the C class. KTM-mounted Plessinger jumped out to the early lead, but hot on his heels were Suzuki RMX2S0-mounted Jon King,. Smith, Naylor and Summers. "Plessinger and I were side by side at the start," said King. "But over a section of man-made jumps right after the start, Rodney blew by us like we we,re standing still; he never let off! Then I had problems with my goggles and about six or seven guys passed me." While Smith, the two-time 250cc MX GP winner, set the pace out in front on his Suzuki, Naylor, riding a Husqvama 360WXE, was hard on the gas and closing. He soon passed Plessinger for second, and then set out after Smith. As the riders came into the scoring chute at the end of the first lap, it was Naylor leading the way with Smith second and Summers running third approximately five seconds behind, on a Honda XR600.. Plessinger had dropped to fourth, while Hrehor, on a factory-backed Yamaha WR250, ran a distant third. "I really didn't want to be leading at that point," said Smith. "I had a strategy. I've made the mistake in the past, trying to lead early in the race. Here, I wanted to follow for a few laps, because you get to know the track better, and the trail gets wider and wider; you can see easier and it..also makes it easier to pass. I knew Naylor basically owns this race, so I wanted to follow his lines for a while." Little did Smith know that Naylor had taken a rock in the face during the first lap, which forced the Husky rider to slow down his pace. . "Rodney's bike kicked up a rock on a long uphill section about five miles into the race," said Naylor. "It hit me in the' face and just about knocked me off the bike; in fact, both my hands came off the handlebars. The rock popped the lens out 6f my goggles, but I was still able to catch up and pass Smith, but the rock really stunned me and knocked me goofy." By the second lap, Naylor's injury began affecting his riding. "I was beginning to feel dizzy, and I didn't feel safe going fast," said Naylor. "After I passed Smith, I began slowing and I don't think Smith knew that. This is what allowed Summers to catch both of us." During the second lap, Smith repassed Naylor for the lead. "After Smith passed me, I just let Summers pass me," said Naylor. "I just couldn't ride anymore. Then I let Plessinger and Hrehor pass me, and on the third lap I just pulled out of the race." For all intents and purpose, Smith's race was won on the third lap. "Both me and Summers had five gallon gas tanks on our bikes, and I knew that I would have to pit once and that Scott wouldn't have to stop at. all:' said