Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

eOFF·ROAD.I\MA National Cham2ionshi2 Reliability Enduro Series: Round 2 ~ C f) 0\ 0\ ~ Fredd Hoess nabbed the overall win aboard a 1992 Husqvama WXC125. Hoess zeroed a controversial check that gave most riders fits. • Hoesssmokes em all In erse J By Mike Snyder STANHOPE, NT, MAY 9 ith Rodney Smith leading the series ·after a first-round win, and Randy Hawkins leading the National Enduro Series points race, the powerful Suzuki off-road team's chances looked good for an overall win at the one-day "ISDE qualifier" in northwestern New Jersey, especially when Kawasaki Team Green ace Larry Roeseler elected to skip the event altogether. However, Husqvarna factory rider and New Jersey native Fred Hoess played the spoiler, posting a total special test score of just 1684 seconds and snaring the overall win on a 1992 US WXE. Hawkins and Team Husqvarna's Kevin Hines tied for the runner-up position with 1736 points, and both earned points for second overall. Smith was third overall and Team Suzuki's Steve Hatch and Kawasaki rider Doug Deaton rounded out the top five positions. "It was a really fun event," said Husqvarnal Answer IScott/Dunlopl Acerbisl Arai/WER-sponsored Hoess, who works for Husqvarna in addition to riding for them. "I was a little worried in the morning as my arms pUmped up in that first test, and they never relaxed for the rest of the day. I was really nervous and I just tried to ride as best as I could." The organizing Ridge Riders Club, under the guidance of trail boss Jim W 28 Smith Sr. and with his two sons, ISDE veterans Drew and Chris Smith, laid out a very challenging 70-mile loop; which featured a variety. of terrain. Included was everything from a rocky, slippery clay-based trail to a sand pit, which was used for two special tests and the final MX special test. The areas were interlinked with a multitude of narrow twotrack logging roads, as well as an abandoned railroad system known to the locals as the "Highline," and the entire course was within the confines of the Allamuch State Forest. Although the event drew much praise from the 350 competitors who attempted it, a cloud of controversy surrounded the club's deCision to use a tight schedule through difficult terrain in the fourth section. The portion of trail caused many big names to drop route points, and the question of fairness had the 33 Intent riders split down the middle in the argument as to whether or not the club should throw out the section. "As far as I'm concerned, .the club did nothing wrong, if you follow the letter of the rule book," said the AMA's Hugh Fleming. "The whole purpose of these events is to test and challenge the Intent riders with not only terrain difficulty, but strategy, as well. Maybe the riders questioning the section should have realized that something was up with the (change of) speed average in the section, despite its grading on the sheet they got in the morning. The bottom line is (that) three riders, including Fred Hoess, zeroed tha t section and, more importantly, one of the three wasn't a local rider, which proved the point that terrain knowledge wasn't a factor. So I have to stand on the promoters' side in this instance." Smith was one of the more vocal riders who didn't agree; "We receive a sheet of paper that grades the terrain between each checkpoint before every qualifier - 1 being easy, to 4, which is most difficult. The area in question was graded a 3, which to me means it wasn't all too tough, but I feel it should've been a 4, like the section prior to (it). I came in sil< minutes early there, so if I'm properly informed, I could have done the same thing easily for that particular area. In my opinion, we don't run computers, as this isn't a (timekeeping) enduro, per say. I also feel that the trail pace tests the reliability aspect of the motorcycle and the special test scores are used to see who's the fastest and who's the winner. The bottom line is if you drop one route point that's 60 seconds you have to try and make up in the special tests, which is juSt about impossible." The rider who suffered the most from the section was Hatch, who slipped from first to fourth place in the results. "The day's overall positions for the Intent class should be decided in the special tests," said Hatch. "If they beat us in those special tests, then we could handle our lower finishing position, no problem, but the fact of the matter is, it happened at a point that shouldn't be a factor in the day's outcome. Other than that situation, I had a really good day, as I felt smooth and pretty fluid." Hoess zeroed the check, which was an important factor in his overall win. "I ran my full enduro timekeeping equipment for this event, so when I was in the section, I looked down and noticed that I wasn't maintaining the speed average, so I turned it up a notch or two and .zeroed the check - but just barely." As the first riders headed out of the start area at 8:01 a.m., they were immediately greeted with a special test in the sand pit. Many riders' scores were a little high, as they were still rubbing the sleep out of their eyes, and Hines posted the fast time despite taking a couple samples of the New Jersey sand. "Although my score looked good on paper, I had a tough lime as I crashed a couple of times," said Husqvarnal MSRIShoei/Trelleborg/Braking/Scottl Spectrol Acerbis/Factory Connection/Renthal-backed Hines. "I had a heck of a time adjusting to a test that early, because my arms pumped up right away. After that, the rest of the day didn't go too bad; I just tried to go for a reasonable ride, and rode cautiously." Once the competitors had a chance to limber up a little, they were faced with a terrain test which limed them through a wooded section of the course.· The test featured a surprise winner, as local hotshoe Kevin Bennett bested some of the fastest woods riders in the nation to garner the fastest time through the test. "I was pumped to ride this event," said the Team Green rider. "I had a tough time getting into the swing of things with the test earlier in the morning, but I was ready for the next one. I just wish that my luck would have held out, as my 125 broke a main bearing in the final motocross test." For the third special test, the riders were redirected back into the same sand pit where the first test had been run, although the club had changed the route of the test considerably. This time around, it was Hatch who circulated the track with the fastest time. Hatch's luck was short-lived, however, as the difficult fourth section spelled doom for his chances at an overall win. "We had been arriving probably 10 to 15 minutes early at each check, and then on check four, all of a sudden we got a surprise and I ended up dropping 180 points (three minutes), which totally ruined any chances I had for an overall win... The club did a pretty good job with the trail selection, and it's too bad that the problem with that check had to put a damper on an otherwise excellent event." The grand finale of the day was the final motocross special test, that featured five, three-lap motos in yet another configuration of the sand pit. The first moto served as a Hoess benefit, as the Husky pilot ran away and hid from Dale Hiles Jr. and Kerry Clark. The second moto provided a little more excitement, but most of the close racing took place behind moto-winner Hawkins. The good-sized crowd enjoyed the dogfight over second between Suzuki support rider Jon King, Yamaha-mounted Jan Hrehor and Hines. Hrehor forced his way by Hines in front of everyone on the second lap, and, not content there, the diminutive Czech soon worked his way by King to claim the second spot. In the third moto, the battling would be between Suzuki teammates Smith

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