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/127600
eMOTOCROSS ~ ~ ... AMA Dirt Shirts Fall Classic MX Series: Round 4 rown, e 00 • ast Ire ree ('fJ ~ Q) ~ Q) :> o Z (Left) Mike Brown (54) blasted his way to three out of four mo to wins an d captured the overall in the 12Scc class. Todd DeHoop (38) was glad to take full advantage of Brown's unfortunate DNF in the 2S0cdOpen class, and romped away with that class win. (Below) Chad Lough (81) and series point leader Barry Carsten (46) battled in the 2SOcdOpen class motes, By Jay and Sharon Hauser DANVILLE, VA ocr.17 hen the AMA's newest motocross series rolled into the Birch Creek Motorsports facility, it was nearby Tenn essee' s Mike Brown who proved to be one of the main riders to beat. Brown pi loted his Jim's Motorcycle Sal e s / Answer /Hammerhead G ra ph ics /Scott / Renthal/ N-Style / Dunlop /Pro-Circuit-sponsored Hondas to th r ee m oto w in s in the 125 and 25Occ/Open classes. Brown swept both 12Sec class motos, but mechanical problems in his first 250cc/Op en moto put a damper on his overall class standings, des pite his second moto win. Taking advantage of Brown's mis fortun e in the 250cc/Open class was Honda o f Troy / P ro C ircu it/ Axo/Scott / Renthal/Hondaline/Bridgestone-backed Todd DeHoop, who nabbed the overall win with a set of 1-3 moto scores. From round one, DeHoop and Suzuki rider Barry Carsten have engaged in a dogfight for the points chase for the overall series title. Both riders are fighting for their share of the $49,200 overall purse that will be paid out when all is said and done at the end of the series. DeHoop was able to close up the points chase on series point lead er Carsten, who finished fifth and third. The pair left Virginia in a dead tie with 162 .poin ts each in the 125cc division, and Carsten retained only a small six-point lead in the 25Occ/Open class, 142-136. Light rains on Saturday night and overcast skies on Sunday left the long, winding course in perfect race condition. The new Birch Creek race track was for the most part unknown to most of the competition, and provided a very neutral combat zone. The track featured W 20 all types of terrain - from loamy sand to packed red clay with an extremely fast layout. During the early morning practice sessions, former Honda factory star Warren Rei d could be heard roaring around the track aboard his big Honda XR630. Unfortunately, Reid was never able to test his four-stroke against the grueling track as persisting problems in practice left him seeking an alternate ride. Race promoter Ken Ferrell came through in a pinch and sponsored Reid with his personal Honda CR250. Reid responded by whipping some you ng - kids and posting a respectful set of 1O-S moto scores for ninth overall in the 250cc/Open class. When the gate dropped for the first 125cc rnoto , it was Chad Lough blasting into the lead. DeHoop and Brown slid swiftly into second and third, respectivly, and wasted no time putting the pressure on Lough. Lough led the freight train of riders around for the first circuit with Damien Plotts and Jim Neese working into pastion beh ind De Hoop and Brown. Carsten gated poorly and was just outside of the top 10 at the end of lap one. During practice, Brown had discovered a unique way of getting through th e five step-up section on the front straight, and used that se t of lines to pass Lough at the end of lap one. Brown was able to wheelie over each step, keeping his bike on the ground and the power hooked up. Loug h was jumping from level to level like the rest of the pack. DeHoop was able to slip past Lough soon after Brown's pass, and was not about to let Brown get out of his sights . Plotts and Neese then went to work on Lough, but were unable to get past in the same quick fashion as the two front runners. While the top five settled into postition, Carsten hooked up with Ste-