Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

(Top left) A crash on day two held Steve Hatch to fifth overall. (Above) National Hare Scrambles Champion Scott Summers threads his big XRthrough a section of trees. Because of land-use problems, no grass tracks were Included, so riders were scored only In terrain tests. (Left) With some guidance from a course worker, Six-Days veteran Drew Smith powers out of a terrain-test corner. The tight terrain gave the Eastern riders a definite advantage with first, third, fourth and fifth positions going to woods warriors Hawkins, Fred Hoess, Duane Conner and Steve Hatch, respectively, "I crashed during two tests (on day one), so I tried not to make any mistakes today," said runner-up Smith, who hails from Northern California, "I don't like these trees, I'm not a tight woods rider, but I guess my scores don't show that. When 1 walked the tests a couple o f days ago, I thought Scott (Summers) had the best chance of winning, In this type of rocky terrain he's definitely got the advantage over us two-strokes as far as traction goes," That advantage was cancelled out when Summers fell during his first special test. "I was just trying too hard," said the Honda factory rider. "I fell four times during the first two tests. I fell so hard that I actually bent my footpeg so bad that 1 couldn't get the bike started, 1 went to kick over the bike and the kickstarter stayed down, I had to bump-start the bike. I lost like a minute in that section." Summers' first two special test scores put him behind Hawkins by almost two minutes. By the end of .day one he was in second place in the Heavyweight Four-Stroke class, following class leader Jared Green by eight seconds. On day two, Summers dropped three minutes at route checks, a definite no-no in qualifier riding. "I picked up some route points today by not paying attention," said the XR600 pilot. "It's hard to make up for ignorance with speed." Summers redeemed himself by outperforming Green in the day-two special tests, and Green had trouble maintaining . the trail pace, so when the scores were tallied Summers had won his division by eight seconds, and was 15th overall . The same section that cost Summers also caught Chris Smith off-guard . Riding a Honda CRl25, Smith was fifth overall going in t o day two . " I dropped two m inutes on c h e c k six today," he said at the finish, 1 had bumped up a few minutes and was actually breaking v irgin tra il. It was hard to just concentrate and ride hard and still find your way, By the time I rode that section later in the day, the 250s had it burned in so well that I made it through with three m inutes to spare," Smith fini shed t hi rd in the Lightwe igh t class b ehind H a wkins and Hoess, and ninth overall . Hoess proved once aga in that he was a rider to contend with . The Husqvarna employee fin ished third o verall and secon d in the Ligh tweigh t cl ass , riding a WXE125, desp ite suffering arm pump on day two. "The first m ile th at I rode (competitively) on a bi ke this yea r was the fir st mile after th e sta rt," sai d Hoess, " s o I'm real h appy w ith m y results." . Conner overcame a day-one crash to finish second Heavyweight and fourth overall. "I had just left one of the special tests when I wrecked and dislocated m y thumb," said the Yamaha YZ250 pilot. "I taped it up for (day two), but 1 had to baby it because it hurt real bad." Hatch's efforts landed h im thi rd Heavyweight and fifth overall. "Today (day two) I flipped hard during the first test and 1 decided tha t 1 should save myself for next week's National (enduro)," said Hatch, who is currently .leading that series, In the Lightweight Four-Stroke class, Vincent Davis -set the gold-medal pace and finished ahead of Drew Smith, In the Senior division, Ron Ribolzi, Tom Webb and Dick Burleson all set a goldmedal pace, with less than 14 seconds separating them at the finish. eN White Rock Qualifier Ozark National Forest, Arkansas Results: March 19-20, 1994 0 1A; 1. Randy Hawkins (5uz) 2911.45 points; 2. Rodney Smith (Suz) 2914.14; 3. Fred Hoess (Hus) 2970,16; 4. Duane CoMer (Yam)2980.07 S.Steve Hatch (Suz ) 3018.07; 6. Kevin ; Hines (CRE) 3023.27; 7. Fred Andrews (Yam) 3032.27; 8. Step han Van Zant (Suz ) 3087.26; 9. Chris Smit h (Ho n) 3101.14; 10. Dav id Rhode s (Kaw ) 3107.14; 11. Eu gene Springston(Suz) 3109.16; 12. Alan Randt (KTM) 3127.18; 13. ; Jeff Plunkett 3134.53; 14. Ed Lojak (Yam) 3143.39 15. Scott Sununers (Hon) 3152.69; 16. Vincent Dav is 3161.86 17. Jeff ; ; Fredette (Kaw) 3164.60; 18. Kelby Pepper (KTM) 3172.98 19. JUI> Gray (KlM) 3178.75;20. Tun Shephard(Yam)3183.18. UW LOI, 1. Randy Hawkins (5uz); 2. Fred Hness (Hus); 3. Chris Sm ith (Hon ); 4. Kelby Pe pp er (KTM); 5, Scott Chapkovich (5uz ). HIW t OI: 1. Rodney Sm ith (Suz); 2. Duan e Conner (Yam); 3. Steve Hatch (Suz); 4. Kevin Hines (CRE) 5, Fred ; Andrews (Yam). S fl\l '. , ....'.. .. ' .. .. .. . 'r'l e l' ' . , .. . T•• i ' uw4-S LO~ I. Vrncent Dam; 2. Drew Smith (5uz); 3. Steve Silves tri (Hu s); 4. Chris Hu ll (Hb g); 5, John May (Hus), HJW 4-S LO~ I. Scott Sununers (Hon); 2. Jared Gre en (Kaw); 3. Dan Harte (Hon); 4. Tun Surdyke (Hb g); 5. Greg Zitterkopf (KTM) . SR LO~ I , Ron Ribolzi (Hon); 2. Tom Webb (eRE); 3. Dick Burleson; 4. Joe Lojak (Yam); 5. John Hollman. AMA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP RELIABILITY ENDURO SERIES POINT STANDINGS (Alter 1018 round s): 1. Randy Haw kins (30/1 win); 2. ~n ey Smith (25); 3. Fred Hness (21); 4. Duane Conner (18); 5. Steve Hatch ; (16); 6. Kevin Hines (15); 7, Fred Andrews (14) 8. 5tephen . Van Zant (13); 9. ChrisSmith (12); 10. David Rhodes (11);11. Eugene Springs ton (10); 12. Alan Randt (9); 13. Jell Plunkett (8); 14. Ed Lojak (7); 15. ScottSummon (6); 16, Vrna:nt Dam (5); 17. Jeff Fredette (4); 18. Kelby Pepper (3); 19. Jim Gray (2); 20. Tun Shephanl (1). Upcoming Rounds: Round 2 - Crosbyton, Texas, April 16-17 Round 3 - Perkinston, Missouri, April 23-24 . ,' .one, Summers.did; lndeed.cwinthe Heavy-.. > weightf;our.-Stroke cl~s:·..· ' . 'Kawas~ki ride~' H~~ghrode . Aaron . well.. but. . ', , " . ' .' . :: . ." .. had his problems: H9ughhad tumed ina siellar ' Lightweight?: Heavyweight? When:you see i day-onepertormance l!lat'would have put him.: these words in this. stoiy, we're refe rring 'not .. . in third overall.but was penalized 60 paints for . · to the phys iques.of .the ·.ride rs ,: but tothe . imPound,irig his KX125.one miri.tite late at.the '. clas s es they ride 'iri" For '94, the ' FIM nas".. 'end 01the diiy.."When I crossed the .yellow flag reduced .the numberol divlsions in ii,terna- ,: going imo the impoUnd area , 1had 30 seconds · tional 'e nduro eompetitlon by· two;. effectively",:·· le.ft in'.my. 'g race period," said ' Hou 'gh,':'There ' · doing away with the 80 and .500ec two-stroke .: .were about five other ndersln front of me' and : ·.divis ions .. The re ,is still some 'confus ion over 'c' by lIui time 1got scored J was' few' seconds . the FIM's titlEis of·"12Scc class" .(for bikes .0, .: late.·nie rule book says that the .yellow flag is ' i 12Scc) .a nd "1-7Scc class" .(for .bikes < 26cc '. the tHne line ,~ Houghfiled IIprotest imd lost the . :.a nd up)'" fo( two-strokes : and "3S0cc' Four, ' . decision , but plansio appeal .to. the AMA: : · stroke .claSs· (far bikes.·0-3sOt:c) arid "SooCc 'Houghdropped out on day two. when he suf" · class ".(for bikes 3S1cc and -up)' for thumpers.,:' fared /WO. flais and lost.his rsar ~e "ut: ' . so .we'ra ·simplifyiC)Q itby'l!'sing'"l:ightweighr .' ' ' . : : '.' " .. .. ' : ,... .. . . , . . , 'a nd "Heai/Y.Weigtrt." We'll see (it 'catches on, ..'.The White:Rock·sa.v" the qualifier debut of. · -: . ' .'. .. . .' .. " . .. . ' , ".' . :,:.' :. , .::.. : .: . :....:former'{TlotocrosserGuY Coo~'r, .. he'Su,zuki: t National Hare' Scrambles 'Champion scott '::.·.rider had a rude awakening when he dropped: :Suminerli 'was on hand at th.e While Rock ::: 300 ioutej;oinis ai the'first checkatter losing: "Qualifie r; deSjiitehav.ing last ridden the series. " ' trail and' showing' up five:minutes late.... .the in 1989; "(Qualifie rs j i re like a· s ix;hovt; ·, Still, 'he remainedupbeat, "' need. to learn .. . moto rcyc te :t(a lnI ng:ca·m p,. because .yo u .' .that !"lm~tinies sloWing do'Nn isawt]ole.lot : sPend so "much' time onyour bike '(that) Y9U ' :better than pinning'it;"·said,Coopere."My .tal-: · become . !I better .rider,~said :Suinmers.."The:,,, 'ilntS lie in motocross , You have to be good . .iast tim!'l l iode" the 'qualifier series, I won ·,my. ·,:trail ride.r to be up fron!" in thissp.ort. .:/ustgive: fir~tt-lational . pharnpionship '.the . nextyear. ;:. .me .some. time,~Coop.er. finished.beck i~ tl:Je . · Right nO)N 1'{Tl Just concentrating on pulling'off" : pack: butw9uldhave placed fifth .overall ifnot : ·· .. ... .a .claaswin," [)espnea 'few'niistaKeson'clay.:. forlosing the routepoints...: .... '.' , . . . . "0 · . . . .-. . . . a a 3

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