Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

Round 7: Bentwheels National ., • ma In a run or I • Ines R CITY, MI, jULY24 OSE t was n' t all that long ago tha t many people had already written off the 1994 AMA National Championship Enduro Series, ) , thinking Tea m Suzuki's Steve Ha tch had the title ' all but wrap ped up. After all, Hatch enjoyed a hea lthy points lead just four roun ds into the nine-e vent series, ha ving already wo n three events and finishin g sixth in the other. Desp itethe fact Hatch has finis he d no worse than fifth si nce th en, Ha tch's points lead is now in jeopardy. Wh y? Because Kevin Hin es has finished ahea d of Hatch in the last three events an d is now withi n st riking d istance of the series lead er with just two rounds left in the series. Hines, aboard his CRE Impo rts/Facto ry Connect ion /Manchester / P.P.S.backed CRE250, gained yet another five points on H a tch foll o w in g hi s th ird ov era ll victo ry of the year at the Bentwheels M.C: s National Enduro in Rose City. Hin es simply out-rode his ad versaries in the Michigan sand, beating his nea rest r iv a l - Hatch - by some six points, 37-43. " I' m ha ving more fu n rid ing this year than I have in a lon g, long time," said Hin es, who hails fro m East Wareham, Massachusetts. "And having fun is the bottom line; wh en you 're having fun you win. Plus, my bike is working really, really good. I feel I have the best bike out there, and I felt the same way when I won my championship in '87. In '87 I switched to KTM and, at that time, it was far better than the Husky'S. I 'feel I'm in the same situation this year." Finishing one point behind Hatch w it h a 44-point score was defending champ Randy Hawkins whose chances of recording a sixth championship are for all intent and purpose gone - for this year at least. The Team Suzuki rider has overalled jus t one even t this year, the previous round in Ohio . Fourth overall in Michigan was Kawasaki rid er Kelby Pepper who was re po rtedly hampered by a stomach ailme nt. The Colorado resident dropped 49 points on the day, on e po int better than tha t of KTM's Jeff Russell. There was a thr ee-w ay tie for sixth but when the tie-brea kin g po in ts we re tallied, Michigan's Alan Rand t came out ahead wi th a 51.1713, followed by Matt Stavish with a 51.1761 and another Michigan residen t Scott Luca with a 51. 1782. Rounding out the top 10 were Rich Lafferty and Steve Narel, Hines, the last AA rider on row 38, headed ou t on what would end up being a lOS-mile trail, laid out by the Bentwheels M/C club . " The y did a super job," said Hines. "And one of the things I like about Rose City is the terrain, it' s like two end uros in one. On e half is run on bla ck mud and is hilly, a nd t he o t he r h alf is san d y with whoops. It had ra ined abou t one inch the night before and the cond itions were awesome." Hines set the pace early in the event, showing to the fie ld ri ght aw ay that he 'd be th e ride r to beat. By the tim e they r ea ch ed th e firs t gas, h e h ad alre ady put at least two po in ts on his nea rest rivals - Ha tch and Hawkins. "Everything wa s just clicking," said Hines. "I w as riding consistent, go t through the slower traffic jus t fine and everything just went my way. The only problem I had was that a hanging branch caught my water bottle then broke my chest protector. It was flop, ping all over the place and ge tt ing . ca ug ht on the handlebars. I felt like a peeled banana. That was the second week in a ro w th at tha t hap pen ed to me." Knowing he ha d the points advantage early in the event, Hines continued to ride strongly and consistently. "I th ink I gained at least one point on Steve and Randy in every points-takeaway section," said Hines. "I know in the longest section I dropped 10 and Rand y and Steve d ropped 12:' . As far as the cha mpionship chase goes, Hin es fee ls he has an excellent chance at the title. " Looking back to '87, I won the title a t Lucerne Valley (California), and that's were the next round is," said Hines. :'1 bet yo u I have more desert experience than all th ose guys combi ne d . Right now I have a lot of confidence, my bike is wo rking great and I feel great. " I also want to thank my frien ds Dave Burk and Jim Smith for helping me out in Michiga n," ad ded Hin es (Trelleborg, FMF, MSR, Answe r, Scott, Shoei, Spectre, WER, Fredette, Regina, Enduro Engineering, Bern ardo, Motion Pro, Renthal, Technosel, Acerbis, lCD, Braking) . "I really don 't have consisten t support at the races, so I appreciate everythin g th e y d id fo r me a t Rose City." c:N Rose City , Mich iga n Results: July 24, 1994 OIA, 1. Kevin Hin e (CRE) 37; 2 Steve Ha tch (Suz) .. 43; 3. Randy Hawkins (Suz) 44; 4. Kelby Pep per (Kaw) 49; 5. Jell Russe ll (KTM) 50; 6. Alan Rand . (KTM) 51; 7. Matt Stavish (KT M) 51; 8. Sco tt Luca (Kaw) 51; 9. Michael Lafferty (Kaw) 52; 10. Jim Gray (KTM) 55; 11. Rich Lafferty (KTM) 58; 12. Steve Na",1 (Kaw) 61; 13. Shawn luca (Ka w) 61; 14. Steven Maclean (Kaw) 63; 15. Jell Fredette (Kaw) 67; 16. Rob McGee (Suz) 74; 17. Brian Niehaus (Hon) 78; 18. Don Metz (KTM ) 83; 19. Kevin Allen (Hus) 84; 20. Jeff Kirchner (Kaw ) Il6. AI>; I. Kevin Hines (CRE); 2 Steve Hatch (Suz); 3. Ran dy Hawkins (Suz); 4. Kelby Pepper (Kaw) ; 5. lell Russe ll (KTM) . A 2OQ, 1. Bryan Kalahaer (Hon) ; 2 Troy McDonald (Kaw) ; 3. Craig Hayes (Hus); 4. Ryan Moss (Kaw ); 5. Thomas Ederer (Kaw). A 250: 1. Scott Luc a (Kaw); 2. Mich ael lafferty (Kaw); 3. Iim Gray (KTM); 4. Rich Lafferty (KTM ); 5. Steve Hare! (Kaw). A O PEN : 1. Michael Slech ta (KT M); 2. Tod d Wea ver (KTM ); 3. Scott Hoffman (KTM); 4. le ll Hall (KTM ); 5. Michael Rogers (KTM ). A 4· STR K: 1. Robert Bennett (H on); 2. Rich ar d Burleson (Kaw); 3. Jason Allison (Suz) ; 4. Jay Hillard (Hbg); 5. Dou glas Hodge (Hus). A WMN : 1. Ela ine Nobles (Han); 2. Ga le Vandewater (KTM). A VET, 1. Kevin Allen (Hus); 2 Jeff Kirchner (Kaw); 3. Kev in Vollma r (Suz); 4. vlc Fleg el (KTM); 5. John Love (KTM). A SR: 1. John Hoffma n (KTM ); 2. Frank Ph illi ps (Kaw); 3. John Bomby k (Yam); 4. Robert Kau (KTM); 5. Tho mas Ebersole (Hus). A S/ SR : 1. Ch arles Stapleford ( Ka w) ; 2. Jac k La fferty (KTM ); 3. Ca rl Scharphorn (KTM); 4. N ie l 5cha rphom Sr. (KTM) ; 5. Ernie Mellor (KTM ). 8 125: 1. Robe rt Ledford (H an ); 2. Buzz Ren velt (KTM) ; 3. Jona thon Dre her (Kaw ). B 2DO 1. Jessy Hi ntz (Kaw); 2. Leonard Au st in : (Kaw) ; 3. Jack Mcintyre (Kaw) ; 4 . Timot hy Greethan (Kaw) . B 250: 1. Troy Goetz (Kaw): 2. Scott Ma tth ews (KTM); 3. Deno Skol as (Suz); 4. Ray Holm (Hon ); 5. Terry Wilton (KTM). B OPEN , I . Bob Nicholls (KTM); 2. Jerry Pekel (KTM) ; 3. Paul Za lac (ATK); 4. Mark Shafer (KTM); 5. Karl Stratz (Yam). B 4-STRJ(, 1. Jellery Evans (Hon); 2 Carl Hampton (Suz); 3. Jerry Weldy (Hon); 4. John Cain (Suz ); 5. Kern Burden (Hon) . B VET : 1. Cr aig Sch olten (Suz); 2. Mik e Fritche (KTM ); 3. David Kyle (Hon) ; 4. Tom Harden (Suz); 5. Carllrving (Suz ). B SR: 1. Bob Babinski (Kaw ); 2. Oint So uthwo rth (KTM) ; 3. Danie l Tassier (KTM); 4. Gordon Bukowski (yam); 5. Randy Herren (Kaw). C 200: 1. Terry Wans tea d (Kaw); 2. Bryan Mars h (Kaw) ; 3. Mark Sout hworth (Kaw); 4. Timothy Dryer (Kaw); 5. Michael Haser (Kaw). C 250: 1. Fred Stevens (Suz) ; 2. Jamie Lip ovsky (Suz ); 3. William Holoweski (Ho n); 4. Rod ney Page (Kaw); 5. Steven Par ker (Yam). CO PEN: 1. Bra d fo rd Bu rrows (Ha n ); 2. Don Crock ett (KTM) ; 3. [im Miller (KTM) ; 4 . Edward Sw indell (Suz) ; 5. David Fugler (Han). • AMA NATI ONAL CHA MPIO NSHIP EN D URO SERIES UN O FFICI AL POINT ST ANDINGS (Bes' 7 o f 9 ro unds co u nt) : 1. Steve Hatch (l71/3 w ins); 2. Kevin Hines kept his title ho pes ali ve wit h an overall win at the Bentwhee l National Enduro. Kevin Hines (163/3); 3. Randy Hawkins (133/1); 4. Jeff Ru ssell (115); 5 . Kelby Pepper (93); 6. Te rry Cunningham (74); 7. Matt Stavish (73); 8. Alan Randt (66); 9. Ty Davis (37); 10. Michael Lafferty (35). Upcoming Rounds: Round 8 - Lucerne Valley, California, Oct. 16 Round 9 - Bear, Delaware, October 30

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