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/127718
(Above) Defending National Enduro Champ ion Steve Hatch was slowed by a broken goggle strap in a tight and dusty section. He still salvaged fourth overall. (Left) National Hare & Hound Champion Danny Hamel continues to improve on his enduro skills; he finis hed third at the Quicksilver National. (Below) Hare Scrambles and Reliability Enduro Champion Rodney Smith placed fifth despite competing in his first enduro s ince he' was 12 years old. total of 18 points, but when th e tie breaker scores we re ad ded up, the Suzuki rider go t the nod. "Although [ will concen tra te on the Har e & Hounds and the SCO RE Series agai n this year," said Ha me l, noting his non-threaten ing relation to the en duro p oints chase, "I like the challenge and divers ity of riding e nduros. It ' s like game p laying. You have to think, time things, and still ride fast." Hatch , last yea r's National Enduro Champion, seemed the odds-on favo rite after the first section, dropping just a sing le poi nt. Whi le Hatch kept this lead throu gh the second loop , he had a dose of un fortunate luck in the form of a broken gogg le strap on third and most di fficu lt ci rcu it. "The dust w as reall y bad anyway, and that jus t made it worse," said a blood shot Hatch, as Suzuki team man ager Mike We bb p re p a red h im a tow el and eyew ash. "I cou ldn ' t see very well , and Randy an d Rodney (Smith ) caug h t me from behind. [ let Randy go by and a moment later 1 di d a fourthgea rendo." Despite having th e insu lt ad ded to injury, Ha tch g a thered s tre ngth and conti nu ed racing, though his chan ce at the win had already been lost. Freak accidents see m to ha unt Hatch, wh o last year nearly los t an eye when tire carcass hi t him while he was driving to a race. In spite of h is misfortu ne at Coa linga, Hatch rallied to a solid fourth ove rall. For mer MX GP con tender and current Na tional Hare Scrambles and Reliability End uro Ch ampion Rodney Smit h made the relati vely sho rt dri ve from his hom e in Oakl ey, California to race the Quicksilver, and finished fifth. "I came last year," Smith said, "but it was snowing so I decided not to race. This is the first enduro [ have raced since I was 12 years old . I've got a lot to learn." Smith, who might h ave finis hed better with so me ac cu r a te tim eke e ping equ ip me nt, h ad a knowledgeabl e professor in teammate H awkin s. "Randy and I rod e on the sa me minute," Smith sa id . " Bu t I didn't program m y own a compu ter and as it was, m y computer was se t on St eve ' s mi nute . H e (Hawkins) was jus t crui sin g along and I kept thi nking, 'Hey Randy! Get going, we' re late.'" When asked whether he wou ld continue th e se ries a s it s nakes its way across the U.S., Smith replied, "Like last yea r, I will concentrate on the reliability races , hare scrambles and I'm also goi ng to race the GNCC (Grand National Cross Coun try) se ries ." Also like last year, Smith is a heav y favorite to repeat those titles . Off-road 's ve rs ion of th e Energ izer Bunny, Larry Roeseler, mad e the trek to Coalinga to show that although he may be backing off a bit com pared to before, h e hasn't for gotten h ow to tw is t th e th r o ttle . Ro e s e ler, rese m b li ng. a munchki n next to the hu lking fram e of team ma te Ham el, was clean-face d and read y to ride afte r posting a respectable sixth-place finish. Rou nd ing out the next fo u r pl a ces were Co lora do's Pep p er, Easterne r Mike Lafferty, multi-tim e Alliga tor Enduro winner Joey Hopkins and Doug Blackwell , respectively. 1"X Quicksilver National Enduro Coalinga, California Results: February 19, 1995 O/A: 1. Ty Davis (Kaw ) 17/ 283; 2. Rand y Ha wkins (Suz) 18 / 2% ; 3. Danny Hamel (Kaw) 18/376 ; 4. Steve Hatch (Suz ) 19 / 353; 5. Rod ney Sm ith (Suz) 20 /303 ; 6. Larry Roesel er (Kaw) 22 / 409; 7. Kelb y Pepper (Kaw) 24 /392; 8_Jim Grey (KTM ) 26/500; 9. Mike Laf fer ty (KTM) 32 / 524; 10 . Do n n ie Boo k 32/527; 11. Do u g Blackwe ll 32/588; 12. Matt Sta vis h 33 /673; 13. Dave Flashberger 34 /531; 14. Joe Hop kins 34 /633 ; 15. John May 36/ 620; 16. Joe Bruce 36 /869 ; 17. Greg Zltte rkopf 37 /711 ; IS. Joel Smith 37/734; 19. Mike Walla ce 38/713; 20. Steve Silvestri 38 /732. BOlA: 1. Jeff San tos 88/1769; 2. Pa u l Brune lli 91/1828; 3_P. Peel 94 /1828; 4. Ma ck 104 / 2022; 5. B. ' Case ld e n 105 /2096; 6. J. Boardman 107 /2099; 7. S_ Boardman 110/ 2272; 8. Greg Tri ckett 112 / 2131; 9. B. Pine 124 /2706; 10. David Weathers 135/3248; 11. R. Boyd 137/2350 ; 12. M. Hayes 176 /5022 ; 13, D. Galford 572 /2364; 14. P. Venuti 579 /2639; 15. Ben Porschet 592/2511; 16. Butle r 597/ 3281; 17. M. Sitto n 627/ 3232; 18. C. Vasconcellos 635 /3864; 19. Rolan McFadden 639 / 2337; 20_Jerry Blinkcnberg 646/ 35%. - , C 0 /'" 1. R. Bowser 19/ 60; 2. R. Harrison 34/328; 3_ R. Farra r 39/ 260; 4. K. Cre rar 41/86; 5. R. Tiesso 41/ 660; 6. E. Je nkins 44/223 ; 7. T. Elmore 4S/211 ; 8. R. Pocher 48 /339 ; 9. D. Auclt 54/ 384; 10. Brian Carillo 59/263; 11. W. Newman 59 /29 1; 12. H . Won g 62 /1065; 13. D. Wright 66 /753; 14. M. Qua rtararo 68/ 1126; 15. K. Jenkin s 73 /290; 16. M. Dav is 75/ 286; 17. P. Hirely 77/122; 18. Jeff CLlrk 79/56; 19. S. Schroeder 81/ 254; 20. J. Wilgus 83 / 1536. . '- Kawasaki;_ 2nd - - uzuki; 3rd - Kawasaki;'4th S . Suzuki; 5th :.Suzuki; 6th - Kawasaki; 7th -. Kawasaki. So where were the Honda , Yama. ha and KTMprotests , anyway? Although .Ty 'Davis posted the overall win: not ' -- '. everything went easily the Kawasa ki ,pilot ' Besides featuring -some of Mother 'Nature's ,for ."At the beginning of lhe week; the bike was a nastiest terrain: the fi nal loop .also featured bare frame." Davis sai d. ."J ames Dega ine some rather horrifying un-natural terrain. :(former Kawasa ki mechanic) came up to the _including a section where flag-men attempted house 'and worked on it for two days , but to shuffle adrenaline-filled racers through a there wasjust toe much to becone. At 11:00 criss-cross intersection ,in the course. Further p.m., we were still p utting on the final touch- _ on inthe loop; a group of bearded gentleman es ." Inside sources hote that Davis was' spot- weari ng open-faced helmets and intense ted late at night'-Ieaching ii plate _f spaghetti stares were resolutely riding the race course ' o 'from a" nearby camp while two 'Kawas a ki . ' backwards. Andlastly, a group of recreational mecha nics messed with the wiring to -his - jeepersthouqht it would be fun to watch the 'computer, - ',' .» , , • - -' • racers go by from 'a scenic 'spot' directly on -'. the racecourse. . The much-anncipated ~wa~aklisuzuki bat- ' . ' - " _ . " .". . ,, _ from the cast. o! ch~rac- · tie started off strong at the-opening National, . Notlc.eably rrussmq _ cornptetewlt n hushed lones 'a nd harsh . te.rswas last year's race winner Kev'r H,"e~: stares. While Kawasaki was thefirst carnp .to ' time~ , who W ill contest muc.h.of thts years da sh up to the Sa linas Ramblers .wlth .circon, plans to pick up the senes later m the protests after the race. Suzu~i promisedto do - schedule and use the AMA "throw-away" rule. Iikewise_if any actions'were 'taken to throw . WhICh ,allows riders ,to disc ard two events .out the _ first check. The' finishing.-order: 1st- from theirfinal )ames. : '. BriefIY-'---,-~--:------c -