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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/127754
HARE &HOUND AMA ·National Hare &Hound Championship Series Final round: 100'5 M.e. National ,""" , , "For the first couple of mHes I thought I would try to race with him but he got going really fast," said Krause. "Once he pulled out a little bit of distance 1 just thought 1 would ride without dust, so I sat back a bit and just rode my own race." Open Expert Dave Ondas, Vet contender Abe Baumann and Four-Stroke points leader Jeff Capt all got good starts and were running near the front of the pack as they headed into the first loop, and even 125cc hotshot John Braasch had something to celebrate. "1 had a really, really good start," said Yamaha-mounted Braasch. "1 had no dust all the way to the bomb and I was probably 25th or 26th when I went by it, which is great for a little bike." By Anne Van Beveren Photos by Tom Van Beveren LUCERNE VALLEY, CA, OCT. 22 here was little left to win when the banner dropped for the last round of National Hare & Hound Championship Series. The overall title had been sewn up by Danny Hamel at the end of round four of the six-event series, and KlM's Greg Zitterkopf had grabbed number two overall at the end of round five. But you wouldn't have known it from the way that Ty Davis was riding. The Kawasaki Team Green racer was hard on the gas from the moment he kicked his Kawasaki KX500 to life rocketing through the open desert, bouncing aggressively through the rocks, and gunning through the sand washes. The wide-open blitz put Davis out in front at the end of the first two miles and he kept his dazzling run going all the way to the finish. When the checkered flag dropped at the end of 80 miles, the Kawasaki hotshot was almost seven minutes ahead of his nearest rival, and his last-ditch effort had catapulted him up to number three in the overall series points race. "I got the lead as we went over the first saddle at the end of the bomb run, and I led it from then on," said Davis, who missed half the series in his successful quest for this year's National Enduro title. "I know that leading all the way makes a boring story, but I'd much rather that the story was boring than exciting. It means it was an easier race for me." The final event in the 1995 series was laid out by Southern California's 1oo's M.e. It consisted of two 40-mile loops, with a starting line that headed east from Bessemer Mine Road. . The wind was blowing hard when the Amateur I Expert wave headed up the first valley and the powdery soil of the uphill bomb run made life miserable for racers on the down-wind side of the starting area. The only answer was to go way to the left or get out in front of the dust. Davis started on the far right and aimed for the head of the pack.. "I chose the line to the rigbt on the bomb, but I went past it," he said, shaking his head. "I completely missed my trail and had to boonie-bash back over to it. Paul Krause passed me there and t (Top) The Expert/Amateur riders started things off for the final round of the National Hare & Hound Series at Lucerne Valley. (Lett) Recently crowned National Enduro Champion Ty Davis capped off the National H&H season with the overall win. (Below) Runner-up Paul Krause took the checkered flag approximately seven minutes behind winner Davis. we ended up side by side as we went past the bomb." A third Team Green rider, Ted Hunnicutt, tried the "way to the left" approach. "1 worked over to stay out of the dust but lots of guys went to the left with me and 1 ended up so far left it was impossible to tell what position I was in when I passed the bomb:: said HlUllUcutt. Krause and Davis were side-by-side, battling for the lead, as they reached the bomb. "Krause passed me about half a mile after the bomb:' said Davis. "We were dicing back and forth, then there were all these rocks to the righ t and 1 sa id, 'Woah: and backed off a bit. 1 got him back right in the first saddle." Krause's first reaction was to fight back, but Davis' high speed, plus the thick dust he was throwing up, soon changed his mind.