Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

Final round: Seattle International Raceway • are Photos by Jim Talkington KENT, WA, NOV. 5 t would've been a long, long winter if I didn't win the championship," said an obviousIy relieved Scott Summers. "You wouldn't believe how much preparation went into this season, and if I didn't win at least one championship, weB, let's just say I would not have been very happy." This year's race for the gold in the AMA National Championship Hare ScrambIes Series came down to the wire for both KTM's Scott Plessinger and Honda's Summers, who was still reeling from a heartbreak loss to long-time rival Plessinger in the AMA Grand National Cross Country Series. At that race, in CrawfordsviIIe, Indiana, with the series title 'on the line, Summers was leading by approximately 30 seconds over Plessinger before colliding with a course marshal and losing his advantage over Plessinger. Plessinger eventuaIIy passed Summers and went on to win the race and take the series title. Summers and Plessinger matched series points when all was said and done, but Plessinger was declared the reigning champ by virtue of his having recorded more overall victories than Summers during the course of the season. The loss didn't sit weII with Summers. "I was really disappointed," said Summers. "I was reaIIy upset; 1 didn't even answer the phone aII week (afterwards) because I just didn't want to explain what had happened." A week later, at Seattle International Raceway, the site of the final round of the National Hare Scrambles Series, Summers found himself in a nearly identical situation. "Actually, this was worse than last week," said Summers. "In Indiana, the scenario was simple - if Scott (Plessinger) won, the championship would be his, if I won, it woUld be mine, but here (Washington) I didn't control my own destiny. I had to win and hope that somebody finished in between me and Scott." Despite the seemingly unfavorable odds, Summers maintained a positive attitude going into the Washington race. "I've been training and putting a lot of preparation into this season, and I mow I had the 'endurance," said Summers. "This sport has changed a lot lateIy, and training and endurance has "I g< 0\ "'""" ~'" , ... l-< Q) ..0 S ~ ..... o Z 6 (Right) After losing the Grand National Cross Country title to Scott Plessinger the previous week In Indiana, Scott Summers (1) got sweet revenge In Washington, where he wrapped up his fourth Hare Scrambles number-one plate. became a major factor if you want to win. 1I The one rider Summers was counting on was former hare scrambles champ Rodney Smith. "I really didn't want to play the spoiler," said Team Suzuki's Smith. "In fact, last year I was in the same situation with these guys, so I just didn't go. I figured it would be best to let them decide it out between themselves. "But this year was different," said Smith, this year's "Top American" at the Polish Six Days. "This time 1 had an outside chance at the championship or at least finish second in the series. t had to race." As could be expected, Plessinger was a little disappointed about his thirdplace performance. "All I had to do was finish second and I'd win the championship," said a somber Plessinger. "I just didn't have a great ride, that's all there was too it. I went backwards instead offorwards." Plessinger started off near the front of the pack but just could not maintain a winning pace. "I couldn't get a rhythm going," he said. This would be the first time a National Hare Scrambles round was held at Seattle International Raceway and would be hosted by the Team Crutch motorcycle club. "It was a really cool race," said Summers. "We had about a mile and a half of pavement, and two to three miles of grass tracks, kind of like the Six Days. Then, they had a motocross section with jumps, doubles, whoops, the whole nine yards. It was great for the spectators. And the rest was tight woods. So there were four major varieties of terrain. It was really cool." . "Yeah, it was really a fun course," agreed Smith. "1 made up most of my time on the grass track and the motocross sections." Plessinger, on the other hand, did not share the same sentiments. "I really didn't care for the course," said Plessinger. "I liked the woods section, but it wasn't long enough for me. But I did have the most fun on the motocross section, honest." Summers fel t that the long pavement section worked to his advantage. "You'd hold the throttle wide open for a long period of time," said Summers. "I figured my bike could do about 85 miles per hour, and I know a lot of the two-stroke guys were worried about seizing." "Not me," said Smith. "I went up two sizes on the mainjet, did the killswitch thing, and didn't worry at alL. Just pinned it." Unlike like traditional hare scrambles events, this one started out on pavement. "There were about 35 riders on the first row and the first turn got a little scary, but everyone got through okay," said Summers. "I got off the line in second," said Smith, "then the guy who got the holeshot missed the first turn and went off the track a little bit and 1 jumped out into the lead." Hot on Smith's trail was KTMmounted Jason Dahners, Plessinger and Summers. However, Smith opened up the throttle on his Suzuki RMX250 and began pulling away from the rest of the pack. "I felt good and opened up lead," said Smith. But that wouldn't last for long. "We were on this narrOW traiJ on a ridge and I bumped a tree with my shoulder," said Smith. "I bourlced aff the trail and went off the side of the ridge. I had to get off my bike and drag it back up to the trail. By that time, everyone had caught up to me: Dahners, Plessinger and Summers." Despite the mishap, Smith still led the way after the first lap, but not by much. Then, Smith ran into more problems.. "The way the course was marked, it looked as though it went back into the

• Cover