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/127760
r----------------------------------. Nick Pearson, Utah's Dustin Headman was leading the Sportsman racers in sixth overall just seconds ahead of Destry Abbott's KTM 250, and Honda XR400R racer Johnny Campbell, Colorado's Jim Gray and Sportsman Sean Steele rounded out the top 10. As the 21-mile second part of the figure eight began, Davis continued to push hard. He maintained the rapid pace that had ricocheted him up past 12 of the earlier starters in the first 14 miles and was soon hard on Zitterkopf's heels. Both were making ground on Healey and soon moved in to challenge him for the dust-free number-one spot. "I was right behind Healey, in his dust, about five miles before the end of the loop. 1 saw a good spot to pass in, but 1 didn't see a rock and I crashed really hard," said Zi tterkopf. "I went right over the bars and the bike plowed into my back." Davis' pass went a Jot smoother and Zitterkopf was back to try again just before the front-runners hit pit row for the second time. At the end of the first 35-mjle figure eight, Davis had the physical lead and was ahead of secondplaced Zitterkopf by two minutes on adjusted time. Healey was third in the physical standings when he completed his first loop, but his triumphant entry into desert racing was short lived. Best in the Desert organizer Casey Folks waved him to a stop at the end of pit row, and suddenly the motocrosser's first desert race was over. "He missed three checks," said Folks. "The checkpojnts started calling him right from the start. The minute they heard he was winning, they radioed in and said, 'He didn't come by us.' 1 didn't DQ him. 1 just told him he had missed the checks, so he was riding for nothing. Right now, he just lacks the experience to follow the course." Healey returned to the pits and hung up his helmet. . "I thought I hit every check everyone else did," said the motocrosser, shaking his head. "There's no way 1 would cut the course. This is my first desert race ever and 1didn't want to get lost. 1 think [ was more afraid of getting lost than I was of hi tting cactus. Oh well, 1 guess that's desert racing." With Healey out of the running, third overall passed to Donnie Book, who was five and a hall minutes behind Davis on adjusted time. Abbott's KTM was two minutes back in fourth, Sean Steele had wrestled his Honda CRSOO up into fifth ahead of Johnny Campbell's 400cc Honda thumper, and Pearson, Scot Harden and Jim Gray were caught in a three-way tie for seventh. ''I'm going to tum the 'big four-O' next year. I've been dominating the Vet class and don't have much competition the~e, ~o 1 thought ['d try racing Open Pro at this race instead," said Harden, who piloted a KTM 300. "I wanted to go for a good overall place and 1 knew it was going to be dusty, so entering Open Pro let me starl up front, too." Gray had been a lot closer to the front until he ran out of gas near the end of the loop and had to stop to put his bike on reserve. "I got a front flat, too. 1 had to ride the last five miles on that, then change it in the pit. 1 was up in front of Book until all that happened," said Gray, who was keeping a close eye on the racer from his home state of Colorado even though they were racing in different Pro classes. With his brake problems behind him, Krause had used the second part of loop one to rocket up seven places in the physical standings. KTM-mounted Jeff january 13 JANUARY EVENTS: january 20 january 27 Florida Citrus Bowl Orlando, FL Metrodome Minneapolis, MN Anaheim Stadium Anaheim, CA Tickets By Phone: Tickets By Phone: (407) 839-3900 (612) 989-5151 &::w ii fIN ,...., ...,..,. ~ ~TiCkets By Phone: (714) 740-2000 Atm #J'DUNLDPIJme. Simply die NstforJOur • • ill C"T I 0 MI:O -- JIIOtGRI'fd ••••• ~-------------------------------~--~ _ClIIII.. SC::OTTUSA. ""11111" OFFICIAL SUPERCROSS RESULTS HOTLINE l 1·900·PRO·RACE FORMERLY 1-900-HOT-RACE 1996 SERVICE BEGINS JANUARY 1 L..: I $2.00 776 I I I I I I I I 7 2 23l -..J I FIRST MINUTE I $1.00 EACH ADDITIONAL MINUTE - MUST BE 1BYEARS OR OLDER ~ ~ Htndtrsonvillt, HC Dec 29·30 • Asberille, HC Jaa 19·20 • Asbeville, HC Jaa 2&·27 • Sbelbyville, Teaa reb 9·10 • Asberille, HC reb 17·18 • Morristowa, Teaa - 5 ""AN'S 10101 YIIW SlIIUl1 $5,400.00 Pee Wet, Mini, Btgi_, Iloviu, AmaIcur, Senior &PlIO c1G1~. ~all lor INf~ 5 Il~er . 4~J·nJ·54~7 min PURSE euch weekend ''''N<;"O''.O