Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

HARE SCRAMBLE ROund 4: Yellow. Banks Hare Scrambles AMA Mid-South Winter HS Se~ By Paul Michels FORDVILLE, KY, DEC. 3 entucky's own Mike Morris, aboard his Dukes Performance Yamaha, edged out Sport Cycle Racing's Doug Blackwell during round four of the Mid-South Winter Hare Scrambles Series on an unseason' ably warm but gloomy day in western Kentucky. Abou t an hour before the start of the Yellow Banks Hare Scrambles, there was a brief shower that made for perfect racing conditions after a somewhat slippery first lap. Blackwell Jed the host of AA riders into the woods after the deadengine start. Blackwell continued out front on his Yamaha until about the three-mile marker when he overshot one of the high-speed turns and Morris. got by him. Blackwell quickly fell back in behind Morris, with semiretired Aaron Hough, on a Kawasaki, in close pursuit in third. 'Hough had little breathing room over Thompson's Motorsports Yamaha Mike Sampson, who formerly held down the series points lead until the last couple of races when he suffered some freak accidents that have garnered him less than stellar results. Multi-time National Hare Scrambles and GNCC Champion Scott Summers, n his big Honda XR600, hung close to ampson in fifth, as Former aUonal nduro Champion Terry Cunningham kept his Kawasaki within striking disance of Summers. As the Pro class funneled into the coring barrels at the end of the first 9.5'Ie lap, Morris held a small lead over lackweLl, while Hough continued his charge in third, and Sampson kept pace in fourth; then came Cunningham on his ew Team Green ride, but Summers as nowhere to be seen. Summers explained after the race hat he was behind Sampson around the 've-mile mark when he got a pretty ood roost thrown on him, and his ike's oil cooler got punctured by a rock d started spewing oil all over. "I just ound the quickest way back to the pit ea via course workers and changed y rear tire on my pare bike. I waited or the leaders to come back around and ell in behind them," Summers said. By then the top five were spread out, ith the exception of front-runners orris and Blackwell who were keeping ose company. Hough was 20 seconds ff the leaders' pace. Sampson contined in fourth with Cunningham right n his fender. At the start of the fourth of six laps, orris held a small lead over Summers, ho was only riding for fun since he as out of contention after missing an ntire lap. 'Blackwell was in close puruit in second and Hough was now bout 25 seconds off the leaders. Cunningham eventually passed ampson, who was struggling with a houlder injury, which he sustained in a ace last week. The positions remained the same ·th the exception of Summers catching nd passing Morris and then falling ack in behind him again. "I haven't ad a chance to race with Morris fore," he said. "I wanted to ride with 'm for a while. And from what I K • observed, he goes pretty well for not being around as long as some of the other woods veterans. Of course, he has youth in his favor." Blackwell remained in close company with Morris a they started into the sixth and final lap, and Summers bowed out choosing to let the two top contenders settle things among themselves. He didn't want to interfere with their race. Morris continued out front at a rapid pace that carried the two Yamaha riders to the finish line just a few bike lengths apart. Blackwell said, "It was just one of those days where when you'd finally catch up to him (Morris) and were going to make a pass, and he would get a lapper between us, and I couldn't get around right away, and,he was gone again." Hough clocked in about 30 seconds off the pace of the leaders. Cunningham made his earlier pass on Sampson stick as he came in fourth. Sampson put pain aside and managed to stay alive in the overall standings, as he carded a respectable fifth overall. When asked, winner Morris said he (Above) Four-time National Enduro Champion Terry Cunningham, now riding Kawasakis again, finished fourth overall. (Left) Tony Hendon, a former National HS Champion, won the Vet A class. continues to stretch his winning streak to four, though seasoned veteran Barry Brazier kept him in sight and made Sanders work for his win. In the Open A class, Rodney Judson outdistanced reigning series champion Harvey Whitaker, who struggled with an ill-handling motorcycle. Still, Whitaker finished second. l-:'i Mid-South HS Series Rockford, Illinois Results: December 3, 1995 agreed with other racers that the track was a little more open and faster than usual, but he liked it. "Of course it's always fun when you win, but I didn't really have any bad get-offs or anything." Former National Hare Scrambles Champion Tony Hendon, riding a Suzuki of Paris RMX250, extended his winning streak in the Vet A class over second-place Bryan Adams, on a Kawasaki. Greg Gillian also continued his winning ways, as he made the trip from Virginia to Kentucky payoff with a victory in the 250cc B class. Tim Pool finished second. Cody Maxwell beat the odds in the Four-Stroke class by carding first place on his Kawasaki over a nearly alI-XR field. Philip Barker kept him in sight but couldn't make the pass. . The 250cc A clas is turning into the "Steve Show," as Steve Gordon and Steve Ezell had yet another all-out, barbanging brawl. Gordon was .left still standing in first place. Kevin Creekmur continues to donlinate the 125cc B class, as he came out on top of a battle with Paul Allen. John Broughton llounced back from a dismal finish at the previous round in the Vet B class to take top honors, while Robert Adkins finished second. In the 200cc A class, Mike Sanders O/A: 1. Mike Morris (Yam); 2. Doug Blackwell (Yam); 3. Aaron Hough (Kaw); 4. Terry Cunningham (Kaw); 5. Mke Sampson (Yam~ 200 k 1. Michael Sanders (Kaw); 2. Barry Brazier (Kaw); 3. John Lenard (!

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