Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

second moto. Arizona desert ace Destry Abbott rode a steady race (complete with backpa ck water ju g ) to re co rd eigh th. Abbott dropp ed as far back as 11th on the second lap, bu t kept a controlled pace to finish back inside the top 10. Ninth place went to Arizona's Robert Naugh to n o n a H ond a XR400, one of two in the field. Na ug hton, wh o w as a former NMA mini star and AMA Western Division Supercross standou t, hadn't ridden in nearly five years, deciding on a wh im to enter the race. "I'm doing a lot o f downhill m ountain biking up in R agstaff whe re I live," Naughton said . "Bu t I hadn't done an y riding until a bunch of us all got the new Hondas and I thought , ' Wha t the heck: and entered ." Little did Robert know what kind of a da y he was to hav e. Tenth in moto one w as the other Honda XR400 of Southern California yo u ngster E.}. Wright. The 19-year-old wa s the yo u ngest and also th e m o st darin g o f th e fie ld, often laun ching his machine further d own the fam ou s Can y on "Suicide" jump than anyo ne else. When asked abou t the head shake he got on one jump, Wright shook his head. "Wo w, tha t w as so me se rio us flex tha t time," Wright said . " It shoo k pretty bad - you could see it from up there?" Between rounds was pretty much routin e, with tire (and tire co m pound) changes being the order of the day. The second m ot o roa red off w ith Ward emerging from the pack at the end of the starting straight on his white CCM. Smail ran secon d w ith Dymond again in third ahead of Young. Ward crossed the finish line several length s ahead of his followers, on ly to pull over to the right at the top of the hill next to the starting area . "A s I w as go ing arou n d th at righ thander next to the start, the bars slipped allthe way forward to the number plate and then back to the tank:' Ward said. "I didn't have mu ch choice and had to pull ove r. Then my mechanic had to run and get the I2mm tool, and by the time we got it all tight, they were gone ." Ward rejoined the race on lap six. His 4-14 tally was good for eigh th overall. Smail took the le a d when Ward pulled over and was never headed the rest of the day. His 1-1 score was good for a $1300 payoff and the series lead. It d idn't come without hard work, however, as abou t a qu art er of the way through moto two, Young drove up within inches of him at the hairp in comer, possibl y even touching the KTMs rear tire with his Husaberg's front tire . For Young, it was more of a sym bolic gesture than a real challenge, however, as the pain from his previously injured right knee was too intense. Young 's 2-2 score collected second for the day. "I just wanted to let him know I was there," Young said. "We ' ve got se ven more races, and I know my bike has the power. I'm going to see the doctor as so o n a s I get hom e and take it e asy before th e White Broth ers race at Glen Helen. We've got a good team and great equipment. Hey, what can I say? We all had a great time here." Behind Young a great story was sha p-, ing up. Dym on d su ccumbed to Young on the third lap, then held the place all the way to the 14th lap where he disappeared from the field and DNFed . Seems th e engine was accid en ta lly overfilled wi th an ex tra quart of oi l and finally hydraulically locked . Gary Dircks had s t a rt ed in sixth, passed Co upe on the second lap and stayed in fourth until well over halfway in the race. Brother Drey Dircks passed Gary on lap 11. Gary went on to finish fourth in the moto and lith overall: It was an outstan ding ride for the former mini champion . Drey Dircks, meanwhile, kep t charging for the enti re race. He started eight h, ran fifth to behind Gary un til lap 11 an d then went on to finish thi rd for a third overall an d first pri vateer. His mechanic also received the first-place privateer m oney put up b y th e Motorcycle Mechan ics Insti tute of Phoenix. . " I' rn pl ea sed w ith th e way th in gs turned out, " Dr ey Di rc ks said . "Th is wo u ldn' t ha ve been possi ble unless a lot of people helped me out, especially Dave Brosius, who lin ed up the bike deal. It was great racing with Gary again - jus t like the old days. But I'm glad I beat him in the final moto, And a big thanks to the Motorcycle Mechanics Institu te." Fifth in the moto and fourth overa ll went to Coupe, who rode another of the many KTM 620s in the race. Fowler put in his best ride of the da y to finish sixth, (Above) Young nursed a relnjured knee en route to fi nishing second overall. (Left) Gordo n Ward (3) holeshot the second mot o and led one lap before having to pull off with loose . handlebars, all owi ng Small (hi dden) to tak e ov er. Ward went on to fin ish eighth overall . (Bel ow) Drey Dircks charged hard all day long and was rewarded with a third-place ove rall finish. and seve nt h ov erall. Robert Naughton took a 9-7 score to the pa y window for fifth overall; Abbott was sixth on the day with his 8-8. Dymond tallied a ninth and E.}. Wright garnered the final money spot at 10th. f~ Canyon Off-Road Park Phoen ix, Ar izona Results: March 24, 1995 (Round 1 of B) MOTO 1: 1. Lance Smail (KTM); 2 Mike Young Jr. (H bg ); 3 . Mick y Dymond (Hb g) ; 4. Gordon Ward (CCM ); 5. Dre y Dircks (KTM); 6. Billy Liles (CCM ); 7. Dave Coupe (KTM~ 8. Destry Abbott (KTM); 9. Robert Naughton (H on ): 10. Eric Wright (Ho n) ; 11. Terry Po w le r (CCM); 12. Darren Oliver (Ho n) ; 13. Ste ve Rawson (Hus); 14. Britt Woodring (l\-IT); 15. David Glass (Hon); 16. Tro y Kalina (Hbg); 17. Dave Bray (Hon); IS. Cliff Cook (Hbg); 19. Gary Dircks (Hbg), MOTO 2; I. Lance Smai l (KTM ); 2. Mike Young Jr. (Hbg~ 3. Dre y Dircks (KIM); 4. Gary Dircks (Hbg ); 5. Dave Coupe (KTM) ; 6. Terry Fowler (eCM); 7. Robert Naughton (Hon); 8. Desrry Abbott (KTM~ 9. Eric Wright (Hon); 10. Darren Oliver (Hon); 11. Stev e Rawson (H us); 12. David Glass (Hon); 13. Dave Bray (Hon ); 14. Gordon Ward (CCM ); 15. Giff Coo k (Hbg); 16. Mirky Dymond (Hbg); 17. Britt Woodring (MT); 18. Troy Kalina (Hbg). OIk 1. Lan ce Smail (KTM);2. Mike Young Jr. (Hbg ); 3. Drey Dircks (KTM); 4. Da ve Co upe (KTM); S. Robert Naughton (Hon ); 6. Des try Ab bott (KTM) ; 7. Ter ry Fow le r (eeM); 8. Gordo n Ward ( e e M ); 9. Mick y Dymond (Hbg); 10. Eric Wright {Hon); 11. Gary Dircks eBb,:;); 12. Darren Oliver (Hon); 13. Steve Ra wson (Hus); 14. Davi d Glass (Ho n) ; 15. Billy Liles (e CM ); 16.,Tro y Kali na (H bg ); 17. Britt Woodring (MT); l B. CUff Coo k (Hbg); 19. Troy Kalina (Hbg). A M A W EST ER N NA TIO NA L FOU R·STROKE MX SERIES POI NTS STANDINGS (Aft er 1 of 8 rounds): 1. Lance Sm ail (25 points /) w in); 2. Mike Young Jr. (22 ); 3. Drey Di r cks (20) ; 4. Da ve Co upe (18) ; 5 . Rob ert Na ughton (16); 6. Dest ry Abbo tt (15); 7. Terry Fo wle r (14); 8. Go rdon W ar d (13); 9. Micky Dy mo nd (12); 10. Eric Wri ght (11); II. Gary Dircks (10); 12. Darren Oli ver (9); 13. Steve Rawson (8); 14. David Gla ss (7); 15. Billy Liles (6); 16. Tro y Kalina (5); 17. Britt Woodring (4); 18. Giff Coo k (3); 19. Troy Kalina (2~ Upcoming Rounds: Round 2 - San Bemardino. CA. April 28 Round 3 - Sacramento, CA, May 5

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