Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

.MOTOCROSS· MX Series Round 6: Owyhee Motorcycle Park AMA Western National Four-Stroke (Left) Lance Smail (79) had an easy time of it at the Western National Four-Stroke Sound of Thunder Series round at Owyhee. Small won both motos and thereby took over the series points. By Don Schneider BOISE, [D, JULY 21 estern Power Sports and Owyhee Motorcycle Club set the stage for round six of the AMA Western ational FourStroke Motocross Series. With his momentum churning from the last race at Mammoth Mountain, it was factory KTM pilot Lance Smail who regained the series points lead by ~ g around a six-point deficit into a lO-point lead over factory Husaberg's Mike Young Jr. in the series points chase. Smail pulled both holeshots and led every circuit. This was his fourth overaU and ninth moto win of the series aboard his bigbore 620. By posting perfect 1-1 moto wins, Smail took home the lion's share of the $4500 Pro purse that was offered by promoters Wes Steele and AMA professional MXer Larry Jackson. This was the largest Pro payout of the series to date. At the drop of the gate Smail wasted no time thumping his Tom Moen-tuned KTM around the first corner, up the hill and into the lead. In close pursuit were Spud Walters, Mike Ulrich, Gary Dircks and Gordon Ward. Young tried squeezing between Ward and Dircks down the start shoot, as he was mixing it up with local rider Kris Rourke. Walters moved into second, then Ulrich edged out Ward through a series of corners, but all eyes were focused on Young, as he muscled his way past both Ward and Ulrich for third. As the frontrunners approached the supercross area, Gary Beyer and Billy Liles, both of whom started at the back of the pack, were on the move and running ninth and 10th, respectively, close behind Drey Dircks and Ted CampbeU. Smail still had control as they headed down Sand Hill Drop, then Rawson and his Husky went tumbling end over end before ~oming to a rest at the bottom. Young dogged Walters throughout the first lap and then wicked it on while heading up to the uphill sweeper, making the pass for second. • "Young was pressuring me early on, and I kept a fast pace and couldn't believe that he was still there after five laps," said Smail afterwards. "1 noticed the gap was staying the same, so I started checking out other lines and then put it on cruise. If he (Young) is there the (Right) Spud Walters put In two solid rides, going 3-2 for second overall. (Below) Billy Liles struggled to sixth place in the first moto but rebounded In the second with a t~rd. That was good enough for third overall. second moto, I will wick it up and puJl away." As the race wore on, Ward was still dogging Dircks, then after lap six, Ward seemed to back off. The race order stayed the same until lap eight when Campbell stalled his bike while going down Sand Hill. This allowed a hard-charging Liles to move up into sixth where he would finish out the race. At the checkers Young had closed the gap on Smail to four seconds bu t had to watch as Smail crossed it up for the moto win. Walter finished a distant third followed by Gary Dircks, Ward and Liles. At the start of the second moto, Young had a little over half a bike length on Smail heading in'to the right-hander. Smail had the inside line and Young went a little wider than planned, and another battle was in the making. Ulrich again gated well in third, while Scott Myers, aboard his factory ATK, who stalled the engine in the first race, pushed Ward out for fourth. Waiters, Liles, Gary Dircks and local favorite Kris Rourke all followed in close order. While Smail and Young battled up front, Walters moved past both Ward and Myers in the supercross section and was now holding down third. Walters' momentum carried him past Young down the downhill, taking over second. Gary Dircks, meanwhile, muscled into fourth ahead of Ulrich and Ward. Myers and Campbell were having another time of it with Rourke breathing down their backs. Following th.em were Liles and Beyer. Up front, Smail had opened up the throttle and by the start of lap two already had seven seconds on Walters. On lap three, Ward wicked it past Ulrich to take fifth. Then on lap four, he made another pass on Gary Dircks for fourth. Liles made his move on Rourke shortly thereafter, but Rourke retaliated on the next lap. About that time, Young pulled into the mechanic's area with a broken frame. His day was done, and with it, his series points lead "1 noticed right away that something was different heading down the start shoot and flying over that tunnel jump," said Young. "It was tougher to corner. Then, when 1 took a wider line down the hill where Spud passed me, I bottomed out and knew something was wrong. I then tried to finesse it around the trap<. Everyone was yelling to go faster, but I couldn't. I pulled off to have my mechanic - Russ Fletcher - check it out, and he said to wait and keep it safe. I'm still in the hunt, and 1 will go to Washougal with a fire and get those points back." Team manager Chuck Sun said, "This is terribly unfortunate, as this was an experimental nickel-plated frame that we have used since last faiL" By this time there was no catching Smail. Walters put it in cruise mode after he realized Young was out of it, and Ward was too far back for concern. Liles would want no part of Rourke and clicked it up a notch to pass Gary Dircks on lap eight for fourth. Rourke tried to make a pass on Dircks on lap eight but flew off the track and then failed to re-enter in the relative position area and was therefore relegated to the last-place position in the mota by race officials. At the checkers, Smail slowed down to acknowledge Young, who was forced to watch the race from the sidelines. Walters crossed the line for second followed by Ward, Liles and Dircks. .. Walters said, "Smail has been in a class by himself the past few races, and I'm stoked to finish second. It is too bad for Mike (Young); he's a great sportsman." fX Owyhee Motorcycle Park Boise, Idaho Results: July 21,1996 (Round 6 of 8) MOTO 1, 1. Lance Smail (KrM); 2. Mike Young (Hbg); 3. Spud Walters (Hon); 4. Gary Dircks (Hbg); 5. Gordon Ward (CCM); 6. Billy Liles (CCM); 7. Drey Dircks (Hon); 8. Gary Beyer (KTM); 9. Mike Ulrkh (Hon); 10. Kris Rourke (Hbg); 11. Dana Brey (Hon); 12. Scolt Myers (ATK); 13. Steve Rawson (Hus); 14. Eric DuCray (KTM); 15. Ted Campbell (CeM). MOTO 2: 1. Lance Smail (KTM); 2. Spud Walters (Hon); 3. Billy Liles (CCM); 4. Gordon Ward (eeM); 5. Gary Dircks (Hbg); 6. Scott Myers (ATK); 7. Gary Dircks (Hbg); 8. Gary Beyer (KTM); 9. Mike Ulrich (Hon); 10. Steve Rawson (Hus); 11. Eric DuCray (KTM); 12. Ted Campbell (CCM); 13. Dana Bray (Hon); 14. Mike Young (Hbg); 15. Kris Rourke (Hbg). OIA, 1. Lance Smail (KTM); 2. Spud Walters (Hon); 3. Billy Liles (CCM); 4. Gordon Ward (CCM); 5. Gary Dircks (Hbg); 6. Mike Young (Hbg); 7. Orey Dircks (Hon); g. Gary Beyer (KTM); 9. Scott Myers (Hon); 10. Mike Ulrich (Hon); 11. Steve Rawson (Hus); U. Dana Brey (KTM); 13. Eric DuCray (KTM); 14. Kris Rourke (Hbg); 15. Ted Campbell (CCM). AMA WESTERN NATIONAL FOUR-STROKE SOUND OF THUNDER MX SERIES POINT STANDINGS (After 6 of 8 rounds): 1. Lance Smail (263/4 wins); 2. Mike Young 253/2); 3. Spud Walters (190); 4. Gary Dircks (148); 5. Drey Dircks (141); 6. Billy Liles (124); 7. Scott Myers (116); 8. Dave Coupe (115); 9. Terry Fowler (106); 10. Micky Dymond (98); 11. Gordon Ward (93); 12. Jimmy Lewis (85); 13. Steve Rawson (75); 14. Dana Brey (66); 15. Ty Davis (60); 16. (TIE) E.). Wright/Don Franklin (57); 18. Gary Beyer (47); 19. Mike Abbott (34); 20. Brian Manley (39). Upcoming Rounds: 7 - Washougal, WA, August 1B Round B- Grand Junction, CO, September 1 Round

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