Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

ENDURO· . AlIA National ChampionShip Enduro Series Round 8: Cowbell Enduro Hawkins charged to a commanding lead in the second half of the event to earn the largest margin of victory scored this season. He finished with 41 points, the most points dropped by an event winner all season. "All year long I wanted to see a tough enduro," Hawkins declared. "When I heard Lyle (Duronso) was putting on this event, I knew we would have a tough one. I don't think I've ever ridden one of his events where afterwards I didn't have great stories. It was a good race, a technical race. You couldn't really go fast. I'm more of a technical rider than a speed rider, so when it gets nasty it's good for me. "Toward the end I crashed again and bent the bike up ~n one side pretty good. I thought I would have to ride the bent bike to the finish, but I crashed again about 400 yards later and bent the bike back into a straighter position." Defending ational Champi.on and Kawas.aki Team Green rider Ty Davis battled the adverse conditions well enough to earn second place with 52 points. (Left) Randy Hawkins pulled off a big win at the Cowbell National Enduro In Bellingham, Washington. (Below) Ty Davis finished second overall In what he said was the toughest enduro he's ever ridden. By Larry Toby Photos by Don Hubbard and Martin Singleton' BELLINGHAM, WA, OCT. 13 n the rain, mud and cold of northwestern Washington, five-time ational Enduro Champion Randy Hawkins finessed his Factory Connection/Pro Circuit-tuned Suzuki to a huge win at the Cowbell ational Enduro, hosted by the Mount Baker Me. In the most difficult event of the series, Hawkins showed everyone why he is a five-time champion by excelling in the very tricky conditions. On a day when most riders were doing all they could just to keep their bikes on two wheels, Hawkins kept pulling away from his competitors. "This is one race I have to thank God for because all my computers went out on the second loop," Hawkins said. "I knew I was late and just hammered, hoping I wouldn't lose more time. Then I bent a disc. I had no front brake. Somebody was looking out for me. "I was falling all over the place," Hawkins added, "but I just kept pushing. I was about to pass Mike (Lafferty) when I crashed hard. I was detennined to catch him, so I got up and rode as hard as I could. I guess I can thank him, too, for helping me win." I \0 0\ 0\ .....-l a ('f) I.; Q) .g ... u o 22 "I've never fallen down so much in my whole life! I needed training wheels," Davis said after reaching the first gas stop. "It was challenging today, probably the toughest enduro I've ever done," Davis added. "It reminded me of Hawaii because of the many roots. There was one section where there wasn't any dirt, it was all roots everywhere. It was slimy, slippery and real hard to see in the trees. I could have . used a light today. "I never could get in sync," he continued. "I was off an inch here, missed my line by an inch there and never could get up to the pace I wanted to ride. I did the best I could, given the conditions." Davis' second-place finish was just good enough to keep the series alive as it moves. to Delaware for the final round. . Third place with 54 points went to the hard-charging, ageless, 1987 Enduro Champi.on Kevin Hines on a CRE 150. "This was a real enduro," Hines said with a huge smile on his face. Appearing less fatigued than his younger competitors at the end, Hines added, "The weather got nasty. It was an endurance - test. You had to put some thought into it. You couldn't just blast in all the sections. You had to conserve a little energy and ride smart." Hines has clinched fourth overall for the season, despite having missed two rounds. Early in the day, Hines predicted there would be a wrestling match between himself and KTM rider Mike Lafferty. Lafferty set the fast pace early on and looked like he would be the rider to beat. But fatigue seemed to set in early for the youngest of the top riders and Lafferty fell off the pace toward the end. Losing three points to Hines in the last two checks, Lafferty finished fourth with 57 points. "It was really tough," Lafferty said. "At the end it was full bore. The last section was tough on me. I got tired and just tried to get to the end. "It was cool having Hines on the row in front of me," Lafferty said of the one-on-one duel they had going. "Early on, I could reel him in and keep an eye on him. By the end of the day he was gone. I couldn't catch him. "This enduro wasn't just speed," Lafferty added. "You couldn't be on the gas. There were downhills that were full brakes. You were just trying to make turns. It was gnarly. I've never seen conditions like this anywhere and I hope I don't ever again." Strong riding all season long has given Lafferty a lock on third overall for the season, up from 10th and fifth the past two seasons. Most observers feel the young rising star will win some championships in the near future. Hawkins jokingly added, "But not until after I retire. Which won't be anytime too soon." Fifth place and the overall A win went to the rising des~t star and Kawasaki Team Green rider Donnie Book. It was the first appearance of the friendly rider at a national enduro this season. "After riding this stuff, I think I may stick to the desert," Book said. "I've never seen anything like this before. It was a long day." With Hawkins' win, he has set the stage for a dramatic finish at the final round. With throwaways counted, Hawkins has a narrow five-point series lead over Davis, the difference between first and second place.

• Cover