Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

Scott Plessinger (far left) took the overall win at round three of the Mld·South Winter Hare Scrambles Series, held In Hohenwald, Tennessee. last sharp turn before the finish line, Johnson took the inside and tried to put Lewis in the hay bales. Johnson slid out, but said later that he had to make a move. "1 couldn't just let him win," Johnson said. "My adrenaline was going and 1 went for it." Lewis did not appreciate the slam, but got the win despite Johnson's efforts. Johnson was able to remount just in time to take second ahead of Holland. Terlecki earned a well-deserved fouTth place, and Davis finished a respectable fifth. Results Friday' 125: 1. Kyle Lewjs (5uz); 2. Casey Johnson (Kaw); 3. Jeff Willoh (Yam);· 4. Sbaun Perolio (5uz); 5. Ryan TerJedci (Hon). . 250: 1. Casey Johnson (Kaw); 2. Kyle Lewis (Suz); 3. Shaun Perolio (5uz); 4. Rusty Holland (Kaw); 5. Ryan Terlecki (Hon). . Saturday 125, 1. Kyle Lewis (Suz); 2. Jeff Willoh (Yam); 3. Rusty Holland (Kaw); 4. Casey Johnson (Kaw); 5. Shaun Perolia (5uz). 250: 1. Kyle Lewis (5uz); 2. Casey Johnson (Kaw); 3. Rusty Holland (Kaw); 4. Ryan Terlecki (Hon); 5. Shaun PeroUa (5uz). Mid-South Winter Hare Scrambles Series, Round 3 Plessinger flies sDuth By Paul Michels Photos by Dale Roberts HOHENWALD, TN, NOV. 17 ulti-time National and GNCC Champion Scott Plessinger headed south to compete in round three of the Mid-South Winter Hare Scrambles Series on his KTM-sponsored machine. Series regular and last year's vice champion Mike Mords 0'£ Team Green laid claim to yet another holeshot, as he has in the first couple of rounds. Plessinger was right on his heels as the rest of the AA class followed in one big bike train around the rolling hills of the 8.5-mile course through the Black Forest. Morris held his lead heading into the scoring tent at lap's end, followed closely by Mike Sampson on his Bloomington Kawasaki. Mid-South Champion Doug Blackwell moved his Sport Cycle Racing-backed Yamaha into third. Multi-time Champion Robert Patterson on his Sarge's Cycle RMX held down fourth position, and fifth belonged to KTM/Seattle Cycle Center's Jason Dahners, who has been staying with Plessinger through the National Hare Scrambles Series. Plessinger forfeited his second place just before the scoring tent to make some suspension adjustments, then reentered the race in last place. Morris continued out front until about halfway through the second lap, when he had a close encounter with a tree that ultimately ended his day. Sampson moved into the lead and at lap's end, Backwell was second, Patterson third, Dahners fourth and Plessinger was back in the thick of things and had pushed his way to fifth. The third lap was wild as all the AA riders were in sight of each other. M Sampson had a skirmish with a lapper that left him on the ground as Blackwell and company sped past. Patterson was keeping pace with the leaders until a flat rear tire caused him to drop off the pace. "We were really having a good race, but it just wasn't meant to be," Patterson commented. "1 must have hit one of the rocks in that rocky section, and it cut the side out of my rear tire. At the pace we were running, there was no way to stay with those guys." Dahners was on the move and got around Blackwell to take the lead into the end of the lap. Blackwell"held onto second as Plessinger checked into third and Sampson recovered and was now in fourth. Mike Cornett on another KTM was fifth. Dahners elected to keep going while everyone else pitted to fuel at the end of the third lap. Dahners' strategy worked for a while, but Plessinger and Blackwell caught and passed him by lap's end. Heading 'out for the fifth and final lap, Plessinger led with Blackwell right on his heels. Dahners stopped for fuel as Sampson held onto fourth and Cornett fifth. As the race wound down, it came down to the last mile of the race as the three riders - Plessinger, Blackwell and Dahners - pulled a slight lead over the others. "Yeah, it was one heck of a finish," Plessinger said. "1 was leading when we were getting ready to come out of the woods, and 1 heard Blackwell coffiing and 1 knew he wasn't going to let off. 1 just held it on too. 1 think he bobbled or crashed; 1didn't look back." Blackwell didn't crash, but he stunned himself long enough for Dahners to get by. With just two turns to go to the finish, Blackwell made another last attempt to gain second back from Dahners, but this time he ended up on the ground. . "It (the pass attempt on Plessinger) was no different from what they had done all day," Blackwell noted. "It just didn't work out this time. It was a grea.t race." Dahners seconded that motion and said; "Yeah, Doug, Scott and 1 must have swapped the lead about six or seven times on the last lap. That was good racing." Sampson held on to finish fourth as Cornett rounded out the top five, . Plessinger added that he was planning on finishing the rest of the series. "1 hope to be able to make the rest of the series through the winter to keep my riding skills sharp," he commented. "This series is really ideal for those of us who live up north in the cold. We can travel just a few.hundred miles - give or take a few - and race through the winter months. Plessinger also donated his share of the Pro payback money to Jared Smith, a local 250cc A rider who was partially paralyzed in a racing accident a couple of months ago. Mid-South Winter Hare Scrambles Hohenwald, Tennessee Results: November 17, 1996 (Round 3 of 11) AA: 1. Scott Plessinger (KTM); 2. Jason Dahners (KTM); 3. Doug Blackwell (Yam); 4. Mike Sampson (Kaw); 5. Mike Cornett (KTM). OPEN A: 1. Harvey Whitaker (Kaw); 2. Mark Thurman (KTM); 3. Phillip Barker (Han); 4. Jason Jennings (Hoo); 5. John Bingham (Yam). 250 A: 1. Tony Hendon (Suz); 2. Gary Hendricks (Yam); 3. Marty Stinnett (Kaw). 200 A: 1, Clint Robinson (Kaw); 2. Jamie Wynn (Kaw); 3, John Lenard (Kaw); 4. Kevin Creekmur (Yam); 5. Mike Sanders (Kaw). VET A: 1. Scott Martin (Kaw); 2. Mark Guy (Yam); 3. Brian Breci (Yam); 4. Rob Ki.rchner (Suz); 5. Rob Stephens (Han). SR A: 1. Game Ward (Yam); 2. Paul Michels (Hon); 3. Jerry Castleman (Kaw); 4. Kelvin Thomas (K1M); 5. Michael Doe (Hon). 4--STRK A: 1. Todd Boone (Han); 2. Cody Maxwell (Kaw); 3. Robert McKinney (Hoo). . OPEN B: 1. Robert Lich (Kaw); 2. StewaI't Lich (Kaw); 3. N"orman Richards (KTM); 4. Timmy Pool (Kaw); 5. Joe Allen (Hon). 250 S, 1. Paul Allen (Yam); 2. Chris Beard (Suz); 3. Rod Lyonhurst (Han); 4. Scott Meredith (Kaw); 5. Jason Elrod (Yam). 200 B: 1. Thomas Campbell (Kaw); 2. Heath Robinson (Kaw); 3. Ronald Skipper (Kaw); 4. David ~dgeway (Kaw); 5. George Glenn (Kaw). US B: 1. Sammy GosneU (Yam); 2. Scott Turner (Kaw); 3. David Clark (KTM); 4. Jim Bates (Kaw); 5. Johnny Friedli (K1M). VET s, I. David Zanet (Yam); 2. Joe Rogers (Kaw); 3. Kip Hayne (Yam); 4. David Lamberth (Kaw); 5. Paul Allen (KTM). SR S, I. Larry Still (Hon); 2. Tommy Todd (KTM); 3. Larry Cunningham (Yam); 4. Gerald Westerfield (Kaw); 5. Andrew Hardin (Hus). 4-STRK B: 1. David Dougherty (Han); 2. Roger Hendon (Han); 3. Billy Proffitt (Han); 4. Al Davis (Hon); 5. Scott Nicholson (Han). ~ S/SR: 1. Guy Anderson (Yam); 2. Mike Garrett (Hon); 3. Johnny Friedli (KTM); 4. John Gordon (Kaw); 5. Ron Pruitt (Kaw). 250 OPEN/C, 1. Dean Tracy (Yam); 2. Bryan Lee (Yam); 3. Chad Hollis (Kaw); 4. Kevin Dossett (Hon); S. Darrell Blankenship (Yam). BEG: 1. Russell Lockhart (Yam); 2. Will Presson (KTM); 3. Brian McAlliser (Han); 4. Scott Simmons . (Kaw); 5. Jeff

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