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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/127831
what their predecessors left. It can get
quite thick, especially with the palmettos, and sometimes you can't see the
trail - one reason they use those fluorescent-orange arrows.
Ana, where there are palmettos,
there are palmetto roots. For anyone
who has never ridden on them, they can
make quite an interesting obstacle. It's
like riding over wet bowling balls. Then
there are the Whoops - deep, sandy and
seemingly endless. Yes, the Alligator
can be an unforgettable experience.
The enduro started on a Tomoka
farm road, a location they have used for
several years. With overcast conditions
and cool morning temperatures, the riders got a break for a few hours. But by
lunch, the temperatures warmed to the
low 80s. Dust was a factor for the riders,
especially with sao racing.
For the first 30 miles, the club gave
everyone a taste of what was to come tight trails, endless palmetto roots and
sand whoops. With no checks, and
plenty of resets, everyone was able to
get warmed up and ready for the real
fun.
At 33.6 miles, there was a going-in
check, leading to a tight four-mile section that had all the AAs and faster riders dropping one poin t. After a ~hort
reset, there was another gOing-in check
at 45.6 miles for the start of a 4.8-mile
section that would be the major points
taker in the first half. The trail was
extremely tight, and in places you
couldn't see the trail because of the
overgrowth. Hawkins was heard saying
it was like riding in "Braille."
Davis, riding on row 27, came in at
31:04. MSR-backed Ramey, on row 21,
matched the Kawasaki star's time, coming in at 25:04, both riders losing four
points. Hawkins made the section with
a 4:25. Honda rider Kevin Bennett had a
4:17 and CRE-mounted Kevin Hines a
4:49. Most of the AA class lost four
points in the section.
After a nice gas stop,. everyone was
greeted by a very tough second half. At
63.2 miles, the riders were restarted for a
16.7-mile section. This section was tight,
sandy, whooped and full of palmetto
roots and mostly virgin trail. Add in the
heat and points started dropping.
Quite a few top riders experienced
problems in this section. KIM's Mike
Australian World Enduro regular Shane Watts (above left) borrowed
one of Guy Cooper's KTMs and rode to top 250Cc A honors with no
handguards or computer equipment. Of course it had to help that
he was riding on the same minute as eight -time AMA National
Enduro Champion Dick Burleson (above right) who won the Super
senior A class.
Lafferty had shifter problems and was
forced to retire early.
. "The bike wouldn't shift, the shifter
just felt loose," Lafferty said. "1 must
have hit a stump."
Another rider experiencing problems
was Guy Cooper. Cooper, on a Husaberg, was having a great ride when his
bike started to cut out. His day came to
an end with a faulty spark-plug cap.
Davis went through this section with
the fast time of 7:21, followed by
Hawkins with a 7:51. Ramey went
through with a 9:23, just off Davis' and
Hawkins' pace. Most of the remaining
AAs lost 10 points here.
. .
The last section of the day was the
real killer. The temperature had warmed
up and the humidity had gotten higher.
The final section was only 6.4 miles
long, but it was brutal. Riders were
checked in at 88.4 miles. Davis once
again claimed the fast time with a sixpoint loss, with liawkins close behind
with a seven.
"1 ran out of gas in the last section,
which· cost me a point," Hawkins
reported. "That's where Ty got me, but
hey, what can you do? 1 rode well and
had a great time. 1 just ran out of steam
in that last section, but other than that 1
had a good ride."
Bennett and Hines matched
Hawkins' time of seven points in the last
section. Both riders finished the day
with a 22 for fourth and fifth overall.
Davis gave the crew at the last check
something to talk about. He hit a palmetto root right before the check. He was on
the gas hard, and almost did a huge endo.
You know it was spectacular when pe0ple congratulate you on it after the race.
"This race was drier than all the other
races I've run down here," Davis said.
"They checked you in and out, which
made things honest. You couldn't ride
hot, but 1 was the fastest person through
- not the luckiest. It was a good event. 1
had a flawless· ride except for the handstand r did four feet from the finish."
Shane Walts, an Australian enduro
rider and third in the world enduro
series, came to Daytona and raced his
first-ever American enduro. He took the
top A honors for the day with a 24. He
borrowed one of Guy Cooper's KTMs
and since he had no timekeeping equipment, he rode on the row with Dick
Burleson - who, by the way, took the top
spot in the Super Senior A class. Top
overall A rider at the Alligator is a feat
in itseU, but Watts did it with no barkbusters. Those Aussies must be tough.
The Daytona Dirt Riders once again
put on a good, tough enduro. Everyone
seemed to have a great time and, for this
year, Hawkins is the man with the bragging rights.
a
Alligator Enduro
Daytona, Florida
Resuhs: March 6, 1997 (Round 13 of 18)
Unofficail OIA: 1. Randy Hawkins (Yam) 19; 2. Ty
Davis (Kaw) 20; 3. Franklin Ramey m (KTM) 22i 4.
Kevin Bennett (Hon) 22; 5. Kevin Hines (eRE) 22; 6.
Ashley Brewer (Kaw) 24; 7. Allen Gravitt