Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

ENDURO AMA NATJONAL CHAMPIONSHIP ENDURO SERIES By Kenneth King File photos by Steve Berk_r and Mark Kerlya GREENSBORO, GA, MAR. 16 Orth Georgia is burning again, but it wasn't General Sherman on his legendary march through the Civil War-tom South, it was KTM's Mike Lafferty on his way to the overall win at the Cherokee National Enduro, smoking the competition as he lit up the trails to take the lead in the season point standings. Lafferty dropped nine points for the day in what was a fairly uneventful ride for the Millville, New Jersey, resident. "My KTM worked really well," Lafferty said. "We snowed up a few days early and did some testing and got the bike dialed in. My tires hooked up great. I had a great ride. I just kept charging. I .never let up." Current National Champion Randy Hawkins, fresh off his third-place finish at the Road Atlanta GNCC the previous week, finished the run with a 13 on his SCR Yamaha, to take second overall in the event and second in season points. GNCC regular Duane Conner, also an SCR Yamaha rider, tried his hand at enduros and came up with a third overall, first 250cc A, dropping a total of 14 points for the day. This was the 31st running of the Cherokee Enduro and the eighth AMA National that the Cherokee motorcycle club has promoted. The enduro was cosanctioned with SETRA and over the N years they have put on some really great events. With excellent cooperation from the Green County sheriff's departrnent, and ambulance service supplied by Oglethorpe County, this one was as well. The run consisted of a little over 8S miles with resets after the tough sections and two gas stops. There was a good turnout, with close to 370 riders participating in the event. Terrain in the area is what you would expect in the northeast part of Georgia - red clay, roots, a few hills and some rocks thrown in to keep things intersting. Rain a few days before the event would create good traction in the woods, with some slickness in places and a few mud bogs that caused more than a few riders to get stuck. As the riders left the line, the temperature was in the high 30s, but it warmed up to the 60s as the day progressed great race weather. There were several long dirt roads that connected the sections, and they were quite dusty during the day. Riders left the start and rode several miles of road before entering the woods at 5.12 miles, with a 24-mph speed average. The trail was fast and the club placed a check at 7.6 miles that most everyone zeroed. The speed average was then bumped to 30 mph for the next eight miles which was all road. The second check was on a dirt road at mile 16 and it caught quite a few people·off guard, some riders burning the check by several minutes. It was zeroed by all the AA riders. (Far left) KTM's Mike Laflerty won his flrst-ever AMA NatIonal Championship Enduro when he carded a nine to win at the Cherokee NatIonal Enduro In Georgia. (Above) SCR Yamaha's Randy Hawkins carded a 13 to finish second overall. He now slta in second In the points lItIIndIngs wtth 46. (Left) Lafferty . . . all smiles after hi. relatively _y win and took over the points lead wtth 55 aflsr two rounds. The speed average was reduced to 24 mph here and the riders went into the woods at 18.51 miles. Check three, a going-in check at 19.2 miles was the start of a tough 10-mile section of rooty off-camber trails. The course also ran through several areas of clear-cut woods, zigzagging around stumps and through creeks. Lafferty, riding on row 37, would have the fast time through with a 2:32. Connor, on row 59, was next with a 3.14, followed by MSR-backed Franklin Ramey on his KTM, riding on row 32, with a 3:32. SCR Yamaha-backed Hawkins, on row 26, would drop a 4:00. "I've always been a late starter and I made a few mistakes in that first section," Hawkins said. There was a short trail, followed by several miles of dirt road to the first gas stop. After the gas, riders were put back into the woods for another lO-mile section. Check six, a going-in check, was at SO.8 miles. It was followed by some of the tighter, more technical terrain of the day. There were quite a few deep gullies to ride up and down, making it tough to get a rhythm through. Hawkins would have the fast time through the section this time with a 3:00, and Lafferty would be next with a 3.31. Conner posted a 3:51 and Ramey a 4:13. After the check at 60.8 miles was a reset, giving the riders a much-needed break. The start of the next section, at 67 miles, was in a pasture. The tight, 9-mile trail crossed the pasture several times and a fallen arrow caused quite a few riders to get off the trail, and lost to the point that some competitors rode a section of it twice. There was a small creek several miles into the trail that had turned into quite a bog. Immediately after was a slick, root-infested hill that gave quite a few riders headaches. Many were covered in mud and exhausted when they reached the end of the section. ~£ferty would come into check eight with a one-point loss. Hawkins was one who got off the trail and would lose two points as a result. Ramey would go through the section dropping three points. Conner was also one of the riders to get lost - he rode part of the trail twice and it cost him four points. "1 came down to practice for the GNCC," Conner said. "I had to learn

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