MfA
SANCTIONED
er, both keeping upright and hammering at a blistering pace through the mud
and ruts.
Plessinger led every lap until the
very last one, when just a mile from the
finish, just before a bad swamp, Blackwell saw his chance and jumped a deep
creek bed and shot into the lead. All that
was left between Blackwell and the
championship was the dreaded swamp
and Blackwell took the safe way around,
while Plessinger went the other way.
Both riders came back together almost
exactly the way they parted, about a
bike length apart.
Plessinger stayed in Blackwell's
shadow all the way to the finish, but any
pass attempt would have been sketchy
as Blackwell stayed upright and on the
gas to the finish. McLaughlin came in a
respectable third, as he, Blackwell and
Plessinger were the only riders to make
six complete laps.
"It was a great race," Plessinger said
after the duel. "I just wish 1 would have
won. 1 think the place Blackwell passed
me was a little controversial, but it's history now."
Blackwell was elated with his win. "1
want to thank everyone out there who,
has helped me thus far in my racing
career: FMF, SCR, Answer, Dunlop,
Smith, Ami, my Dad, and all the people
associated with this series, all the dealers, their involvement is incredible,"
Blackwell said. "These guys here today
turned a pretty dismal course into a
good race by having plenty .of course
marshals out there to keep you moving
through the bad sections. 1 don't get to
say much very often, but I. also want to
thank the fans out there who have
cheered me on throughout the year,
because 1 never knew what true 'southern hospitality was all about until I
started riding this series last year.
Thanks to all of you!"
(;N
Memphis Me Hare Scrambles
Ree"oot, Tennessee
Resuhs: April 29,1997
PRO: 1. Doug Blaclewell (Yam): 2. Scott Plessinger
(KTM): 3. Scott McLaughlin (Yam): 4. Robert Patte""n
(Suz).
.
2SO A: J. Tony Hendon (5=): 2. Lance Smith (yam):
3. Wade Perry (Kaw): 4. Chris Hicks (KTM).
VET A: 1. Scott Martin (Kaw); 2. Harvey Whitaker
(Kaw).
OPEN A: 1. James Malone (KTM): 2. Phillip Barker
(Hon).
4-STRK A: J. Eddy Taylor (Hon): 2. Cody Maxwell
(Kaw).
200 A: 1. Clint Robinson (Kaw): 2. Kevin Creekmur
(Yam).
SR A: 1. Paul Michels (ATK): 2. Billy Hall (Yam): 3.
Michael Jobe (Hon):
2SO B: I. Josh Scott (Kaw): 2. Andy Shea (KTM): 3.
Rod Lyonhurst (Hon); 4. Paul Allen (Yam); 5. Scott
Meredith (!
