Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

-,-EVENTS SETRA Championship Hare Scrambles Series, Round 9 (I'ar left) Scott Plessinger (2) won the SEl"RA Pine Mountain Hare Scrambles. (Left) Gas Gas pilot Duane Conner (front) finished third after crashing and relinquishing second to Randy Hawkins (following). tell the difference. As they headed off the grass track and into the woods, Plessinger had managed to pull a bit of a lead. The course meandered through fast woods sections for a few miles before it crossed the road and got into the tight stuff. Plessinger came through the scoring barrels first with a time of 16:11, followed by Conner with a 16:28 and then Gravitt at 16:30. Ramey had some problems at the start. "My bike loaded up just as 1 started to pull off the line," Ramey said. "By the time I got halfway into the grass track, it cleared out. By then, most everyone was gone." By Kenneth King PINE MOUNTAIN, GA, FEB. 15 pectators got a little treal at the Pine Mountain Hare Scrambles as KTM's Scott Plessinger defeated an all-star lineup in the AA class. KTM's main man Plessinger, Gas Gas's Duane Conner and Team Yamaha's Randy Hawkins decided to use this SETRA event as a warmup for the upcoming GNCC season. These riders faced off against SETRA's best, such as KTM's Franklin Ramey III and All~n Gravitt, Team Green riders Ashley Brewer and Tommy Veator, and Husaberg-mounted Michael Grizzle. With a Pro purse of $400 up for grabs, a good race was expected. When the checkered flag dropped at the finish, it was Plessinger taking the win after leading all seven laps. "The course was great, a good mixture of tight woods and open stuff - it was a lot of fun," Plessinger said. "It did get pretty rough towards the end of the g race, though." Finishing a close second was Hawkins (on his new 400 four-stroke), who had perhaps the best ride of the day, finishing seconds behind the former GNCC champ. "1 had a good ride," Hawkins said. "I'm getting the bike dialed in. Factory Connection has got my suspension working good. 1felt 1 got faster the more I rode it." In the number-three spot was Conner, in his debut race on his new Gas Gas. He finished just four seconds behind Hawkins, while Gravitt upheld SETRA honors with a solid ride for fourth. Ramey had an excellent ride through most of the race, staying on the GNCC champ's fender through four laps until he experienced brake problems and had to back off the pace. The race was promoted by local woods racers Clint Johnson and Mel Smith and landowner Will Hamer. It was a first-time effort for them, and things seemed to go smoothly. They laid out an excellent course, with equal amounts of tight trails and fast open stuff. Approximately 100 riders showed up to race in the Georgia woods and they were greeted with perfect race weather. The course was 6.7 miles of fast pine woods, grass tracks on the cow pastures and a section of handlebartight woods put in just to slow the riders down a bit. The course wound through 300 acres, and racers had to cross a county road to complete the loop. A sheriff blocked traffic as riders crossed the road, giving passing motorists a chance to view some race action. A tworace format was used, with the C and specialty classes racing at 11 a.m. and the AA, A and B classes racing at 1 p.m.. The start was on a plowed section of a cow pasture, and riders went about 50 yards before connecting to a quartermile of grass track and plunging into the woods. When the flag dropped, Plessinger shot out into the lead and headed to the grass track with the rest of the AA class in hot pursuit. He was racing a 200 instead of his usual 250, but the way it was running, you couldn't Ramey did make his way to the front and came in with a 16:35. Everyone wondered how Hawkins' start would go on the four-stroke, but things went great for the multi-time Enduro champ. "The bike started on the first kick," Hawkins reported. "I've gotten how to start the bike down. The more miles I put on the bike, the easier it is to start." Hawkins came through the barrels in 16:40 with Brewer 10 seconds behind him. Plessinger still had the lead on lap two, but Ramey made a serious charge and moved to within seconds of him. When they came through to be scored, there were only two seconds between the riders. Conner was on the gas and chasing the two KTM riders, as he was only three seconds behind them when they went through the barrels. Hawkins was about 15 seconds back, and Gravitt and Brewer were within 10 seconds of Hawkins. Things stayed pretty much the same on lap three, but the course was starting to get beaten up a little. The riders were maintaining around-16-minute laps. MSR-sponsored Brewer had hand problems and pulled off the course, sitting out a lap. "My hands just went numb," Brewer said. "I haven't had this kind of problem before. 1couldn't hold on to the bars." He rejoined the race a lap down. On lap four, most everyone pitted for gas. Plessinger did a one-man gas stop that took all of about five seconds, while Ramey didn't have a speedy gas stop and lost some time. Conner had the same trouble and he also lost valuable time at the gas stop. "There were a lot of gas cans in the area where I put mine," Conner said. "It took me a few seconds to find my can; by then, Scott was about to cross the road." After the gas, the riders crossed the' road and entered the tighter section of the course. Ramey 'was trying to make' the time back up when he hit a stump, halting his charge. "I hit a stump and bent my brake pedal backwards," Ramey said. "I got. off the bike and tried to straighten it back. It got better but 1 still wasn't able' . to use the rear brake until I got back to the pits and did a quick fix." Conner crashed pretty hard and gave up the.second spot to Hawkins. As they came through for scoring, Plessinger held a 28-second lead on Hawkins. On lap five, Plessinger was still in control of the race; Hawkins and Conner were second and third but not making up any time. Gravitt was seven seconds off Conners pace and having one of his best rides this season. Ramey was 25 seconds behind Gravitt and trying to make time on the front-runners. The running order remained the same on lap six as Plessinger was turning laps at 10 to 20 seconds over 16 minutes. Plessinger finished first in 114:49,. Hawkins second in 114:55 and Conner third in 114:59. Gravitt finished in the fourth spot in 115:57, followed by Ramey in 116:52. l"X SETRA Pine Mountain Hare Scrambles Pine Mountain, Georgia Results: February 15, 1998 (Round 9) O/A; Scott Plessmger. AA: 1. Randy Hawkins; 2. Duane Conner; 3. Allen Gravitt. OPEN A: 1. Cullen Undenvood; 2. Jeff Harris; 3. Frank Owells. OPEN '8: 1. Billy Chapman; 2. Ben Hill; 3. Lon Buysman; 4. James Embro. OPEN C: 1. Kenneth Smith; 2. David Sonkens; 3. Hollis Thornton; 4. David Hamin. 200 A: 1~. Lee Stephens; 2. Brian Noffz; 3. John Carver. 200 8: 1. Mark Thompson; 2. Shane Sexton; 3. Bryan Browning, 200 c: 1. Rick McElven; 2. Tim Greer; 3. Lance Johnson; 4. Mathew GaJlaird. 250 A: 1. Jason Chancey; 2. Doug Masencup; 3. Dustin Beaty. 250 B: 1. Matt Beaty; 2. Michael Noffz; 3. Mike Gamer. 250 C: 1. Shannon Moore; 2. Tim Myers; 3. David Croat; 4. Jerry Bennett. SR A: 1. Mitch McRee; 2. Arty Spencer; 3. Terry Mealer. SR B: 1. Buren Hamrick; 2. Steve Moore; 3. Larry Boggs; 4. Jack McDonough. SR C: 1. Richard Morabito; 2. David Holbrook; 3, lack Derryberry; 4. Bob Zieni. SlSR k 1. John Kealey; 2. Larry Bolling...; 3. Robert Brendle. SlSR 8: 1. Patrick Golden; 2. David Heath; 3. Frank Nelson. MSTR A: 1. Wayne Beaty; 2. Jim Ford; 3. DaTl Freeland; 4. Bill Watkins. MSTR '8: 1. Steve Chancey; 2. Fred Hammond; 3. Mike Garrett; 4. Frank Amos. MSTR C: 1. Bud Hardeman; 2. Ron Blair; 3. Ed Knights. 4·STRK 8: 1. Daniel Munsrud; 2. Jeff Burchfield; 3. Joey Claxton. 4-STRK C: 1. Henry Turner; 2. Darren Groves; 3. Jonathan Streetman; 4. Cole Buchanon. UT: 1. Elijah Derryberry; 2. Lee Osbane; 3. Justin Fletcher; 4. Russell Babbitt. HfT': 1. Mathew Johnson; 2. Todd Gillespie; 3. Perry Porter; 4. Derek Morris. WMN: 1. Heather Kegskot; 2. Sue Heath; 3, Karon Nelson.

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