Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/127936
were berserking it through traHic and
through the,.bottlenecks. After being
stuck once, ] knew that] didn't want to
be stuck again."
On the fourth lap, a problem surfaced for Thiele when his engine overheated near the midway point. After
Thiele's demise, Jennings took his firstever lead, and Kevin Borts, on his Jeff
City Motorsports Suzuki, joined Jennings at the front. Unfortunately, a mile
into the fifth lap, Borts suffered the
same fate as Thiele - an overheated
engine. Jennings looked to be in control,
but he too would suffer mechanical
gremlins in the form of a lost shift lever
and then a burned-up clutch.
The problems encountered by these
riders changed the complexion of the
race, and Windmann took his first lead
of the day, ahead of Nesbitt and the
four-stroke Yamaha of Leivan. As Windmann motored along in front, Nesbitt
and Leivan battled for the right to go
after the leader. At one of the creek
crossings near the end of the lap, Nesbitt
went left and was momentarily hung
up, while Leivan went to the right to
take over second.
Windmann still held the lead going
into the final lap, while esbitt rode
right off of Leivan's rear tire. These two
riders pulled out all the stops on the
final lap and closed in on Windmann.
With only a couple of miles left in the
race, Leivan made his pass to take over
the lead going across a 'very rutted field.
Windmann, whose bike was also starting to run hot, was forced to back off the
throttle a little and nurse it in to the finish. Nesbitt, who may have had a shot at
Windmann, became stuck again on the
last lap and cruised in to the finish in
third overall.
In the end, Leivan took his first win
on his new Sport Cycle Racing/Dunlop/ Answer-backed YZ400F.
"] am pretty sure that I wasn't the
fastest rider here today, but when it
came down to the end, I'think that I
was," Leivan explained. "In races like
this, you can't win them until the final
lap, so nothing really matters until then.
After my problems, I just plucked away,
let the race come to me, and then turned
it up at the end and passed the guys that
I had to pass to win the race. My bike
did a great job of getting me to the finish."
Windmann held on to finish second,
and first-year AA rider Nesbitt finished
third. Both riders secured the best rides
of their careers and served notice that
they will be contenders this year. Early
leader Graber took fourth, while the
winner .of the A class, John Roth,
claimed fifth overall on his 400 Yamaha.
The only other riders to complete six
laps were Kevin Boyle, 01'1 his trusty
XR400, in sixth overall and second in the
A class; Tanner England, who borrowed
a bike for this event and finished seventh overall, fifth AA; and Greg Surd yke, who finished in eighth overall,
third A rider.
l~
Kahoka Hare Scrambles
Kahoka, Missouri
Results: March 1, 1998 (Round 1)
O/A: 1. Steve Leivan (Yam); 2. Mike Windmann
(KTM); 3. Chris Nesbitt (Yam); 4. Chris Graber (Yam); S.
John Roth (Yam).
AA: 1. Mike Wiudmann (KTM); 2. Chris Nesbitt
(Yam); 3. Ch.ris Gmber (Yam); 4. Tanner England (Yam);
5. Chris Thiele (}(aw),
A: 1. John Roth (Yam); 2. Kevin Boyle (Hon); 3.
Greg Surdyke (yam); 4. Brian Niehaus (Hon); 5. Matt
Adams.
125 8: I. Levi Rawson (Yam); 2. Kurt Eibell (Yam);
3. Rick Daubenspeck; 4. Matt Jameson (KTM); 5. Daniel
Januc.
200 B: 1. Everett Shinault (Kaw); 2. Randy Wagahoff
(}(aw); 3. Steve Crews (Kaw); 4. Max H.ukey (Kaw); 5.
Dale Griesinger (KTM).
250 B: Ryan Wuebbeling; 2. Jake Bishop; 3. Tim
Baker; 4. Ryan Bnlce (Yam); 5. Keith Jackson (Yam).
250 C: 1. Josh Murray; 2. Bryan Roy; 3. Sh,me Smith;
4. Robbie Kenkel; 5. Mike Hamilton.
OPEN B: 1. Matt Coffman (KTMl; 2. Marly Smith; 3.
Danny Crawford (Han); 4. Tony Kirkup (KTM); 5. Ma.rk
Voepell (Kaw).
4,-STRK B: 1. Les Busenbark (Han); 2. Ralph
Gerding (Han); 3. Tim Murphy; 4. Chris Hutson (Hus);
5. Shawn Taylor.
VET: 1. Dwane Minch (Han); 2. Rick Matteson
(Yam); 3. Jon Simons (Yam); 4'. David Berry (So2); 5.
Carl Dobson.
JR: 1. Zack Mabery (Hon); 2. Robert Duncan (Yam);
3. Mike Rozier (Kaw); 4. Brad Wagahoff; 5 Steve Akers.
SR: 1. Brad Bamett (yam): 2. Keith Klbort (Yam); 3.
Kelly Bower; 4. Andy Nored (Kaw); 5. William Guffey
(Yam).
S/SR: 1. Frank Leh'an (Yam); 2. Rick Carpenter
(KTM1; 3. Gerald Frericks (KTMl; 4. Larry Burohardt; 5.
Bob Jones (Kaw).
TR: 1. Jeremy Valentine; 2. Josh Shipley; 3. Russell
Reprogle; 4. Richard Swaringin; 5. Kerry Lowrey.
Luker rambles at
Madera Scrambles
By Sam Roberts
MADERA, CA, MAR I
Oear ~Iue skies and a perfect track were the
order of the day as EI Nino took the week off for
round one of the 1998 California Rough Scrambles Series at the Mad.era Fairgrounds. where
Suzuki-mounted Billy Luker was untouchable.
Luker rode to wins in both the 250cc and
Open Expert classes. Yamaha YZ400F-mounted
Alan McGehee rode the wheels off of the big
thumper to take second in the Open class.
In 250cc Novice action it was Tracy's
Thomas Fullam going 1-1 for the overall win,
with Billy Tetrick and Jason Lawton battling for
second overall and finishing in that order. Fullam also took home the gold in the Vet Novice
class, with Mark Hawkins taking second and
Ken Malpus rounding out the top three.
10 the hotly contested 80ce ovice class, it
was Ross Anderson taking the overall win, followed by Ryan Salvano and Stewart Barber,
with Ted Sampaulesi and Kutter Morrison
rounding out the top five.
l
Results
50 MOD: 1. Nick Baker- (1