Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

" ••.1.. '~"""~";"".:\" -:"",,,". 30+ D/C: 1. Brent Olson (Han); 2. Ha.t:old Stocker (Hon); 3. James Russel (Suz); 4. Brent Chitwood (Yam); 5. Michael Hileman (Yam). 40+: 1. Larry Witmer (SUZ)i 2. Danny PTidemoTe (Kaw); 3. TeTry Blake (KTM); 4. Chuck Nice (Yam); 5. jim Koontz (Yam). 200 C: 1. Mike CalveTt (Kaw); 2. Mark ConneU (Kaw); 3. Charlie HaTgon O<.aw). 250 C: 1. DarTin Hobbick (Kaw); 2. Wayne Cook (Yam). OPEN C: 1. Adrian Collins (KTM); 2. Brandon Day (Kaw). 4·STRK C: 1. Pat Lukes (Hon); 2. Chjba Tetsuya 0"'10n); 3. Fred Baumann (Hon). District 37 Enduro Series, Round 1 District 37 Desert Racing Series, Round 9 Mattson d'iscovers 'gold Baumann busts big By Matt Freeman By Matt Freeman RED MOUNTAIN, CA, MAR 15 Defending District 37 Enduro Champion Erik Mattson started the 1998 season with the same quick riding and smart ti.n}ekeeping that earned him the 1997 series crown. Mattson and his CR250 dropped a total of 10 points throughout the 82.6 miles of the 43rd annual Prospectors MC Gold Rush Enduro. Team Green's Dana Van Stee and CR500-mounted Robert Baehr were the only two riders to threaten Mattson throughout two loops and 13 checkpoints. KX125-mounted Van Stee and Vet Open rider Baehr eacl1 dropped one point more than the overall winner, but both riders managed to come away with wins in their respective classes. While all the top riders zeroed every check on the 36.8-mile first loop, the big talk of the day was the 120-mph section that the Prospectors added to the route sheet. The section was at mile 20 of the second loop and lasted for two miles exactly before dropping down to a 4mph speed average. The first .special test of the second loop, however, was run out of the Spangler Hills area through sandy, downhill canyons and long, narrow, cliffhanger uphills. Team Green's Oakley Lehman was the only rider to zero the check out of the special test, although he would later suffer from computer problems which would knock him out of contention for a win. Mattson and Van Stee both dropped three points at the same check. A reset from 15.2 to 18.4 miles helped riders catch back up to schedule, but some used it as an opportunity to creep up on the 120-mph section that lay up the trailless than two miles ahead. Vet Open-class favorite Rick Daniel saw his chances of an overall win fade when he crept up a little too far. Daniel burned a check that lay less than a mile from the reset by a mere three seconds. The check that Daniel burned turned out to be the check-in to the 120-mph section. The section led riders up a rocky canyon and then up a "cobbly" . uphill before running straight down a mountain with a sign at the top that read "Bull Dog" - a warning to consider walking one's bike down the hill. Riders opting for a top finish ignored the sign and chose to brake-slide down the loose mountain. At the bottom of the downhill, two solid-rock waterfalls led to a sand wash and a checkpoint that no one zeroed .. Mattson and Van Stee both carded fives at the check, while Baehr ..... recorded .a six. I-< 0.. At mile 27.7, riders were treated to a

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