Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

By Mark Uth, Trail Rider Magazine LEBANON STATE FOREST, NT, MAY 3 ich Lafferty capitalized on series points leader Freddy Hoess' . weekend off and some good fortune to take home the Pine Hill Enduro overall prize and reclaim the leaa in the ECEA Enduro Series points battle. In a race characterized as a timekeeper, a whopping eight emergency checks were used to keep riders off balance. Piloting a Bromley Suzuki-KTM-sponsored KTM 250/EXC, Lafferty managed to doublezero (zero points/emergency points) four, count 'em, four of the day's Echecks, bringing home the victory with a one-point card 0/113). Afterward, Richard was all smiles as he pondered his ride and the day's outcome. "My Bromley KTM has been really cooking, benefiting from performance and setup tricks learned hom Mike (Rich's brother, KTM factory-sponsored National Enduro Champ Mike Lafferty):' Richard said. "I felt good all day and really worked hard at hitting the Ecl1ecks just right." The. fortunes of war weighed heavily in the outcome as a number of riders vied for the win right up to the results being finalized. The reluctant disqualification of a points-taking check (check four) from the morning loop served to shuffle the deck in Lafferty's favor, giving him the final card for a winning hand. Not surprisingly, in nearly all contests, seconds separa ted the. winners from those with also-ran status. Lafferty's main competi tion on the day came from an unexpected source, however. Senior-class rider and former ECEA hotshoe Bruce Dengler had an amazing day, finishing second overall by mere seconds, but not quite able to grab the brass ring. Dengler missed zeroing the entire course and the overall trophy by a mere second - that's one, uno - coming in with a 1/31 at check seven, the day's final points-taking check. When the dust settled, however, the Suzuki-mounted Dengler still turned in the day's secondbest ride, managing aI/ 129 score and earning the High Point A prize for his trouble. Another KTM rider, AA-ranked Bill Atkinson, didn't get the' flips on the day either, finishing two points down (2/130) for third overall and first-place AA honors. XR400. pilot Bob Bennett had his own sad story to tell. Continuing his series rampage; Bennett turned in a two-poin t card as well (2/160), missing the overall in spite of scoring the day's best times at check three and the ill-fated fourth check. His fourthoverall finish earned him runner-up status to the HPA and first-place honors in the hotly contested A Four-Stroke class. Rounding out the top five was A Openclass hammer Frank Vanaman, who pushed his KTM 300 to the best threepoint card on the day (3/136) and the class win. The weather was not to playa role in the outcome, although it no doubt contributed to a land-rush turnout. Nearly 400 riders entered the event, which was graced with seasonal temperatures that rose into the mid-70s under partly sunny skies. High humidity did, however, make things a bit sticky. Run from the Pakim Pond Recreation Area in New fersey's Lebanon State Forest, the Pine Hill course meandered through characteristic pine forests. Sections varied between open deciduous hardwood forest, transition stands of oak and pitch pine, and fields of unforgiving pucker brush (scrub oak). Trail consisted of two-track' connectors, fast plow lines RII IT~B BICH~S TURN and tight single-track trail, with an occasional water obstacle (read: "mudhole"), but no real stoppers. C1ub trail boss Bob Agonis had scripted a two-loop course with gas available located back at the campground. Some 75 ground miles were covered during the day, almost evenly split between the morning and afternoon loops. An unusual 9 o'clock key time benefited the sleep-impaired or any lastminute wannabes. Departure from the start control could have scorclled any of those s till sleepyheaded as check one, found at the obligatory 3.0-mile mark, was the first of eight emergency checks to follow. It was a timekeeper after easy trail and connector sections run at 12 and 15 mph. For those on the ball, it was no trouble to zero this wake-up check, with the top riders easily minimizing Epoints loss coming in right on 30. Connectors and neat trail sections run at frustratingly slow speeds were used for the next 20 miles. Eventually, a check-in to a genuine special test was encountered at mile 22.2, marking the start of an 8.5-mile test of singI-e-\rack trail through mostly open timberland. Run at an 18-mph speed average, back-to-back p~ints-taking checks were located within (checks three and four). At the first, check three, a trio of riders carded zeroes, led by Honda rider Bob Bennett's 0/09 tally. Rich Lafferty came in a few seconds later at 0/17, followed by Dengler's 0/22. A score of riders trailed with a single point down, led by the 1/35 of Atkinson, aI/ 39 turned in by CR250 pilot Todd Topham, Mike McHale's 1/40, Craig Cossaboon's 1/42 and a 1/43 carded by Vet-class competitor John Walter. With no respite afterward, riders thundered on to the final check-out, located some five miles later. Unfortunately; somewhere in between, a number of riders managed to veer off the course and get lost, leading to the eventual disqualification of that check. Scores varied wildly at the check-out, a testimony to the course/rider problems that justified the toss. Afterward, connectors were used to get riders back to the start for the midday break. The p.m. loop began with the obligatory timekeeping check, located just out of fhe campground, testing riders' departures from the gas. Again, this was easily zeroed - even double-zeroed by riders on the bubble. Soon thereafter, the course dived into several miles of tight trail iliat could have easily taken points, except for the toadly 12- and 15mph speed averages. Eventually, speeds were bumped to 21 mph, signaling the start of the afternoon's special test. A 4.5-mile section of tricky single-track started at 21 mph and dropped to 18 mph less than halfway through. The section was a strange piece of trail· - tight but not ignorant, fast but not smooth, one that seemed to defy rhythm, thus driving riders off the pace. Also, located a half mile or so from the checkoutwas Rich Lafferty turned in a one-point card to win the ECEA Pine Hill Enduro, reclaiming the series points lead with the victory. a substantial mud hole whose burgeoning ruts managed to trap more than a few unwary riders, especially those on later rows. The section turned out to be the only test on the day to take points from all, although this was nearly not the case. At the check-out (check seven), Dengler smoked in to card a section-best 1/31 score, missing zeroing the section by a single emergency point. Front-runners Lafferty and Atkinson were the only other riders to drop one through the piece, with Richard getting the edge, 1/55 to 1/77. Several other top riders just missed ones, including Mark Malszalek (2/93), McHale (2/97) and Bennett (2/98). From there it was connectors back to the known control, except for a final timekeeping check located a minimal distance from the KC. As has often been the practice of qCR trail bosses, this check fooled few, but did catch many early in their minute, bolstering E-points tallies. With that, cards were collected, results finalized, and Rich Lafferty emerged as Grand Champion on the merit of his 1/113 score. Dengler, a longtime ECEA competitor who challenged for the ECEA championship in the '80s (and father of pro motocrosser Joel Dengler), had one of those days. At least his 1/129 card earned him High Point A honors, while a steady But Atkinson (2/130) filled out the podium. Bob Bennett (2/160) and Frank Vanaman (3/136) rounded out the top five overall. New thumper pilot Mike McHale had a bountiful day, piloting his Yamaha 400 to a sixth-overall finish on the merit of a 3/158 card, while Veteran-class competitor Mike Beeler took the seventh overall seed with a 3/176. A notable finisher, Todd Topham, earned top honors in the A 250 class and eighth overall with a 3/195 score. Topham was back racing after nearly a five-year hiatus. In the interim, Topham has kept busy with a recent kidney transplant (less than six months ago), knee surgery, and a subsequent bout with Lyme's Disease. Just call him "Lucky." In all seriousness, though, kudos to Topham for his determination to continue racing at the highest of levels, and best of luck to him. Anotl1er Yamaha 400, ridden by Rob Aldakimov, finished with a 3/211 for ninth overall while a YZ250-mounted Dan Sharpless rounded out the top 10 by putting up a 3/218 score. In B-class action, YZ125 pilot Dan Stoppi Jr. earned the High Point B trophy with a 4/350 card. The only other four-point card tallied within the B clas~ was turned in by Vet-class competitor Wade Johnston, runner-up to the HPB. The Masters-elass winner was Dan Van Driel, who dropped 13 on the day. L.,. ECEA Pine Hill Enduro Lebanon State Forest, New Jersey Results: May 3, 1998 (Round 4) GRAND CHAMP: Richard Lctffcrty (KTM) 1/113. H~PT A: Bruce Dengler (Suz)1/129. H-PT B, Dan Stoppi Jr. (Yam) 4/3S0. O/A: 1. Richard lafferty (KTM) 1/113; 2. Bruce Dengler (Suz) 1/129; 3. Bill Atkinson (KTM) 2/130; 4. Bob Bennett (Hon) 2/160; 5. Frank Vanaman (KTM) 3/136; 6. Mike McHale (Yam) 3/158; 7. Mike Beeler (Yam) 3/176; 8. Todd Topham (Hon) 3/!95; 9. Rob Aldakimov (Yam) 3/211; 10. Dan SharRless (Yam) 3/218; 1]. Jamie Wright (Yam) 3/225; 12. Mark MaJ,zalek 3/227; 13. John Walter (Su» 3/227; 14. Anthony Tomctsello (Yam) 3/'237; 15. Stu Crouch (Hon) .3/238; 16. Steve Larkin (Yam) 3/243; 17. Jctmes Gunselman (Yam) 3/243; 18. Craig Cossaboon (Yam) 3/247; 19. Ed Hamilton (Kaw) 31254; 20. Dave Maca (Suz) 3/256; 21. John Roeske (Kaw) 3/272. A 125: 1. john Roeske (Kaw) 3/2n; 2. Pat Emmons (Yam) 4; 3. Dean Spencer (Yam) 5; 4. Greg Davies (Yam) S; S. Ed McGaJl (Yam) 5. A 200: 1. Troy Coopersmith (Kaw) 4; 2. Rob Kirkpabick (KTM) S; 3. Chri, Garber (KTMJ S; 4. Todd Lockard (Kaw) 5; 5. joe Tavani (Kaw) 5. A 250, I. Todd Topham (Hon) 3/195; 2. Rob Aldakimov (Yam) 3/211; 3. Dan Sharples, (Yam) 3/218; 4. Jamie Wright (Yam) 3/225; 5. Mark Malszalek 3/727. A OPEN, 1. Frank Vanaman (KTMI 3/136; 2. Dean Spencer (KTM) 4; 3, Keith Mahon (Han) 6; 4. Tom Napier (KTM) 7; 5. james Landvater (KTM) 7. A 4-STRK, 1. Bob Bennett (Hon) 2/160; 2. Mike McHale (Yam) 3/138; 3. Steve Larkin (Yarn)' 3/243; 4. Craig Cossaboon (Yarn) 3/247; 5. Joe Wallace (Hon) 5. A VET, I. Mike Beeler (Yam) 3/176; 2: John Walter (Suz) 3/727; 3. James Gunsebnan (Yam) 3/243; 4. Dave Maca (Suz) 3/256; 5. Rob Morris (Suz) 5, A SR: 1. Anthony Tomasello (Yam) 3/237; 2. Dave Barlow (Yam) 4; 3. Cliff Tenney (KTM) 5; 4. Kevin Kuenmer (Kaw) 5; 5. Bill Atherholt (Suz) 6. A S/SR: 1, Rich Tompkins (TM) 6; 2. Fctrrell Lord (Kaw) 6; 3. Jack Lafferty Sr. (KTM) 7; 4. Pete Parlett (Hon) 7; S. Dave Verelelto (KTM) 7. MSTR: 1. Dan Van Driel (TM) 13; 2. Ed Baker (Kaw) 18; 3. Robert Hoover (Hon) 24. B 125: 1. Steve Brown (Suz) 5; 2. Mario DePalma (Suz) 6; 3. Ron DeCaro (Yam) 6; 4. Aaron KaHsher (C-G) 7; 5. Eric Hannah (Hon) 7. B 200: 1. Craig Gaver (KTM) 5; 2. George Mamounis (KTM) 5; 3. Dave Nash (Kaw) 5; 4. Bill Hess (Kaw) 6; 5. George Potts (Kaw) 6. B 250, 1. Jeff Hedge (Suz) S; 2. Bill Bilbert (Yam) S; 3. jeff "Brown (Kaw) 5; 4. John Shukovsky (Kaw) 6; 5. Mike Tavania (Kaw) 6. B OPEN, 1. Mike Sharp (KTM) 5; 2. Rod White (KTM) 5; 3. Mike Graham (Han) 8; 4. Tom Blasscyk (KTMJ 11; 5. Ray Strohem (KTM111. B 4 STRK: 1. Rob Comber (Yam) 6; 2. Kevin mummer (Kaw) 8; 3. Chris Schultz {Hon) 8; 4. Charles Sullivan (Han) 9; 5. Stephen Sei p (Han) 9. 8 VET: 1. Wade johnston (Suz) 4; 2. Michael Huckelston (Kaw) 5; 3. Steve Bromley (KTM) 5; 4. Dan Polak (Kaw) 6; 5. Anthony Sutton (Kaw) 6. 8 SR: 1. Eric Hartem (Hon) 5; 2. jack Lewis (Han) 5; 3. Dan Compton (KTM) 6; 4. Brent Bush (Kaw) 7; 5. Dave Van Pelt (Kaw) 8. 8 StSR: 1. Roy Howard (Suz) 7; 2. John Lurtzema (KTM) 8; 3. Lewis Newman (Kaw) 11; 4. Steve Hyde (Hon) 11; 5. Craig Morris 11, 8

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