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/127945
en EX: 1. Mark Ledesma (Kaw); 2. Jason Parker (Su7); 3. Chria Greve (Suz); 4. Rick Stratton (Suz); 5. Chris Jean-Claude Maltcrre (Hon). en AM: 1. Robb Martin (Suz); 2. Trent Feltman (Kaw); 3. Craig Lindeman (Hon); 4. Steve Kopp (I:-Ion); 5. Bryan Skinner (Suz). GT2 EX: 1. John Jewett (Suz); 2. Cass Morgan (Hon); 3. John Ritte:r (Hon); 4. William Gates (Hon); .5. Lawrence Kaplan (Suz). GT2 AM: 1. Donald BI,Uett (Han); 2. Mi$:hael MacLean (Hon); 3. Eric Anderson (Due>; 4. Chris Nicoloff (Han); 5. Steve ""pp (Hool. CT3 EX: 1. Mark Ledesma (Kaw); 2. Scott Jensen (Kaw); 3. Michael Ross (Hon); 4. Terry Spell (Hoo); 5. John Jewett (Kaw). CT3 AM: 1. Olris Niroloff (Hon); 2. Charles Coyle (!Caw); 3. RIchard Webster (Kaw); 4. Henry Wang (Hon); 5. Tom Chauncey (l)uc). • Loretta Lynn's Dual Sport Ride By Bob Johnson HURRICANE MILLS, TN, MAY 2-3 Ever wonder where the mud that earned the Mississippi River the n.ickname "Big Muddy" comes from? It comes from western Tennessee, that's where. And at the pre-ride meeting for this dual sport ride, former National Endur.o Champion Jeff Russell said it was the first time this year he'd seen the sun in western Tennessee. The crowd responded with a mixture of muffled laughter and groans, as they knew they were going to get a good taste of Big Muddy. This area's springtime weather was filled with EI Nii'lo-spawned rainstorms and the occasional deadly tornado. Russell tried to dispel riders' fears by commenting, 'The water in the creek crossi'ngs is only up to your pegs," but it didn't help mudl because he followed this by saying, "It's really muddy out there." When .even an ex-champ notices the mud, you know you're in trouble. Before the end of the day, some of the riders who got in trouble were looking fo( Russell because they wanted to see a motorcycle with the pegs mounted up around the seat. . Russell ended the dders' meeting by saying, "If you can make it through the first section, you won't have any problems with the rest of the course." He was lying. The first 12.6 miles, which took riders away from Loretta Lynn's Ranch and onto nearby '.l1ublic lands, had a bail-out at the S-mile mark, but it wasn't the toughest part of the route. Even a post-lunch hil1climb, which had impatient riders bushwhacking through the forest rather than enduring the traJfic jam at the bottom, wasn't the toughest part of the ride. The toughest part of the ride was the Mississippi mud. It clung to every part of everythfng and made your dual sport steer like a street bike with two flat tires. The first gas stop, at 36 miles, had four-stroke riders worried and two-stroke owners absolutely panicked. The sticky mud rivaled any man-made adhesive until it got wet and changed into something with a very low coefficient of friction. lce would be a good example. When it Tue. 6/2 8pm est. AMA Formula Xtreme - Road Atlanta Fri.6/S 9pm est. AMA Supersport - Road Atlanta Sat. 6/6 *6pm local AMA Superbike - Road Atlanta Sun. 6/7 *Spmlocal World Superbike - Germany Sun.. 6/7 lOpm est. World Superbike - Nurburgring Canadian Motocross - Barrie Sun. 6/7 wasn't wi,nding through m'ud or across rocks, the trail navigated streambeds land-mined with seat-deep potholes hidden by opaque floodwaters. Riders hoped the water would wash the pounds of muck from their machines, but once 'Check your local listing for air time on your regional sports network the mud was piled on, it was no longer waler- soluble. It made you wonder if the government was playing a cruel joke by experimenting on some hapless riders with some top-secret soil obtained from a planet in some faraway galaxy. Lunch was served at Loretta Lynn's Ranch, at which was spotted a couple Ot dozen mud sculptures tied onto trailers and into the beds of pickup trucks. Riders were served barbecue sandwiches and baked beans, which were being rationed even before the first wave of front-cun- ners were through. Fighting the Mississippi mud worked up appetites to a level the organizers hadn't anticipated. After lunch, a 2a-mile pavement seclion was followed by the only Hcaution" on the day's route - recent flooding had created an obstacle course of moguls. They Sponsored by Cycle World, Suzuki, ~ I""'" -'.- 1-888-22SPEED .... :;c, r-----------------------------------------------,I I (EID ~ ORDER FORM 0 I . (Please fill out completely and print clearly) o Address o City _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ State _ _ Zip Phone o Send to: (]]:ill~,Inc. P.O. Box 5084, Costa Mesa, CA 92628-5084 This is a o New Subscription o Renewal' Toll Free Subscription Hotline (800) 831-2220 24-hour FAX Order Line (714) 751-6685' E-mail; Subscribe@cyclenews.com S.ignature· . LMC/Vlsa# . . ExpIration Date o o o I I Every week for two years (100 issues for $70.00) Six months second class (25 issues for $19.00) Order Date Dinner, complete with live country music, was scheduled for 6 p.m. at an outdoor pavilion on Loretta Lynn's Ranch. The organizers had prepared a soutllern-style catfish fry with coleslaw and com bread, but by S:55 p.m., only a dozen expert riders were showered and seated. The rest of the riders were still on the trail. Intermediate-level riders arrived by 7:30 p.m., and novices on anything ·Iess than a two-stroke enduro mount or a 57000 four-stroke didn't appear until after dark. The highlight of the day was the poker stop at Stewart Branch Saloon. It was located, appro- YES! Start my subscription immediately to Cycle News. 1 year / 50 issues for $38.00. (can be billed 2 monthly payments) '. Name were a cross between supercross whoops and motocross, G-out jumps. Another U miles of pavement took riders to the nearest sizable town, where a local.motorcycle dealer had Christmas in May selling lubes and levers. Then it was another 20 miles of pavement and two miles of trail to the finish. Kawasaki, Honda, MMI Please bill me 1 payment of $38.00 Bill 2 payments of $19.00 Enclosed is my check or money order Charge my 0 Visa o Mastercard One year (SO issues), 2nd class Canada or MeXJco and all other foreign countries $78.00 I (US Funds). 1st class and airmail rates ~ available upon request. CN 00 0\ 0\ ..-l Cf5' ! 51