Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

(Left) Paul Edmondson led for much of the race before crossing the finish line In third. (Above) GNCC icon Scott Summers powered his Honda XR600 to a fourth-place finish. (Below) Watts (right) and his tuner Steve Kuczko. The second round of the GNCC series was played out in a beautifully scenic area, and with the Paradise Park course in great shape, everyone expect.ed a very, very close battle. The dustfree course and excellent conditions had multi-time GNCC title winner Scott Summers more than impressed. "It's a great setup," Summers said. "I . would guess this is one of the most technical rounds we have had in the GNCC series for some time, and the dirt is very good: not too muddy and not too dry." When the Pro riders charged out off the start line and accelerated out of the first tight left-hand turn, Great Britain's Paul Edmondson shot his Suzuki into the lead (it was his second holeshot in as many races), and his teammate Steve Hatch was right on his rear fender. Watts powered his 125cc K1M into third, while defending series champion Rodney Smith found himself in big trouble. "I just crashed all by myself," said the Suzuki-mounted Smith of his rocky start. "I was not in a bad position when it happened - about sixth place - and then I was dead last. That made it difficult." Summers was also in trouble. "Another bad start," he said. "I was 10th or 15th or something like that. Those two-strokes get away from me every time. I was a long way back, and, on this course, catching is difficult." Summers began Jris race in 12th. While ·Edmondson looked cool and calm up front, it was Hatch who was on the move; and he eventually slid past his teammate, taking over the numberone place following some serious riding in the narrow forest area. Meanwhile, Watts, still in thi,rd, seemed to be taking his time, taking notes, and wa tching how things w!!re taking shape up ahead of him. Coming around at the end of lap one, it was Hatch leading the way, followed by Edmondson; Watts, former GNCC champ Fred Andrews, and Yamahamounted Randy Hawkins, who round' ed out the top five. The racing action was close, ·as Watts started looking for some breathing room, but he would have to wait, as another Suzuki rider appeared out of the dust. Smith, who had crashed earlier, had passed several riders and was .gunning for the lead. "I really gassed it," Smith said. "It was not easy passing the guys, but 1 knew I had to make up some time, and, within the first section on lap two, I was 'with Watts." Sure enough, Smith passed Watts, and then Edmondson,' and finally Hatch. At this point, it was a Suzuki 1-23, with Watts still sizing things up in fourth place. Finally, Watts decided it was time to make his :run for the lead. The Aussie opened up the throttle and forged into the lead. Through the treacherously narrow forest sections, Watts used lapped riders to his advimtage, putting more distance between his little 125 and the rest of the pack. "I was screaming at them," Watts said of the slower traffic. "They don't have eyes in the backs of their heads. I just wanted to let them know I was coming." Edmondson followed Watts for some time in the forest section and was impressed with the Australian's passing moves. "He did it perfect," Edmondson.said. "Nothing dangerous, just great riding. He really has been on fire this week. He was picking his places perfect." Summers, meanwhile, was showing off some slick moves of his own as he fought his way through traffic and into the sight of the top four riders. '1 caught Fred (Andrews) and passed him," Summers said. "Then I caught Hatch and passed him; then I caught Edmondson and passed him." Unfortunately for Summers, his drive to the front would all be for naught. "As I came nearer to Smith, my brakes stopped working," Summers said. '1 had cooked them. This course is so technical that I really had to use a lot of brakes, and I eventually cooked them. For the last _part of the race, I had no brakes at all. I was lucky to keep with the faster guys. I was really slow." Smith, as it turned out, was also experiencing troubles of his own. "I really worked so hard in the first few laps tryiilg to get to the leaders that. I was burned out near the end," he explained. "I could not keep with Watts. I would catch a little and lose a little. The lapped riders did not help." During the last three laps, Watts gradually pulled away from the tiring Smith and put on a show for the small crowd as he whipped his KTM sideways on the supercross-style sections of the course. "1 was having a lot of fun," Watts saiq.. "Everyone wants to be a supercross hero, and I'm no different. I want to come back and do some laps on that section for sure. I just want to have fun." Watts, punching the air with his fist, crossed the finish line some 29 seconds ahead of Smith, who was another 24 seconds ahead of Edmondson. Edmondson 'slipped past a brakeless Summers, but he did have a small stumble along the way. "I crashed into a lapper

• Cover