Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

At the end of the lap, Brian Garrahan was still leading, followed by Trussardi, Blackwell, Jarrett, Kohler and Patrick Garrahan. Gaining on them all, however, was A 250cc class Team Green's Craig Wesner, who worked his way up from a second-row start to seventh place. "Things were really falling together," Wesner said. '1 was riding as hard as I could, knowing if I kept it up a notch, I might have a strong finish." The order of the top riders changed as they came through the scoring tent at the end of lap, three. Brian Garrahan was still first, but Blackwell was in second and Trussardi, who was riding on a flat tire that later disintegrated, was third. Jarrett, still holding fourth, was riding without brakes. His brake fluid had boiled out and he had to make a longer and unplanned pit stop. Kohler was still riding firmly in fifth and Wesner was now in sixth. Roderick Kreiss, another second-row starter and an A 200cc-class rider, pulled into seventh place as he started lap four. '1 just put my head down and rode," said Kreiss. "[ didn't think about anything else but riding hard and ca tching Craig. I could hear him just up ahead of me." Brian Garrahan pitted at the end of the third lap and barely got back onto the cou.rse before Blackwell came through just a few seconds later. "1 knew I had to hustle to make it back out before Doug could pass me," Brian Garrahan said. '1 got onto the fire road and rode in the looser dirt on the berms. 1 drug my feet and made as much dust as 1 could, knowing it would keep him back." Garrahan's lead held and Blackwell worked diligently to close the gap caused by the dust. '1 rode as hard as I humanly, possibly could," Blackwell said. On the fourth and final lap, Trussardi's tire couldn't hold together any longer. He made it just past the checkout, and he had to stay there and watch the others continue on. Trussardi's disappointment didn't override his good humor; he complimented the Redding Dirt Riders for providing a great course and explained how much fun he was having riding on terrain that reminded him of his home in Italy. "The only thing different 1 would like you to do was end the race after the first lap," laughed Trussardi while talking to RDR's president, Rick Bowser. "Then I would be winner." Kreiss and Silvestri swapped positions several times on the final lap. "Steve and I battled the entire lap and kept passing each other," Kreiss said. "We were having a great time going fast and having fun." ear the ~nd of the final lap, when the leaders came out of the bushes and into the crowd's view, Brian Garrahan was still· in the lead, but Blackwell was closing in on him. They approached a short, steep uphill that went directly into a hard right turn, and Garrahan and Blackwell came across some lapped riders. As the group hit the hill, Blackwell passed Garrahan and the others at the top and made the next two turns first. Then Garrahan gassed it and blasted by Blackwell on the high side of the trail through a bush, and Blackwell struggled in the lower, looser dirt. Garrahan was fir;t at the checkered flag, five seconds ahead of Blackwell. Kohler had a fast last lap and crossed the finish line third, and Wesner followed in ·fourth. Kreiss was fifth through the scoring tent, followed by Silvestri and Jarrett. '1 twas great to cross the finish line third," Kohler said. "The course was like a freeway, smooth and fast - especially compared to the whooped and bumpy courses back east." "The cour e conditions at the top were ideal," Wesner said. 'The loamy, black dirt was perfect, traction was excellent and it was fun having a break from the dust." Rob Zimmerman, another A 200ccclass second-row starter, rolled through the finish eighth, and Ty Spooner was close behind in ninth. The lOth rider to cross the finish line was A 250cc rider Ben Hatch, who also started on the second row. When the lap times were adju ted, the finishing places changed. Brian Garrahan's elapsed time of 2:36:55, average lap time of 0:39:14 and average speed of 30.61 mph gave him the overall and AAclass victory. Blackwell's 2:37:06 was. next best, leaving his physical second-place finish intact. Wesner's outstanding ride netted him a 2:41:57, moving him to third. Kreiss, who also had an exceptional day, finished with 2:42:41 and in fourth, while Kohler's 2:44:05 held strong for fifth. Zimmerman's 2:44:55 upped his position to sixth. Silvestri's 2:45:14 gave him seventh. Jarrett finished in eighth with a 2:45:30. Hatch completed the race with 2:45:57, good for ninth. Spooner rounded out the top 10 with a 2:47:06. "What can I say?" Blackwell said. "Brian rode a great race - he maintained. the gap he gained and held it to the end. [ pulled up on him at the finish, but it was just too little, too late." "I tried to ride smoother, more consistent and smarter," Brian Garrahan said. 'Tm glad my strategy paid off." After the scores were totaled and the protest period was over, RDR's Bowser presented Garrahan with a $500 Propurse check for his overall victory. Wesner won the A overall prize - a tire - as did the B overall winner, Brian Bertolini, and the C overall winner, Johan Bruins. . eN Shasta Dam Grand Prix Redding, California Results: April 18, 1999 (Round 4 of 9) OJ A: 1. Brian Garrahan (KTM); 2. Doug Blackwell (Yam); 3. Craig. Wesner (Kaw); 4. Roderick Kreiss (J\;lw); 5. Erik Kohler (Yam). • AA: 1. Brian Garrahan (KTM); 2. Doug BlackweU (Yam); 3. Erik Kohler (Yam); 4. Steve Silvestri (t-I'bg)i 5. Jim Jorrett (Kaw). A O/A: 1. Craig Wesner (Kaw); 2. Roderick Kreiss (Kaw); 3. Rob Zimmerman (KTM); 4. Ben Hatch (Hon); 5. Damien Galford (](aw). A 200: 1. Roderick Kreiss (Kawl; 2. Rob Zimmerm.ln (KTM); 3. Troy Camerer (KTM). A 250: 1. Craig Wesner (Kaw); 2. Ben Hatch 0100); 3. Damien Galford (Kaw); 4. Terry Biel (Yam); 5. Aaron Osborne. A 4-STRK: 1. Rex Bauer (Han); 2. Mark Kerling (Yam); 3. RussclJ Per~ira (Yam); 4. Glenn M.. rtinson (Yam); 5. Tony Fox. ~ . A VET: 1. Bill Jarvis (Han); 2. Andrew Nornsh (KTM); 3. Jay Faulkner (G-G); 4. Jack Roberts (Han); 5. Garrett Binns (Han"). A SR; 1. Duane Scott (Yam); 2. Wayne Hatch (Kaw); 3. Ken Tomeo (KTM); 4. Perry Sherman (KTM); 5. Kenneth Peschell (Yam). A SISR, I. Peter Prichard (l

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