Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

(Left) KTM's Jason Dahners started last on a borrowed 1997 250, calmly motored to the front of the talented AA pack and never looked back as he ran away with the win at the Rockhopper Hare Scrambles in Monroe, Washington. (Right) Travis Elliot went 1-1 in the 125 and 250Cc Expert classes at round one of the Texas Series, held at Mosier Valley USA in Fort Worth, Texas. 25+ INT: 1. John Moorc (Hon); 2. Steve Thinger (Hon); 3. Adam Johnston (Hon); 4. Kevin Roach (Yam); 5. Shane Berg (Suz). VET BEG: 1. Pctcr Hamel (Hon); 2. Robert Shacffer (Yam); 3. David Adams (Yam); 4. John Newell (SUZ)i 5. Jeff Gorman (Hon). VET NOV: 1. Shawn Fisher (Yam); Bob MitcheU (Hon)i 3. Steve Arena (Yam); 4. Guy Lowe (Kaw); 5. Matt Longo (Yam). VET INT: 1. Jimmy Robertson (Suz); 2. Adam Johnston (Hon); 3. Dan DeNuzzo (Han); 4. John Moore (Hon). OIT BEG: 1. Paul Hansen (KTM); 2. Stephen Langley (Yam); 3. Chuck Shipley (Hon); 4. Jim Willis (Hon); 5. Dan Ristrom (Suz). OIT INT: 1. Art McDade (Hon); 2. Jim Breneiscn (Han). ADULT PW IJR/Z50: 1. Ben Weisenberg (Hon); 2. Joe Lillard (Hon); 3. Mike Dubrowski (Yam)i 4. Steve-Arena (Hon); 5. Greg Mitchell (Suz). Dahners rocks Rockhopper Hare Scrambles By Tory Briggs • i - MONROE, W APR. 18 A, With single-digit National off-road star jason Dahners abandoning his Husaberg deal to return to his Northwestern roots as a regional KTM support rider, the season points race for the NMA Off-Road Series tightened considerably. Borrowing an old 1997 KTM 250, Dahners assumed control of the third race of the 12 in the series on the second lap from the early leader, Lynnwood Yamaha/KTM's Eric Cleveland, who was fighting a sticking throttle. Once in the lead, Dahners never faltered en rou te to the checkers. Dahner's win gave him a first and a third for the season, tying him with multi-time NMA champ David Lykke but leaving them both a few points behind three others. Lynnwood Yamahabacked Lykke struggled with a blown shock at the Rockhopper Hare Scrambles, but after. working his way from ninth into third on the third lap around the 6-mile loop, Lykke could not sustain his charge and went into survival mode to protect his podium finish. just ahead in the points sits Aurora Suzuki's Kevin Bailey, with a first and a se.cond in the series thus far. The points lead belongs to a surprised Brian Bennett.. Bennett ran a very strong and largely uncontested second at the Rockhopper, and he has a second .and a seventh to boost his total. The first to hit the rocky, tight, mostly second- and third-gear course were the two-hour racers. Senior Experts Scott Weber and Alan Deyo got locked into an epic battle for the lead. With each pass, the pace was kicked up another notch, but neither could psyche out the other. W~ber finally smacked a tree, nearly ripping off a finger and handing Deyo the victory. Rob Lewis sn.agged the holeshot as the Expert three-hour race hit the trail. A tight group comprised 01 Develand, Dahners (who started dead last) and Bennett; along with the lastimproving Aaron Wilson, displaced Lewis on the first lap. Gary Furrenes, Sean Wilson and Lykke rounded out the AAs still running, while the start of an epic A Open battle was forming on their rear fender. Kevin Beathards, his teammate John Beal, and a fast-closing Joe Wade were catching the back of the AA wave and banging bars. After hours of back-and-forth racing, Beathards finished sixth overall, and Deal finished 10th, in front of Wade's 11th-place finish. Out front, Dahners cruised to the finish with a 31/2-minute advantage. Jeff Odom put in an great effort for the day. Riding a gutless, stone-stock KLX300 that hit more rocks than it could clear, Odorn raged from a third-row Vet Expert start to seventh overall, in spite 01 being coUected by two different crashes in the first half mile. The top 10 was fleshed out by eighth-placed Lewis. and ninthplaced s.:an Wilson. Blaine Ostafin nabbed the A Under-class win in 12th overall. Results 01 A: 1. Jason Dahners (KTM); 2. Brian Bennett (Yam); 3. David Lykke (Yam); 4. Cary Furrene!:l (G-C); S. Aaron Wilson (Yam). AA: 1. Jason Dahners (KTM); 2. Brian Bennett (Yam); 3. David Lykke (Yam); 4. Cary Fumnes (G-G); 5. Aaron Wilson (Yam). A OPEN: 1. Kevin Beathnrds (Yam); 2. John Bel'll (Yam); 3. Joe Wade (Yam)i 4.jim Thomson (KTM)i 5. Ken Oakland (Suz). A UNDER: 1. Blaine Ostafin (Yam)i 2. Dean Dorsett (KTM); 3. Doug Turner- (Yam); 4. Kelly Beathards (Kaw); 5. Steve Parker (Suz). 4-STRK EX: 1. David Rhodes (Yam); 2. Kelly Hill (Yam); 3. Dan Weihe (Yam); 4. Trent Kleven (Hon); 5. Steve Svedarsky (BBR). VET EX: 1. jeff Odom ()(aw); 2. Robert McCollough (Yam); 3. Mike Ritzman (Yam); 4. David 'Huynh (Yam); 5. Doug Micone (K.,1W). SR EX: 1. Alan Deyo (KTM); 2. Scott Weber (Yam)i 3. Scott O'Brien (Kaw); 4. Rob Lewis (Suz); 5. Damon Bee (Suz). B OPEN: 1. Jon Crist (Suz); 2. Gil Olsen (KTM); 3. Eric Bee (Suz); 4. Rob Russell (KTM); 5. Dan Hagt.-rman (KTM). B UNDER: 1. Mike Unrein (Suz); 2. Jason Allinson (Hon); 3. Mark Hergert (Yam); 4. Jason Johnson (Yam); 5. Aaron Morgan (Yam). 4-STRK AM: 1. Bill Baldwin (Jvin Homick. 250 BEG: 1. jarrod Killough (Hon); 2. Kevin Quinn (Yam). 250 NOV: 1. Russ Grigsby (Suz)i 2. Andy Oppenhein (KaW)i 3. Josh Chandler (Yam); 4. Jason Escobedo ($u7J; 5. Shawn Buck· master (}(aw). 250 INT: 1. Chase Reed (Yam)i 2. James Marshall (Kaw); 3. Nathan Hale (Yam); 4. Ryan St:. Cyr (Yam); 5. Chris Drummond (Yam). 250 OPEN AM: 1. Chase Rt."Cd (Yam); 2. Nathan Hale (Yam); 3. Chris Emunmond (Yam); 4. Ryan Sl. eyr (Yam); 5. Russ Grigsby (Suz). 250 EX: 1. Travis EUiott (Hon); 2. Austin Squires (SUZ)i 3. jason Eckhoff (Hon)i 4. james Skinner (Han); 5. BiUy Morrison (Suz). 25+ NOV: 1. Danny Carley (Yam); 2. jeremy [)eyen (Yam); 3. Terry Goetz (Yam); 4. Donnie Holkomb (Kaw); 5. Bruce'Oassey (Yam). 25+ lNT: 1. John Lincoln (Kaw); 2. David Chandler (Suz.); 3. Matt Hatcher (Suz). 2S+ EX: 1. Austin Squires CSuzl; 2. j;unes Skinner (Hon); 3. Kevin Hornick (Yam); 4. Shawn Mardis (Yam)i 5. David Lu): (Kaw). 30+ NOV: 1. Terry Goetz (Yam); 2. Donnle Holcomb O

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