Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

Events ~ ECEA Hare Scrambles Series, Round 2 By Mark Uth ST. GEORGE, DE, APR. 25 red Hoess walked away with the overall win at the St. George Hare Scrambles, bringing. home the bacon aboard his Husqvarna USA-sponsGred WR250 for the first time this season. However, the same could not be said for series rival and early leader Jack Lafferty Jr., as a first-lap tangle between the two resulted in a nasty crash and a leg injury (later diagnosed as a broken fibula) that precipitated Lafferty's eventual retirement from the field. Naturally, the competitors and their respective support teams had widely divergent views of this close encounter that ultimately decided the event. Postrace rumors and speculation only served to throw gas on the fire. However, this eyewitness saw it unfold in a manner completely in line with etiquette expected of tough competitors racing for a championship. Nearly 500 'bikes entered various races, including the Youth and Pee Wee heats that preceded the main event. The sponsoring Delaware Enduro Riders unveiled a new ll-mile hare scrambles loop, run in the shadow of the newly constructed Route 1 highway suspension bridge. The huge crowd was perhaps the biggest ECEA hare scrambles turnout ever. The race began as a near-free-for-all, F 30 with the start run in a broad, flat plain that went on for some 500 yards, on which anyone with a CR500 and an itchy throttle hand could have challenged for the holeshot. After a wide, flat first turn there was an additional mile of ribboned track in the same field, followed by eight miles of woods trail in thick second-growth wood lots west of the bridge. Lafferty was right up front at the beginning and he proceeded to lead the pack through the first turn and into the woods, most closely followed at that time by Frank Vanaman and Dan Polak. Once in the woods, however, Hoess went to work, making his way into the number-two position, right behind Lafferty. In the process, the two put some distance between themselves and the other front-runners, which included Vanaman and Kevin Bennett. Unlike many hare scrambles events in which top riders cruise along until the last lap, this race had the competitive juices boiling right out of the gate. When the lead pair popped out of the trees, they went into the barrels wheel to wheel and engines screaming. Immediately thereafter, there was a quarter-mile run down a graded twotrack straightaway that culminated with a hard right-hander that led under the bridge. In addition to being a near-180degree turn, the trail sloped downward as it came off the two-track and onto the bottom land beneath the bridge. It was (Above left) Fred Hoess aggressively raced to the overall win at the St. George Hare Scrambles. (Top) Jack Lafferty Jr. was leading the event until he and Hoess had a run-In that forced Lafferty to the ground. The Suzuki rider headed back to the ptts with a broken leg. (Above) Kevin Bennett was In the running for the overall until an empty gas tank ended his day. here that the deciding skirmish ensued. Naturally, both riders were hard on the gas in top gear, racing down the straightaway. With the thinnest of leads, Lafferty entered the turn too hot, both wheels skidding on the dusty hardpack. As Lafferty drifted outside on the tum, Hoess ducked underneath, taking an inside line that perhaps blocked Jack's exit from the turn and brought the two bikes together. At the point of impact, Hoess' front wheel was just ahead of Lafferty's. Jack went down hard and fast, while Hoess skidded to a stop just a few yards down the trail and shot a quick look to ensure that his rival was unhurt. Pinned under the bike at first, Jack hastily jumped up and, with the help of several eager spectators, fired his Suzuki up and took chase forthwith, passing Hoess back to retake the lead before the completion of the second lap. Lafferty 'continued to lead for the next lap, with Hoess right on his wheel, while hotshoes Vanaman and Bennett followed some minutes back. Bennett, campaigning his Fairway KTM-sponsored EXCI25 for only the second time, ran out of gas during the third lap (after only 29 miles) and ended his day pushing his bike to the pits. Near the end of the third trip around the ll-mile course, Hoess took over the lead, while Lafferty dropped off the pace. This allowed Hoess to build a cushion of several minutes, one that he would hold through the end of the race, while Lafferty called it a day at the start of the white-flag lap. "I hurt my leg in that crash with Freddy," said Lafferty. "It didn't feel too bad at first, so I pressed on. As the race went on, it starting hurting more and more especially when I tried to plant in righthand turns. I think it might be broken." The injured rider dropped out after completing four laps, while the day's top five riders all completed five. Hoess' victory was an anticlimactic affair after the run-in with Laiferty, but one that nonetheless cemented his reputation as a tough, no-holds-barred competitor. "This was my first race aboard the 250," said Hoess, "and it took me some time to get used to it. Man, once I did learn how to r.ide it, though, it was ripping." Regarding the crash, Hoess was concerned that some people might immediately brand him the villain. "Jack was going good and we were both flying," Hoess explained. "It was a wide turn with plenty of room. I should have been able to get around him cleanly, but you know, sometimes things just happen. Naturally, I'm sorry to hear that be's hurt." Frank Vanaman assumed the number-two position and cruised to a fortuitous second-place finish without challenge, finishing five minutes behind Hoess. Veteran-class competitor Phil Carlin rounded out the podium, taking home the first-place trophy in the Veteran class. KDX220 pilot Jeff Kirchner had a strong day, completing five laps and finishing fourth overall, while Mike Arendasky rode his CRl25 into the number-five seed, taking top honors in the A 0-200 class. Rounding out the top 10 were Bip Gunselman, Kevin Reed, Dale Hiles, Steve Pfeffer and Craig Shenigo. ,. St. George Hare Scrambles St. George, Delaware Resutts: April 25, 1999 (Round 2) O/A: 1. Fred Hoess (Hus); 2. Frank Vanaman (KTM); 3. Phil Carlin (Yam); 4. Jeff Kirchner (Kaw); 5. Mike Arendasky (Han); 6. James Gunselman (Yam); 7. Kevin Reed (Hon); 8. Dale Hiles (KTM); 9. S'eve Pfeffer; 10. Craig Shenigo (KTM). A 200: 1. Mike Arendasky (Han); 2. Dale Hiles (KTM); 3. Glen Schere; 4. Todd Quinn (KTM); 5. Eric Corbin (Kaw). A 250: 1. Fred Hoess (Hus); 2. Frank Vanaman (KTM); 3. Phil Carlin (Yam); 4. Jeff Kirchner (]

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