Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

NETRA Enduro Series Final Round: Black & Blue Enduro their spring event. Usually a slippery affair, the grass track was pure heaven today, with perfect soil and b~auti ful berms to give that slot-car-track effect. With each section having a checkin and -out, everyone was on equal footing. The first section was an easy zero for all of the AA riders and the quicker A riders, with the rest of the A field losing only a point or two. The next section would prove to be slightly more challenging, with Szlachetka and Norton both dropping one, compared to the twos recorded by the rest of the A-class speedsters. The section that followed was the first special test for the day. Szlachetka squeaked through the fast loop with 0:59 and took the lead. The A Light class leader, Paul Milliken, wished he could've made up two seconds somewhere, as he crossed the flags at 1 :01. He was followed by Mike Haas (1:07) and Mike Nash (1:08). Since it was only about 24 miles to the gas stop, it was easy to get back on time, and even get a bit of rest at the 25-minute reset. A known control began the fourth section of the day, which was another easy zero for the majority of the AA and A riders. A long section followed and provided a wide variety of terrain. Rocks, mud and a few hills, mixed in with some faster double-track trails, made for some fun riding, but "24 mph" was out of everyone's reach. Norton, Szlachetka and CREtE-line's Raffi Peterson set the pace with three apiece. After six miles of road, the course headed over to the grass-track section. There was no check-in at the even minute, but a sneaky check was found about four-tenths of a mile in. Experience paid off here, and only a small handful of A and B riders got caught, while a host of C riders ran too hot. The grass-track section could not have been better. Running it in the reverse direction than that traditionally used in the club's spring event made for a nice change, too. Fast trails mixed in between grass trails kept the fun meter pegged at 10. At the end of the loop, Norton had used his championship-winning By JOE MCLAUGHLIN PHOTO BY DENISE BERNIER WEST STAFFORD, CT, NOV. 7 amaha/Valley Motor Sports/ C Cycle/IMS/RPM/Tech Tubes/ Artco/Scott Goggles/Kevin's Cycle/ Dugas Engineering-sponsored Tom Norton has been riding as fast as anyone all year long, but unfortunately, mechanical gremlins and a few mental errors have kept him from taking an overall win. With only one round remaining, Norton wanted to make sure he would get his day in the sun. The final round of the 1999 NETRA Enduro Series will go down in history as the day Norton finally put it all together. Norton battled KTMmounted Darrel Szlachetka for the win all day long, after the two riders separated themselves from the field very early on. Both posted fastest scores in each of the seven sections, with Norton coming out on top of the last two sections, which made the difference. Norton nailed it down in the second-to-Iast section, an MX-style grass track, dropping only one point to Szlachetka's three. These two points gave Norton all he needed, as his seven-point card easily beat Szlachetka's nine points. "I kind of took it easy today, because there were so many leaves," said Norton. "I didn't make any stupid mistakes all day, and I never went down. I'm finally figuring out the time keeping, and my WatchDog computer is making my life a little easier." Sunshine and cool temperatures were the order of the day at the 1999 running of the CT Ramblers' Black £, Blue Enduro. Szlachetka was certainly a favorite today, as this is his home turf, while Norton's speed always makes him a potential front-runner. CT Ramblers trail bosses Dean Olsen and Bob Kamay laid out a truly awesome 65-ground-mile course, and it was much easier than Black £, Blues of the past. Since the club's earlier enduro (the Somers Run) was more challenging than usual, they decided to make things really fun and a bit shorter than usual. One big change was the decision to use the grass track normally used during 34 JANUARY 26, 2000' c u e I e n _ VII' S hare scrambles experience to flat out smoke the field. His one-point score beat the twos of Shawn Mason and Peterson. The final section gave Norton the chance to drive in the last nail, as he posted the fastest time through the "rock garden" special-test section with a 1:24. Szlachetka was second with 2:12. Norton attributed his better riding in the second half of the day to a rather wise decision. "I started the day on minute six and came into the gas stop on 13," Norton said: "I went back out of the known control on 13, figuring the trail would be a little more visible if seven more minutes' worth of riders were blowing the leaves off." The move obviously paid off, since Norton was able to let it hang out a little more in the last two sections. Szlachetka's fine riding earned him second overall and A High Point. The B High Point went to light-class rider T. Baker, and J. Egan took the C High Point. Super Senior rider Keith Goodell added yet another win to his credit, while Tom Farley officially swept the Masters class. Dawn Silvia rode uncontested for the Women '5class win. eN Black & Blue Enduro West SUtfon!, Connecticut Results: November 7, 1999 [Finel Round) O/A HP: Tom Norton (Yom). A H-PT: Dorrell Szlochetko (KTM). B H-PT: T. Boker (Yom). C H-PT: Jim Egan (KTM). Black & Blue Enduro: Tom Norton took the overall win at the 10th and final round of the NETRA Enduro Series In Wes1 Stafford, Connecticut. AA: I. Jerry Madore (Yam): 2. Rick Claxton (Han); 3. Peter Tonner (KTM). A BNT,.,: 1. Mike Peristere (Yam); 2. Jerry Randall (Yam); 3. Kevin Howley (KTM); 4. Joe Mclaughlin (Kaw): 5. Martin Grill (Yam). A IT: I. Paul Milliken (KTM); 2. Shawn Mason (Yom); 3. Mike Nosh (CRE); 4. Mike Haas (G-G)' 5 Paul Courville (Yam). • . A HVY: 1. Bill Sironen (KTM): 2. Austin Jalbert (Han). A 4-STRK: J. D. Dutro (Han): 2. T. Murphy (Hus). . A VET: 1. RichDrd Seymour (Hon); 2. Jim Mltc~ell (Hon); 3. SDm Fischer (eRE); 4. Geoff Wurllt2er (Hon); s.. Dave Kelley (Hon). ~ SR: J. DuncDn BroDtch (KTM); 2. Roger Rodrigue (KTM): 3. Irwin Witkop (KTM); 4. Bob Foster (Han): 5. Bob Edwards (KTM). B BNTM: 1. Corey BorovickD (KTM); 2. Anthony Febi.ano (KTM); 3. Robert Bogle (Yam): 4. Bob sladog (Kow): 5. Mike Kaminski (KTM). B LT: 1. Ryan Brown (Suz); 2. E. Dahl (Kow); 3. C. Andrews (Hon); 4. John DeSimone (ATK)' 5 Scott Harrington (G-G). • . B HVY: I. P. Armstrong (Hon); 2. D. Walter (KTM); 3. Jim Royce (KTM): 4. Layne Dutlinger (KTM); 5. Don Hayes (KTM). B 4-STRK: 1. Rick Sagun (Hon): 2. Jim Green (Ka",,:); 3. David Oram (Yam); 4. A. Goodale (Kaw); 5. EriC DeGray (Hon). B VE'[: I. G. Diedrich (Han); 2. Jeff Co.. (KTM): 3: P. Dorezzo (SUl): 4. R. Royce (KTM); 5. J.D. Simmons (KTM). B SR: I. Jeff Grant (Kow); 2. Steve Zelon (KTM); 3. R. Pratt (Kow); 4. R. Waters (Kow); 5. K. Corbeil (KTM). C BNTM: I. P. Kelly (Yom): 2. S. Lossi.. (KTM)' 3. B. Crysler (Kow): 4. J. Porker (KTM); 5. R. Cos"; (Yom). C LT: 1. Frank Frey (Kew); 2. P. Belanger (KTM)' 3. T. Bowyer (suz): 4. N. Noble (Kow): 5. J. Walsh (Han). C HVY: I. C.A. Ernst (KTM): 2. s. Tonlello (KTM); 3. B. Cloney (KTM); 4. F. Koess (Hus): 5. R. Armstrong (KTM). C 4-sTRK: 1. A. Wylykowski (Han): 2. R. Pagano (Hon); 3. P. Rossi (Hon); 4. T. Litke (Yam)' 5. R. Gagnon (Han). . C VET: 1. L. Collins (KTM): 2. G. Howe (sUl); 3. M. Kearns (KTM): 4. P. Koehler (Kow): 5. R. Gamache (KTM). C sR: I. D. Smith (KTM): 2. M. Bernier (KTM)' 3 B. Drapcho (Kaw); 4. C. Kennedy (Suz); 5. Ceravolo (Kaw). S/SR: I. Keith Goodell (CRE): 2. Dove Mathison (Hus); 3. Gordon Razee (Han). I'IsTR: 1. Tom Farley (CRE). WMN: 1. Dawn SilviD (Kaw). 'M:

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