Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
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debut a winning one, as he took his new Moose/Pro Circuit/Cornwell Racing-backed KX250 to an almost uncontested victory. The win earned him $750. Among the vanquished was runner-up Steve Hatch of Team Suzuki Off-Road, who earned $350, and Destry Abbott, who took third and $200. Tecate, of course, used to be synonymous with the grueling, nationalcaliber Enduro put on by the Los Anciantos Motorcycle Club in the rocky, undulating, technical trails east of the small Mexican town, probably known best for its brewery. The focus shifted, however, and with the growing popularity of the GNCCs back east, the club decided to try putting on a similar type of event, hosting the inaugural Tecate Hare Scrambles in December '98. Montclair Yamaha's Ty Davis won that first hare scrambles, which drew some of the cream of the GNCC crop, with guys like Fred Andrews, Steve Hatch and Michael Lafferty also giving it a go. The second edition didn't draw quite as many Eastern riders, but that didn't mean the race was without heroes. Davis returned, so did fellow (Above) Shane Watts is getting back up to speed following his knee injury. He placed seventh at Tecate. (Right) Destry Abbott used Tecate to gauge his fitness for the AMA National Hare & Hound Series the following week. He held on for third at Tecate. Yamaha rider Russell Pearson, Team Green vet Larry Roeseler, Abbott and Hatch. New faces to the area included Edmondson, vet pro motocrosser Gordon Ward, on a trick VOR thumper, and KTM's Shane Watts on his trusty 125cc E/XC. Edmondson got the holeshot, but by the time he reached the end of the long sand wash start straight, Hatch was right beside him. As they peeled off to the right and up the' sandy bank leading out of the wash and into a single-track that skirted the base of a hill, Edmondson's inside line got him into first place, with Davis also tucking his YZ250 beneath Hatch's RM250 to grab second place. Abbott, KTM-mounted Brian Garrahan and Luca Trussardi on a TM jumped in behind as they hit the single-track. At the end of the first 15-mile loop, Edmondson held a slim lead over Davis, with Abbott and Hatch a short ways back, Trussardi a lonely fifth. BRIEFLY••• In addition to Team Green here in the U.S.. Paul Edmondson is looking forward to receiving some support from Kawasaki U.K. in the form of works suspension and some special engine parts. KTM's Shane Watts was satisfied with seventh overall. first 125. He'd Rown back to the U.S. from Australia just two days before but refused to use jet lag as an excuse. "The only thing that affected me was my lack of hlness and the dust." he admitted. -I don't want to die or kill anyone in the dust. It'd be a waste of time for me to go for the win and mess everything up for the coming season by getting hurt here. I'm not a dust racer." As for getting back in race shape. Watts figures a week or two of riding training ought to do the trick. ''I'm getting too old for this," Team Green's Larry Roeseler said after the race, his first since the Elsinore Grand Prix two months ago and only his second time riding a bike since then. "1 paced myself the first four laps pretty good. then fatigue set in." He rode a remarkably stock KX250 outfitted only with a larger tank and a different handlebar, and beat all the other" A" riders. Nevada's David Pearson made it into Mexico but didn't make it very far. He had apparently forgotten that he still had a few live rounds of ammunition in his truck left over from a recent afternoon of target practice. Mexican law, of course, prohibits entering the country with either guns or ammo, and he was arrested. He reportedly posted $10.000 bail and was released on Monday, January 17. The dust, while not completely overwhelming, cut visibility in many sections; following someone meant ingesting plenty of it. "When Ty was behind me, I could hear him, and I think he wanted to up the pace," Edmondson said. Davis figured following Edmondson for two laps was enough, so when the Kawasaki rider pitted for fuel at the end of lap two, Davis kept on going, which may have been his undoing. He led for a while, but the defending champ's bike simply didn't have enough range for a full three laps at race speed, running dry a few miles short. "It's not like I wasn't prepared to go three loops instead of two," Davis claimed. "I blew my tank up [to gain added capacity], and I carried some gas just in case. I figured that 45 miles, I could probably get pretty close, especially carrying a quart. But, with that sand, I fell short." After that, it was clear sailing for Edmondson, who reported his ride to be remarkably uneventful. "I didn't have to do any kamikaze maneuvers to pass lappers," he said, unlike teammate Abbott who tangled with at least one. Abbott maintained second place for a lap, making it a Team Green 12, but he finally lost it at the beginning of lap five, tipping over while braking for his pit, obviously fatigued. cue I e "I wanted to go out at a really good pace to see where I'm at [fitness-wise]," he said. "I've got a little work to do." Hatch, who reported tipping over several times during the race, said, "I tried to play it smart; you've got to play it smart here. The game plan was to keep drinking the whole time and stay hydrated. If you didn't, you'd be in trouble. I felt good. I train so much during the week I knew I was ready to rumble." Unlike the first edition of the race, he indeed played it smart, didn't run out of bike or body fuel and put on a final-lap charge that got him within sight of Edmondson. Abbott held on for third, while Patrick Garrahan eased into fourth on his KTM, Trussardi ending up fifth. eN Tecate Hare Scrambles Tecate, Mexico Results: January 16, 2000 O/A: I. Paul Edmondson (Kaw): 2. Steve Hatch (Suz); 3. Destry Abbott (KllIw); 4. PllItrick GllIrrahllln (KTM): 5. Luca Trussardi (TM); 6. Brian Grarrahan (KTM): 7. Shane Watts (KTM); 8. Gordon Ward (VOR): 9. Russell Pearson (Yam); 10. Larry Roeseler (Kaw). PRO: I. Paul Edmondson (Kaw); 2. Steve Hatch (Suz); 3. Destry Abbott (Kaw); 4. Patrick Garrahan (KTM): 5. Luca Trussardi (TM). 0-30 A: 1. Chris Keener (Yam); 2. Bajo Candia; 3. Scott McEnespy. 30-39 A: 1. Abe Baumann (Kaw): 2. Matt Berault: 3. Tim Crowder. 40+ A:I. Larry Roeseler (Kaw); 2. Ron Lawson (KTM): 3. Rex Staten (VOR). ONDER·30 B: 1. Aaron Herman: 2. Ira Vick: 3. Scott Arnold. 30-39 B: 1. Dean Adams: 2. David Vogt; 3. Hans Vanderwaall. 40-PLOS: B: 1. James Nordbrock; 2. Jim Pool; 3. Vince Skandumas. nevws FEBRUARY 2.2000 29