Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

Events f Mike Sampson (747) grabs the holeshot In the AA class at the first round of the Mid-South Winter Hare Scrambles Series at 3 Creeks Station, near Greenville, Tennessee. Sampson took second overall behind Shad Ricketts. VET 8 : 1. R. Jon e s (Ya m) ; 2. Rich ar d W o rki n g (Ka w) : 3. Da vi d Cra nderso n ( Ka w ): 4. James Mal on e (Yam) ; 5 . To m H aine (Kaw). s 46 ships from Sarge's Cycle, Oakley, Big Gun, Moose, Modern Tire and Cycle Pat h. The 1999 Mid-South Cha mpio n overcame several obstacles at the beginn ing of the race and pressed on to w in with a three-minute lead at the finish line. "The track was very slick on the first lap," Ricketts not ed . "I ra n in to a few probl ems, but once I go t ou t fron t and cal med down, I set myse lf to a good pace and rode like 1always do. " The race sta rted with TM / Ma xxis / Xtreme/Pro Taper/ Sycoline/ Race Tech's Mike Sa m pson ro u nding the first curve to lead John Maschino , Gary Hendricks and Ricketts into the wood s. "1 led for almos t the wh ole first lap , bu t I could not get my bike to hook up," Sampso n said later, "and worst of all, I lost my shroud ." H e was forced to r id e a t a s lower pace. He rode with his leg cocked ou t for most of the race becau se the radiator was too ho t to tou ch. Masch ino and Ricketts tr ied to tak e a dva n tage o f Sampson' s mi sfortune, reaching for the lead . Not far from the start, Hendricks flagged Ricketts by, and Ricketts and Maschino began to figh t for the lead . "Shad and I bumped bar s, but I got in front," Masch ino said. "Another mile, Shad took a bett er lin e and pa ssed Sampson and me." Rick ett s' lea d wa s s ho r t- lived, though , as he flew head ove r bars when his tire stu ck in the mud. He got back up, reclaimed his bike and tried for the lead once again. Sampson a n d Ma schino swi tc hed po sition s back a n d forth, but th e Offr oad er's Group /TM /Bridgest on e / Rac e Tech -b a ck ed Ma sch ino ca me through the scoring tent first on the first and second laps. On the first lap, he was follo w ed by Sa mpson, Hendricks and Ricketts. On the next lap , Ricketts made anot her move for seco nd place, w hile Sampso n drop ped ba ck to third pl ace an d Gary Hend ricks continued in fourth. Ricketts stopped for a clea n pair of Oakleys just after the scoring tent wh ile Maschino was ' getting gas. Ricketts shot out in fron t of Maschino, and he stayed out front until the finish. . "Abo u t two -th ir ds of the way throu gh , I ca ugh t u p wi t h Sha d ," Maschin o related, "but I noticed my axle was loose, so I pu lled ove r to tighten it by ha nd. I made it to the pits for repa ir, but I was down three minutes." Sampson finis he d in second place. Hendricks thought he could claim third place, but jus t befor e the finis h, Maschi - no mad e a pass for th ird . The Performan ce Cycles an d Accessories of Da lton / Fox-sp onsored He nd ricks came in fou rth overall, which was no t too shabby for hi s fir st AA race in th e w in ter series . Th e next through th e scoring ten t was th e Pr o Actio n of KY/ Su n s ta rbacked P.A. Allen, riding in the 250cc/ Open A class. "1 grabbed for the ho leshot and led for most of th e lap:' said Allen, "but Co ope r passed m e towa rd s the en d . I go t back around him and battled with (Timmy) P' Poole for two laps. I lost him on the th ird lap when we stop ped for gogg les." .Allen also said he liked the track, bu t that he needed to be in better shape for an ove rall finish. Kaw asak i rid er Timmy P' Poole, also rid ing in the 250cc/Open A class, took s ixth pl ac e ove ra ll, w hile a no ther 250cc/Open A rid er, Harvey Whitaker, took seventh. The next person through the scoring tent was 200cc A rider Mike McCrea. He started the race w ith the holeshot. Chad Froma n p a s sed h im ab out h alfwa y through th e first la p, and they battled wh eel to wheel for the next three laps. "O nce h e gassed, " McCr ea said , "I started pickin g up the pace, and I put on some time ." He thought Chad Froman was really flying, and Froman w ound u p in 12th ove rall. Four-Stroke A rider Clint RobineN son was 14th. 3 Creeks Station Greenville, Tennessee Results: October 10, 1999 (Round 1) O /A: 1. Shad Ricke tt s (Yam) ; 2. Mike Sampso n (TM); 3. John Maschino (TM); 4. Ga ry Hendricks (Kaw ): 5. P.A . Allen (Suz ); 6. Timm y P'Poole (Kaw) : 7. Harvev Wh it ak er (Ke w l:' 8. Mik e McCrea (Kewl: 9 . St ev e Gordon (Kaw): to. Alan westerfield (Ka w ). AA : 1. Shad Ricketts (Yam); 2. Mike Sampson (TM); 3. John Ma sc hi no (TM ); 4. Ca ry Hendricks (Ka w) : 5. Stev e Go rdo n (Kaw). 250/0PEN A: 1. P.A. Allen (5uz); 2. Timmy P'Poole (Kaw ): 3. H arvey Whitaker (Kaw ): 4. Ala n West erfi eld (Kaw): 5. Du stin G ibso n (Yam) . 4·S TR K A: 1. Clint Robin son (Yam) ; 2. R~bcrt Lich (Ya m); 3. Ben ja m in Weathers (Ya m); 4. Billy Proffitt (Hen): 5. Michael Westerfield (Hon ). 200 A: 1. Mike McCr ea (Ka w) ; 2. Ch a d Fro ma n (Suz ): 3. Kevin Creekm u r (Kaw) : 4: Clay Hed ge pa th (KT M ); 5. John Lennard. SR A: 1. Garret t Lcighl and (Ka w): 2. Phillip Barker (H e n) : 3. Per ry Ta y lor (Yam) ; 4. Billy Ha ll (H e n): 5. Cary Ho rton. VET A: 1. Ste ve Ezell (Suz ); 2. Mar k WOC'Id (Hen): 3. Cregg Coglen (Yarn); 4. Rod LJonhurst (He n), 5. Mark Guy (Yam) . 250 8: 1. Jaso n Dickey (Suz ): 2. Ron Sk ipper (K.1W); 3. Ed Board wine (Kaw): 4. .Stev e Smith (Ka w): 5. J OS

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