Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

(Left! J ust off the start, Taber Murphy shows the fonn that took him to th e Four-Stroke w in and a top-10 fi nish. (Rlghtj After running out of fuel for the fourth time, Russ Pearson pushes his bike across th e finish line In fifth overall . (Bel ow) A less-thanstellar start meant Brian Brown (shown here en tering a pit) ha d to work th ro ugh the pack in th e dus t. He finished t hird overall. Just another day at the office for Price Racing ' s Shane Esposito . After clinching the 250cc ti tle fo r Kawasa k i last year, h e has been posting c o nsis tent r es u l t s ab oa rd t h e big -bo re Kawasa ki, even r iding se lected Nationa l H are S c r ambles rounds . Esposito was 12 th at the start, mov in g up to sixth after Davis b roke and fin ished fou r th o ve r all b y p as sing Pearson as he pushed t o the finish . As soon as he fini sh ed, he was off to the airport and a flight to M issouri to race a Hare Scrambles. It was deja vu for Russ Pe a r so n , Sagerlders National Delta, Utah ResuRs:AprlIZ8,ZDDl O /A: 1. Destry Abbott . (KlIw): 2. Kurt Ca selli (Yam) ; 3 . Brian Brown (Kaw) ; 4 . Shane Esposito ( Ka w) ; 5. Russ Pearson ( Ya m) : 6 . David Pearson (Yam); 7. Dustin Headmen (Hon); 8. Luca Tru sserdi (TM); 9 . Andy Gr ider ( Kaw) ; 10 . Tabe r Mu rphy ( Ho n ) ; 1 1. Craig We sne r ( Ka w) ; 12 . Ja son Fox (Can): 13. Brad McNew (Hon): 14. Rob Phil llps (KTM); 5. Michael Baxter (Yam) ; 16. T .J . Hannifin (Hus); 17. Clint Brown (Yam) ; 18. Jam es Summers (Kaw); 19. Sonny Morg ~m (Yam); 20 . RYllin Anderson (Vam). 125 A: 1. T .J . Ha nnlfln (Hus) ; 2. Clint Brown ( Yam) ; 3 . Clay Hawk s ( KTM); 4 . Dustin Nostrom (Vam): 5. David Roes (KTM). 250 A: I. Kurt Ceselll ( Yam) ; 2. Russ Pearson ( Yam) ; 3 . Dav id Peerson ( Yam); 4 . Cra ig Wesner (Kaw); 5 . JAmes Summers (Kaw). OPEN A: 1. De stry Abbo tt. ( Ka w); 2 . Br ian Brown (Kaw) ; 3 . Shane Esposito ( Kaw) : 4. Dustin Headman (Ho 5. Andy Grider(Kaw). n): who had ru n out of gas twice at round t wo in Idaho. Second at the end of the 4 -5 A: 1. Tabe r Murphy (Hon); 2. Ja son Fox ( Can); 3 . Mik e Ba xter ( Yam) ; 4 . BIen Ba bcock (Yam) : 5. Dana Hansen (YAm). VET A: 1. Luca Trussardi (TM ); 2. Brad McNew b o m b , his luck would c h a n g e. Run- (Hon): 3. Gle Carmody (Vam): 4. Don Turk (Vam): n ning o ut of fuel twice on the first loop , ( each time dumpi ng in a bottle t h a t he wa s carrying ) , he w as pa ssed by bot h C aselli and Brown. A ft er leav in g t h e pits in fifth place a nd g o in g b y Davis, he got arou nd B rown a nd ra n out of g as again . Having used h is last spare bottle , Pe arson wa s reluc tant to push too h ar d for fea r of running out before t he fin ish. J ust 2 0 0 yard s fro m the chec kers, he ra n out fo r a fourth ti mel W i th no gas and no ti me to s par e , Pea r s on starte d pu shin g . Halfwa y fro m there to the fi nish line , Esposito w e n t by , a nd Pearson would have to settle for fifth . " I' m ru nning the sa m e m o tor and tank as Da v id [Pearson , wh o hasn 't exper i en c e d the s am e gas p r o b lem s]," Russ sa id . " I just m ust be gett ing really ba d gas mileage ." T.J. Hann ifin to ok the 125 c c ho n ors o n a Husqvarna. T aber M urphy top ped t he Fou r -Stroke cla ss aboa rd a 6 5 0cc Hon d a . Ita lian Luc a T ru ssard i was aga in o n top in the c o m petit ive Ve te ran class a nd e ighth o vera ll on the TM, a nd K elly Yancey brought her K aw a sak i i n a t t h e fron t o f th e Women' s clas s, this ti me w ithout her closes t competitor Heather W ilson , who did n 't show up. After four of eight ro u nds , A bbott has t hree win s and one second - place f inish t o le a d the po ints stand ings . W it h t wo rounds to count as " t h rowaways, " Abbott is sitting right where he was last year at this time. CN 5. Steve Harper (Yam ). 5 R A: t . George Villan yi (KTM) ; 2. Bill Sharp ( Yam) ; 3 . Dick Yardley ( KTM ) ; 4 . Kevi n Hasten (Y8m); 5. Brad Denver (Yam) . S /SR A: 1. Dale Pa rriott (KTM) ; 2. Dan Bringard (KTM): 3. Art Donoho (KTM): 4. J.W. Sheely (KTM). MSTR A: I. R Watson (KTM) . oy WO ,", A : I . Kelly Yan ce y (Ka w); 2 . Kr isten Southworth (Kaw); 3. Brenda .Jankowskl (KTM) . 125 B: t . Cody Padrn os (K T M); 2 . Br o c Worwood (KTM ); 3. Travis Bailey. 2 5 0 B: 1. Chad Gottfredson (Vam): 2. Robert Harris (Hon); 3. BryceOakley (Ho n). O PEN B: 1. Josh Downard (KTM) ; 2. Jay Quayle (KTM ); 3. Dustin St anworth (KTM ). 4 - S B: 1. A lle n Laframb oi ce (Ya m) ; Ste ve Blakely (Vam): 3. Derek Kirkw ood(Hon). VET B: I. Todd Smith (Vam): 2. Stephen Olson (Vam): 3. Brad Childs(Vam). 5 R B: 1. D a ve Rob e rt s (K TM) ; 2 . Lonny Meckintosh (Hon); 3. Bred Medico (Hon). S/5R B: 1. John Streich. 125 NO V: 1. Nick Shurtz; 2. Dex Ellis; 3 . Devin Sullivan. 2 5 0 NOV: 1. Bryson Davis; 2 . Ken Jones; 3 . Denny Peterson. OPE N NO V: 1. Rob O sborn. 2 . Zec West. 3. James Sultiven . .25 NOV : 1. Scott Peterson; 2. Jeremy Young; 3. Da vid Fedink. . 30 NOV : J. Doug Sizemore; 2. Russ Jones: 3 . Rob Rensdall. . 35 NOV : 1. Matt Norda: 2. Rob Earnsh aw : 3 . Mike Cleveland. • 40 NOV: 1. David Hughes: 2. Peul Bradshaw; 3 . Craig Sullivan. • 45 NOV : 1. Lane Richins; 2. Ma rk Anderson. 4-5 NO V; 1. Chad long; 2. Brian Cole: 3. Colton Cecala. B""B R: 1. Jason Ric hard son; 2. De nn i s MacQulllrrie; 3 . Ashley Christensen. ANTQ : 1. Scott Montefusio; 2. Ken James. SeLBY; 1. .Jeson Beve n; 2. Alex Caret. 80 EX: 1. Landon Sherwood. 2. J.D. long. 80 AM : I . Victor Nostrum; 2. Lance Shurts; 3. Mitch Underwood. 60 : I. Pre ston Hannifan ; 2 . A lex Devt e s: 3 . Weston Christensen. 60 N O V : I . N ic k Th omp son; 2 . T odd Christensen; 3. Kyle Draper. BEG WO"": 1. Josie Winn; 2. Berbere Nostrum: 3. Lynn sey Johnson. AMA NATIONAL CHAM P'SHIP HARE s HOUND SERIES POINTS STANDINGS (After 4 of 8 round): 1. Destr y Abb ott ( 115/3 wins) : 2. Brian Brown (101 /1 win): 3. Kurt Caselli (7 1); 4. Russell Peerson (67): 5. Shone Eepcsltc (63): 6. Andy Grider (48); 7. David Peerson (42 ) : 8 . Luce Tr ussardl (41 ) : 9 . Ty Davis (39): 10. Steve Hengeveld (26). Upcoming Rounds: Round 5 - Jericho , Utah, May 12 Round 6 - Jackpot . Nevada. September 22 Sha ne Esposito wheelied his bi g Kawasaki to fourth overall. BRIEFLY••• Eric Griffith crashed hard on loop one. shattering his hip and breaking his femur. He was rid;ng slightly off the line and. due in part to dusty goggles and shade. didn't see the foot-hiqh rock before he hit it. Griffith was life·fi;ghted to the Uruversity of Utah Hcspital. where doctors used 18 screws to repair the damages. As this was written. he was still in that facility. but was getting around with the ald of crutches. Griffith says the plan is to transfer him on May 7 to a hospital in his home of Gunnison. Colorado. where he anticipates another two weeks of hospital stay. Hosted by the Sa geri de rs M.C •. this year's race. which consisled of two loops for a total of 85 miles, was contested by close to 300 riders. Loop captains Preston Gerber and Mark Robbins w er e joined by many other volunteers w ho put in many hours prepa ring for . running and cleaning up after the event. Sagerider Chris Devers had many thanks and praises for all the volunteers who made it possible. Add;ng to the difficulty of putting on a race of this caliber was the fact that the start time was 9:30 a.m. to allow participants time to get to the EA Sports Super. cross that evening in Salt Lake City, Despite dusty conditions, riders had lots of praise for the Sageriders on the quality of the race. ' They did a really good job of marking the course. and I had a lot of fun.- Brian Brown seid. Commented Italian Luca Trussardi, · 1loved the course: it was very. very technical.- Destry Abbott added. "The club did a great job...lt was really dusty. but it was technical and physically demanding...l' m beat." For the second year in a row . the' pits. bomb run. finish and ev en some sections of the course were on private land through the generosity of Frank and Joyce Vincent. With pubhc land-use res trictions incre as ing eve ry ye ar . more and more clubs a nd race pro moters are teami ng up with private landowners to put on off -road race s. wh ich in the past had been run almost exclusively on public lands. One negative note: A club member commented on some "illega l" pre running and pre -race cou rse inspec tion . cla iming tha t an unna me d N ationally ranked rider was seen rid;ng or walking the closed co urse on thre e occ as ions prior to the sta rt of the race. The club felt that the • no pre running- rules were clearly posted. and said that in future events. anyone caught violating the rules would be disquahfied. regardless of class. In the midst of all the Kawasakis. Yamahas. Hondas and KTMs. there is also a sprinkling of more exotic machinery in this sport. This round saw several ltalian TMs. a Spanish Gas Gas or two. and at least one Ital ian VO R. In addtt ion . US RA cl ub racer Jason Fox (ptctured) rode his #66T Wh;te Knuckle Racing-sponsored. American-built Cannondale 400 to 12th overall and second place in the FourStroke A class. cue I .. nevvs

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