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AMA National Championship Har's BCr'ambles BSr'iss Round 8: Black Coal Na€lonal Winner Shane Watts (5) leads Brian Garrahan off the start at the Black Coal National Hare Scrambles In Indiana. slippery bridges and old strip-mining trails. Luckily, come race day, the rain stopped just short of Lynnville, Indiana, and made for one perfect day for a 1-2-3 KTM podium sweep, with Shane Watts leading the pack. "It was a good race for sure!" Watts said. "I'm glad it didn't rain anymore, because it would have made a mess of things out there. The course was pretty much perfect, but it was lucky that it didn't rain today." Although the weather made it challenging, Watts appeared to have no problem with the bottlenecks or the rough spots. He simply rode his KTM smooth as silk for six laps. STORY AND PHOTOS BY DEBBIE ALLEN LYNNVILLE, IN, OCT.14 wo days of a constant downpour will make for one messy track, which everyone found out first-hand at the last round of the National Championship Hare Scrambles Series in Lynnville, Indiana. The Indiana, Kentucky and Illinois Enduro Riders made few changes to their rainsoaked track and created a challenging course, complete with plenty of P.A. Allen rode his KTM to third overall. 50 OCTOBER 31,2001 • a U a • _ n __ lIS "If anybody wants, I'll be more than happy to go at it again," Watts said. "It would be a lot of fun." Off the AA start, Watts took the lead early and led the AA riders straight into a steep ravine and back up to the other side. After a sharp right, they steadied themselves on top of a long narrow ridge and disappeared into the woods. During the first lap, Watts, Brian Garrahan, Patrick Garrahan, and P. A. Allen pulled away from the rest, and eight miles later in 24-and-ahalf minutes, they pulled through the score tent no more tha n nine seconds apart. The next lap got a little more interesting as the leaders broke off into two separate groups. Watts and Brian Garrahan cranked it up and got into a good pace, until a few mishaps lengthened the gap between them. "Shane and I broke off on the second lap, and I just followed him until I made a mistake and rode until I caught him. There was a pretty sloppy section, and he [Watts] slipped up on a branch and got stuck underneath his bike. I led for the next two laps," said Brain Garrahan. Next, it was his turn for the headdive. While crossing a bridge, a lapped rider slowed down in front of the leading Garrahan and caused him to crash. "Shane [Watts] stopped and said, 'Bridge a little slippery, aye!'" Garrahan said. From that point on, the top two riders separated, and there was no catching either of them. MSR/Scott/ FMF/Tag/Michelin-backed Watts poured it on for his KTM victory. KTM/Maxxis/Pro Taper/Maxima/ Motion Pro-sponsored Garrahan continued his lead for second and MidSouth rider P. A. Allen moved into third place on a KTM. The Sarge's Cycles/Oakley/GPR/ Pro Action of Kentucky/FMF/Moosesponsored Mid-South Champion said, "I think I could have done better today, .but I am real happy with my finish. I came in third place at a national, and that's kind of nice'" He passed Patrick Garrahan during the third lap and said, "I saw Garrahan while I was going up the hill. A lady stood at the bottom of the hill and said, 'You're not going to make it.' I said, 'Oh, yes I am!' and sailed right up the hill." Watts emerges out of the woods after extending his lead on the second lap.