Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

AMA National Hare & Hound Series Round 7: SoCal MC Har>e & Hound Team Green's Desby Abbott won his fifth race of the seven-race-oId AMA National Hare & Hound Series in Lucerne, California, after his teammate, Brian Brown, broke down about 20 miles from the finish. By MICHAEL DEMAREE PHOTOS BY PHOTOS BY GRUMPY LOCERNE,CA, OCT. 14 eam Green's Destry Abbott put . another notch in h is belt at the SoCal MC Hare & Hound, taking the race win and improving his record to five for seven in this year's National Hare and Hound Series. Abbott's win was a convincing one. He finished the race with more than five minutes to spare over second-placed Joey T Lanza. Even though Abbott's ride may have seemed uneventful, his day was filled with a few surprises. , The course was laid out through technical trails filled with rocks and fast sand washes, where the racers could let it all hang out. Most of the competitors praised the SoCal MC for putting together a fantastic course. The dust of the Southern California desert and some hard-to-read course markings were the only things that hampered the event for some of the riders. Right from the start of the race. the stage was set for Abbott and his riding partner and Kawasaki teammate Brian Brown to duke it out for the top spot to the finish. Brown, who lost the Championship to Abbott for the second year in a row at the last round, is on a mission to make sure this championship will be Abbott's last. "I told Des [Abbott] that I'd let him have this last championship, but that's it - I can't let the old man get too confident," Brown said with determination. Brown stayed true to his word and blew by Abbott at the beginning of the race and then opened up a 20second lead going into the first gas, leaving Abbott to suck up his dust. "I felt real good today, especially ~fter I passed Abbott," Brown said, "I had some arm pump, but then that went away and I just rode my own race." Unfortunately for Brown, his luck would change after the first gas. Brown fell soon after the stop and Abbott passed him. Soon after, Abbott got lost off the course and allowed Brown to catch back up and pass him. Brown led until only 20 miles from the finish, but it was there that Brown's day ended when he crashed in a rocky section of trail and unknowingly broke his water pump. A few miles later, in a fast sand wash, his bike seized, taking him out of contention. However, Brown had one more trick up his sleeve, and as Abbott came by, Brown lay next to his bike as if he was knocked out, and when the unsuspecting Abbott stopped to check on the status of his fallen teammate, Brown jumped up and shouted, "WAZZZUUPPP, DAWG!!!" "Man, Des was so scared when I jumped up... then he wasn't all that happy with me," Brown said. "He isn't used to coming up on somebody who is knocked out. Usually, I'm the one that has to find him splattered all over the desert, knocked silly. Any(Below) Honda's Steve Hengeveld rode his XR650R to a strong third-place finish. (Right) KTM's wily veteran Paul Krause rode strong to a fourth-overall finish. BRIEFLY It is rumored that Shane Watts will race the last round, also to be held in Lucerne, on October 28, to test his luck in the Califomia desert. Destry Abbott will be holding a riding clinic the day before the last round on October 27. Team Green will be having a barbecue. and participants will be able to get race tips and bike setups from Abbott's mechanic, John Braasch, and Race Tech's Rich Watchorn. For more info or to sign up, go to www.destryabbott.com. Montclair Yamaha's Ty Davis was a no-show at round, seven after haVing surgery on his foot, which will reportedly put him out the rest of the year, Russell Pearson, winner of the previous round. didn't compete at round seven due to carpal tunnel syndrome in his wrist. He still sits third, although barely, in the points with one round remaining. 24 NOVEMBER 7, 2001 • cue •• n e _ s

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