Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Moose Northern California Championship Enduro Series Motul Northern California B/C Championship Enduro Series Round 5/4: The Cowbell Enduro (Left) Tim J. Stowe won his third Cowbell Enduro In the last four runnings of this 55-year-old event. gle-track trails in the 24.4-mile-long test were a challenge. Some sections were thick with brush. which a recent rain had bowed down into the pathway. Branches whipped riders as they passed through the dense foliage. and dozens of necks and noses bore slash marks after the riders exited the area. Woodland Cycle/Bennett Distributing/Pro Circuit-sponsored Stowe, entirely in his element in the lengthy test section, displayed his fortitude and emerged with the swiftest time of 2.107. Damien Galford pulled the nextquickest score. a 3.170, and was followed by Dave Wood's 3.185. Haaker's 3.188 and Wesner's 3.191. Sperle and others dropped fours, or more. "The second test was the best!" exclaimed Stowe. "It allowed me to accomplish what I set out to do - finish well and close the gap in the series standings." "I blew a turn in the test." Team Green/ Cycle Pro/Moose-supported Galford said. "Timmy passed me and then we just motoed - passing people. going fast and having fun." The course then worked its way through more wooded single-track trails and fire roads to the final descent down Sled Ridge and back to the finish at camp. Stowe. who eamed a silver medal at this year's ISDE. claimed the victory with a final score of 5.270. Faultline Suspension/Braking/Motion Pro-backed Haaker took second with 5.330. "I was surprised that I kept the pace," Haaker said. "I'd like to thank Dave Wood for letting me wheel-suck off him all day." Third place went to the 6.378 turned in by Motowrx/IMX/Faultline Suspension-sponsored Sperle. "The course conditions and traction was so awesome," Sperle said. "You could drag your handlebars in almost every corner." Moose/ Alpinestars/ Amsoil-supported Wesner. who also secured a silver medal at the ISDE, netted fourth with 6.382, and Galford finished fifth with 7.382. Race-Techbacked Russell kept a narrow hold on BY JILL ASHWORTH PATTERSON UPPER LAKE, CA, NOV. 3 uzuki Off Road's Tim J. Stowe. trusting in his stamina and aptitude. racked up another overall title at the 55th annual Cowbell Enduro. The event. which was round five of Moose's Northern California Championship Enduro Series and the fourth round of Motul's Northern California B/C Championship Enduro Series, marked Stowe's second consecutive triumph and his third in the last four years at the Cowbell. The Hayward Motorcycle Club sent about 230 entrants onto a two-loop, 86.4-ground-mile course that was designed by Jerry "Buffalo" Lozier. This was the 30th year that Lozier laid out the event's route. Loop one took riders from the Middle Creek camp up Sled Ridge to the first check. Single-track trails and fire roads, set at an 18-mph speed average. led to the first special test. which began near Bear Creek. Early in the test, an unusual bottleneck developed near the front of the A class at a steep uphill climb after a creek crossing. The trail had erosionpreventing rubber netting on it, and when the bike tires got it wet, the rubber became slick and traction-free. "It's almost unheard of to come up on that many talented riders in a jam," Team Green's Craig Wesner said. "It was kind of intimidating. and it brought the whole mental aspect of the race into focus." At the end of the 24-mph test, 2001 ISDE gold medalist Brian Sperle's score of 2.141 made it apparent that he was charging hard and ready for a victory. A Senior-class rider John Haaker carded the next-best time of 2.142. Stowe followed with 3.163. and series leader Billy Russell scored a 3.167. The course followed more singletrack trails, fire roads and wooded sections to the remote gas stop at 46.6 miles. where the leaders' scores hadn't changed and the 20 minutes of free time helped them prepare for the primary challenge of the day, the second special test. After gas. check four was not at its usual location. and a few A- and several B-c1ass riders burned the checkin to the test. Set at a 24-mph speed average. the tight and technical sin- 42 NOVEMBER 28, 2001 • cue I • n e _ :IS (Below left) Brian Sperle was the top A 200cc rider and placed third overall at the flfth round of the Moose Northem Callfomla Championship Enduro Series. (Bottom) Craig W_ner placed fourth overall In UpperL..ke, California. (Suz); 5. James Puckett (Han). B 200: I. Ron Hoyt (Kow); 2. Chris Cartwright (KTM); 3. Thomas Bey (KTM); 4. John Fourcroy (Kaw); 5. Daniel Fourcroy (Kaw). B 250: I. Scott Puckett (Hon); 2. Gob< Ellis (Hon); 3. Michael Christensen (Suz); 4. James Puckett (Hon); 5. Mott Finnegan (Hon). B OPEN: 1. Jeff Page (Hon); 2. Joy Gordon (Yom); 3. Simon Phizockerly (KTM); 4. Trevor Rock (SU%); 5. Bm Smymiotis. B 4-STRK; I. Kevin Anderson (KTM); 2. Robert P8Scarella (KTM); 3. Mike Mennick (Hon); 4. Ross Touli (Yam); 5. Brilln Shives. 8 VET: 1. Jeff Howard (Yam); 2. Phil Rittenmeyer (Hon); 3. Eric Elvin (Hon); 4. Jeff Mendes (KTM); 5. the series lead with his sixth-place score of 7.386. "I just tried to ride smart and consistent," Russell said. The series championship race is tight and will be determined at the final round at the 4ger qualifier, as Russell is one point ahead of Stowe and six points ahead of Wesner. eN CowHlI Eada.. Upper ...... c.JifwlIiII Unefficillllleslllts: N....mller 3, 2ao1 IRend 5) O/A: J. Tim J. Stowe (Suz): 2. John Heeker (KTM); 3. Brion Sperle (KTM); 4. Craig Wesner (Kow); 5. Domien Galford (Kew). AA: I. Tim J. Stowe (Suz); 2. Craig Wesner (Kaw); 3. Demien GalFord (Kaw); 4. Dove Wood (CRE); 5. Brian BuUer (KTM). A 200; 1. Brion Sperle (KTM); 2. Heather Wilson (Kow): 3. Molt Wallace (Yom). A 250: 1. Billy Russell (KTM); 2. Greg Ruffonl (Hus); 3. Chris Young (Yom); 4. Chad Gross (Yom); 5. Steve Silvestri (KTM). A OPEN; 1. Mike Pascarella (TM); 2. Rick Thornton (KTM); 3. Brody Borgogno (KTM); 4. Tony Elmore (Yom). A 4-STRK: 1. Russ Pereira (Yam); 2. Glenn Martinson (KTM); 3. John S. Poor (Han); 4. Troy McWlJlloms (Hon); 5. Kerry Simpson (ATK). A VET: 1. Eric Mashbir (Suz); 2. Dean Joyner (SU%); 3. Bill Jarvis (Hon); 4. Jeff Wilson (Kow); 5. Dove Clemons (Han). A SR: 1. John Haaker (KTM); 2. Marty Wolden (Yom); 3. Jon EJlis (Hus); 4. Jim Norris (Hon); 5. John Poor Jr. (Suz). A S/SR: I. Pete Prichard (KTM); 2. Richard Adon (Hon); 3. Bob Puckett (Yom); 4. Bill Taylor. A GENT: 1. David King (KTM). B O/A: I. Scott Puckett (Hon); 2. Jeff Page (Han); 3. Gabe Ellis (Han); 4. Michael Christensen Paul Franck (Han). B SR: 1. Jack unto (Han); 2. Jack Pedersen (Yom); 3. Karl Goetz (Yom); 4. Mork London (KTM); 5. Dean Kramer (Han). B S/SR; 1. Hugo Zwetsloot (Hon); 2. John Fry (KTM); 3. Jim Peacock (KTM); 4. Donald Chose (KTM); 5. Meurlg Davies (Kow), CO/A: 1. Weyne Skicki (Han); 2. Alex Perisio (Hon); 3. Robert Sumner (Yom); 4. Clay Dawley (Hon); 5. Mork Gordine (Yom). C 200: I. Mork Curtis (Kaw); 2. Mike Florio; 3. Darrell Johnson (Yem); 4. Chris Cremer (Kew). C 250: 1. Gery Friesen (Han); 2. Keith Witte (Hon); 3. Jim Lamb (Han); 4. Alen Hennum (Han); 5. Brandon Sill (Hon). OPEN: 1. Alex Perisio (Han); 2. Robert Sumner (Yom); 3. Mike Bohnhoff (KTM); 4. Chad Thurmon (Yom); 5. Ken Fernandes (Yom). C 4-STRK: I. Wayne Sklcki (Hon); 2. Richard Clerke (Yam); 3. Russell Fowler (Yem); 4. Brad Blemker (Hoo); 5. Jeff Spohr (Kow). VET: 1. Mark Gordine (Yam); 2. Michael Ramos (Han); 3. Jim Finney (KTM); 4. Claudio Solusso (Hon); 5. Tal Tomer (Kow). C SR: 1. Clay Dawley (Han); 2. Chris Ghione (Kow); 3. Pete Eby (Kow); 4. Jerry Kennedy (Hon); 5. John Alafouzas (Hoo). C S/SR: I. Ben Scott (KTM); 2. Bruce Saxton; 3. John Phillips (Hon); 4. Gary Roberson. e e

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