Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128133
Northwest Outlaw Short Track National Trail's End Exposition Arena (Left) Jeff Annen (40) posted a win in the 600cc Pro main event at the Northwest Outlaw Short Track National, netting $1600 for his efforts. (Below) Texan Terry Poovey (18) set the day's fastest lap time during . qualifying, won the fastest of the day's four heat races, and topped the Dash For Cash - but he couldn't pass Annen in the main event and had to settle for second. STORY AND PHOTOS BY CLAY LIGHT TUMWATER, WA, NOV. 3 MA Grand National riders Jeff Annen, Terry Poovey and Rex Fisher mixed it up for the top payoff of $1600 at the Northwest Outlaw Short Track National, held at the Trail's End Exposition Arena. In the end, it was Washington's Annen who narrowly edged Poovey to take a win in the 600cc Pro final. Annen, best known for his TT and short-track prowess, had to overcome a series of seven restarts before taking his win in the chaotic 12-rider, IS-lap Pro final, but he made all the right moves to hold off the crafty 43-year-old veteran Poovey at the finish. Oregon's Rex Fisher rounded out the podium. Some 46 riders from all over the West Coast and as far away as Texas were on hand for the inaugural event, which featured an $8500 Pro purse. Afternoon time trials trimmed the field to 24 riders. Poovey, riding an ATK, set the fastest time with a 9.78-second run to lead Annen and Fisher, who clocked times of9.85 and 9.97, respectively. Preliminaries ki~ked off the evening's festivities, featuring four heat races in which the top two would eam direct transfers to the elite 12-rider final. Poovey showcased his amazing short-track ability in his wire-to-wire win of the opening heat race. John Wincewicz came out of retirement and was also impressive, trailing Poovey at the finish to transfer, narrowly edging current GNC rider Eric Rickman. Annen put his Rotax out front at the unleashing of the second heat race, followed by ATK-mounted A 20 DECEMBER 5, 2001 • cue Christian Vernon and second-year Expert Eric Beers. Beers got around Vernon and then followed Annen at the finish to transfer. Fisher had another of the many GNC riders on hand, Stanley, to deal with in heat three, but he still posted the win. Oregon's Beau Brown dominated the competition in the fourth and final qualifier. Up-and-comer Mitchell Pierce rode an inspiring race to finish second to the CCM-mounted Brown. Kirk Strong, Washington's Eli Price and Sam Halbert made it from the semis. The final ticket to the elite 12-rider final went to Californian Nick Moore. After being involved in several pileups in his heat and semi, Moore jumped out front and remained there to post a win. The Dash For Cash lined up the four-heat race winners - Poovey, Fisher, Annen and third-year Expert Brown - for a four-lap free-for-all. Annen pulled the trigger fastest to lead the stellar assembly of riders vying for the $500 first-place money. Poovey was nipping at Annen's rear wheel, but the Texan couldn't find a way around Annen until Annen made a mistake coming out of the final (Right) Oregon's Rex Fisher finished a close third at the Trail's End Exposition Arena in Tumwater, Washington turn; Annen went wide and gave Poovey the inside line and the accompanying $500. By virtue of winning the fastest of the four heat races, Poovey sat on the pole position for the 12-rider final, joined by Fisher, Annen, Brown and Wincewicz on the front row. At the start, Annen jumped out front, but a pileup - which included Poovey brought about the first of seven restarts. Stanley, riding a Suzuki DR-Z400, was starting on the second row and got the worst of another of the multiple-rider pileups on the fourth restart; his machine was badly damaged, and he was done for the evening. The chaos continued for several more restarts until things got settled down and Annen grabbed the lead, with Poovey, Fisher, Beers and Brown holding down the top five positions. Poovey and Fisher were all over Annen for much of the early portion of the race, although Annen held a two-bike-Iength lead halfway through the IS-lap final. Fisher was nipping at Poovey's rear wheel, but it was pretty much follow-the-Ieader from laps five through 15, as lapped and downed riders had the lead pack weaving precariously through traffic. Annen, though, made all the right line choices, not wanting to repeat his earlier mistake in the Dash For Cash. Further back, Beers, Brown, Wincewicz and Price spent much of the race in close proximity in a battle for fourth, behind the long-gone lead trio of Annen, Poovey and Fisher; Beers, aboard a Wood-Rotax, nabbed the position. Annen narrowly thwarted Poovey's last-ditch attempt to take the win and the accompanying $1600 payoff. Fisher finished a close third. "I got the holeshot a couple of times," Annen said, "maybe more than that, I guess, but I knew that Rex and Terry were right there, and I didn't make any mistakes at all. I guess I cUd remember what happened in the Dash For Cash." "He [Annen] rode a great race," Poovey told the crowd. "I just had to follow him and hope that he made some mistakes. He didn't make any. He deserved to win." Finishing fourth was Beers, followed by Brown, Wincewicz, Price, eN Moore, Pierce and Halbert. Trail's End Exposition Arena Tumwater, Washington Results: November 3, ZOOl 600 OFC: I. Terry Poovey (ATK); 2. Jeff Annen (Rtx); 3. Rex Fisher (Rtx); 4. Beau Brown (CCM). 600 PRO MAIN: 1. Jeff Annen (Rtx); 2. Terry Poovey (ATK); 3. Rex Fisher (Rtx); 4. Eric Beers (W-R); 5. Beau Brown (CCM); 6. John Wincewicz (W·R); 7. Ell Price (W·R); 8. Nick Moore (Rtx); 9. Mitchell Pierce (Rtx); 10. Sam Halbert (W·R); 11. Kirk Strong (Rtx); 12. Dan Stanley (Su,).