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Arkansas Hare Scrambles Championship Series Final Round: River Front Grand Prix Steve Leivan was the overall champion - for the fifth time - at the seventh annual River Front Grand Prix, the final round of the Arkansas Hare Scrambles Championship Series. By MIKE LORENZE PHOTOS BY JEFF GONZAGOWSKI FORT SMITH, AR, NOV. 25 ore than 280 off-road racers made the Thanksgiving weekend trip to Fort Smith, Arkansas, for the seventh annual River Front Grand Prix, which served as the final round of the Arkansas Hare Scrambles Championship Series. At the conclusion of the two-hour, nearly 60-mile affair, SCR/Yamaha rider Steve Leivan crossed the finish line first to claim his fifth RFGP overall victory. It wasn't easy, though. When the Pro class blasted off, Dells HondafWER-backed Doug Stone led the way, with Texan Brian Storrie, Leivan, and local teenager Josh Weisenfels all off to good starts. As Stone opened a bit of a lead, Weisenfels was on the move. The KTM 125 pilot quickly got around Leivan and then overtook Storrie for second - a position that soon became the lead. Midway through the first of seven 8.2mile laps, Stone missed a turn and slipped to third, behind Weisenfels and Leivan. Then Weisenfels bobbled and Leivan inherited the lead, although the WR426F rider didn't know it. "Once Josh and I hooked up, we were really going good," Leivan recounted. "I couldn't believe we weren't catching a glimpse of Doug [Stone). About halfway through the second lap, I missed a tum and Josh got back around me. I started yelling at him that we needed to speed it up, when I heard a bike behind me. I glanced back and there he [Stone] was." The next couple of laps, the leading trio swapped positions frequently. Leivan led after lap two and maintained that lead for nearly the entire third lap before going down while trying to overtake a lapped rider. Stone and Weisenfels were quick to pounce, but Leivan was up quickly and had soon passed Weisenfels and set his sights on the leader, Stone. Stone quickened the pace and Leivan hung right with the CR250 M 66 .JANUARY 2,2002' cue •• jockey as the two riders started to put a gap on Weisenfels as he pitted for gas. Weisenfels was losing touch with the fast-charging duo, though he was riding less than a minute back. Storrie was running fourth on his 300cc Gas Gas in his first race back since a wrist injury. Having led for a lap and a half, Stone moved over and let Leivan around. Leivan was quick to take the spot, but in no real hurry to go anywhere. "We were having quite a chess match out there: said Stone. "I figured I'd follow Steve and see if he would show me anything. I knew the race was about to start." "I slowed down when I got in front, and I guess Doug didn't like that, since he passed me back," Leivan said. "It was just before the long sand whoop section and he 'schooled' me through there. It was good for me to see how fast he was getting through that section, though; that way, I knew where I needed to be fast at the end of the race." That was exactly the situation. While Stone had the advantage through the middle section of the course, Leivan was able to close the gap in the last few miles and the two riders were ~heel to wheel when they entered the scoring check. Heading into the last lap, Stone led the way. Leivan worked quickly and took the lead early on the final lap by choosing a quicker line around a lapped rider. Stone knew his best chance to retake Silrteen-year-old Josh Weisenfel. capitalized on Doug Stone's mi.hap to claim second overall at the event on the banks of the Arkan.... River. the lead would be the long whoop section, but Leivan had learned from the previous laps and took the smoothest lines, holding Stone at bay for threequarters of the section. Then Leivan hit a big kicker and got a bit of air while Stone hit the smooth line and drew alongside. The two riders were side by side, fourth gear pinned, when Stone suddenly slowed. With half a lap to go, the Honda rider was out of gas. Leivan gave a quick look over his shoulder, saw nothing but clean air, and pointed his Dunlop/Answer/ Clarke/Silkolene/Pro Clean-backed thumper toward the checkered flag. "We were going to have a great duel to the end: Leivan said. "I feel bad for Doug, since he rode such a great race. But I had the same thing happen at this race a few years ago, so I guess that's the RFGP for you." Sixteen-year-old Weisenfels took advantage of Stone's misfortune to claim runner-up honors with a fantastic ride and a performance that clinched the number-three plate in the Arkansas series. Storrie rounded out John Bestland won the C 226cc-andUp class. n e _ s the podium finishers with a steady race for third, while Stone pushed his empty bike back to the pits, grabbed some gas, and headed out to complete the lap and finish fourth. Texas rider Oliver Benetis completed the top five on his Gas Gas. l:N AI1lansas River Fort Smith, ArkanSllI Results: November 25, 2001 IFins. Raundl O/A: Steve Leivl!ln. AA EX: I. Steve Lei...!!n; 2. Josh Weisenfels; 3. Bri!!n Storrie; 4. Doug Stone; 5. Oliver Benetis; 6. Will Perry; 7. Jeff Lemay; 8. Bobby Southard; 9. Eli Johnson; 10. Brandon Cheek. A OPEN: 1. Rich Anderson: 2. Mlitt Summerlin; 3. Justin Liekhus; 4. Brian Kindberg; 5. Brian Sanders. B OPEN: 1. Jarrod Cooner; 2. Roger Robinett. B 250: 1. James Meedor; 2. Josh Poteete: 3. Kevin Matthews; 4. Lee Jones; 5. Greg Sims. B 4-STRK; 1. Sam Lorenze: 2. Todd Perna; 3. Jeson Watson; 4. Danny Wirt; 5. Scott Osburn. B 200: 1. Parker Nolen; 2. Aaron Willis: 3. Travis Smith; 4. Andrew Pllrker: 5. lzlrry Vent. C 0-225: I. N;ck Blood; 2. Sterling English; 3. Andy Guinn: 4. Michele Ektam; 5. lac UttJe. C 226+: 1. John Bestland; 2. Chris Echols; 3. Doug Cook.; 4. Steve Sprong; 5. Geoffrey Hedrick. SR A: 1. Rkk Owens; 2. Ollie Meglemere; 3. Rey Jones; 4. David Eubanks; 5. Bryan Adllir. SR B: 1. Howerd Buller. 2. Todd Hammock; 3. Bud Bteschke; 4. Tom Nupp; 5. Ron Mooney. S/SR: I. Roy Patton; 2. Eart Schnell; 3. Luther Stem; 4. Randy Harmon; 5. Mike Palmer. TR: 1. PauJ Harrell; 2. Brandon Hutchins; 3. Billy Yocum; 4. Noah Evans; 5. So Boyle. WMN: 1. Terri Hale; 2. Lisa Henderson; 3. Rhonde Griggs; 4. Kasi Carter. JR: 1. Brian Hollend; 2. Ryan Berry; 3. Daniel Butler; 4. Eric Evans; 5. Cameron Foote. MINI: I. Scott Bozone; 2. Turner Norman; 3. Jamey Norman; 4. Hunter Rhodes; 5. Brilln Cooper. P/W: 1. Levi Pennell; 2. Mason Jeffries; 3. Logan Omberson; 4. Jake Ingram; 5. Austin Crowder. S/P!W: 1. Billy Eddie. TEAM NOV: 1. Tim Beivley/Bruce Melton; 2. Tyler Ledbetter/Michael Norton; 3. Ken Been/Larry Hoopaw; 4. David Culpepper/Mike Tune; 5. Kendall Mounce/Richard Fink. TEAM AM: 1. Trecy Anders/Danny Elmore; 2. Trllvis Young/Jeremy Walkins; 3. Bill Eddie/Darin Montgomery: 4. Steve Vanzant/Carlos Mayo; 5. Larry Wood/Brian Kichline. TEAM SR: 1. Mike Edwards/Trace Fowler/Blake Wingo; 2. Vic Palmer /Mike Brown/David W.; 3. Mitchel Sozone/Charlie Merrimen; 4. Bart Winters/Matt Winters/Larry Thurman/Stan Lewis. TEAM JR: I. Jared Merriman/Mitchell Bozone: 2. Ryan Berry/Daniel Butler; 3. Brian HollandfTyler lzlwrence. TEAM TR: I. Ted Taylor/Matt Taylor: 2. Pet Griff"rth/Dusty Griffith; 3. Uoyd Lous/Bob Diffee/Uno Burton: 4. Ben Schrik/Don Schrlk; 5. Ronnie Whitley/Brian Robertson.