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Mid-South Championship Winter Hares Scrambles Series Round 10: The Moonshine ... STORY AND PHOTOS BY DEBBIE ALLEN UtfTON, KY, MAR. 10 he Mid-South Championship Winter Hare Scrambles Series gatbered for a Moonshine run in Linton, Kentucky. Warm weather greeted the 433 riders in attendance, and the West Kentucky Trail Riders created a great course. Several classes faced a final challenge for the series win, and the AA class was no exception. Defending champion P.A. Allen came into the race knowing that Dustin Gibson had a small chance at taking first place overall. Team Green Kawasaki/GPR/Oakley/Rebel Sprockets/One Industries' Allen decided early to sit back and enjoy the Moonshine, Mid-South's 10th round of the Pirelli Tire/Parts Unlimited/Moose/White Brotherssponsored series. "My mind wasn't focused at all for winning this race," he admmed. "I just wanted to have fun and stay in the top five to win the overall championship." On his KX250, Allen rode a smooth race and stayed out front most of the time. Off the start, he was the fourth rider into the woods, following Lance Smith, Gibson and John Roth. During his first lap, he achieved the fastest lap of 28:40 and then clinched the overall championship for his second year in a row. "My Pro Action of Kentucky suspension was awesome on the fast stuff," he said, "and I'm glad to win for Kawasaki." Immediately after the green flag, Smith jumped into lead ahead of the eight riders in the AA class. He held his ground as they rolled past the spectators in a 360-degree turn and was the first person to enter the woods. Allen and Roth took an outside line while Gibson tucked to the inside and maneuvered into second place as they entered the woods. "I was following Lance, with Roth and P.A. behind me," Gibson said. "I followed him because I didn't want to blaze the trail myself. Lance hit a tree and crashed, so I 'got around him." Sarge's Cycles/American Suzuki/ Performance Engineering/Smith/Bike Pedlar-backed Gibson held first place until the end of the 10 miles raced. "Just before the last hill, P.A. took a better line and moved into first place," Gibson said. "I passed him at the beginning of the next lap but got stuck in a mudhole. Both P.A. and Roth passed me." As luck would have it, Gibson's silencer blew apart just before the mudhole, and from then on everyone knew when Gibson was near! Needless to say; he had no trouble with passing lappers; they let him by immediately! And when he got closer to making a move for first place overall, Allen pulled some distance. Although Gibson had a loud, miserable ride, he liked his first run in the AA class. 68 APRIL 3. 2002' cue • e In a Pro Action of Kentucky sweep, Allen finished the race in first place overall, Gibson followed a minute later and took second place overall and second in the AA class, and Roth garnered thjrd place. Chad Froman followed in fourth. Fifth place overall went to Vet A rider Michael Cornett; Cornett took first place in the Vet A class, and Steve Ezell held on to second. "I got an average start of about sJxth place and passed everyone in the creek s..ection - everyone except for Steve Ezell," Cornett said. "I caught him on the second lap going up a hill. This was my type of track: technical and not so wide open." Marty Michels, winner of the FourStroke A class, came in 15th overall. "The first lap was about as uneventful as it got," Michels reported. "I was running second, and he [Harvey Whitaker] fell down; I hit a tree, and he kept going. After that, I took off. I got five wins [this season] and two seconds, so I'll probably move up to 250cc/Open A next race." Senior B winner John Somner rode his KTM into first place for the season. Within minutes, Steve Middlebrook and Louis Gibson were next. KTM rider George Poulos made his annual thousand-mile journey from Long Island, New York, to taste the Moonshine. He came in fifth in the Senior C class. The Mid-South Super Seniors were going strong, and they ended their race with a three-way tie for the series win. Leon Parker, John Giles and Don Rye will battle to the bitter end. Out front on this day was Parker; Giles eased into second, and Rye took third. "It was an extremely tight race," said Parker. "I got a dead-last start today because I couldn't hear my bike start. On the third lap, I moved into fjrst and stayed there till the finish." CN The Moonshine Ume, lCentucIlJ Results: March 10, 2002 [ReUlld 10J O/A: I. P.A. Allen (Kaw); 2. Dustin Gibson (Suz): 3. John Roth (yom): 4. Chod Fromon (KTM): 5. Michael Comett (Hon); 6. Lonee Smith (Yom); 7. G.ry Hendricks (Kow); 8. Doug Stone (K.w); 9. Josh Off the AA start at the Moonshine. round to of the Mid-souttl Championship Winter Hares Scrambles Series, Lance Smith (t 4) got the holeshot, with P.A. Allen (98) and Chad Froman (3) following. Four laps later, Allen won overall and also wrapped up the championship. Froman placed fourth overall and Smith finished sixth overall. Scott (Yom): 10. Andrew Stokely (KTM). AA: 1. P.A. Allen (Kow); 2. Dustin Gibson (5uz); 3. John Roth (Yom): 4. Chod Fromon (KTM); 5. l.8nce Smith (Yllm). 250/0PEN A: 1. Josh Scott (Yom); 2. Andrew Stokely (KTM); 3. Billy Cooper (Kow): 4. Roger Little (Hon): 5. BenJomln Weothers (KTM). 4·5TRK A: J. M.rty Michels (KTM): 2. Joson Wofford (KTM): 3. Robert Lich (Yom); 4. Neol Venway (Vern); 5. Steven Gordon (Yam). 200 A: 1. Timmy P'Pool (Suz); 2. Jeremy Ketchum (KTM): 3. John Lenard (KTM): 4. Derek Br.tcher (KTM): 5. CI.y Hedgep.th (KTM). 5R A: J. Scott Martin (5uz): 2. Mark Guy (Yom): 3. Paul Michels (Hon)~ 4. Billy Hall (Yam); 5. Steven LDmbruno (Yam). VET A: 1. Michael Cornett (Hon); 2. Steve Ezell (5uz): 3. Greg Elrod (Suz): 4. Jock Bolley (Yom): 5. Thomes Bennett (KTM). 250 B: 1. Ron Skipper (Suz): 2. Joel Gibson (Kew); 3. Stewert L1ch (Kew): 4. Eric Chappell (Yom): 5. Jorrod Everly (KTM). 4-STRK B: 1. Brendan Freeman (KTM); 2. Willie Grchan (KTM); 3. Jeremy Garrett (tITM); 4. Jason Elrod (KTM): 5. Rich.rd Worldng (KTM). OPEN B: 1. James Malone (Vern): 2. Scott Young (KTM): 3. Boyd C.rtwright (KTM): 4. Aoron Dovis (KTM); 5. Ron Dilbock (KTM). 200 B: 1. Chris Boch (KTM): 2. Seon Young (KTM); 3.Kyle Peacock (Kew); 4. Damon Prince (Suz): 5. Billy Jonnings (KTM). VET B: 1. Robert Adkins (KTM): 2. Scott Kirchoff (Suz); 3. Gordon Turner (Vem); 4. Devid ZllOet (Vern); 5. Greg Brannon. 5R B: 1. John Somner (KTM): 2. Steve Middlebrook (Yom); 3. Louis Gibson (Suz); 4. Jim Sorreis (KTM); 5. John Glous (Y.m). S/SR: 1. Leon Parker (Yam); 2. John Giles (KTM): 3. Don Rye (Kow): 4. Lorry Still (Hon): 5. Jerry Bennett (Hus). 250 C: 1. Freddie Dernall (Kew); 2. Michael Barnick eKew): 3. Kenny Judd (Kaw): 4. Richard Gantt (Yam); 5. Jeremy Lewrence (Kew). 200 I. 5hond O'Bonion (Suz); 2. Joe Stinson (KllW); 3. Branson Summer (Suz); 4. Bruce Diplacido (KTM): 5. Robert Rogers (KTM). 4-STRK c: 1. Jon Buckner (Vem); 2. Jeffrey Welch (Yllm); 3. Brllndon Wofford (Suz); 4. Keith Lewis (Yllm); 5. Kevin Ayscue (KTM). VET c: 1. Gllylon Rogers (Yllm); 2. Chllnce Blockwell (KTM): 3. Brent Jones (Hon): 4. Clint Young (Hon): 5. Eric Gill (Yom). 5R c: 1. Jim Allen (KTM); 2. John Kom (Yom): 3. Keel Irvin (Suz). BEG: I. Andrew Pork (K.w); 2. J.ke Young (K.w): 3. Seth Summers (Kow). c: n __ S Yamaha jockey John Roth rode to third place in the AA class and third place overall.