Desert Peak 100
Ochoa Assaults
the Peak
By NICK "FACTORY" FI\JN
NIGHTENGALE, NY, MAR. 9
Jesse Ochoa had a challenging day but came
out on top of the fourth annual Tankslappers
MC-hosted Desert Peak 100. For the second
time in as many races, a light snow fell the
night before the event and created perfect,
dust-free conditions. The 42-mile, two-loop
hare scrambles consisted of washes, fire
roads, single-track and one father nasty
canyon filled with many ledges and drop-offs.
At the live-engine, Le Mans-style start,
Ochoa sprinted quickly and was first to the
marked trail, followed closely by Sam Key,
Steve Tichenor, Nick Fain and Ed McCoy.
Without dust, the racing was tight for the top
position, and the lead was swapped several
times among the front-runners. By the end of
the first loop, Ochoa and McCoy entered pit
row side by side. Less than a minute behind.
Key appeared in third, followed by Tichenor
and Fain.
Heading out on loop two, Specialized
Motorcycle's McCoy made quick work of
Ochoa and started to pull away while the
battle for second started to heat up. Key
caught Ochoa and made a move for second,
but rather than take both of them to the
ground, Key backed off.
"I had the inside line in the corner and
went for it, but he started to come in on me
and I let off so we wouidn't go down," Key
said. "I played it safe so that I didn't ruin my
whole day right there."
Meanwhile, Fain had passed Tichenor and
&arona Speedway: Dustin Watson (3) leads Chris Gosselaar (90) during the first 50cc Pro moto at round one of the Rail America
50cc Four-Stroke Challenge in Ramona, California.
0:
U
a
••
n
_
_
S
•
APRIL 3. 2002
83
