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/128150
BRIEFLY••• Commenting on the severity of the course, Nick Pearson said, "Man, those rocks - I swear, this race gets rougher and rougher every year." Promoter Casey Folks did, however, provide additional course and danger markers, which were reportedly well received. Off-road legend Larry Roeseler shared driving duties with Troy Herbst in the winning car, with LR driving the first half of the race and Herbst the second half. Though physically behind, they finished in a four-wheel-Ieading 4:40:56, unofficially. The truck/buggy times cannot accurately be compared to the motorcycle/A TV times because the bikes utilized a different course from pit seven to the finish that was both more technical and skirted around the last of the outbound cars that were starting as the bikes finished. Motocrosser R.J. Thompson and Mike Healey teamed up again on their RM 125, the sole entry in the 125cc Pro class. Unlike round two at the Adelanto Grand Prix, however, things didn't go well, with Healey crashing out of the race in the early going. BITD Medical Director Rick "Doc" Uppman, M.D. reported at the finish line that Johnny Campbell would be held in the hospital overnight for observation. In addition to a broken collarbone and scapula, Campbell sustained possible broken or bruised ribs and a possible concussion, as well as lots of gravel rash in his highspeed get-off. While alert and coherent. Campbell also had possible hairline fractures in multiple vertebrae that doctors wanted to more closely examine, thus the request for him to remain overnight. Mike and Tony Aguilera, and Kelly Hall. proved that you don't have to have the latest equipment, or even have to ride every day, to win. The team showed up on their '98 KTM 250 and won the 250cc Expert class in, unofficially, 6; 18:26, despite suffering a flat front tire during the race. The Team Aggie/Bushwackers M.C.lGod-backed trio said they ride maybe once or twice in between races. Guy Perrett persuaded two fellow Canadians that they should give desert racing a try, so they prepped a KTM 250 and made the trek to Pahrump from British Columbia. After finishing as the second 250cc Expert team, unofficially. Kelly Graffunder said of the Nevada desert, "It's fast. dusty, rocky. but a hell of a lot of funl It took a while to catch on to it - probably half an hour or an hour to get onto it - but great fun. I actually spanked one of [those cactus! right off the bat; it was a good thing we had those wraparound hand guards. I'll definitely be back, but I don't know when.· Originally penciled in as a rider, a pinched nerve in his neck forced Perrett to let Graffunder and Klade Glasgow do all the riding on the Canadian Off-Road Holidays/KTM CanadalTorco-backed entry. Their unofficial time was 6:24:40. Bo Harris and Brian Pinard topped the Four-stroke Expert class, unofficially, on their Temecula Motorsports/MSR/IMS XR650R. Moments after leaving pit two, the exhaust pipe broke. Fortunately, they'd ordered a new pipe to be delivered at the race by Flow (formerly Noleen) Racing. By happy circumstance, the Row truck happened to be at the next pit and had the pipe, so they replaced it with minimal downtime (and some baling wire, due to a missing rubber grommet>. Despite a fiat front tire later, the pair ended up repassing everyone else in the class and was the third Expert team. Daryl Folks and Paul Krause saw their lead in the FourStroke Pro class evaporate when their normally reliable Sportsman Cycle/Dunlop/Motul-backed KTM 520 quit. Krause was on the bike at the time and spent many frustrating minutes trying to determine the cause. Out of options. he replaced the spark plug, even though the old one showed a spark. Voila. the bike immediately started. Closer inspection later revealed slight corrosion on the plug's electrode. Nevadans Billy Hagan, Aron Huntington and Danny Lin· nell started 30 seconds in front of Open Expert rivals Steve La Roza and Jesse Ochoa of Northern Califomia and managed to just edge out La Roza and Ochoa by a hair at the finish. The Cliff's Texaco/Gone Wild Yamaha-mounted trio ended up with the class win, unofficially, and the first Expert team finish (but second Expert behind Chris Blais) in 5:54:42, La Roza/Ochoa clocking 5:55:33. Traffic enforcement officers had another field day, especially on Highway 95. While trying to beat partner Ty Davis to one pit. Russell Pearson and his girlfriend, Tina, actually hopped out of the chase vehicle and got a ride in the SUV of a friend who was following. while their driver finished getting written up. While driving to Pahrump Thursday. Team Honda's Johnny Campbell came upon a group of stranded motorcycle riders on the side of the road and stopped to lend a hand, only to find out that those riders were Cycle News editors and testers who were on a four-day road test. involving five street bikes. One of the bikes decided it had had enough and chose one of the more desolate spots of the ride to quit. Luckily, Campbell and his box van happened by at just the right time. "I saw something up ahead and thought. 'M man, what's this mess?" Campbell said. Campbell kindly hauled the expired motorcycle and its rider, who just happened to be the same person who was assigned to cover the Terrible's Town race for Cycle News, to Pahrump. Thanks. Johnny, and get better soon. Last year's winner, Johnny Campbell, crashed in a high-speed, rocky section less than 50 miles into the race and sustained several broken bones and a possible concussion. vous coming into the finish, more than the Nationals. I don't know why I was so nervous. II Asked what he'd do with his share of the winnings, Abbott replied, "We're building a new house [in Arizona], so it's actually going into that. We're just trying to make our dream house, a place where I can ride out of the house again. n eN Terrible's Tawn Pahrump, Nevada Results: April 7. 2002 O/A: I. Destry Abbott/Shene Esposito (Kew): 2. Ty Devis/Russell Pee.rson (Yem); 3. Mlllt Gosnell/Nick Pelllr50n (Yam); 4. Bert Bradford/Rob Phillips (KTM); 5. Christopher Bleis (Hon); 6. Todd Davis/Justin Drllke (Vern); 7. Deryl Folks/Peul Kreuse (KTM); 8. Billy Hogen/Arcn Huntingtonf Denny Linnell (Yam): 9. Steve La Raze/Jim McCauley/Jesse OChOll (YlIm): 10. Brylln Folks/Wode Phillips (KTM). OPEN PRO: I. Destry Abbott/Shane Esposito (Kaw); 2. Ty Davis/Russell Pellrson (Yem); 3. Mett Gosnell/Nick Peerson (Yem); 4. Devid Fry/Kirk Stephensen (Kew); 5. Denny Cooper/Andy Grider (Hon). 250 PRO: I. Bryen Folks/Wede Phillips (KTM). 4/STRK PRO: I. Bert Bredford/Rob Philllps (KTM); 2. Todd Davis/Justin Drake (Yam); 3. Daryl Folks/Paul Kreuse (KTM). OPEN EX: I. Billy HegenfAron Huntington/ Danny Linnell (Yem); 2. Steve Le ROla/Jim McCeuley/Jesse Ochoe (Yam); 3. Anthony Grierson/Scott Herweg (Kaw); 4. Sammy Sanchez/Bryan Yops (Hon). 250 EX: 1. Mike Aguilera/Tony AgUilera/Kelly Hell (KTM); 2. Kelly Grerrunder/Klade Glasgow (KTM). 125 EX: 1. Jason Robinson/Justin Wray (NA); 2. Tyler Flippen/Kyle Gibson/Jonathan Martinez (Hon); 3. Ben Amboy/Petrick Wells/Rendy Wells (KTM). 4/STRK EX: 1. So Harris/Brian Pinard (Hon); 2. Jeson Beam/Ronnie Couturier/Chris Fry (KTM); 3. Todd Cuffaro/Danny Naylor (Yam). 30+ EX: 1. Cory F. Ayers/Brett Marshall (Hbg). 35+ EX: I. John Cleyton/Phil Douglas/Rex Fleck (Kow). 40+ EX: t. Randy Blevins/Kurt Sofka, Jr. (Hon); 2. Den Natalrrerry Marshell(Terry West (Hon). IRONMAN EX: I. Christopher Blais (Hon); 2. Rick Deniel (KTM); 3. Den Lorenze (Yam). 4/STRK A,.,: 1. Demon Gill/Eric Shenberger cue I e n e _ s APRIL 1 7. 2002 49