Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

AMA Mid-South Championship Winter Hare Scrambles Series Round 11: Owensboro Motorcycle Club Dustin Gibson won the AA class in Fordsville, Kentucky, site of the 11 th and final round of the AMA MidSouth Championship Winter Hare Scrambles Series. FORDSVILLE, KY, APR. 14 I fter a weekend of rain, the promoters of the Mid-South Championship Winter Hare Scrambles Series decided to consider the gruesome conditions as a "challenge." Mud was everywhere, but the Owensboro Motorcycle Club had already postponed one race this season, so round and entered the woods ahead of Lance Smith, Jason Wofford, and P.A. Allen. He continued his lead and disappeared, three bikes length ahead of everyone else. "Gary [Hendricks] and I passed each other a few times during the first lap," said Gibson, "but I got by him right before the tent. It was a fun race, and I had a great time." During the 30-minute lap, the AA 11 of the Pirelli Tire/Parts Unlimited/Moose/White Brothers-sponsored series proceeded without further delay. Come race day, 281 riders sloshed through the mud, with Dustin Gibson leading the season's final round. "I tried to ride smooth and not fall because I knew it was going to be a long day in the mud," said Gibson, "but after I got goggles and gloves on my second lap, I felt good. It felt like it wasn't even muddy." The Sarge's Cycles/American Suzuki/Pro Action of Kentucky/Moose/ Smith-supported Gibson took the lead immediately. He got the holeshot class made a few changes. Wofford, Smith and Allen dropped back. They struggled in the slime while Hendricks picked up his momentum. Off the start, he was nearly the last rider into the woods, but he quickly recovered and maneuvered into a smooth second. "Once I got into the woods," Hendricks said, "I just weaved in and out of all those people. P.A. hit a tree real hard, and before long I caught up to Dustin." By the fourth mile marker, Hendricks was following Gibson's pace, and the two started their own battle. The two riders finished their first lap STORY AND PHOTOS BY DEBBIE ALLEN 42 MAY 8, 2002' CI U c I e n e vv s within seconds from one another. Gibson had the fastest lap of 30:34, and Hendricks was two seconds down. Four minutes later, seven AA riders freight-trained into the tent, with Alan Westerfield out front as the fourth AA rider through the score tent. They got lost and rode part of the trail twice. Mike Sampson was riding in third place, a minute and a half behind Hendricks. During the second lap, Gibson and Hendricks continued their battle, with Sampson trailing behind them. At the end of the lap, both Gibson and Hendricks stopped for gas and goggles, but Hendricks left in first place while Gibson left in second. Sampson remained in third, but Allen moved from sixth place to fourth. "We [Gibson and Hendricks] were the middle. It looked like I could have made it, and I thought I would try and go for it. But I guess it didn't work out this time. My bike was stuck for a very long time because I couldn't get it out." In a Pro Action of Kentucky sweep, Gibson topped the podium, coming in first place overall. He rode fast and smooth and picked all the right lines. Three minutes later, Performance Cycle/IMS-supported Hendricks rolled into second place. He lost most of his time trying to get out of the mud. Allen finished the race in third place. Team Green Kawasaki/Oakley/GPR/ One Industries-backed Allen made a late decision to enter the race. He had his mind set on a nearby motocross, but it was canceled. "This was not a good race to be at without bark busters," noted Allen, who didn't have bark busters because he had his motocross bike. The 10-mile track consisted of very tight woods, ruts and mud. The riders were forced off of the main trail in order to pass or to avoid the mess. It was quite a challenge, because many riders got lost, and 40 of them did not finish. "'Oily mud' was one way to describe it," said S&S Power Sportsbacked Billy Cooper, the winner of the 250cc/Open A class. "It was awful, and it wouldn't clean off of your bike like most mud does. It just stuck to your tires and made it difficult to grip." Alpinestars/Works Connection/ Pirelli/Hinson-sponsored Lance Smith finished in fifth place in the AA class and ninth place overall. "This was a tough race," Smith said, "and I'm going to be sore tomorrow. " eN having a blast hollering at each other," said Gibson. "We went back and forth until he got stuck in a mudhole. Then 1got away from him." "Dustin went to the right of the track," Hendricks said, "and I went in Hendricks passed Gibson (1061 during their second-lap pit stop. They swapped back and 10rth several times, and then Hendricks got stuck in the slime but salvaged second place overall. I

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