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Moose Northern California Championship Enduro Series Motul District 36 B/C Championship Enduro Series Rounds 3/2: Sawmill Enduro STORY AND PHOTOS BY JILL ASHWORTH PATTERSON UPPER LAKE, CA, APR. 6 MX of Hayward's KTM-mounted Brian Sperle accumulated the best set of scores to claim the 33rd annual Sawmill Enduro Championship title. The event, which was staged out of the Middle Creek campground near Upper Lake, California, was the third round of Moose's District 36 Northern California Championship Enduro Series and round two of Motul's District 36 B/C Championship Enduro Series. The North Bay Motorcycle Club welcomed 269 entrants to their twoloop, 92-mile event, which happened to fall on the last weekend of a busy Spring Break at the popular OHV riding area in the Mendocino National Forest. Loop one began with the traditiona trek up Sled Ridge to the higher elevations of the area. At the 2.9-mile marker, the first indication that there was a mileage problem on the course appeared, as several riders' noted that their odometers were registering around 3.6 miles. As racers went through the first check, past Penny Pines, and reached check two, the mileage-marker mishaps continued. Most realized there was nothing that could be done about it and resigned themselves to riding hard and having fun for the rest of the event. "We all knew when we hit 2.9 that something was off," said Fox/Mach 1 Motorsports/Smith-supported Dave Wood, "so it was just 'put your head down and pin it - time to race!'" "It was just one of those unexpected things that happen," said Scott/One Industries/Pro Circuitbacked Tim Stowe. "It changed things to being all about playing a smarter game." A great combination of tight single-track trails and wooded sections, mixed with a minimal use of fire roads, led riders to the "gas available" stop, where scores through check five showed Wood alone in the lead with 4.00 points. Faultline Suspension/Scott/Thor Riding Gearsponsored Sperle and A Veteran rider Raymond Geimer were tied for second with 5.04, chased closely by Billy Russell (5.09) and Brian Butler (5.13). Greg Ruffoni, Jim Matheson, Stowe and Glenn Martinson, who all 38 MAY 8, 2002' cue • e had other scores in the fives, were also in the hunt. At the break, several race participants had stories to share about more head-on traffic conflicts with day riders than usual. "We ran across different sets with three or more bikes each in them," Fox's Russell said. "Some were going really fast against us; it didn't feel that safe." "You could say there were a lot of 'obstacles' on the course," agreed Wood. The second loop, featuring another good mix of trail selections, included a trip toward Bear Creek on Poges Peak trail, a fast section past Crabtree Hot Spring, and a climb up Big Ridge. side at the check," Wood said. "Then were just cruising and talking when we noticed the A/B split sign and more arrows - we had to really pin itl" "It was really cool the way the section at the end surprised us," RideGear. com/Pirell ifFaultline Suspension/Moosebacked Matheson said. "It was my favorite part of the race!" Two checks later, racers were finally at the finish, where Sperle's speediness in the tight sections secured his victory. Matheson railed to claim second, with Russell, Wood and Stowe rounding out the top five positions. "This was the best ride I've ever had!" exclaimed Matheson. "I'm really stokedl" "That last section was the best," Wiseco/FMF/IMS-sponsored Russell cheered. "I love it when they take lots of points from us with tough sections!" "It was a great course, even with the mileage being weird," Sperle said. "I guess 1 was the better hare-scrambler for the day'" eN Middle Creek Campground Upper lake, Califllmia Unofficial Results: April &, 2002 (Round 31 Jim Matheson was second overall, first A Four-Stroke, in Upper Lake, Califomia. A few miles further, the journey back down Sled Ridge toward camp gave the appearance that the finish would be at its usual place, along the edge of Middle Creek's staging area. Instead, check seven was placed strategically ahead of the last rise that was several hundred yards before camp - where NBMC's course captain, Roger Fletcher had a surprise A/B class split waiting to send them onto an additional eight miles of tough trails over Pitney Ridge. "I caught up with Dave [Wood] at what we thought was the last check," Sperle said. "We were saying 'good ride' to each other and heading back for camp. We thought we were done." "Brian [Sperle] and I were side by n e _ s O/A: 1. Brian Sperle (KTM); 2. Jim Matheson (Hon): 3. Billy Russell (KTM); 4. Dave Wood (Hon); 5. Tim J. Stowe (Suz). AA: 1. Billy Russell (KTM); 2. Dave Wood (Hon); 3. Tim J. Stowe (Suz); 4. Brian Butler (Hon). A 200: 1. Marty Walden (Suz); 2. Ryan Gouldthread (KTM); 3. Sheena Patterson (Suz); 4. Robert Wynn (KTM); 5. Marc DeMarco (KTM). A 250: 1. Brian Sperle (KTM); 2. Jeff Bauer (Suz); 3. Kevin Ruffoni (Kaw); 4. Chris C. Young (VlIm): 5. Michael Hayes (Han). A 4-STRK: 1. Jim Matheson (Hon); 2. Glenn Martinson (KTM); 3. James Ptarcinski (Han); 4. Andres Ruggiero (Yam); 5. Tim Campbell (5uz). A OPEN: 1. Rick Thornton (KTM); 2. Chris Toman (Hon); 3. Mike Simmons (KTM); 4. Brody Borgogno (KTM); 5. Jomes Fleming (KTM). A VET: 1. Raymond Geimer (Hon); 2. Jim Boardman (Hon); 3. Ben Gledhill (Yam); 4. Jeff Wilson (Kaw); 5. Steve Boardmlln (Hon). A SR: J. Dean Joyner (Suz); 2. John Wells (Hon); 3. Woyne Hatch (KTM); 4. Jock Lonto (Hon); 5. Jell Noll (Kaw). A S/SR: l. Denny Hiatt (Hon); 2. Peter Prichard (KTM); 3. Richard Adem (Hon); 4. Roger Webb (Suz); 5. Tim L Stowe (Suz). A GENT: 1. Bill Craig (KTM); 2. Stan Stanton (KTM). A WMN: 1. Heather Wilson (Kaw), B O/A: I, Adam Sprague (Hon); 2. Gabe Ellis (Hon); 3. Matt Finnegan (Hon); 4. Scott Puckett (Yam); 5. Jarod Reed (Yam). B 200: 1. Dave West (Hus); 2. Michael Remos (KTM); 3. Ronold Hoyt (KTM); 4. Poul Colteony (KTM). B 250: 1. Gabe Ellis (Hon); 2. Matt Finnegen (Hon); 3. Jarod Reed (Yam); 4. Eric Tyler (Hus); 5. Grant Glenn (Hon). B 4·STRK: 1. Scott Puckett (Yam); 2. Mike Carson (KTM); 3. Mark Anklam (Han); 4. James M. Thompson (Yam); 5. Brian Chase (Yam). B OPEN: 1. Graham Hinsdale (KTM); 2. Brian Itterly (KTM); 3. Howard Dingman; 4. Dustin Dressler (KTM); 5. Josh Golden (GG). B VET: I. Adam Sprague (Hon); 2. Bill Smyrniotis (Hon); 3. Gary Burton (KTM); 4. Jeff Howard (Hon); 5. Eric Thompson. B SR: I. Michael Zesiger (Hon); 2. Nick Dobbel (Kaw); 3. Chris Calkins (KTM): 4. Curt Reichlin (KTM); 5. Jack Pedersen (Yom). B S/SR: I. Donald Chllse (Hon); 2. Leonard Page (Han); 3. Hugo Zwetsloot (Hon): 4. Jim Peacock (KTM); 5. Richard TIesso (Hon). eO/A: 1. Alen Hannon (Hon); 2. Blirt Bakker (Kow); 3. Fred Stefonl (KTM): 4. Ben Scott (KTM): 5. Ron Miner (KTM). e 200: 1. Jason Smith (KTM): 2. Jenny Pedersen (KTM): 3. Matt Mlittei (KTM); 4. Richard Webb (Kaw): 5. Steve Van W811rdenben (Hon). e 250: I. Alan HZlOnon (Hon): 2. Steve Cowell (Hon); 3. Jon Corea (Hon): 4. Kevin Walsh (Hon); 5. Michael Morasca (Suz). 4·STRK: 1. James Garcia (Hon); 2. Doug Mansfield (Yam); 3. Glen Lawson (Han): 4. Russell Gutterud (Han); 5. Pat Cline (Hon). e OPEN: 1. Ben Scott (KTM); 2. David Sowell (KTM); 3. Brian Raymond (KTM); 4. Neil Murphy; 5. Sam Diaz (KTM). e VET: 1. Bart Bakker (Kaw); 2. Ron Miner (KTM); 3. Robert Smith (KTM); 4. Richie Mendez (Han); 5. Kelly Vanderver (Kaw). C SR: 1. Fred Stefani (KTM); 2. Greg Stefani (KTM); 3. Phil Boiley (KTM); 4. Joe Gomes (Hon); 5. George Lowery. C S/SR: I. Woyne Marsholl (KTM); 2. Riechers (KTM): 3, Gordon Hurst (Yam). e First AA rider Billy Russell placed third overall.