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Moose Northern California Championship Enduro Series Motul 036 B/C Championship Enduro Series Rounds 4/3: Fool's Gold Enduro Tim Stowe rails a tight wooded section en route to the overall victory at the Fool's Gold Enduro, round four of the Moose Northern California Championship Enduro Series_ STORY AND PHOTOS BY JILL ASHWORTH PATTERSON GEORGETOWN, CA, MAY 5 oodland Cycle's Suzuki-mounted Tim Stowe claimed the 29th annual Fool's Gold Enduro championship at the end of the 70-mile, three-loop race near Georgetown, California. Hosted by the California Enduro Riders Association, the event was the fourth round of Moose's Northern California Championship Enduro Series and round three of Motul's B/C Championship Enduro Series. The District 36 "Brand Q" Enduro format, which is similar to a qualifier - without known tests or an impound - was used by CERA for their first time at this year's event. "We think this new format provides an interesting wrinkle for the experienced enduro riders, is easier for new racers to leam, and is simpler for our club to run," said Fool's Gold coordinator Chris Burton. Great weather and nearly perfect trail conditions greeted the sold-out limit of 300 riders who attended the very organized and well-executed event. Loop one provided a 4-mile warmup before the first special test began. The 6-mile test featured a combination of tight woods and rocky terrain. Stowe railed and exited the test with a 27-second lead over Fox's Eric Mashbir, who was just two seconds ahead of Dave Wood and five seconds in front of Brian Sperle. Also in the hunt, 25 additional seconds later, was Billy Russell. After the test, a cruise along roads and two-track trails took entrants to the first known check at 15.8 miles, where the first gas stop allowed time for score comparisons and stories about great trail conditions. "The traction was so good, no matter how fast we were going, we could have gone faster," said the Mach 1 Motorsports/Braking/ Clarke-supported Wood. "It inspired confidence!" The second loop followed several miles of road to "Trish's Trail." The off-camber, shale rock trail on an open hillside was tough to negotiate. Special test two followed, and the 3-mile test consisted of fast, open trails that swooped around the Slate Mountain area. Braking/Michelin/Bennett Distributing-sponsored Stowe clocked the best time again, this time nine seconds ahead of Russell, 15 up on Wood and 17 before Sperle. One and three seconds further back were Brian Butler and Mashbir. After known check two, at 33.9 miles, a short section using roads led riders to the third special test. It started on the boulder-strewn "Ballarat Fox's Dave Wood (81) placed second, just two seconds ahead of third-placed Brian Sperte (151), in Georgetown, California. 42 MAY 29, 2002' cue I e n e _ s Uphill." After the climb, the trail narrowed to tight, tree-lined single-track for several miles before the check-out. Known check three and the second gas stop were just down the hill, where Stowe acknowledged his un-matched pace when he shouted, "I'm really tearing it up today!" as he arrived. Stowe and lMX~Scott Faultline Suspension-backed Sperle tied exactly in the test, and Wood was 13 seconds behind them. Next, with scores of four, five and seven seconds more, were Mashbir, Butler and Russell. "I caught up to Brian [Butler] in the test," Sperle said. "He let me by; then I started bouncing off everything on the trail. I bet he laughed so hard, he could hardly ride." "I rode off a ledge in the test," said Goat/Clarke/Barnett-supported Russell said. "Luckily 1 was able to sidehill-it across. Then I recognized it was the same place 1 crashed and DNF'd in '99, when it took forest rangers and ropes to get my bike out." Loop three included a 10-mile fourth special test on Bald Mountain. The route went up, down and then back up the mountain, using a variety of rocky single-track trails. An A/B split kept the C class off the notorious "Last Chance" trail. The extremely steep, uphill rock garden was treacherous. "I got stuck behind a bottleneck of about six guys," Stowe said. "I knew Billy was farther ahead, probably not getting hung up. I was hoping that it wouldn't cost my whole race." Russell rode hard in the test and finished 18 seconds faster than Stowe, who was seven seconds ahead of Wood. Mashbir, Sperle and Butler were another eight, then two, then 16 seconds later. "It was really tight in the tests," Ara i /Smith/I RC - sponsored -Mas h bi r said. "Patience gets a bit thin waiting for the slow guys to be courteous and get out of the way - or for a place to pass." The last section was a 10-mile trail ride back to camp, and racers took advantage of the nontimekeeping race format. "Riding from the final check to the finish was the most fun I've had at a D36 race in such a long, long time," Renthal/Faultline Suspension/Enduro Engineering-backed Butler said. "The course layout was awesome!" When the scores were tallied, Stowe's total of 3744 gave him the decisive win. Wood claimed second with 3808, just two and four seconds ahead of Sperle's 3810 and Russell's 3812. Mashbir finished fifth with 3823, while Butler took sixth with 3898. With the victory, Stowe extends his lead in the championship series, with the next round taking place on October 20 at the Jackhammer Enduro. eN faals &ald Enduro &eargelDwn, ClIlifamia Results: May 5, 2002 (Round 41 a/A: 1. Tim J. Stowe (Suz); 2. Dave Wood (Hon); 3. Brion Sperle (KTM); 4. Billy Russell (KTM); 5. Eric Mashbir (Suz). AA: 1. TIm J. Stowe (Suz); 2. Deve wood (Hon); 3. Brion Sperle (KTM); 4. B;lIy Russell (KTM); 5. Brian Butler (Hon). A 200: 1. Mlirty Walden (Suz); 2. Tony Green (KTM); 3. Ryon Gouldthreod (KTMj4. Robert Wynn (KTM); 5. Mar<: DeMarco (KTM). A 250: 1. Greg Ruffoni (Hus), 2. Kevin Ruffoni (Kow); 3. Chorlie Plumbridge (KTM); 4. Joe Silvo (Kow); 5. Jeff Bouer (Suz). A 4-STRK: 1. Shaun Wilcox (Suz): 2. JlImes Ptllrcinski (Hon); 3. Chris Hansen (Hon); 4. Mark Weldy (Hon); 5. Joel Roy (Yam). A OPEN: I. Chuck Worley (KTM); 2. Chris Tomlin (Hon); 3. Micheel Behrens (KTM); 4. Tony Elmore (Yom); 5. Tony Turp;n (KTM). A VET: 1. Eric Meshbir (Suz); 2. Jemes Boardman (Hon); 3. Eddie Diez (Yom): 4. Brien Jelich (Yem); 5. Garret Binns (Hon). A SR; 1. John Wells (Hon); 2. Curt Kiser (KTM); 3. Bob TerwilHger (KTM); 4. Ley Wilson (KTM); 5. Kent Plirker (KlIw). A S/SR: 1. Bruce Rust (Yam); 2. Tim L Stowe (YlIm); 3. Pete Prichord (KTM); 4. Doug Christensen (KTM); 5. Fred Sumrall (KTM). A GENT: 1. Ston Stonton (KTM); 2. Bill Cro;g (KTM). B O/A: 1. Adllm Sprague (Hon); 2. Jim Stenley (Hon); 3. Rick KUe (GG); 4. Crolg Hm (Hon); 5. Gront Glenn (Hon). B 200: 1. Dan Melvin (YlIm); 2. Michllel RlImos (KTM); 3. Ert,o Ferroro (Kow); 4. Andy Hunt (KTM); 5. Nolan Irwm (Hon). B 250: 1. Grllnt Glenn (Hon): 2. Rylln Powell (Yom); 3. Eric Tyler (Hus); 4. Robert Sumner (Yom); 5. Mike Blagg (Hon). B 4-STRK: 1. Kim Wenig (Suz); 2. Len SullivlIn (KTM); 3. Robert Roehlk (Yom); 4. Mike Corson (KTM). B OPEN: 1. Jim Stllnley (Hon); 2. Crllig Hill (Hon); 3. Howard Dingman (YlIm); 4. Curt Winter (Hon); 5. M;ke Cheney (Hon). B VET: 1. Adam Sprague (Hon); 2. Jeff Ho.....ard (Hon); 3. Peter Bienos (KTM); 4. John Besso (KTM); 5. Phil Rittenmeyer (KTM). B SR; I. Rick Kile (GG); 2. Jerry Mortin (KTM); 3. Nkk Dobbel (Kow); 4. Jonothon SpUker (KTM); 5. Alon P1umbr;dge (KTM). B S/SR: 1. Brlld Irwin (KTM); 2. Don Chllse (Hon); 3. Woyne Marsholl (KTM); 4. Hugo Zwetsloot (Hon); 5. Jim Peocock (KTM). CO/A: 1. Robert Cye (Hon); 2. Steven Bloke (Yom); 3. Dole McKenzie (Yom); 4. Ben Scott (KTM): 5. Fred Steroni (KTM). C 200: 1. Mark Berkner (Kew); 2. Juon Smith (KTM): 3. Dustin Stonebllck (Kew): 4. Nic Fitch (Kow); 5. Michoel R. Johnson (KTM). C 250: 1. Andrew Moore (Suz); 2. Josh Lewis (Suz); 3. Karl Weiss (Yam): 4. Chris Dlirman (Kaw); 5. Scth Reom (Hon). C 4-STRK: 1. Robert Cye (Hon); 2. Doug Mansfield (Yam): 3. Jamee Garcia (Hon); 4. Ernie Rore, (Yam); 5. Richord Clorke (Yem). C OPEN: I. Bert Deaton (GG): 2. Shannon Creson (Hon): 3. John Dollor (KTM); 4. John Feminia (Hus); 5. Brian Roymond (KTM). C VET: 1. Jason Clement (Hon); 2. Dan Breitboch (Yam); 3. Daniel Guerrero (KTM); 4. Kelly Vondever (Kow); 5. TIm Sumrol! (KTM). C SR: 1. Steven Bloke (Yam); 2. Dale McKenzie (Yom); 3. Fred Steronl (KTM); 4. Greg Steronl (Hon); 5. John Fitzpatrick (Yam). C S/SR: 1. Ben Scott (KTM); 2. Scott Riechers (KTM): 3. Bruce Saxton (KTM); 4. Buddy SClIUZZO (KTM); 5. Dovid Vonosek (KTM). C GENT: 1. James V. Dingmon (Kow). C WMN: 1. Christie Fish (KTM); 2. Darlene Sumrllil (KTM); 3. lllura Thorsson (Kow); 4. Jolene Powell (YlIm).