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Mid-South Championship Summer Camp Series Round 7: East Fork Creek (Left) P.A. Allen finished first overall and first in the 250cc/Open A class at round seven of the Mid-South Championship Summer Camp Series. (Below) Harvey Whitaker managed to hang tough, finishing the race in fifth place overall and second in the FourStroke A class in Gamaliel, Kentucky. STORY AND PHOTOS BY DEBBIE ALLEN GAMAUEl, KY, AUG. 24 f'rT1 eam Green Kawasaki's P.A. Allen 11 made all the right moves at East Fork Creek, dominating the seventh round of the Mid-South Championship Summer Camp Series and savoring the lead by 4 1/2 minutes. Riding his KX250, the Sarge's Cycles/Pro Action of Kentucky/Oakley/Moose/GPR-backed Allen wasted no time off the start. He took an outside line and maneuvered into the lead as he tumed the first comer and passed Lance Smith. Once out front, he pulled away from the remaining 10 riders in his class. "It was a challenging course, and the promoters did a great job of laying out the track," said Allen. "I Greg Elrod was the next rider to pass by this section, but spectators intervened and guided him and the remaining riders onto the track. Elrod finished the lap in second place and was 12 seconds down from Allen. Smith and Josh Scott were next. "I wanted to stay with P.A.," Elrod said, "and I could see where he had been from the marks on the trail, but he was gone. I had one of the best rides I've ever had. The course was Greg Elrod placed an impressive second overall and second in the 250cc/Open A class at East Fort< Creek. remembered some of the same slick roots from last year, giving me the same hard time this year. As if things weren't challenging enough, I had to go and add a few more problems for everyone else." Halfway through the first lap, Allen came through a clearing, jumped off a hill, and wheelied a creek section. Then he accidentally ripped through course ribbons. This veered Gary Hendricks onto the Youth track, and he got lost. He finished the race as a trail rider because he lost too much time. "' didn't mean to cause such confusion, and I even waited for a while until I heard the riders coming," Allen said. "I knew Gary was behind me before that happened, so I thought it was him coming up from behind me." 54 SEPTEMBER 25, 2002' 0: U 0: nice. It was the kind of trail that I like. It wasn't one big rut like most, but it was wide open." During the third lap, the 11 miles got really slick when it started raining. Some of the riders thought the last two laps would never end. The promoters anticipated this problem and had alternate but easier trails for those who struggled in the difficult sections. Despite the rain, Allen and Elrod continued their lead. They both had trouble-free rides and finished the race in first and second place overall and in the 250cc/Open A class. I ... n e vv s Meanwhile, a battle for third place started between Scott, Steve Gordon and Smith. Scott and Smith swapped places, with Smith out front on the first lap. Scott got by him on the second lap when Smith stopped for gas. Gordon came on the scene during the next two laps. Riding his 250F in the Four-Stroke A/B class, the Mid-State Motorsports-backed Gordon took the lead of his class on the second lap when Jason Wofford stopped for a pit. After that, he manhandled his machine and moved passed the 200cc A traffic and into the 250cc/Open A riders. He finished the race and took an impressive third place overall and came in first place in the Four-Stroke A class. "Jason Wofford led almost the entire first lap, and he had to stop for a pit because there was something wrong with his bike," said Gordon. "I liked the course, and I admit to taking the easier trail. It was supposed to be longer, but I don't believe it was." Smith/Parts Unlimited-supported Smith finished the race in fourth place overall and third place in the 250cc/Open A class. "When it started raining," Smith said, "I didn't think I was going to make it back around. It got slick." Riding for Team Green Kawasaki, Harvey Whitaker finished out the top five. Off the start, he took the inside line and crashed on the second turn. "I got all of my bad luck over with right off the start," said the Maxxis/ Stroker/Thumper Racing-sponsored Whitaker. "After that, I was playing catch-up the rest of the time." Third in Four-Stroke A was Alan Westerfield, riding for Gary Virgin and the Super Bike Shop. "It's the first time I've been back since I broke my arm at a motocross," Virgin said. "It feels good to be back!" eN 250/0PEN A: 1. P.A. Allen (Kaw); 2. Greg Elrod (502); 3. Lance Smith (Yam): 4. Josh Scott (Yam): 5. TImmy P'Pool (Kaw). 200 A: 1. Merk Akers (Vam); 2. Jon Cornelius (Suz): 3. Derek Bratcher (KTM). 4-STRK AlB: 1. Steve Gordon (Vem); 2. Hervey Whitaker (Kaw); 3. Alan Westerfield (KTM); 4. Jeffrey Welch (Yam); 5. Jason Wofford (KTM). VET A/B: 1. Pete Redel (Kaw): 2. Eric Gill (Vem); 3. Steve Thomes (KTM); 4. Mark Barton (KTM); 5. Scott Skinner (KTM). SR A/B: I. Clay Stuckey (KTM): 2. John Glaus (Yam): 3. John.Kam (Yam). OPEN B: 1. Boyd Cartwright (KTM): 2. WIlliam Pherson (Suz): 3. Jim Allen (KTM); 4. Glenn Ferguson (Vam): 5. Shane Garner (KTM). 250 B: 1. Scott Kirchoff (Suz): 2. John Stolz (Suz); 3. Jeremy Lawrence (Kaw); 4. Michael Barnick (Kaw); 5. Bobby Stolz(Kaw). 200 B: 1. Damon Prince (Suz); 2. Scott Crick (Kaw) ; 3. Eric Ingram (KTM); 4. Weston Wallwork (KTM). 4-STRK C: 1. Chad Barber (KTM); 2. Jeff Jackson (Kaw): 3. Tim Gill (Vem): 4. Justin Ridley (Yam); 5. James Roberts (KTM). VET C: l. Eric Anderton (Kaw); 2. James Story (Kaw): 3. Phillip Graham (Hon); 4. Chance Blackwell (KTM): 5. Ronnie Richardson (Kew). SR C: 1. Ronnie Hackett (Suz); 2. Jeffrey Kluge (KTM); 3. Danny PetJcock (KtJw); 4. Daniel Newcomb (Hon); 5. Tom Carter (KTM). HVY TRL: I. Cliff Pitt (Hon): 2. Alan Boswell (Hon): 3. Andy Gentry (Hon): 4. Reece Ewton (KTM): 5. Lee Roberts (Kaw). LT TRL: 1. Bruce Diplacldo (KTM); 2. Rob Rogers (KTM); 3. Nathan Hammons (KTM); 4. Seth Summers (Kaw): 5. Mark Manning (KTM). BEG: 1. Daniel Pneroy (Hon); 2. Richard Boling (Kaw); 3. Justin Braden (Hon). East Fork Creek 6amaliel, Kentudcy Relalls: August 24, 2002 [Round 71 0/1'0.: I. P.A. Allen (Kaw): 2. Greg Elrod (Suz): 3. Steve Gordon (Yam); 4. L~nce Smith (Yem); 5. H8rvey Whitaker (Kaw); 6. Josh Scott (Yem); 7. TImmy P'Pool (Kaw): Ron Skipper (So2); 9. Ruel Jones (Hus); 10. Allm Westerfield (KTM). a. Lance Smith finished third In the 250cc/Open A class.