Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

my own RAce Mike Lafferty Last week at the Delaware National, Lafferty's four-stroke KTM suffered a broken rocker arm, putting him out of the event. This week, however, Lafferty experienced no such troubles. "My bike ran great today, and I felt really good," Lafferty said. "I rode clean all day without any mistakes and came out on top." Randy Hawkins Hawkins rode an amazing enduro, trying to nail down back-to-back National wins, as well as claim yet another championship_ In order for Hawkins to do this, though, he needed to win and Lafferty had to finish third or worse. But after Hawkins missed "the flip of the cards' twice by just a second or two, it was over for the Yamaha pilot. He did, however, nail down second place on the day and the year. Fred Hoess Hoess came into the Turkey Creek National with stars in his eyes, as he too was in contention for the crown. Going in only one point behind Lafferty in the standings, the pressure was on the rider from New Jersey. Hoess, however, just couldn't put it together, as he had an early get-off that sent him and his bike cartwheeling down the trail. He also ran out of gas, missed check 12, and was swapping lots of paint with Hawkins as they exchanged places repeatedly during some of the final stages of the race. David Lykke It just wasn't the day for Lykke, as he was having some problems in the tight Indiana trees. Lykke got sweat between his double-lens goggles, and that hampered his vision for much of the day. Nonetheless, he said that he really enjoyed himself out on the trail. Barry Hawk Hawk said that he didn't have the best day, but he rode "okay." He went on to say: "It didn't help when I screwed up starting my computer this morning. My computer was a minute off all day." The Riders M.C. presented a classic "old-school," tough enduro, which many considered to be a survival run through the Indiana farmlands. Color- morning tests all had check-ins and routed racers through tight trees and an occasional cornfield. ful foliage was everywhere and made for quite a contrast when bike knobbies exposed the rich, dark brown plowed, so it was basically soft-tilled earth, which had everone pinning motors for all they were worth. The Jenks was running a great race all day, matching scores with the other podium finishers until he ran out of gas about a mile before the last gas available. This cost the Yamaha rider a possible second place overall. He ended up third. Indiana soil. The solid dark stripe sur- morning finished off back at the start- Brett Dubois rounded by the yellow and red leaves made it easy to follow the trail once the trail was beat in. However, for the riders breaking trail, the pink arrows ing grounds of the New Paris Industrial Park, with ample time for participants to gas up and regroup. Following the rest was a check-in Riding on a borrowed 1998 KTM, this Honda rider managed to capture the overall A-class trophy. This leads us to wonder if he will retire his new CRF450? and ribbons were sometimes hard to pick out. By the end of the enduro, Lafferty was one of the front-runners, as he had passed all but a couple of to a short test, which robbed two or more minutes from all the competitors. Up until this point, the top riders were all within a point or two of each minutes, but the gamblers - or the unaware - just kept the throttle pinned until the first of two actual check-outs, hidden deep in the the riders on the 20 rows in front of other. A known control was used for a woods. Here, it was Lafferty who him (Lafferty rides on minute 21). The morning greeted riders with frost and icy-cold temperatures. The restart at mile 78. This was the start topped the field with an emergency score of 386 seconds. Hawkins was next with a 430 and then Jenks with 9 a.m. key time didn't allow for much warming as riders blasted into the 2.8-mile test had spectators and participants happily entertained, as the first test out of the start. TWisty routes through the trees prevented anyone riders continued into the tight Indiana woods for the remaining 28 miles of biggest test was a secret check, taking only the minute (not the seconds) at which the racers exited. from maintaining the 24-mph speed average, and riders were already dropping points by the first check at 5.6 miles out. All the AA riders points-robbing terrain. The fastest riders rode into the Hawkins and Jenks bested the field with 17s. Lafferty and the rest next possible check - at 81.2 miles a little hot on the 24-mph speed aver- dropped one minute here, as the rest of the field dropped two or more. The age. The nongamblers paused until they were back on the top of their had dropped 18 minutes or more. The 26 minutes at the following reset and gas available were not enough for most of the riders to get back on time. Only some of the AA The cornfields had been recently of a well-liked grasstrack-style section constructed in a cornfield. The Matt Stavish Things just didn't go well again for Husaberg rider Stavish. who chalked up another DNF. This makes his third DNF in a row and his fourth of the National season. Robbie Jenks a 449. The final check-out of the riders and Brett Dubois (the eventual overall A winner) were able to zero check 12, the last check-in to the final test. The final check was an emergency check, which was topped by Hawkins with a 227. Yamaha rider Barry Hawk David Lykke finished just behind Hawk In seventh but landed a welldeserved fourth in the points. rode through with an impressive 268, followed by Rodney Judson (282), Clay Boering (295) and Lafferty (302). eN Turkey Creek National Enduro Naw Paris, Indiana Results: November 3, ZOOZ [Round 8 of 81 O/A: I. Mike Lafferty (KTM): 2. Randy Hawkins (Yam); 3. Robbie Jenks (Yam): 4. Clay Boering (GG): 5. Rodney Judson (GG): 6. Barry Hawk (Yam): 7. David Lykke (Yam); 8. Bret Dubois (Han); 9. Corey Calkins (KTM): 10. Brent Floyd (KTM): II. George Vl1Ianyl (KTM): 12. Steve Vollmar; 13. Jim Robson; 14. Allron Adams; 15. Eric Mayer; 16. Brlldley Sells; 17. Kevin Passmore; 18. DUlIne Davenport; 19. Brian Marr; 20. Michllel Fritche. OPEN A: I. George VJlIanyi; 2. Brian Marr; 3. Michael Fritche; 4. Brian Ziegenthaler; 5. David Conti. 250 A: 1. Steve Vollmar; 2. Allron Adams; 3. Eric Mayer; 4. Scott BarcJlIY; 5. James Melton. 200 A: 1. John Burgard; 2. Jason Roerlg; 3. Travis Troyer; 4. Roger Stevens; 5. Richard Troyer. 4/STRK A: 1. Corey Calkins; 2. Kevin Passmore; 3. Rob Surface; 4. TIm Hart; 5. Russell Cherry. VET A: I. Brent Floyd; 2. Bradley Sells; 3. Duane Davenport; 4. Jeremy Garber; 5. Robert Heinzerling. SR A: 1. Jim Robson; 2. Paul Reschke; 3. Jeff Kirchner; 4. Scott Klanforth; 5. Donald Rainey. AMA/FMF RACING NATIONAL ENDURO SERIES FINAL POINTS STANDINGS (After 8 of 8 round.): I. Michael Lafferty (170/4 wins); 2. Randy Hawkins(156/2 wins); 3. Fred Hoess (139/1 win); 4. David Lykke (115): 5. Robbie Jenks (109): 6. Barry Hawk Jr. (79): 7. Clay Boering (73); 8. Rodney Judson (63): 9. Mathew Slavish (62), 10. Tim Taber (55). BRIEFLY••• Log-hopping was an integral part of this event. as riders had to hop over countless numbers of down trees and logs, Some of these hops measured much more than the ground clearance of the bikes, like 2 or 2';' feet in height. Other elements of the trail included a section of ups and downs like some riders had never seen before. Spectators cheered riders on. as some actually stopped to view these parts to detemnine if they had the strength left to ride through these challenging routes. The check in question this time was check 12, 11 riders. including Fred Hoess. missed it and were DQ·ed. The check was set up next to a cornfield. hidden by famning machinery. Riders entered the field, and if they were on the gas and swung too wide to finish the turn. it was possi. ble to miss this check-in. Ample time was spent reviewing the check in questIon, but it was decided to leave it in. This decision cost Hoess at least second place in the final series results. eye I e n eVIl's NOVEMBER 20.2002 13

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