Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Moose Western Regional Cross Country Series Round 8: Wilseyville Hare Scrambles Suzuki rider Jeff Bauer in seventh. The Cycle West/Suzuki/Moosebacked Bauer had battled with Pereira for much of day before crashing hard and dropping back slightly. Rounding out the top 10 were KTM riders Billy Russell and Chris Zito and Yamaha pilot David Fish. Topping the morning Senior race was Honda rider Eric Mashbir, and Suzuki jockey Michael Brejwo took the overall in the afternoon Crace. Sperle's fourth-place finish gave him the championship, while Olsen took home second. With his DNF, Zimmerman took third place in the series points. eN CDARRAHAN'S THE UJINNER, ~PERLE 's THE CHA P By CHRIS GHIONE PHOTOS BY MICHELLE LEE GHIONE WILSEYVILLE, CA, NOV. 17 or the second straight race, KTM's Brian Garrahan topped all the other racers at the annual Wilseyville Hare Scrambles. Coming off his win at the seventh round of the Moose Western Regional Cross Country Series, the Maxxis/G-Brothers Racing/Smith Goggles-backed Garrahan won again at the eighth and final round of the series. The day was also good for IMS/Faultline Suspension rider Brian Sperle, who walked away with the series championship. Sperle narrowly defeated KTM rider Bryce Olson and Yamaha pilot Rob Zimmerman to take top honors in the series sanctioned by the AMA District 36. The nearly 500 racers who showed up to take part in the event couldn't have asked for a better day, as conditions were nearly perfect. Rain early in the week left the perfect amount of moisture on the ground, eliminating any chance of dust. The 2+2 Racing team laid out a fun 8.5-mile course comprised primarily of winding single-track and jeep trails, but it also included a few technical water crossings and a rocky creek section. More than 150 Expert and Intermediate riders pushed their bikes to a packed start line for the main event and prepared themselves for the long, fast straightaway that would take them out onto the cou~se. When the shotgun fired, the Eurocycles/MSR/ FMF -sponsored Zimmerman quickly jumped out in front of everyone else, ready to try to clinch the championship for the third straight year. Also starting quickly was Garrahan, who wasted no time moving up behind Zimmerman to challenge for the lead. "My 300MXC got me off to a good start: said Garrahan. "I was, like, third or fourth, and I passed a few guys and got behind Zimmerman. I was riding behind Rob and I made my move to pass him and realized I didn't have any front brakes." Garrahan rode hard arid came into the pits after the first lap to repair his brakes. However, he was not the only one to pull into the pits after just one lap. Zimmerman also pulled off the course with engine problems. Taking advantage of the leaders' mechanical problems were Team Green Kawasaki rider Craig Wesner and Olson, who both got off to fast starts. Wesner fr (Right) Brian Sperle placed fourth at the Wilseyville Hare Scrambles but walked away with the series championship. (Below) Eventual overall winner Brian Garrahan leads eventual overall runner-up Bryce Olsen at the eighth and final round of the Moose Western Regional Cross Country Series. inherited the lead at the start of the second lap, with the Racetech/MPCsponsored Olson hot on his rear wheel. "I ended up making it into the top five and was following behind Wesner for a while," said Olson. "Him and I had some good battling for the first three or four laps." While Olson and Wesner rode up front, Garrahan had quickly reentered the race after the brief pit stop and began charging forward. Zimmerman was not as lucky, as his bike wasn't repaired until he was more than a lap down, and he would later leave the race due to continuing mechanical problems. Garrahan quickly moved forward and eventually retook the lead, passing both Olson and Wesner. The battle for second continued, as the Cycle Pro of Santa Rosa/Dunlop Tires/Alpinestars-sponsored Wesner swapped spots back and forth with Olson. "We were death-battling, n said Wesner, "and he passed me over here in this fast section, and I wanted to show him the old man had something left in him, and we came around towards the end of the lap, and I got him back." Wilseyville Hare Scrambles Wilseyville, CalifDrnia Results: NDvember 17, 2002 (Round 81 O/A: 1. Brian Garrahan (KTM); 2. Bryce Olsen (KTM); 3. Craig Wesner (Kaw): 4. Brian Sperle (KTM); 5. Russ Pereira (Yam); 6, Damien Galford (Kaw): 7. Jeff Bauer (Suz): 8 B;lIy Russell (KTM): 9. Chris Zito (KTM): lO. David Fish (Yam). A 200: I. Travis Sluder (Hon); 2. DaVid Boaz (KTM): 3. Heather Wilson (Kaw) A 250: 1. Bryce Olson (KTM): 2. Craig Wesner (Kaw): 3. Brian Sperle (KTM) A OPEN: I Brian Garrahan (KTM); 2. Josh Pagg; (KTM): 3. Gary QUigley (KTM). A 4-STRK: I. Russell PereIra (Yam); 2. Steve Silvestri (KTM): 3. Greg Ghione (Hon). A WMN: 1. BDrbDrD Mihovich (KTM): 2. SheenD Patterson (Suz). A VET: 1. J.R. MDson (SUI): 2. Curt Wilcox (Su,); 3. Scott Goff (Kow). A SR: 1. Eric Mashbir (Hon); 2. Mkheel Herper (Kew); 3. Dean Joyner (Suz). A S/SR: 1. Pete Prichard (KTM); 2. Fred Sumrall (KTM): 3. Jerry Johnson (Hon). A GENT: 1. William Saltzman (Hus); 2. John Fraser (KTM). B 200: 1. Nolan Irwin (KTM); 2. (hDd Martin (KTM); 3. Chorles Rand (Kow). B 250: I. John Wear (Vern); 2. Luke Noble (Yam); 3. Jonathen Estes (YDm). B OPEN: 1. Lane Mount (Han); 2. Joel Burkett (KTM); 3. Justin Murphy (KTM). B 4·STRK: 1. Jack Elliot (Han); 2. Nathan Tucker (Hus); 3. Mike Carson (KTM). B VET: 1. Ron Minor (KTM); 2. Kene Silverberg (KTM); 3. Byron R;fenberg (KTM). B SR: I. Nick Dobbel (KTM); 2. Steve Matlock (KTM): 3. Dove West (Kow). 6 S/SR; 1. R;chard Kroske (KTM); 2. Joel Sweeney (Kaw); 3. Jim Peacock (KTM). C 200: 1. Jared Orrock (KTM); 2. Jason Smith (KTM); 3. Brian Ruckert (KTM). C 250: 1. Jared Unk (Hon); 2. Josh Lewis (SUI); 3. B;lly Klith (Hon). e OPEN: 1. Kenny Link (Hon); 2. Nathan Burmon (Yom): 3. Bobby Meyer (KTM). e 4-STRK: 1. Michael Brejwo (SUI); 2. Shene Alaway (Hon); 3. Dennis Barone (Hon). e WMN: I. Cera Hom (Hon); 2. Julie Wemey (Hon); 3. Belinda Brejwo (KTM). C VET: 1. Nick Godman (Hon); 2. Robert Puno (Hon): 3. Robert Fischer (Hon). C SR: I. Dennis Sc21rpete (Yam); 2. Merk Stirling (Yom); 3. Bennett Wh~e (Su,). C S/SR: 1. Michoel Schultz (Su,); 2. Kenneth Burkett (KTM); 3. J~ulles Bnndos (KDW). e GENT: 1. Bob CoHns (KTM); 2. Ernie CDbral (Su,). MOOSE WESTERN REGIONAL CROSS COONTRY SERIES FINAL POINTS STANDINGS (After 8 of 8 rounds): I. Brian Sperle (1488/1 win); 2. Bryce Olson (1438): 3. Rob ZimmermDn (1308/2 wins); 4. Craig Wesner (121 III win); 5. Brian GarrDhan (1200/4 wins); 6. OeDn Joyner (I 106); 7. Jeff Bauer (1076): 8. Greg Ghlone (10 I I): 9. John Wells (1008): 10. Roymond Geimer (998). Wesner continued to battle with Olson until he ran into trouble with a lapped rider and crashed, allowing Olson to get in front and pull out a small lead. Coming up from further back was Sperle, who started quickly but then crashed just after the start and was forced to try to work his way up from the back of the pack. Also starting midpack but quickly working his way up was Yamaha rider Russ Pereira. The Pro-Grip/Clarke/ProClean-sponsored Pereira was riding in fourth until late in the race, when he was caught by the hard-charging Sperle. At the end of the race, Garrahan took the checkered flag and the overall win. Olson finished a close second, ahead of Wesner. Sperle walked away with the fourth spot after playing catch-up to the leaders all day, and Pereira came home fifth. Finishing in sixth was Kawasaki jockey Damien Galford, followed by Despite a "crash encounter" with a lapped rider, Craig Wesner still managed third overall in Wilseyville, California. cue' e n ... _ S • DeCEMBER 1 1. 2002 35

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