Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

CLeft) Though Mike Lafferty's bike had a slight burp, it didn't run all that poorly. It did, however, swallow way more fuel than normal, prematurely emptying the tank on a reported four occasions, which left Lafferty fifth overall. Later, he discovered the choke was on. CRight) David Lykke had a close encounter with a manzanita bush early on that tore off the sensor for his computer, forcing him to ride the first loop almost by Braille. He got it fixed and charged through the last two loops to claim third. think I beat Hawkins, was the first check; I beat him by one point [there]. Every other check, we were exactly the same. "Pretty much from the get-go, I was having fun. A couple times [I'd] have a mess-up and have to push [my] bike over something, just something stupid. I'd keep yelling at myself, 'Come on! Don't be making mistakes; you're riding good! Don't be doing that!' But most of the day was just kind of a smooth, fJowy day. It was fun." Runner-up Hawkins praised the club: "First of all, these guys [the Salinas Ramblers] did a great job," he said. "This is one of the tougher enduros I've ridden in a while. I was surprised it was so tough off the beginning. I blew through a corner and kind of got turned around a little bit, and Russ Pearson caught me. We rode the whole first section together, then pretty much the rest of the day we tied at all the checks together. Actually, I beat him at all the tiebreakers, but I couldn't get my point back on him." Lykke's day started poorly when he ran his YZ250 into a manzanita bush that ripped off his goggles (filling them with water) and the sensor for his computer. "I was guessing and lost a few points [on the first loop]," Lykke said. "1 was running pretty close to Russ and Randy through the last couple loops, though. I probably would've ended up third anyway. I live in Michigan now so it's all ice and snow. I just came out here a few days ago, and I was kind of a little worried about my hands blistering and forearm pump. I've been training real hard at an indoor gym and stuff like that, but I haven't been riding my motorcycle at all. I was fiailing a little bit early, but I think I kind of figured out the bike later on - I was riding better." When asked when he noticed his bike running a bit off, Lafferty said: "The first loop was okay. Toward the end of the loop it seemed like it started to do it, but it wasn't like the choke was on. It seemed like something else was happening. We thought we'd figured it out. AI [Randt] CLeft) After a blazing start, BarT)' Hawk ran with the leaders until the last loop. Slowed a bit by problems, he stili finished fourth. thought the [electric] starter [switch] was going bad because we pushed that button, and it wouldn't work. We pulled the tank off and everything before the last loop, but as soon as I went up the hill [to start the final loop], it started popping and everything. I was like, 'Well, I rode the second loop with it [like that]; I can continue on and try to do it again.' I ran out at 41 miles, and the finish was at 47. I got three bottles [of gas] just to get in. The second bottle, I was thinking, 'Man, that last bottle, that liter, went four miles!' It was spitting and sputtering and everything else. I just so happened to think, 'You know what?' I pushed my finger through that hole (in the tank to push the choke off], it clicked, and I'm like, 'Oooooh.' Then the bike just wheelied! I'm bummed out big-time, but we've lucked out with so many other things not going wrong. It's just part of the deal." eN Quicksilver Netional Enduro Coalinga, California Unofficial Results: Februery 16, 2003 (Round 11 O/A: I. Russell Pearson (Yam) 38: 2. Randy Hllwkins (Yam) 39; 3. David Lykke (Yam) 44; 4. Borry Howk (Yom) 56: 5. Mike Lofferty (KTM) 56; 6. Matt Stavish (Kaw) 64: 7. Robbie Jenks (Yam) 71: 8. Brian Sperle (KTM) 71; 9. Curt Wilcox (Kaw) 71; 10. Patrick Garrahan (KTM) 72. AA: 1. Russell Pearson (Yam); 2. Randy Hawkins (Yam); 3. David Lykke (Yam): 4. Barry Hawk (Yam); 5. Mike Lofferty (KTM). A O/A: I. Brian Sperle (KTM): 2. Curt Wilcox (Hon); 3. Patrick Garrahan (KTM); 4. Billy Russell (KTM); 5. Hoyden Fenwick (KTM). 200 A: 1. Curt Wilcox (Kaw); 2. Willie Bosserman (KTM); 3. Robert Mihovich (KTM); 4. Marc DeMarco (KTM): 5. Tony Green (KTM). 250 A: 1. Brian Sperle (KTM); 2. Billy Russell (KTM); 3. Brian Jeligh (Hon); 4. Eric McEachern (Yom): 5. Neil Dennett (KTM). OPEN A: I. Petrick Gerrahan (KTM); 2. George Villanyi (KTM); 3. Chilly White (KTM); 4. Christopher Young (Yam); 5. Chris Slechta (KTM). 4·STRK A: I. Hayden Fenwick (KTM); 2. Russell Pereira (Yam); 3. Dustin Soldano (Yam): 4. Anthony Underwood (Hus); 5. William Roussel (Hon). VET A: 1. James Ptarcinski (KTM); 2. Kevin Greene (KTM); 3. Jim Boardman (Han); 4. Jeff Wilson (Kaw); 5. John Sicley (Yam). SR A: I. Dave Wood (KTM); 2. John Wells (Han); 3. Ley Wilson (KTM); 4. Mark Maldonado (KTM); 5. Jim Robinson (Yam). 5/SR A: 1. Peter Prichard (KTM); 2. Johnny Stevens (KTM); 3. Bob Bosserman (KTM); 4. Mike McEnepsu (KTM). MASTER A: 1. David King (KTM); 2. Gordon White (Gas); 3. Cornelius Scharphorn (KTM). WOMEN A: 1. Heather Wilson (Kaw). B O/A: I. Nolan Irwin; 2. Peter Cochran; 3. Graham Hinsdale; 4. Josh Golden (Gas); 5. Nick Rizzi. 200 B: 1. Nolan Irwin; 2. Cindi Roberson (KTM). 250 B: 1. Nick Rizzi; 2. Dustin Dressler; 3. Justin Hensley; 4. Walter Lunn; 5. Jacob Bedolla. OPEN B: I. Peter Cochrlln; 2. Josh Golden (Gas); 3. Aaron Phillips: 4. Todd Kimble (Suz): 5. Brian Clark (KTM). 4-STRK B: 1. Graham Hinsdale; 2. Michael Cezar (Hon); 3. Paul Murphy; 4. Doug Mansfield (Yam); 5. Preston Barker. VET B: I. Phil Rittenmeyer: 2. Pat Moore (Suz); 3. Ron Plowman: 4. Eli Ohlhausen (KTM): 5. John Bessa. SR B: 1. Fred Stefani (KTM); 2. Dale Parrish; 3. Steve Maionchi; 4. Stan Summers; 5. Rob Nash. S/SR B: 1. Hugo Zwetsloot; 2. Jim Peacock (KTM): 3. Don Chase; 4. Tim Stoner; 5. Mike Peterson. MASTER 8: 1. Hayden Ritchey (Vor); 2. Jerry Harpole (KTM). CO/A: I. Louis Higgins (Suz); 2. Ron Miner (KTM); 3. Gary King (KTM); 4. Michael Strand; 5. Martin Kostra. 200 C: 1. Austin Saunders (KTM); 2. Rob Stano (KTM); 3. Mark Berkner (Kaw). 250 C: I. Michael Strand (KTM); 2. Martin Kostra (KTM); 3. Michael Trater (Yam); 4. Eric Miller (Hon); 5. Steve Cowell (KTM). OPEN C, 1. Bobby Meyer (KTM): 2. Tyler Smith (KTM); 3. Kevin MacDonald (Hon); 4. Keith Ketola (Gos): 5. Shylo Steinthal (KTM). 4-STRK C: 1. David Chase (Yam); 2. James Mcloughlin (KTM): 3. Tony Hill (KTM): 4. Fronk Jud (Yam); 5. Mike Fowler (Suz). VET C: 1. Louis Higgins (Suz); 2. Ron Miner (KTM); 3. Gary King (KTM); 4. Gory Hauff (Han): 5. Amir Terkel (KTM). SR C: I. Steve Draeger (Han); 2. Greg Stefani (Han): 3. Anthony Gonzalez (KTM): 4. Tom Aldrich (KTM), 5. Greg GBbert (KTM). S/SR C: 1. Dave Rocha (Gas); 2. Scott Riechers (KTM); 3. Rick Rinks (Suz): 4. Bruce Saxton (KTM); 5. Ronald Zibulka (Han). MASTER C: 1. Gary Roberson (Han). WOMEN C: 1. Nova Maldonado (Han). BRIEFLY••• The Quicksilver was more than just the opening round of the AMAlFMF Racing National Enduro Series. It also served as the first round of the Moose Northem Califomia Championship Enduro Series and, for the first lime. was round one of the District 36 Motul B/C Championship Enduro Series. Russ Pearson (righU actually has two previous National enduro wins to his credit. but both of those were at combined NaliortalllSDE Qualifier races. The QUIckSilver is hiS first time-keeping National victory. It also marked the first time he'd raced his YZ250F, "This week was the first time. pretty much. that I've ridden it because I've been doing all my time on the 450 because that's my [desert bike). and [desertl is my main focus." Though he plans to go to Florida and ride the first GNCC. he has no plans to contest the entire enduro or GNCC sertes. Honda desert racer Andy Grider intended to race his first National Enduro at the Quicksilver. but his XR650R didn't pass the 96 db sound test with its Baja exhaust, artd he didn't have other mufflers with him. So. he drove to Luceme Valley to race in the desert the next day instead. Looking at finisher rates, the Quicksilver certainly qualified as one of the tougher events. Only seven C riders finished the required first two loops within their hour. and just one B rider did the requisite three loops. Of the A riders, 28 out of 60 officially completed all three loops. Of course, Brian Garrahan saw things differently and joked, .. Personaliy, i thought it was easier; I rode the whole thing in third gear! " Brian Sperle eamed overall A honors, the 250cc A win and was eighth overall on his KTM. even after a frustrating start. "I ran out of gas three times on the first loop." he related... i had even put the larger '02 tank on my '03 bike. It cost me a lot of time, but. thanks to Eric Mashbir. I was able to get going again. At the first gas stop I was so disgusted, I almost didn't go back out for loop two, but everyone kept telling me I wasn't the only one who ran out of gas. so I kept going." eye I .. neuvs MARCH 5, 2003 17

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