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Moose Western Regional Cross Country Series Round 3: Old Crow Hare Scrambles uc an -~ OLdCpow Bv CHRIS GHIONE PHOTOS BV MICHELLE GHIONE UVERMORE,CA,MAR.2 \Y7 amaha rider Rob Zimmerman was U the fastest of the fast, taking the overall win at the 16th annual Old Crow Hare Scrambles. The steep hills of Carnegie SVRA were the site of the event, which marked the third round of the AMA/District 36-sanctioned Moose Western Regional Cross Country Series. The Redneck Roosters Motorcycle Club had their hands full, as there were more than 600 riders participating in the day's races. The A/B race was the first up, and 220 riders lined up on the packed starting line. Course conditions were good, and rain earlier in the week helped keep the some of the dust down. As always, the club put together an interesting course that had some fast sections as well as many technical ones, including the notorious hillclimbs and descents. After the start, riders would make a short loop around the motocross track, mixed with a surrounding grasstrack, before heading out onto the remainder of the course. Patrick Garrahan nabbed the holeshot aboard his KTM and led the way around the track. Out on the course, things started to change quickly, as Garrahan was passed by fellow KTM riders Brian Sperle and Bryce Olsen; Sperle led for a short time before crashing and giving up the lead to Olsen. By the middle of the first lap, things got even more confusing, as some riders missed turns, others were rerouted by the club, and some may have just cut corners. When the lead riders appeared after the first lap, it was not Sperle or Olsen in front; instead, the MSR/Norcal Motorsports/Goat-sponsored Zimmerman was in the lead. "I got a mediocre start, and I had to work my way to the front," noted Zimmerman. "I was following a pack of about 10 to 15 guys. I finally got to the front of that and ended up coming around the first loop in first. Obviously, it sounds like it was a mess out there on the first lap.' Both the Knost Suspension/MPC/ Jeff Bennett-sponsored Olsen and Sperle came around the first lap outside the top five, but both were able to move forward quickly. In the middle of the second lap, Sperle moved forward, passing Olsen and putting some distance on him. "I got a second-place start, behind Garrahan; I ended up passing him Bryce Olsen (above) and Brian Sperle (left) battled for runner-up right down to the wire, with Olsen getting the nod and Sperle a close third. 50 APRIL 2, 2003' cue I e n e .... s and just rode really good, and Sperle just went by unbelievably fast," Olsen remarked of Sperle's early-race pass. For some time, the top riders held their positions, with Zimmerman out front and trying to pull away from the rest of the field. "I just kept charging hard all day and didn't want to let anybody get close to me," Zimmerman said. Zimmerman's hard charging worked out almost more than he wanted, as he finished his first five laps so quickly that he was forced to go out for a sixth lap. He was the only rider to do the extra lap, giving him the overall win. Fox Racing/Faultline Suspension/ IMX-backed Sperle held down the second position until near the end the final lap, when Olsen came knocking on his rear fender. "I passed him [Olsen] on the second lap and kind of forgot about him," Sperle admitted, "and he caught back up to me on the last lap, and I made one mistake kind of blew through a corner, trying to hold him off - and he got around me there. I almost got him back on the moto track, but he got me." Olsen finished up the race in second, with Sperle chasing him all the way to the finish and taking third. Finishing with his best race of the year was Kawasaki rider Damien Galford, who rode away with fourth, less than a minute behind Sperle. KTM-mounted Darrick Merrill finished fifth, a few minutes back. Honda rider Steve Bonita crossed the finish line next in sixth. Suzuki rider Jeff Bauer, KTM pilot Jesse Ochoa, Honda-mounted Travis Sluder, and early leader Patrick Garrahan filled out the top 10. Many of the top riders finished outside the top lOon the challenging course, including Team Green rider Craig Wesner, who could tell you exactly how steep the hills at Carnegie are after falling down one of them. Rob Zimmennan flew to the overall victory at the Old Crow Hare Scrambles, a.k.a. round three of the Moose Western Regional Cross Country Series, at the Carnegie SVRA In Livennore, California. "About halfway through the first lap, I crashed really hard," he recounted, "and when 1 got up - it's kind of embarrassing, but to be honest with you, I didn't know where my bike was. It had rolled down the hill a ways. When I got up, I had to walk down the hill to get my bike." The top finishing B rider on the day was Richard Horne, aboard a Honda. Jason Voss, also on a Honda, took the overall race win in the afternoonC~~. ~ Carnegie SVRA Livermore, Califaml. Results: M.rd1 Z, Z003 [Round 31 0/A: 1. Rob Zimmerman (Vllm); 2. Bryce Olson (KTM); 3. Brian Sperle (KTM): 4. Demien Galford (Kaw); 5. Darrick Merrill (KTM); 6. Steve Bonite (Hon); 7. Jeff Beuer (Suz); 8. Jesse OChOll (KTM); 9. Trevis Sluder (Hon): 10. Patrick Garrahan (KTM). A 200: 1. Travis Sluder (Hon); 2. Curt Wilcox (Kaw); 3. James Pterclnskf (KTM). A 250: 1. Rob Zimmermen (Yllm); 2. Bryce Olson (KTM); 3. Brian Sperle (KTM). A OPEN: 1. Jesse OChOll (KTM); 2. Plttrick Garrahan (KTM); 3. Shawn Wilcox (KTM). A 4-STRK: 1. Steve BonjUl (Hon); 2. David Fish (KTM); 3. Brian ToHne (Han). A VET: 1. J.R. Mllson (Suz): 2. Brilln Jelich (Hon); 3. John Sic1ey (Vam). A SR: 1. Dllve Wood (KTM); 2. Duane Scott (Vam): 3. John Wells (KTM). A S/SR: 1. Jerry Johnson (Hon): 2. Fred Sumrall (KTM); 3. Pete Prichard (KTM). A GENT; 1. William Craig (KTM). A Wft\N: I. Nllomi Willis (Yam). B 200: 1. Chlld Mllrtin (KTM); 2. Brent Dixon (Hon); 3. Jared Crock (KTM). B 250: 1. Ma~w Fowlar (Kaw); 2. Chris Gall (Suz): 3. James Maltbie (Vam). B OPEN; 1. Joel Burkett (KTM); 2. Craig Hill (Hon); 3. Kelly Knipe (KTM). B 4·STRK: 1. Micheel Brejwo (Suz); 2. Nllthlln Tucker (KTM); 3. John Scarpulla (KTM). B VET: 1. Richllrd Home (Hon); 2. Michael ~ge (Vam): 3. Gary Burton (KTM). B SR: 1. John Mllrtin (Han); 2. Jerry Mertin (KTM); 3. Mike Norton (Hon). B S/SR; I. Bob Bowers (KTM); 2. Michael Schultz (Suz); 3. Jonethan Spilker (KTM). C 200; 1. Cody Proctor (KTM); 2. Corbet E1rond (Hon); 3. David Dabney (KTM). e 250: 1. Jason Voss (Han); 2. Ryen Lenior (Hon): 3. James Thompson (Hon). C OPEN: I. William Englebrick (KTM); 2. Brian Nute (Vam); 3. Brian Lorrell (Hon). e 4·STRK: 1. Chad Jesse (Yam); 2. Andrew Rewinkle (Yam): 3. Joe Cook (Hon). e VET: 1. Johnny Nleworhner (Hon); 2. Jeffrey Shives (Hon); 3. Jeff Rooney (Hon). C SR; 1. Jeff Wilkens (KTM); 2. Ed Dattilo (Hon); 3. Mllrk Thorson (KTM). e S/SR: t. Jemes Brlndos (Kaw): 2. John Cooper (KTM); 3. Brian Willet (KTM). e GENT: 1. James Donahoe (Suz); 2. Bob Collins (KTM); 3. Bob Mars (Vam). e WMN: 1. Jennll Pinto (Han); 2. Meglln Armbrust (Hon); 3. Julie Wemey (KTM).