Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128217
AMAlFMF Racing National Hare & Hound Series Round 4: Cherry Creek DAVID PEARSON'PICKS CHERRY CREEK WIN The Kawasaki rider pulls off first victory By this was the scene for the Sugarloafers M.C.'s 43rd annual Cherry C r e e k National. For those who have never had the opportunity to race either of the two Utah rounds on this year's schedule, it is enough to change one's perception of desert racing. The seemingly endless miles of nearly virgin trail and slot car-like sandwashes challenge the fitness and skill of all the riders. This race is also unique in that it does not allow the bomb start to be prerun; it can only be walked. Tall sagebrush and ditch crossings keep the start relatively slow. Along with most of the other top riders, David Pearson lined his FMF/Race Tech/Moose racing KX500 up to the far right. "[Paul] Krause got the jump on our group, and I followed him over the CHILLY DAVIS JERICHO, QT, MAY 10 avid Pearson took another step . forward in his racing career by taking his first-ever win at round four of the AMA/FMF Racing National Hare £, Hound Series in Jericho, Utah. He bested not only both of his Team Green mates, Destry Abbott and Brian Brown, but also his seriesleading cousin Russ Pearson. Rain, hail, mud and miles of firstgear trail winding through the rocks and trees - all of this might sound more like the description of a National enduro, not a hare and hound, but D 48 JUNE 4, 2003' cue I e n e vv 55 hill," David Pearson said of the race. "Russ [pearson] got over the hill first, followed by Brian [Brown], Paul [Krause], Destry [Abbott] and myself. Destry worked his way past Paul, then I did. Later in the loop 1 was able to pass Destry, then Brian fell, and 1 took a shorter line to pass Russ in a corner. They told me I had about a 20-second lead at the gas. 1 just pushed and pushed the whole second loop. I fell once, and 1 could hear another 500 coming. I didn't know who it was, but I know Destry will go all out to win; 1 just didn't let off. 1 am so glad to have my first win; I've been working really hard for this." Former National Champion Abbott felt he had a good ride on his FMF/Race Tech/O'Neal KX500 by finishing second. "We all swapped around a bit on the first loop," Abbott said. "I led for a while, but 1 thought I was holding the other guys up because it was so much work finding the trail. 1 felt a lot better when I had someone to key off of. At the finish 1 was just so happy for David. He is one of the nicest guys, and he really deserved the win today." .. Russ Pearson's Montclair Yamaha/Pro Circuit/Moose YZ450F went into the early lead. But on a day with absolutely no dust, it was no significant advantage. Much of the course was so virgin that it took a real effort to follow the lines. The upper elevations were incredibly slick, receiving rain and hail throughout the race. Russ fell pretty hard on a rocky open hilltop that was covered in two inches of slime. He managed to remount and continue for a solid third place. Clearly disappointed after the race, he was sporting an icepack on his left ankle and a bandaged knee. Amazingly, by the second loop, things spread out enough that all of the top runners were out of contact with one another, with most everyone retaining his same position. The average gap between the first 10 riders across the finish line was about two minutes. The challenging conditions quickly went from perfect w.et sand to mud, as the course climbed back up the mountain. The mid loop hailstorm compounded the conditions, drenching everyone and causing many to have to abandon their fogged goggles.