Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Robbie Jenks felt right at home in the Ohio mud but came up short for the win. He still finished third overall. checks eight and nine. Lafferty made many points on his rivals, as he went 8- 1O. Hawkins went 8-14, and Jenks scored 10-16. Point spreads were big, as only the fastest riders could event started at the fairgrounds with the first 1! miles routing riders through the back streets of Ohio and regroup at the last gas. Another 15 then connecting riders with the first "check-in" four miles of two-track trails. There were no checks during thjs part of the ferty on this test as they both ride, but the riders got some mileage dropped 18s. in and got accustomed to the greasy conditions. After a short one-mile ited by an even smaller field of riders, mile test section was straddled with a and a "check-out." Hawkins was able to score with Laf· The final A test, however, was vis- reset, things were about to get going. Check one was located deep into many the start of the first 10-mile test. Laf- Hawkins was able to score with Laf- ferty, Hawkins and Jenks were able to zero the "check-in," but Lykke and good enough to catch the KTM rider. Hatch dropped a point at this check, as the slippery hills already slowed race. because you could see where their progress. Two more check crews witnessed racers coming through muddy and late, as nobody and the course had taken its toll on Hawkins went 4-6, and Jenks went 5-7. With such a big points spread so early in the enduro. it was obvious that tie-breakers would not be a factor in this one. you down out there. I wasn't physically drained, more mentally drained than anything else. They just kept beating you to death, and it got harder as the day went on because by the end of the race, I was breaking trail." With his third win in a row and half the season over, Lafferty holds a comfortable 26-point lead over Randy Hawkins in the series standings. Hawkins, riding his Factory Connection-suspended Yamaha, reflected back on the day. "It was pretty much an uneventful day for me," he said. "I didn't go that fast, and I didn't go that slow. I really couldn't get on the After gas and a good 35-minute break, riders checked in to the next section on time to tackle the next six- speed I needed to to stay with mile test. Once again, Lafferty and Michael, but these guys put a tough his KTM topped the field, being one of just two riders to drop a five. Jenks race on. The toughest of the year so far." Not only did the club layout a challenging course, but Mother Nature added another element to the event - rain. And lots of it. Most of the rain, however, came earlier in the week, leaving many sections of the course literally under water. Despite the rain, the club didn't let up. The Randy M. Simmons Memorial Again "I really enjoyed the last part of the you were going, and it was technical," Hawkins said. "I rode pretty decent in that section." Jenks squeezed out another point on Lykke by going 10-21 versus Lykke's 11-21. "I wasn't really tired, even though there was so much paddling of your feet, but I was mentally tired," Jenks said. "The fun factor was way less than it could have been because of all the rain and because the course was so tough." Lykke described this part of the course as, "Awesome! Really gnarly hills, up and down, and super steep." He said, "It was a good thing they [the Appalacian Dirt Riders] didn't owned the other five, as Hawkins and Lykke came through on six. A short 10-minute reset before the next 13- would have never made it out. Those mile test section barely gave racers a hills were burly." chance to regroup. This test was tough, as the foliage was so thick in places that you could not see any- Uttle Raccoon Classic thing in front of you - absolutely zero visibility, even worse than the Alligator Enduro. Also in these woods were hills that swallowed racers. As faster and more talented riders weaved their way through the carnage, many rac- (Below) It's been seven years since fonner enduro champ Steve Hatch rode a National Enduro, and he did pretty well, finishing fifth. racers. ferty, both going 8-17. But it wasn't could keep the 24 mph speed average. Lafferty was quickest, dropping a four and a five at these two checks. exhausted ers were left to hour out and DNF as they attempted to make their way to send everyone in there because they eN Wellston, Ohio Results: June 8, 2003 [Round 5 of tOl O/A: 1. Michael Lafferty (KTM): 2. Randy Hawkins (Yam); 3. Robbie Jenks (Yam); 4. David Lykke (Yam); 5. Steve Hatch (Suz); 6. John Barber (Yam); 7. Eric McEachern (Yam); 8. Richard Lafferty (KTM); 9. Jeff Anderson (Kaw); 10. James Reed (KTM). AMA/FMF NATIONAL ENDURO SERIES POINTS STANDINGS (After 5 of 10 rounds): I. Michael Lafferty (13313 wins): 2. Randy Hawkins (107): 3. Robbie Jenks (96): 4. David Lykke (88); 5. Stephen Reed (62/ I win); 6. Barry Hawk (53); 7. Richard Lafferty (52): 8. Eric McEachern (45); 9. Matt Stavish (38): 10. Nolan Knight (33). mu Own Race: David Lykke 4th After describing the last section of the event as "Awesome!" Lykke wasn't as fond of the rest of the course. "It's ridiculous to run through the brush when it is so thick like that," Lykke said. "You cannot even see in front of your front tire. I must have gotten lost a dozen times. I think the course could have been marked a little better." Steve Hatch 5th "This is my first enduro in seven years," Hatch said. "I had some free time between GNCCs, and Suzuki gave me the okay to race my own bike, so here I am. I was quite a bit rusty, but I still had a bal1. Time-keeping was a little unfamiliar, especially using a computer I've never used before. I never really got tired, but I didn't really push it either. I'd like to run maybe the Colorado National Enduro and a Michigan National, but if I do, I'm going to be more prepared. I need to cut my bars down a little." Eric McEachern 7th Eric McEachern has been on a roll lately, as this was his second top-! 0 finish in two races. "I loved the course," he said. "It was fun and slippery, but I had to stop in the last section for five or 10 minutes to cool my bike down. The radiator was packed with mud, and I think that is what cooked my motor." Steve Reed (Above) David Lykke turned it on at the end and finished fourth overall. DNF Steve Reed was having a top- 10 ride going all the way until the last few miles, where a crash stopped his progress. A broken clutch lever was more than enough to make these hills and trails unpassable. As a result of the broken clutch lever, Reed was only scored for 13 of the 14 checks. eye I e n e _ S • JUNE 25. 2003 57

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