Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Pearson said. "I didn't know if Destry had caught up or not. Iwas just charging and trying to get by - mainly the lappers. The quads make so much dust, you've got to get by them when you can so you're not stuck behind them going down a road for five miles. That was the key thing today, I think." For Abbott and Esposito, the key was Abbott 's quick move past Hengeveld. "I was lucky enough about 20 miles out," Abbott said. "I passed him in a tight sand wash. Luckily I was feeling pretty good then and pulled a little time [on Hengeveld]. Shane just rode consistent, and I rode consistent . The leaders, David and Brian, were riding really good. I didn't want to take any chances; I knew we had to keep it upright. Luckily, it just worked out ." Camp bell suite d up just in case Hengeveld needed to be relieved at some point during the race, but even tho ugh he hated being unable to contribute o n the bike, he realized, "I could've ridden, but I wou ld've only bee n 75 perce nt." Hengeveld added, "It [soloing] wasn't som ething unexpect ed. I've bee n tra ining to do it and just getting my body ready to do it. Y ou'd like to be able to pace yourse lf, but you've just got to go for it right off the bat. The other guys, they had teammates, so the y're just going to go as hard as they could, so I had to go as hard as I could." What hurt Hengeveld the most was tra ffic, mainly traffic in the pits and spectato r traffic at a particular road crossing only a few miles out . "I got there , and they [officials] wo n't let me go because the car traffic. I probably lost a good 25 seco nds the re. "We went another couple miles, and there was a stop check out there, so I looked, and I could see Abbott," Hengeve ld said. "He had inched up on me to within 10 seconds. Then, for about IS miles, we got into some really tech nical, rough stuff. I made a mistake, and he got by me in a corner." Christopher Blois soloed it to the Four-Stroke Pro victory in fourth overall. That was more tha n enoug h to wrap up the class championship. "I've got to give Steve credit ," Esposito said. "He put a charge on the last lap and made up some time. He was riding good. I wish Jo hnny had ridden; it probably would've helped Steve out and made it even closer, but once we were in front , I knew on the loop I was riding, the re was pretty much nowhe re to pass. He wo uld've had to take a big chance, and I don't know if he was willing to take it. I don't think I wou ld've if I was in that position." It was also a good race and year for Chris Blais, who soloed , once again, to the Four-Stroke Pro victory on his Blaisracing.com/MidCities Hond a! Pro Honda Oils XR6S0R.The 22-year-old clinched the class championship and finished fourth overall (4:53:54). It was his fourt h w in this season. The Clint Braun/ Daryl Folks duo fin ished a few minutes behind Blais for second in class and fi fth overall (4:59:58) on their Dunlop/ Sports man Cycle/Smith KTM 450 MXC. "Clint rode two- thirds of the race ," Folks said. "He got really close to Chris at one point, but he crashed. Clint said he hit a rock in the silt, just didn't see the rock." The fi rst Amateur team to finish was the Andy Allsup and Ernie Allsup duo. They placed 36th overall (6:17:21) on their Allsup Custo m Homes/Dese rt Sky Develo pment en KTM. lAs VEGAS 200 RESULTS: DECEMBER 6, 2003 (FINAL ROUND) O/A : I. Brian Brown/ David Pearson (Kaw) 4:24:2 1: 2. Destry AbbottlShane Esposito (Kaw ) 1 :29: 16: 1. Steve Hengeveld (Han) - O:17; ... Chris Blais (Hon ) 4:53 :51: S. D Oint Braun/D aryl Folks (KTM) 4:59:58: 6. jason AIosi/Todd Davis (Yam 5: I3:07; 7. Steve LaRoz.a/Jesse Oc:hoa (KTH) ) 5:23:43; 8 . Jeff StleetsIGlenn E. Tay\of"lChuck Sun (KTM) 5:24:15: 9. t1of"pn Cra wfon:t/Gonion Kellef" (Kaw ) 5:28:27: 10. Steve CoIe/Tom E. Willis (KTH ) 5:]1 :38 . OPEN PRO: I. Brian Brown/David Pearson (Kaw); 2. Desuy Abbott/Shane EspositO (Kaw) : 3. Steve Hengevekt (Hoo ). 250 PRO: I . Morgan Crawford/Gordon Keller (Kaw) : 2. Bryan Folks/Matt Gosnell (KTM). 4 · ST RK PRO: I . Chris Blais (Hon ); 2. Oint Braun/Oarr' Follu (KTH ); 1. QuiM Cody/Chuck Dempsey (Hen ) 30 + PRO: I. Steve LaRozal}esse Ochoa (KTM); 2. Steve CoIeITom E. Willis (KTM). 40+ PRO: I. Roger- RusselllRoss Williams (KTM): 2. Dan www.cyclenews .com NatalfTerry Wes t (Hon ). OPEN EX: I. Jason AJosVTod Davis (Y : 2 . Jeff d am) Sheeu/G len n E. Taylo r/Chuck Sun (KTM): 3. Jordan Brand t/ Paul Brought on (KI M); 4. Scott He rweg!C hris Ray (Kaw) ; 5. Cody GremeVSt ve Pitt/Fred Roberts (ATK). e 250 EX: I . Anthony CastiliolPatric k We lls (Yam) : 2. Tony Aguilera/C hris Fry/ Ke lly Hall (KT M); 3. D avid J. DunrV Jonathan Martine ZJWiiiam M. O 'H ara (KTM). l 115 EX: I . Ch ris Dvo racek/Jeff MagirVRyan Mille r (Hon). 4 ·5TRK EX: I. Bill ClareylSco tt Clarey /Ash Vaughan (KTH ). 30 + EX: I . David Her brandsonlJerry Herling/Jason Schmidlapp (Hen ); 2. Earl Desiderio/James Em brnlD uane Schwab. 35 + EX: I. Todd Colley/Mark Goelz (Hon) . 40 + EX: I. Mark Davidgellarry JobIJeff Phillips (GG); 2. Greg Fountai rVKurt SofkaJr. (Hon ); 3. Doug HeilVJon Ortner (Hon ); 1 . Pau l Blevins/Sc ott Higgins (Hon) : 5. Mike Hair{Todd """,_ntH...,. J. $mid> (KTH). 50 + EX: 1. G lenn A. Browrv'lou Monterone/Tracy Walters (Y am); 2. Jerry AtlerVHow

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