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Round 2 OFF-ROAD ~ AMAlFMF Racing National HarE & Hound SEriEs Defending champ Destry Abbott (1)1ecI much of the race but had traub.. staying on the caune, citing poor caune markings. David Peorson (3) alSo got 101t. STORY AND PHOTOS BY MARK KARIYA he second-ever Superstition National Hare & Hound in Ocotillo, California, came down to the wire between Montclair Yamaha's Russell Pearson and Team Green's Destry Abbott. But it also came down to finding one's way along the course. After having ridden out front for much of the race, Abbott led Pearson heading into the final sprint toward the finish when they both lost the ribbons and got off course, something that was not new to them at this point in this race. With about SO yards to go, Abbott went left, and Pearson went right, and when they both caught sight of the correct path, Pearson was in the better position. The two riders darted to the finish, with Pearson, on the Pro Circuit/Zip-Ty Racing/Moose Yamaha yz450F, taking the win just a few feet ahead of defending champ Abbott, aboard the Acme Suspension/Dunlop/Thor-backed KX500. With the win, his second in as many races, Pearson extends his series lead by anoth- T 48 er five points. He now holds a significant 10-point advantage over Abbott with just four races left in the series. Not far back in third was Honda's Steve Hengeveld, who also enjoyed clean air up front during the race on his XR650. This year's National again started on the 5uperstition Dry Lake bed, only this time the bomb run headed north-northwest for 2.3 miles, then turned west for a fast 53mile loop, including an alternate gas stop at mile 40. After returning to the start/finish/pits, competitors headed north for a loop that circulated in the sand dunes, so popular with weekend play riders, before they returned to the finish via the muddy hills area. At the end of the bomb, it was Abbott in front, followed closely by fellow Team Green racer David Pearson on his Pro Circuit/Dunlop/Moose KX500, Hengeveld and Russell Pearson. "The 650 worked really well for this start," Hengeveld said. ''As long as I had the clean air, it really did good. Three of us kind of got to the bomb together: MARCH 30, 2005 • CYCLE NEWS Russell, Destry and me. We were going for it; it was a really good race. It was bitchin' to be up there." Hengeveld held the lead for much of the first loop, with Abbott getting past the Honda rider just before the alternate gas. Abbott, however, elected to get a splash of fuel, and Hengeveld, who didn't stop, motored back into the lead. "Coming into the finish [of the first loop], I lost the course and so did Destry," Hengeveld said. "That's how he edged back up on me. We were just kind of hunting for it, then we found it and came into the pits." They would be joined by Russell Pearson on the second loop. Fourth at the alternate gas, Russell battled cousin David for much of the first half of loop two before finally shaking him and setting off after the leaders. "1 go, 'It ain't over,' so I pushed and pushed and pushed," Russell Pearson said. "1 started seeing dust and caught up to Hengeveld and passed him right before a tight wash. "The next thing you know, I could see Destry's dust," Pearson said. "1 saw my dad out there; he was out there cheering me on, probably five miles before the finish. I just gave it everything I had and passed Destry, probably a mile or two [before the finish]." But it didn't end there, as Abbott clung tight to Pearson, with the two perhaps concentrating on their battle more than searching out the course markings. The result? Both reported getting lost in the final push to the finish. Pearson overshot one corner, and