Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

important. Compared to how things started out [during the first two rounds], I more than have my confidence back." "I'd like to congratulate Mike on winning his seventh championship," Barber said. "He makes it look so easy. The rest of us are busting our butts. It doesn't come easy, but we're getting closer. "This is only my second year of riding [the Nationals]," Barber added, "and we're just starting to figure out what it takes. Here, I took some chances and started to ride the possibles. I went in early almost every time 1could. The only time I got caught [burning a check] was at check five, and lucky for me they threw it out. Overall, I'm just happy to be on the podium again." For Hatch, the Ohio Enduro was a bit frustrating. "I was kind of bummed to be being edged out [by Barber]," he said. "He took some chances, and it paid off for him. But he's getting better. I had a good day going myself, 10 times better than last week when I had nothing but troubles in Michigan [where he finished ninth]. "Once again, Mike [Lafferty] proved that he's the man to beat," Hatch continued. "We kind of got the jump on him in Arizona, and coming back East for the following rounds, we knew we had our work cut out for us. I basically sat out of the entire National Enduro Series for I 0 years, and it's been hard getting back to speed." Hatch was hoping for longer special tests in Ohio. "The shorter tests here didn't play into my riding style much, and I probably held back too much earlier in the day," Hatch said. ''All in all, though, this was probably one of the top three events of the year." Billy Russell, who finished fifth overall, said, "Once again, Mike [Lafferty] showed us how it was done. He's riding so well right now. The rest of us just can't seem to go any faster. I actually had a real good day. Early in the morning, it was slippery. I just tried to ride smooth without taking to many chances. It wasn't hard to carry your speed. You just couldn't push it too hard or you'd go down. Then, in the afternoon, when it dried out, it got easier." Four-time National Enduro Champion Terry Cunningham rode the Purgatory. It was his first National Enduro since 2002 - at the Wellston National, to be exact. "TC," who hails from Ohio, rode a Gas Gas to 19th overall. eN PURGATORY NATIONAL ENDURO NEWSTRAITSVIW, OHIO RESULTS: AUGUST 28, 2005 (ROUND 8 OF 9) OVERALl: I. Mike Lafferty (KTM); 2. John Barber (GG); 3. Steve Hatch (Kaw); 4. Jeff Anderson (Kaw); 5. Billy Russell (KTM); 6. Stephen Edmondron (ITH): 7. Dav;d Lykke (KTM): 7. Marl< Hyde (KTM): B. Richard Lafferty (KTM); 9. Randy Hawkins (Yam). AMA FMF RACING NATIONAL ENDURO SERIES POINTS STANDINGS (After 8 of 9 rounds): I. Mike Lafferty (226/6 wins); 2. Steve Hatch (163/1 win); 3. Matt Stavish (124); 4. Billy Russell (11211 win); 5. David lykke (107); 6. Russell Bobbitt (90); 7. John Barber (69); 8. Tim Taber (65); 9. Blair Bersano (59); 10. Leonard Keen (58). The ...Jackpine A week earlier in Moorestown, Michigan, Lafferty kept his winning streak alive at the BOth running of the jackpine National Enduro, put on by the Lansing M.C. Lafferty overcome a rare burned check to edge out Michigan's own Scott Luca by four points. Lafferty finished out the day with a 30, while the KTM-mounted luca carded a 34. KTM riders Stephen Edmondson and Russell Bobbitt both dropped 3S points, with Edmondson winning the tiebreaker for third. Honda rider Matt Stavish finished fifth with a 36. Series front-runner Steve Hatch had a disappointing day, finishing ninth after getting stuck in a mud hole. He dropped 39 points. For Lafferty, burning a check was a rare moment indeed. "When I bumed that check, I was so bummed," he said. "It's been years since I've been scored hot. When you get caught early, it sucks. You end up giving back everything you've worked for." The jackpine was not kind to Hatch, who was hoping to gain a few points on the guy ahead of him in the points chase. "It was so frustrating finishing back in the pack," Hatch said. "This whole year we've been finishing just off the pace to win, and today it seemed like everything went wrong. It started right off the start when Igot stuck in a mudhole just two miles out. Then I missed the flip a couple of more times, and then all of a sudden I'm out of it. When [Lafferty] burned that check, that should have been enough to put anyone of us in a position to win. As it turned out, I took myself out of it." That "hot" check, along with an overly cautious early pace, put Lafferty way back in 10th early in the day. "I rode the first section a little too conservative," Lafferty admitted. "The first four miles was made up of new singletrack that wound its way under a thick tree canopy that was so dense that the morning sun couldn't get through. That made it almost impossible to see. I backed it down a little to be safe, thinking I could make back that time later. But once I got the bumed check, I knew I had put myself way back. What I needed was a couple of good long tests." And that he got - two ofthem... sort of. The first was a 10-mile sprint followed by an "in" check and a longer 12-mile test. Lafferty picked up one point in the first test on Luca, Edmondson and Bobbitt. The second test was another good ''At the time, I had no idea that I was even in the hunt for one for Lafferty, but, unfortunately for him, it was thrown the overall," Luca said. "I was riding on row 60 [while the out when the check crew got overwhelmed by a large group rest of the front-runners where located between rows 21 of riders who all got held up at the check. and 30] and had nobody to compare myself with. Up until "I figured I was starting to make my way back," Lafferty then I was riding hard but also was trying to pace myself a litsaid, "but then came the fourth test of the day, probably the tle. I had a good pace going for the first half but backed off a longest test and one of the hardest, but it had to be thrown little to be safe for the last half. out when the club couldn't score the riders fast enough." "The later row probably had a lot to do with my overall One of those riders was Edmondson. finish," Luca added. ''A lot of the trail was very tight, and by "I followed Mike into that check, and when we got there, the time I got there it was well established." there must have been I0 guys waitThe final check of the day sepaing in line to be scored," Edmondson rated Lafferty by another point said. "It must have taken them 20 to when he carded a one, followed by 30 seconds just to get to us." two's turned in by Luca, EdmondWith check fove being eliminated, son, Bobbitt and Stavish. Luca was still in first with a net score "For me, the day ended up being of 14, followed by a three-way tie a lot harder than it had to," Lafferty involVing Lafferty, Edmondson and said. "I'm still totally bummed out Bobbitt, who were all knotted up about that [burned] check. just yeswith ISs. terday, we were trying to remem"I was having problems myself, ber when the last time I had burned and having that check thrown out a check." didn't help me either," Bobbitt said. Luca's second-place ride came as "I dislocated my shoulder during the a surprise to the 38-year-old rider first couple of miles when I went from Kalaska. over the handlebars. I was able to "I really didn't even come here to pop it back in, but it was real tender do much more than have fun," he for the next couple of checks. I even said. "I missed most of the [AMA dropped one point at check four District 14] enduro schedule this when everybocly else zeroed it. By year and have only ridden a couple Mike Lafferty topped the the fourth test [check fove], I was of events, mostly hare scrambles, to Jockpine National in Michigan. ready to start riding again, and havstay in shape. I wasn't even going to ing that one thrown out cost me." ride this year but a friend of mine Check seven was the next points robber, where Luca and and his two sons wanted to ride it together, so we did. They don't time-keep much, so I told them if they paid my entry Lafferty carded two's and all of the other top riders got fee, I'd keep time. As it turned out, I was High Point A and three's. At this point of the enduro, Luca was still on top the two boys trophied." with a 16, followed by Lafferty with a 17, Edmondson and Bobbitt with 18s, and Stavish with a 19. JACKPINE NAnoNAL ENDUIO Check eight was a restart that led into two consecutive MOOUSTOWN, MICHIGAN checks that would ultimately decide the top-fove finishing RESULTS: AUGUST 21, 2005 (ROUND 7 Of 9) order for the day. Lafferty went 4-8 for a net score of 29, OVEIIAl.C I. M;ke laffeny (KTM): 2. Scott Lua (KTM): J. Stephen finally overtaking Luca, who went 5-11 and now had 32 Edmon

• Cover