Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Brief'Y··· Though it was actually a bit shorter than last year's Henderson's Terrible ]00, this edition was dubbed a 400. The reason for that was due to the city of Henderson wanting a marquee event, like the old Mint 400, so promoter Casey Folks obliged, making the trucks and buggies do frve laps around their 70-mile loop. Total race mileage for motorcycle/ATV panicipants was 25], though Ironman motorcycle competitors only had to do three of the 35-mile bike/ATV loops for a 148 miles. Not only did Campbell and Hengeveld opt for stock gearing, they also chose a slightly milder engine setup in their XR650R compared to Bell and Norman, who decided to take advantage of their first-off-theline starting position and employ their hotrod Vegas-To-Reno motor. "They didn't have the experience going into this race to know what it is," Campbell said. "We told them and we tested with them; they were happy with their bike. Steve and I were actually under-geared over the first segment on the car course because we go, 'Okay, that's 4] miles of this 260-mile race. We've got six laps to go on this technical loop.' So we geared our bike down. We were basically sacrificing the first loop to have a better package for the rest of the race. It worked out perfect, strategy-wise. We were a couple minutes off the pace coming in the first lap, and we expected that. It all worked into our plan." Campbell and Hengeveld ended up winning the last four races in the series, along with the opener, giving them a near-perfect nlCOrd in the Silver State Series for the year. The only blemish on their record was their fifth place at the Kawasaki Team Green Laughlin u.S. Hare Scrambles. both tires were visible at the finish. After a qUick air filter change, Campbell set off for the final lap that could decide the race. "I knew it was just do or die," he said. "I had to put it together." And he did, unofficially turning the fastest lap of the day on the Precision Concepts/HRCNHonda Pro Oils-backed XR650R and keeping his, and Hengeveld's, Henderson winning streak alive with three wins. "It was just our goal to win the race," Campbell said. "More than that, Steve and I wanted to finish and lock up the championship." And they did that easily. Bell and Norman finished second in their first season of offroad racing. eN HENDERSON'S TERRIBLE HENDERSON, NEVADA RESULTS: DECEMBER 3, 400 FOUR-STROKE PRO: I. Mike Childress (Hen). 250 PRO, I. Bryan FoiluiCaMn Whipple (KTN). 30+ PRO, I. Nick Dally/]""", Trubey (Han). 40 + PRO: I. Charlie Barney/Steve Plm (ATK). OPEN EX: I. Scon HerwegfChris Ray (Kaw). FOUR·STROKE EX: I. Vincent Reger/Cortney Whipple/Wesley Whipple (KTM); 2. Steve Bailor/Mark Goelz/Bren Stubbe (Hon): 3. Nkk Olson/Garren Saye (Han). 30+ EX: I. David Dunn/Jerry HerlingI'Niltiam M. O'Ha~ (KTM); 2. Jamie Graham/Curtis Moon (Hon). 35+ EX: I. Paul Buddes/xott Perkins/Morgan Pierce (Kaw); 2. Mike Cleveland/Clay GremeVScott Reutner (KTM): 3. Kyle Krause/Alan ViolenelDesi Wolfe (Yam). OVER 40 EX: I. Kurt Hintz/Brett Hoffman/Doug Imhof (Hon); 2. Bud ChapmarVClay GremeVCody Gremel (KTM). IROHMAN EX: i. Earl Desiderio (KTM); 2. Gkmn Warren (Hon); 3. Kyle HlKklebridge. IRONMAN AM: I. Jerry Jones Jr. (Yam); 2. Jeff Croc.hiere (Han). Asked to explain partner Chuck Dempsey's absence, Mike Childress answered: "On Thursday, Chuck called me and told me his girlfriend had vertigo." He went on to say, "Knowing that alii had to do was start the race to get the championship, I did that. I just wanted to finish the race in the top three, and that's what I got." Asked to estimate how hard he rode, Childress replied, "I probably rode 75 or 80 percent so I could ride the whole way. I made a suspension choice that wasn't quite good for that course; it was beating me up pretty good." For the first time in memory, not a single Amateur motorcycle team finished. Two Ironman Amateurs did complete the requisite three laps, however, with Jerry Jones Jr. that division's winner on his AJpine/Water FeatUres/Applied Yamaha. The first Expert finishers were Open Expert winners Scott Herweg and Chris Rayon their CSR/Bridgestone/IMS 10<500; they were ninth overall bike. 2005 OVERAll: I. Johnny Campbell/Steve Hengeveld (Han); 2. Matt Gosnell/Carl Haasberg (KTM); 3. Mike C"I~re.ss (Hon); -4. Robby BeM

• Cover