Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

District 37 Enduro Series Round 1: Johnson Valley ORV (LeJl) Defending his D37 Enduro crown, Rick Daniel raced to the overall win at the UEA "Not So Tuff Enuff" enduro. (Below) Johnny Campbell may be more at home with the wideopen speed of Bll,ja, but that did not stop him from carding the second-best score for the day. By RON POCHER PHOTOS BY PHOTOS By GRUMPY LUCERNE, CA, JAN. 16 Buring the 1999 District 37 Enduro ~Series, off-road veteran Rick Daniel was able to claim the overall at just one event, but he was always lurking near the top, and that's what enabled him to edge Paul Krause for the title of 1999 District 37 Enduro Champion. Daniel took a big step toward retaining that moniker by winning the overall at the 28th running of the United Enduro Association's "Not So Tuff Enuff" enduro, which was held at the Johnson Valley ORV area in Lucerne. The race also marked the seventh consecutive A Vet Openclass win for the always-tough Daniel. "After having brain-fade and burning that fifth check on loop one, I kind of had my doubts about the overall: said Daniel. "I just shook off the error, put my head down and gave it all I had the rest of the race, knowing I'd have to make up those two points wherever I could." The 39-mile first loop started about two miles north of Soggy Dry Lake at Bessemer Mine Road and headed northeast into the infamous moon rocks, just east of the area known as the Rock Pile. Riders were immediately tossed into a tight, technical special test that had speeds of 24 and 28 mph. Daniel, American Honda's Johnny Campbell, Bruce Ogilvie, Kurt Caselli and Paul Shafer were the only participants able to escape this section with just one point lost. The course then veered east to the deep, silty sand of the Hartwell Hill before heading north toward Galway Dry Lake near Bessemer Mine Road. The alternate gas was available at the 39.8-mile marker and, as at the previous UEA event, riders wouldn't return to the pits until the finish. At the halfway point, perennial 250cc champion Erik Mattson shared the lead with Kurt Hintz, Team Husky's Brent Farrell and 1998 UEA winner Jason Ingersoll, each with two points lost in the first tricky special test. Hot miscues had cost Daniel, Campbell and Ogilvie, who were all sitting three points down. The 48-mile second loop hellded north through the Iron Ridge Mountains in the old Bessemer mining area, and the host club placed two back-to-back special tests through the section. With 24- and 30-mph speed averages, riders really had to push to stay on time, as it was hard to keep the pace through the rocky hills and tight, deep sand washes throughout the stretch. "I liked how they stacked those two tough specials together, because then conditioning also came into play: said Daniel. "The course really suited my John Burr Cycles KX500; nothing works better in those medium-speed, deep sand washes." A course split at mile marker 24.6 sent A and B riders through some advanced terrain just north of the Microwave Tower, while C riders were treated to an easier route. After the trails merged, racers headed west toward Powerline Road and then south to an emergency gas near the 41-mile mark of the loop. "Approximately 10 riders ran out of gas just before the finish because they didn't think they needed a splash at the emergency gas," said event referee Charlie Brown. The final challenging section was in the rocky hills known to locals as Disneyland, which is located just west of Bessemer Mine Road. The challenging event concluded with an • observation check back to the pits that would have claimed some riders' points had it been a regular timekeeping check. "That race was perfect, except they should have placed a check right after the emergency gas," said Daniel. "I carried almost two gallons of fuel until the first reset after the first gas stop, and the empty jugs the rest of the way. I was banking on that check to get back at least one point from that burn in loop one." As it turned out, the IMS/Torco/ Acme Suspension-sponsored Daniel would not need the post-gas check to claim the overall with a six-point card. Honda rider Campbell matched Daniel's pace until the second-to-Iast check, where he just missed the flipping of the cards and had to take a late point. Campbell took the A Open-class win and second overall with a seven. Kurt Hintz also carded a seven, but he fell short on seconds for third overall. The 250cc-c1ass winner, Erik Mattsvn, took fourth, while Ogilvie rolled home fifth to take the A Open Senior class. "If more of the races were that fun instead of all whooped out, I would come out and race more often: said Ogilvie. "That was kind of like the old days." Ogilvie and Campbell both competed on the new, water-cooled XR650. Number-one 250cc Vet in both the Enduro and Desert divisions, Paul Shafer finished sixth to win his class, while Farrell was top Four-Stroke at seventh overall. Ed Hoffman rode his KTM to eighth overall, with Ingersoll finishing ninth. Rusty Scott rode his Orange County Suzuki-backed RMX250 to the A 250cc Senior-class win by rounding out the top 10. cue I e n The Blais clan had a rather good day, with brothers Christopher and Nicholas topping the Band C divisions, respectively. Their father, Martin, did not do too shabbily, either. Kawasaki-mounted Thom McNabb displayed great sportsmanship by forfeiting his ride to stay with a rider who suffered fractures to his ribs and clavicle. Upon finishing, racers received the second piece of a unique three-part finisher pin. Riders who finished this race and the UEA event held last November will receive a third for completing both events. "That was a fun yet challenging race that I'll have to say was the best of the century - so far," joked Daniel. eN Johnson V-'Iey DIIV Luceme, c.JifwDiI Results: .bomury 11, 2DD8 llIeuwd 11 MINI A: 1. Travis WZlgschal (Suz). WMN A: 1. Michelle Cassella (Kaw); 2. Rita Morneault (Yam); 3. Mary Sullivan (Kaw). 200 A: 1. Jeff Clements (KTM); 2. Vernon Sorensen Jr. (KTM); 3. Michael Bandfield (Yam). 250 A: 1. Erik Manson (Hon); 2. Chris Dabney (Kaw); 3. Luke Dodson (Hus). OPEN A; 1. Johnny Campbell (Hon); 2. Chuck McBurney (Hus); 3. Mike Baskin (Hus). 4-STRK A: 1. Brent Farrell (Hus); 2. Craig Hunter (Hus); 3. Ken Durr (Hon). VET 250 A: 1. PlIol Sho!llfer (Kaw); 2. Jason Ingersoll (Hon); 3. Dennis allnllgher {Yllm}. VET OPEN A; 1. Rick Daniel (Kaw); 2. Kurt Hintz (Kaw): 3. Ed Hoffman {KTM}. SR 250 A; 1. Rusty Scott (Suz); 2. C.R. Brunson (Yam); 3. Kevin Hasten (Hus). SR OPEN A: 1. Bruce Ogilvie (Hon); 2. Ron Pocher {KTM}; 3. Don Brllnd Jr. {Hon}. MAG A: 1. Tom Holmes (KTM); 2. Dennis Patterson (Yam); 3. Bill Herold (Hon). S/SR A; 1. Roy Watson (KTM); 2. Don Voyer (Hon); 3. Ned Jones (Hon). MINI B; 1. Ryan Mcintyre (Hon); 2. Shawn Drouin (Kaw). WMN B: 1. Kim Quinn (Kaw). 200 B; 1. Tee Elswick (Hus). 250 B: 1. Christopher Blais (Hon); 2. J.R. Flynn (Hon); 3. Ron Warren (Kaw). OPEN B: 1. Kevin Knight (Kaw); 2. David Carson (Hon); 3. Daie Shuttleworth (Kaw). 4-STRK B; I. Todd lies (Yam); 2. Jeff Meek (Yam); 3. Joe Meyer (Hus). VET 250 B: 1. Mike Colvin (Hon); 2. Tim Spaeth (Kaw); 3. Mike Rusiewski (Kaw). VET OPEN B: 1. Yancy Watson (Yam); 2. Dlinny Schul (Yam); 3. Mark Gargone (Yam). SR 250 B: 1. Tom Materna {Y8m}; 2. James Carpenter (Yam); 3. Dick Cressy (Yam). SR OPEN B; I. Ken Nance (KTM); 2. Jeff Petron (KTM); 3. Bob Zullo (Kaw). MAG B: 1. Bruce Borton (KTM); 2. Dale Gehr (Yam); 3. Bill Richardson {Yllm}. MINI C: I. Chris Drouin (Kaw). WMN C: 1. Courtney Hasten (Yam); 2. Frosty Cannon (Kaw). 200 C: 1. Bret Tidwell (Hon); 2. John Doud (KTM). 250 C: 1. Nicholas Blais (Hon); 2. Mike Marshllll (Hon); 3. Ryan Smith (Kaw). OPEN C: 1. Wayne Vogler (Hon); 2. Michael Rauan (KTM); 3. Brandon Day (Kaw). 4-STRK C: 1. Dave Molinari (Hon); 2. Allan LaFrambone (Yam); 3. Kirk Johnson (Hon). VET 250 C: I. Paul Lamb (Hon); 2. Doug Imhop (Hon); 3. WlJyne Cook (Yam). VET OPEN C; I. Dale McCue (Hon); 2. Tom Hopkins (Yam); 3. Albert Presthalt (Kaw). SR 250 C: 1. Lance Tidwell (Hon); 2. Tim Stoner (KTM); 3. Glenn Tidwell (Hon). M.AG C: 1. Bob Gates (Hen); 2. Robert Woodcock (Hon). WMN D: I. Norika Hanawa (Hon). 200 D: 1. Kyle Anderson (Kaw). 250 D: 1. Glenn Gonzales (Yam); 2. Michael Molner (Yam). OPEN D; I. Robert Flores (KTM); 2. Alex Tejeea (Yam). 4-STRK 0: 1. Ted Giuliany (Yam): 2. Kent Fyfe (ATK); 3. Paul Stemme (Hon). VET 250 0; I. Don Me.a (KTM); 2. Tim Alexander (Yam). VET OPEN 0: 1. John Franklin (Hon); 2. Paul Reynaud (Hon). SR 250 0: 1. David Dunn (Hus). SR OPEN 0: 1. Dlln Johnson (Hon); 2. Mark Hardison (Suz); 3. Kelly Jolly (Hon). e _ s FEBRUARY 1 6, 2000 25

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