Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

ond loop because they had the actual check around the corner and far away from the check flags, but after running out of gas I figured, what's the point." Davis was right. Even if event organizers would have thrown out the check, it still wouldn't have helped make up the deficit that the YZ250 rider had lost while siphoning gas from tank to tank. Not only that, Daniel piloted a YZ426F, so the two Yamaha riders had to drain engine oil out of the four-stroke for Davis' bike in addition to gas. Still, Davis finished an impressive third with 31 points. His west coast cohort, Abbott did not fair as well. "I was leading the last two sections. Actually, Randy and I were tied, but I was beating him on tie breakers" said Abbott, who usually only competes in the Desert Mountain Enduro, due to its proximity to his Peoria, Arizona ba sed home. "Then on one of the last goat trails I went nia's Brian Butler topped the A riders aboard a KX125 with a 48, which was good enough for eighth, while Scot Stretch nearly doubled the winner's score with 49, finishing ninth. Rounding out the top ten was KTM's Patrick Garrahan, who carded a 54. Behind Patrick Garrahan, the scores began to climb, mostly due to the length and technical.ity of the third loop. In past years the Arizona Trail Riders have broken up the rocky goat trails that skirt the Bradshaw Mountains, putting some in the second loop and some in the third. However, this year all the goat trails, including the treacherous Shelf trail, which leads to the famed Lake Pleasant rock-stair-step waterfall, were all put in the third loop giving riders quite a work out. "They did a real good job taking care of the Band C riders and at the end they. hammered us," commented ,.---===--==---===_=r;.:;::=~::~:::~~~:::~ the most talented labove) Matt Stavish may not be off a cliff and it took me a while to get going again. Then like 100 yards later I did it again. "I was bummed out at myself," continued Abbott, who was so disappointed that he didn't' even stick around after the event to see how he had faired in the overall. "You make one mistake and it kind of just builds up." Abbott ended the day with a 33 and finished fourth overall, equaling his '99 finish. Rounding out the top five was Minnesota's Matt Stavish, who consequently was the first of a slew of Gas Gas riders who competed. Stavish road steady to a 37 -point total ahead of the YZ250 belonging to Washington state's David Lykke, who finished sixth with a 42. KTM's Brian Garrahan has a little bit more desert experience than Lykke, but carded a 45 to finish seventh. Northern Califor- BRIEFLY. • • The Arizona Trail Riders laid out three loops for the Desert Moun· tain National Enduro. Approximately halfway through the third loop, AA and A riders were sent one way and B riders were sent another route. For the C riders however. their day ended at the second gas stop. which was the end of the second loop. Of the 45 C riders that completed two loops and seven checks, Brenda Jankowski. competing in the Ladies class. was the overall C winner. dropping 24 pOints. She edged out 200 C class competitor Jay McLeod by one. Jankowski wasn't the only female to compete. Kawasaki·mounted competed with the AA and A riders riding all three loops, finishing an impressive 39th overall. Team Green's Kelly Yancey also started the event. but like many com· petitors, managed to punch a hole in her engine cases on the first loop. Yancey lives nearby and stuck around to help pit her fellow of all the AA riders, but the Minnesota racer may be the hardest working and most dedicated enduro rider in the country. Stavish is receiving good help from Gas Gas this year, which helPed him land fifth overall. (left) Michael Lafferty may have aloud the crown to slip from his grasp in '99, however the consistent, young, but wise two-time champion is too hungry to give up without a fight. Lafferty finished second, one point behind Hawkins. Hawkins about the event. "I rode as careful as I could on the goat trails and then road as fast as I could the rest of the way. I was able to catch a couple of points here and there on everybody else there and that's what made up the difference." That and 14 years of national enduro-winning experience. eN Desert Mountain National Enduro Lake Pleasant, Arizona Unofficial Results: February 27, 2000 [Round 2 of 9] O/A: 'I. Randy Hawkins (Yam); 2. Michael Lafferty (KTM); 3. Ty Davis (Yam); 4. Deslry Abbott (Kaw); 5. Matt Slavish (G·G): 6. David Lykke (Yam): 7. Brian Garrahan (KTM); 8. Brian Butler (Kaw); 9. Scot Stretch (Kaw); 10. Patrick Garrahan (KTM). AA: 1. Randy Hawkins (Yam): 2. Michael Lafferty c: (KTM): 3. Ty Davis (Yam): 4. Destry Abbott (Kaw): 5. Matt Stavish (G-G). 200 A: 1. Brian Butler (Kaw); 2. Mark Stevens (Kaw); 3. Leonard Keen (KTM); 4. Phillip West (Yam); 5. Mike Sigety (KTM). 250 A: I. Scot Stretch (Kaw); 2. Mart Geary Hatch's regular practice areas. On race day Hatch was present, but the former National Enduro Champion did not compete. Instead. he was on hand to promote his new business called Steve Hatch Motorcycle Adventures. Hatch's freshly custom painted shuttle bus and a trailer of several Suzuki DRs were parked next to the sign-up tent on the day of the event. right at the finish line. My mechanic Allan Randt asked me. 'What was that smell?' and I said. 'I ran out of gas. The thing was pinging.' I'm lucky. but I had to ride pretty conservative in that last part." AMA National Enduro rules forbid riders from carrying gas attached to their fanny pack. The Desert Mountain Enduro marked the seventh weekend in a row that defending series champion Ty Davis had spent racing. It all started on Sunday. January 16 when Davis competed in the Tecate Hare Scrambles. After that: Davis competed in a National Hare and Hound, a local grand prix, the Adeianto Grand Prix, Laughlin Hare Scrambles, the opening National Enduro round and finally Lake Pleasant. Concluding the day's event Davis high·tailed it out of Arizona hoping to get a little time to relax at home before leaving for Bike Week in Daytona the following Wednesday. Davis got as far as Desert Center. California, where he spent the night in his box van, the victim of a broken alternator. Davis returned to his home in Hesperia on Monday. FMF's multi-year agreement with the AMA to be the title sponsor of the enduro series is more than just FMF banners and logos around sign up and the pits. FMF field representative Paul Ondas was on hand with an FMF box van full of parts and prod· uct. "Adding the National Enduro Championship to FMF's spon· sor commitments is a logical step for FMF." said FMF Marketing Director, Tom Webb. "Combined with FMF's sponsorship of the Supercross and National Motocross series and its long commit· ment to the GNCC championship, FMF is now represented at the highest level of all the main off·road championships in the USA." In addition, FMF will also be responsible to coordinate other industry sponsorships for specific product categories for the enduro series. "We are excited about getting more manufactures Kawasaki riders. Race winner Randy Hawkins and Michael Lafferty spent the week betwe.en round one and round two at Steve Hatch's house in nearby Phoenix, Arizona. Leading up to the race, the three fellow GNCC racers practiced and tested together on (Hon); 3. Nolan Knight (G-G); 4. Mike Larson (Hon); 5. Brian Penney (Hon). 4-STRK A: 1. Russell Pereira (Yam); 2. Craig Hayes (Hus). VET A: 1. Jeff Kirchner (Kaw); 2. Joseph Zierman (Hon); 3. Mike Doris (KTM); 4. Jason Gardner (Han); 5. Rick Daniel (Yam). SR A: 1. Dave Wood (Han): 2. Marty Haak (KTM). S/SR A: 1. Jeff Carr (KTM); 2. Charles KoshioJ (Kaw). WMN A: I. Heather Wilson (Kaw). 200 B: 1. Brian Randall (KTM): 2. Nicole Bradford (KTM); 3. Robert Judd (KTM); 4. Joshua Sheffer (Hus): 5. Brett Jamieson (KTM). 250 B: 1. Todd Griswold (Kaw): 2. Dasson Rapp (Kaw): 3. Rick Wilson (KTM): 4. Andy Melton (Hon): 5. Glen Underhill (Kaw). OPEN B: I. Eric Moberg (KTM): 2. B.J. Diehl (KTM); 3. Brad Duvall (KTM); 4. Dean Adams (KTM); 5. Stpehen Zender. 4·STRK B: 1. Mathew Woody (Kaw); 2. Chris Fisher (KTM); 3. Chris Farrar (Yam); 4. Ken Dinguel (Hon); 5. Steve Hilbert (Yam). VET B: 1. Jeff Coffman (Yam); 2. Lance Bernadot (Yam); 3. Dean Hutton (Kaw); 4. Jim Hohn (KTM): 5. Hans Vanderwaal (Kaw). SR B: I. Dennis Keyser (KTM); 2. Jim Gohde (KTM): 3. David Jackson (Han); 4. Thomas Ridler (Kaw): 5. Fred Dowler (KTM). WMN C: I. Brenda Jankowski. 200 C: 1. Jay McLeod: 2. Billy Radecky; 3. Travis Collin. 250 C: l. Kevin Higgins; 2. Gary Butler: 3. Brent Errickson: 4. Olen Webb: 5. Luke Van Duyn. OPEN C: 1. Bill Benson: 2. Keith Thompson; 3. Tony Razo: 4. Chris Corbin: 5. Jason Benitez. 4-STRK C: I. Duke Hugh; 2. Scott Marks; 3. Eric Tillotson. MSTR C: I. Corky Atchinson. SPRTMN 1. Jay Penney: 2. Dennis McConald; 3. Gregory Gibson: 4. Trig Baski: 5. Marshall Gerston. VET c: 1. Gregg Aston. SR C: 1. Gary Jorgensen; 2. Bobby Podoll; 3. Stan Yount; 4. Bill Kisich: 5. Frank Antal. S/SR C: 1. Jerry Foster: 2. Dennis Prescott; 3. Rob Beggs; 4. Bill Stacey; 5. John Tobin. Davis wasn't the only AA rider to run out of gas. The long sec· tions claimed a few other dry gas tanks and almost claimed Michael Lafferty's KTM. "I knew it was going to be a long one and 1went on reserve with about eight miles left." said Lafferty about the distance from the second gas to the finish. "I ran out involved with the series," commented National Sales Manger. Bill Berroth. "This agreement with the AMA allows FMF to coordinate industry sponsorship efforts with the goal of haVing more sponsorship fees available to the individual promoters to fight local land-use battles. " eye I eo n e vv So MARCH 15, 2000 23

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