Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128605
(Left) Allen Gravitt showed that he's stili got what it takes to finish in the top 10 at a tough enduro. (Right) Riding his trusty KDX, Jeff Fredette soldiered to fourth overall, He rode on the same minute with tlrd-over 44 finisher Joey Ambrosini. You don't have to be a celebrity to ride the 'Gator Though nearly every top off-roader in the country - along with several from outside the country - was on hand for the GNCC Series-opening race in nearby Okeechobee two days earlier, the celebrity turnout for the Alligator was less numerous. Part of that can be explained by the fact that some of the cross-country aces don't know how to timekeep, but it's also a well-known fact that some are prohibited by their sponsors from competing outside the GNCC circuit. "Points-wise, we don't get anything, and not all the guys are allowed to ride [the AJligator)," said Hawkins, in a thinly veiled reference to former employer Team Suzuki Off-Road. "But the Alligator is an important event. Mike [Lafferty] and I both ride it to show OUT support for the sport, and because it's fun. We both signed a lot of autographs, and I don't think a lot of those people we were signing for are necessarily at the GNCC." Hawkins has a point, since the Alligator's proximity to Daytona Beach encourages even the casual offroad fan to attend, while Okeechobee is over three hours and 160 miles to the south. And with former National Enduro Champions Hawkins, Lafferty and Kevin Hines, as well as elder statesmen like Jeff Fredette and Allen Gravitt on hand, the 'Gator wasn't exactly a no-show. Still, many wish that other riders particularly Steve Hatch - were allowed to compete. "I think it would be good for the whole sport if those guys rode more events," said KTM's Alan Randt. "More competition always makes it more high-profile." Hawkins wasn't the only four-stroke rider to finish well. Mike Grizzle put his Husaberg in fifth overall. Fredette himself finished fourth, which is usually an indication that the event was tough, but he didn't seem to think so. "Actually, it was one of the easier Alligators I've ridden maybe a little hot. I think being on a late minute helped out a little bit, since there was more of a trail to follow. It was typical Alligator; you had to take a few chances, since you couldn't see that well. The club did a good job." Husaberg rider Mike Grizzle turned in an impressive ride to round out the top five. 1I1iptllr ERdul'll ....ytana Bach, Flori'" Results: MIIrch I, 2800 O/A: 1. Randy Hawkins (Yam); 2. Mike Lafferty (KTM); 3. Joey Ambrosini (Kaw); 4. Jeff Fredette (Kaw); 5. M;ke Gr;zzle (Hbg); 6. Ashley Brewer (Kaw); 7. Alten Gravitt (KTM); B. R;ch Lafferty (KTM); 9. Kevin Hines (Yam); 10. Pat Garrahan (KTM). BRIEFLY••• The Alligator Enduro was originally put on by the Daytona 200 M.C .. a club which has since become street-only. The event is now put on by the Day10na Dirt Riders, though Daytona 200 M.C. president George Comeau was on hand to help with the start. This year marked the 50th running of the event. which was first held in 1949 Cit didn't run one year). The Alligator is extremely popular. so much so that it easily sells out every year. The rider limit is 500, and this year, 76 optimistic riders showed up hoping for no·shows, only to be turned away. Though no one, including winner Randy Hawkins, was complaining about the enduro being too easy, there were only 76.2 ground miles this year. The Alligator wears down riders not through long distances. but through' unrelenting difficult terrain and hot. humid weather. Despite the relatively short distance, many riders suffered from "Gator-fade". 'I had enough fun," admitted Hawkins. The enduro offered a serious enough challenge that heat exhaustion was a factor, and the ambulances on hand were utilized by overheated riders. The most obvious example of the enduro's difficulty was the final. 3.2·mile section, but Hawkins called the whole event "pretty tough from the first second to the last. " .. - Was Randy Hawkins' fourstroke an advantage. or a dis- ABSOLUTELY advantage? "I'd say it weighed out pretty much equally. - said the Yamaha rider. "There were some parts where it was good to have, and other parts where Mike's [Lafferty] two-stroke might have been a little quicker. All in all. it worked out about equal." With dry weather of late, the Daytona Dirt Riders opted to run many of the trails through the infamous palmetto groves, since the greenery kept the dust down. This also contributed to the tightness of the trails . N f6ST ENDURO ENTRIES PL£ASfDol-lT As 1<:. -- --- hNAL ANSWER ~ ~ l "1 DI)R • Hawkins' win over Lafferty was particularly sweet considering that he had been challenging Lafferty for last year s victory until a mechanical problem with his clutch put him out of the running. cycle n e vv s MARCH 22, 2000 35