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Kansas Coliseum: Nick Metcalf (117) went five for six at the Kansas Ultracross in Wichita, winning the 125cc and 250cc main events on both nights and the Dash For Cash on Friday. Kansas Ultracross Kansas Coliseum Metcalf's the Man By CRAIG COLE WICHITA, KS, MAR. 17-18 S t. Louis Powersports Suzuki pilot Nick Metcalf from Murray, Kentucky, was the dominant force during two nights of Ultracross action at the Kansas Coliseum, although local favorite Jeff Hedden and his Pro Works Racing Kawasaki, with the help of a great start, was able to fend off Metcalf in Saturday's Dash For Cash. Otherwise, Metcalf was perfect, taking the top podium spot in every other race he entered. Seconds after the drop of the gate in Friday's 125cc main, several riders, including Hedden, went down in the first turn. By the end of the whoops, Metcalf had a lead over Matt Smith and Brandon Lacey that went unchallenged for the rest of the race. The only problem was lappers; because of the first-turn crash and Metcalf's torrid pace, he began to encounter them by the second lap. Meanwhile, in the race for second, Smith was all over Lacey's rear tire and then got around him in the whoop section early enough in the race to mount a charge on the leader, but lappers proved to be his undoing. Not only did they provide Metcalf with a cushion, but late in the race the hard-charging Dennis Owens moved into second when Smith was held up right before the whoops. Lacey had to settle for fifth when Earl Kephart passed him late in the race for fourth. Metcalf grabbed the 250cc holeshot, ahead of Hedden and Kephart. Hedden's twin brother, Jon, was fourth, with Owens right behind him. Owens soon passed him, bringing Smith along. Soon Owens and Kephart were engaged in one of the most heated battles of the weekend. The two banged bars over the triple and then went through the whoops and the rhythm section as though they were joined at the hips. Owens finally got around Kephart right before the triple and then started after Jeff Hedden. Kephart dropped back to sixth. Jeff Hedden crashed late in the race, allowing Owens and Smith by. Hedden remounted right in front of his brother and the two made contact at the start of the whoops, with Jon getting the worst of it. Jon quickly recovered, though, and he took the checkers right behind Jeff, finishing fifth. The podium was a carbon copy of the buck-and-a-quarters, with Metcalf again on top, Owens second and Smith third. Metcalf again took the holeshot in Saturday's 125cc main, with Cory Francis and Owens in tow. Jeff Hedden held down fourth, in front of Michael Koch and Kephart. Smith was midpack at the start, but h~ soon reeled in Kephart. The two spent the next several laps going nose to tail and bar to bar over the triple. Smith was finally able to make a move stick and set his sights on Koch. Up front, Metcalf was maintaining a comfortable lead over Francis, who ~as busy fending off pressure from Owens. Owens crashed early in lap two, knocking himself way down in the running order. He was in danger of losing a lap but got his bike going before Metcalf caught him. For the rest of the night he was on a tear, slicing through the field to finish second. Hedden, now in third, went after Francis. Hedden caught him, but he was so busy with Smith that Francis was able to pull back away. Metcalf was now way out front, with Francis, Hedden and Smith also pulling away from the rest of the field. Behind them, a battle raged between D.J. Kunkell, Jon Hedden, Kephart and Koch. At about midway, Hedden got by Francis at the end of the rockers and Smith followed suit, seconds later, in the last turn. Hedden and Smith, now running second and third, came together over the triple a couple of laps later, taking themselves out of the race. Jon Hedden inherited fourth, still behind Kunkell, but he crashed at the end of the start straight, allowing Kephart, Owens and Koch to advance. Francis, now running second, crashed on the triple, losing the position to Kunkel!. Owens passed both Kephart and the remounted Francis in the next turn and brought Kephart with him, but Francis regained one of his lost spots at the end of the whoops, getting back around Kephart. A miscue later in the race left him battling with John Adams for sixth. Owens soon caught and passed Kunkell in the whoops, completing another incredible comeback. Kunkell took the checkers in third, but Ultracross officials alleged that he jumped the triple while the red-cross flag was out for Hedden and Smith's crash, and relegated him to last, moving everyone else up one place. Metcalf took another impressive win, in front of Owens, Kephart and Koch. Jon Hedden recovered from his earlier crash to finish fifth. eN Kansas Coliseum Wichita, Kansas Results: March 17-18 Friday 125: J. Nick Metcalf (Suz); 2. Dennis Owens (Kaw); 3. Matt Smith (TM); 4. Earl Kephart (Hon); 5. Brandon Lacey (TM). 250: 1. Nick Metcalf (Suz); 2. Dennis Owens (Kaw); 3. Matt Smith (TM); 4. Jeff Hedden (Kaw); 5. Jon Hedden (KTM). DFC: I. Nick Metcalf (Suz). JUMP-OFF: I. Jon Hedden (KTM). Saturday 125: Nick Metcalf (SUI): 2. Cory Francis (Suz); 3. Dennis Owens (Kaw); 4. Jeff Hedden (Kaw); 5. Matt Smith (TM). 250: I. Nick Metcalf (Suz); 2. Dennis Owens (Kaw): 3. EZlrl Kephart (Hon): 4. Michael Koch (Yam); 5. Jon Hedden (KTM). DFC: I. Jeff Hedden (Kaw). JUMP-OFF: I. Jon Hedden (KTM). Batey Farm: Shad Ricketts (1) flew to his 10th win of the 11 races he's entered and took the crown at the 12th round of the Mid-South Championship Winter Hare Scrambles Series in Charlotte, Tennessee. AMA Mid-South Championship Winter Hare Scrambles Series Round 12: Batey Farm Ricketts Reigns lems with his DR-Z400 Suzuki, winning the 10th of the 11 races he entered this season. "Basically, what I did today was try out my new suspension, my new Big Gun exhaust, and my new WER steering dampener," Ricketts said. "I'm just real pleased with how everything worked perfectly." Ricketts won by four minutes over P.A. Allen. Ricketts led every lap, though every now and then Ricketts would let Allen pass. "I wanted to be able to ride with someone," said Ricketts. By DEBBIE ALLEN CHARLOTTE, TN, MAR. 26 t the AMA Pirelli Tires/Moose Offroad/Parts Unlimited Mid-South Championship Winter Hare Scrambles Series' final round, 336 riders lined up for the three Don Thava Factory Works-promoted hare scrambles held at the Batey Farm on 71.2 miles of trail created by the club members, and Shad Ricketts claimed top prize. The Sarge's Cycles/Oakley/Big Gun/Moderne Tire/Cycle Path-sponsored winner encountered no prob- A cue I e n e _ S • APRIL 19, 2000 53