Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Best in the Desert Silver State Series: Round 2, Terrible's Town 250 Russell Pearson. Davis got from about 10 miles prior to pit six back on the bike at pit four, chasing him and just hitting spots of Crater Flat, and turned north dust, patches of dust and having to once again to the top of the back off. 1 probably got him between course (pit five at Springseven and 12 miles after pit six. He dale) followed by Ondas, let me by. I had caught up to him Street, Campbell and Oakreally close, and he saw that I was ley Lehman on a Price Racright there. He figured, I guess, if I'd ing/Pro Circuit/IMS KX500. made up that much time, let me try However, Davis never to catch the leaders, which helped us made it - rather, his bike a lot. I made up two minutes on the didn't - for the second Terrileaders between pit six and pit seven ble's Town in a row, the so Steve letting me by helped a lot, $10,000 within reach. "I for sure; 1was thankful for that." have a mellow bike because Campbell got on at seven, 229 I'm taking little steps now miles into it, with only the final [when hopping it up], and motorcycle-only section to ride. I've totally mellowed it out," "[Staab] put in a really great ride all he insisted. "It was running the way to seven and came in ... three really well. I have no idea minutes down on the lead bike," why it happened. There's no Campbell noted. "I knew we had to reason for it [to fail], One finish within a minute of the [Esposihundred thirty miles into the to/Ondas] because they started [a race, to go like that is just minute] ahead of us so it was pretty unbelievable. No warning, much a do-or-die ride from there to just schroom. the finish. The Davis/Pearson mis"Our rear brake was fading in and fortune put Ondas in the David Ondas (shown) and partner, Shane Esposito, saw their lead dwindle towards the end of out; Tim had gotten it pretty hot. I lead and neither Ondas or the 270-mile Terrible's Town 250, but they maintained a 52-second winning margin at the just totally went for it and was slamhis partner had any qualms finish to earn the $10,000 bonus for first overall bike. ming ditches. 1don't really like to ride about it. that pace that 1 was going, but I put "We just fell into the lead the last race that it skirted around many like a minute and a half on them by STORY AND PHOTOS when Ty broke," said Ondas. of the beat-up silt beds that so many the time we got to the finish in that By MARK KARIYA He and Esposito rode the rest of racers complained about last year. 40 miles. That was my best ride of the race out front, though neither What didn't change was the dawn PAHRUMP,NV,APR.8 the day, through that last section. dared to count their potential winstarting time, with Pro racers leaving eam Green came up tremendousThe bike seemed to work pretty well. nings yet. ly greener - $10,000 worth, in the casino's east parking lot start/fin"When 1 was on the bike, ish area one every minute beginning fact - after Shane Esposito and David everything went good. I Ondas came from behind to win the at 6:15. Honda's Jonah Street led the know after I got by Ty, J put Terrible's Town 250 at round two of parade on the XR650R he shared with liKe three minutes on JohnSteve Hengeveld, but he couldn't hold Best in the Desert's Silver State ny and those guys," Esposoff third-starting Ty Davis for long. Series. The win gave Kawasakiito reported. mounted teams two victories in a row Davis appeared intent on running "I tried as much as I at the richest race in the desert, but it away with the race as early as possicould not to think about the didn't come easily as the first three ble, thus making amends for last year money or any of that, just teams finished within one minute of when he led until breaking down about riding and staying up to get three miles from the finish. By the time each other. it to the finish." Esposito and Ondas finished the he hit the first paved road crossing at Ondas admitted, "I was 270-mile event in 4:59: 13 on their 32 miles, Davis had the lead on his a nervous wreck. At pit six, Montclair Yamaha/Moose/Race TechBel- Ray /Du n 10 p/ Acerbis - bac ked even though we had a KX500. Honda's Johnny Campbell sponsored YZ426F. three-minute lead, I was "That was my goal," Davis said. "I and Tim Staab put on a charge in the thinking, 'Oh man, anylast half of the race that netted them just knew 1 could ride better than thing can happen.' I could second overall in 5:00:05 on their Jonah through this tighter stuff, it was fall over or whatever. I was kind of tighter and rockier, and it's a Dunlop/Honda Pro Oil/IMS-sponsored definitely thinking hard XR650R. Last year's race winners, handful on a big bike. I've been there about it." and done that. I just tried my hardest Destry Abbott and Brian Brown on And well he should have to catch him. the number-one Team Green KX500, as three teams were within "We came around, and 1 was just also saved their best for last, ending striking distance: up three seconds back of the Honda eating his dust. I was catching him, Hengeveld/Street, Campduo. catching him in this real marbly, bell/Staab and The Herbst family, owners of the rocky stuff, and he was having a hard Abbott/Brown. Terrible's Town Casino and a gas statime. We came into a corner, and he Frustrated at his perfortion empire, for the third time anted looked back and saw me. I go, 'Okay, mance during his first two up the $10,000 winner's bonus in are you going to give me the big stints on the big XR, Campaddition to $10,000 added to the norchicken wing or not?' We came into a bell gave Staab the bike in mal purse. And for the third year, a hard right, and he slipped and caught third position physically at different pair ended up taking the himself, kind of bobbled, then he just pit five 149 miles into the prize. waved me on. Thanks. race, behind Ondas and Tim Staab was third physically at this point about However, this edition of Terrible's "I got by him and just went as hard Hengeveld but sl ightly 199 miles into the race, right at the edge of fellow Town marked the first time the race as I could." ahead of Abbott. Staab Honda racer Steve Hengeveld's dust. Staab passed With the lead comfortably in hand, has been run in pleasant weather him a few miles later, and partner Johnny Campbell jumped at the chance to instead of the freezing temperatures Davis sped up north toward pit one, closed the gap on the leader in the final section, but make up time. it was too little, too late. The American Honda Aassociated with the normal date in then pit two before turning northwest "I followed Steve in his team ended up Terrible's Town bridesmaids for the December. Also, promoter Casey to Amargosa Valley and pit three dust for probably 20 miles, third time in a row. Folks varied the course enough from where he'd hand the bike to partner T 24 APRIL 26. 2000' cue I e n e _ s

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