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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128610
AMA,/FMF National Enduro Series Round 4: Grenbrier National Enduro You might say that two-time National Enduro Champion Michael Lafferty was the favorite going into round four in Belleplain, New Jersey. Lafferty lived up to the hype, finishing first overall, with a scorecard much lower than that of the second place rider. In the end he was right, his hottest competition came from his brother Richard. Older brother Richard matched him score for score in the shorter sections, but just couldn't keep Michael's pace in the long sections, finally settling for second overall and High Point A, a full nine points shy of his brother's score. Two points farther back was Yamaha/White Brothers/Factory Connection/Bridgestone-sponsored Hawkins, riding strong on his YZ-426F, possibly a little too strong when he burnt the first check on the course, a tactical error on his part that could have cost him second overa II. Before the start it was rumored that the entire course would be start control and check-out, and all the start controls were already listed on the route sheet. But it wouldn't be an enduro without surprises, and a few checks were placed to make sure riders were still watching their clocks. Hawkins' only comfort was in knowing he wasn't the only rider caught early. The event was staged in the southern part of New Jersey and ran by the Tri-County Sportsmen Me. The club worked tirelessly the months before the enduro, but the person standing right up front to take the blame was Jack Lafferty Sr., father of all the Lafferty boys and one of the toughest long-standing competitors on the ECEA circuit. Lafferty Senior was thrilled with the weather, standing in STORY AND PHOTOS BY PAUL CLIPPER/TRAIL RIDER MAGAZINE BELLEPlAIN, NJ; APRIL 9 K TM's Michael Lafferty upped the ante on the AMA National Enduro Series, taking a very convincing win at round four of the series, on his South Jersey home turf. The former champ triumphed over a course consisting of just under 100 ground miles of tight forest trails, and in the morning at least, very unseasonal weather. "I admit I have the advantage here, because I grew up riding in these woods," said Lafferty on the starting line, "The trouble is, j've been riding all the other Nationals, and the ONCC, and I'm getting spoiled. I hate riding down here. It's too tight. But I'm going to do good today, I feel good." The KTM/Moose/FMF-sponsored rider made good on his word, setting the fastest score at most of the checkpoints, and getting beaten at only one of them. Lafferty's main competition at this event were Randy Hawkins and brother Richard Lafferty, the latter of which has spent this season riding the GNCC series. "I know Randy's on a roll, and riding great this year, but the people I am most nervous about are the local riders· Richard, Kevin Bennett, and Fred Hoess," said Michael Lafferty. "They know these woods like me, and anyone of them could win it. Billy Atkinson will be right in there too." 22 APRIL 26, 2000' cue • e n e _ lIS the snow and howling wind saying, "This is perfect. We were worrying this might be too easy. We set the whole run up so that it was a start control and then a check-out so there wouldn't be any funny business, but the guys are going to have to use their clocks, at least in the morning." Mike Lafferty wasted no time in the morning, leaving the line in a raging blizzard (see sidebar) and keeping his pace hot enough to stay warm on the trail. It was a quick warm-up loop that came back to the start in 15 miles, where everyone had a few minutes, assuming they weren't already late, to change into dry clothes. Lafferty scored a three on the check-out, and had a fair amount of company with that score, including brother Richard, Hawkins, and ECEA champ Fred Hoess. Hawkins, however, had already picked up two extra points at the first check with a burn, so the race was set to be between the Lafferty brothers and Husqvarna-backed Hoess. Hoess, who is normally a fierce competitor, was off his pace, though. . "Somehow, I hit something in the first loop and knocked a leak in my rear brake line," said Hoess. "I ran out of fluid and brakes, and then started riding hard on the clutch to try to make up for it, and wound up overheating my clutch." Later on, Hoess drowned out his bike in a water hazard, and took many minutes getting the bike cleaned out and pushstarted, definitely knocking him far out of the running. "This is probably the worst luck I've had in the past three years," Hoess said at the finish. His sentiment. was echoed by a host of unfortunates, victims of extreme conditions. Both Garrahan brothers, Brian and Pat, were on the East Coast looking for National Enduro points, and both dropped out with mechanical problems - Pat breaking a rear hub and Brian losing his front brake hose. Another team of brothers suffered problems, when Drew and Chris Smith started on the line, and after a bit Drew came out of the woods with a broken chain on his Gas-Gas. Chris, riding a new DR-Z400, kept the shiny side up on his Suzuki to easily score the win in the A Four Stroke class. ISDE veteran and past ECEA champ Kevin Bennett started with a good chase but dropped out before the finish with unspecified problems . The next points-taking section was where Michael let everyone know he was really serious. A 17-mile section of 30-inch wide saplings, known and If Michael was the favorite going in, older brother Richard Lafferty wasn't aware of it. Richard gave his younger brother a run for it early on, but as the race grew longer so did the difference between scorecards. Richard still finished second, nine points off his brother's pace.