Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

AMA,/F MF National Champi o n ship Endu ro S e r ie s Round 5 : Lon e s t a r National E n d u r o Lonestar National Enduro Kalgary, Texas Results: May 21, 2000 By W AYN E M cM A HA N KALGARY, TX, MAY 21, 2000 £N.A' ic h a el La ffe rt y c o nt in u e d h is I YL hot s treak in the hot tempe ra tures o f th e Lon eS t a r Na tio na l End uro , h eld near Ka lg ary , T e x a s . T he KT M ride r a dded to his points lead in the s eri es by winni ng his th ird en du ro in a row (after a sl ightly s low sta rt to the s ea s on ). He a lso defe nded his Texas crown . Finish -line te mperatures above 9 5 degrees added to the toughness of this Lubbock T rail Ride rs -hos te d race. Early -morni ng showers moistened the extre m e ly dry west T ex a s se m idesert terrain . The lon g -c ourse rider s we re tested rig ht away t h ro ugh th e m uc h heralded a nd d re a ded "Ra m bo" sect ion . If yo u ha ve seen the mov ie , im a g ine ra cin g (at 24 m iles pe r ho ur in first gea r) th rough th e ba ckwoods in wh ich Sylvester S t a llo ne so ug ht refu ge - this p la ce is not fun. After a spl it immediately off Lhe s tarting line , th e s ho rt-cours e ride rs had two loo ps to th emsel ve s. Du stin Mc Cra ry to ok a d va nta ge of th is a nd dusted th e field in im pre s s ive fash ion to take ov e ra ll C hon ors o n e we e k b efo re h is hi g h s c hool gra d ua tio n. Me anwhil e , Ra nd y Ha wkin s wa s look ing to c ut int o Laf fe rty ' s po ints lead. Unfortun at el y for hi m , it wa s n't g o ing to happ en . Hal fwa y throu gh "Ra m bo," La ffe rty pick e d up rig ht w he re he left o ff w e e k s a g o b y pu tti ng a mi n ut e o n e ve r yo ne at ch eck two. As the course tighte ned , so did Lafferty's grip o n the o ve ra ll. Ov er g rown me sq uit e t re e s , al o ng with other types of th ic ke t a nd s c rub M ichael Lafferty stretch e d his w in streak to three, this tim e posting a win in Texas. b rus h m ade trail vis ibility d ifficu lt at t im e s . "My KT M ju s t seems to lik e it he re ," said the defen d ing enduro cham p , and it s h owe d . At th e th ird c h e c k p o in t , Laffe rty put anoth e r mi n ute o n e ve ry o n e with a s te lla r s core of 9 .05. Ha w k in s po st ed a 10 .12 , and Gas-G a s m ounted Matt Stavish came through third -qui cke st a t 10 .2 1 to p u t a n e nd t o th e firs t loop. S ome "quest iona b le" tra il m ar king (o r lack th er eof) had s evera l ride rs, inc lu d ing Ha wk in s, d ou bl in g ba ck o n th e tra il to see if th e y we re he a ded in th e rig ht d ire ction . After a m uch -n eeded bre a k at gas o ne, loop two he a ded ba ck to Rambo co u nt ry . Th is sec t io n c o ns is te d of roc ky c reek be ds a nd some m or e terrai n th at wo uld m a k e t h e Gr e en Be rets ner vou s . To no o ne' s s urp rise , th e KTM ride r s ho wed why he is le a d ing t he po int s c ha se , b e sting e ve ryo ne t hr o ug h t he na sty s tuff. At th e se cond ga s, La fferty ha d thre e poin ts on th e field , with the two s ho rt-cou rs e loops left to go . Aft e r h av in g ridd en th e fir s t 75 m iles at 24 m iles per hour, th e ride rs fina lly h ad a s pee d cha ng e, t o 3 0 m iles per hour! Ha wkin s sh owed his c h a m p io n 's he a rt by not liftin g th e res t of the way . T he YZ426 r ider stretc he d his legs in the ope n stuff by d ro pping 1.42 a t c hec k seve n. "My ty p ic al race ," said th e seven -t im e c h a m pio n late r. "I s e em to ta ke too long to wa rm up ." Fou r-tim e Te xa s Cha mpion Ha ydn Fra nklin started feeli ng it on his KTM by keeping the na tional guys hone st, c o m in g t h ro u g h at 2 . 10, e ig ht se c o nds ah ead o f Laf fe rty , wh o wa s in c ruise mode. As th e temperature s ro s e , s o did th e fun facto r. Th e ride rs had a th ree m ile g ras s t rack to n e g o ti a t e , in whic h Haw kins talli ed the be st score of th e d a y , ah ead o f Laffe rty , Texas AA rid er Micha el Wils on , Franklin , Stavi sh , a n d RMEC rid e r Mar k Stephe ns. A 10 -m ile tra nsfe r section led rid e rs to th e d ay's fina l te st , a thre e -m ile s print with a 9 0 m ile -per-h our a vera g e do w n a fifth - g e ar r iv e rb ed . S t a nders-b y a n d a radar gun gave fo r m e r 25 0 cc A Nati on a l Endu ro Ch amp ion Ric k Higgin s th e top-speed a w ar d , bu t Haw k in s ' Ya m a h a c hecked out o ne s e cond s oon er than Higgins' S uzuki DR-Z400. Bu t fro m the sta rt, the day had be long ed to Lafferty , who commented, "The KTM team was re ad y to race today . We 're happy to extend th e po ints lead at a ve ry tough race." CN Overa ll A : Michael Laffert y (KTM ). Overall B: Zane Giblet (Hon ). Overall C: Dustin McCrary (Yam) AA : 1. Randy Hawkins (Yam) : 2. Haydn Frankli n (KTM): 3. Matt Stavl sh (G·G): 4 . David Lykke (Yam): 5 . M ichael W ilson (Yam). 2 00 A: 1. Mark Stephen s ( Kaw) : 2 . Natha n Kni ght (G- G) ; 3. Ma rk Th om pso n (Kaw ); 4 . Barry Franklin ( KT M); 5 . J eremy Frazier ( KT M) . 250 A : 1. Nolan Knight (G-G) ; 2. Ma rk Faulk (Hon) ; 3 . Greg Peterson (Ka w); 4 . Ken Giles (Ka w); 5 . Wayne McMahan (Yam) . OPEN A : 1. Sc ott Hoff m an (KTM ) ; 2 . Eric Holman (KTM ); 3. Jeffery Pearson (Yam) ; 4 . Bobby Southard (KTM): 5 . Bret Dooley (KTM). 4 · 5 A: 1. Rick Higgins (Suz) ; 2. Darry l Sm ith (Ya m); 3 . Gordon Gab ert ( Yam) ; 4 . Dan El ki n s ( HUS): 5. M ich ael Ha rrell (Ya m). 30 + A : 1. J eff Kir chn er (Yam) ; 2. Scott Brig ht ( KTM ); 3 . M ike Dori s (Y am) ; 4 . Dami en O iNe ill (Yam): 5. GregMace (KTM). 40 + A : 1. Dav id Culpeppe r (KTM) ; 2. Jay Roy (Hon ); 3. Da vi d Baccu s ( Yam ) ; 4 . Ar c hi Talia ferro (Hen) : 5. Dan Daily (Yam) . 50 + A : 1. Cha rles Ko sh iol ( Kaw) ; 2. J ohnny Stevens (Kaw ). 200 B: I. Darren Fow ler (KTM ); 2. Robert Judd (KTM ); 3. J eff Port er (Ya m) ; 4 . Geo rge Mc Mahan (KTMI: 5. David Sparkman (Yam). 2 5 0 B : 1. Scott G ray ( Yam); 2. Ch ad T ittle (KTM): 3 . Thorn Pruski (Sua): 4 . Russell Leak ( Kew }. OPEN B : 1. Pat ric k Rip ley (K TM ) ; 2 . Rickey Do wney (KTM) ; 3. Brent Hoak (KTM); 4 . Chris Faulk (KTM); 5. Alan Mcj unkins (KTM). 4-5 B: I . Scot Sheppard (Yam ); 2. Bubba Ehrlich (Kaw); 3. Shannon Faulk (Hon). 30 + B: 1. Joe l Prock (Yam) . 40 + B: 1. Bill Moor e (Kaw) . 200 C: 1. J ust in D rak e ( KTM); 2 . Na t hanie l Sande rs (KT M) ; 3 . Br itt Ham mitt (Ka w) ; 4 . Gene Akers (KTM) ; 5. Bryan Bucha nan (Yam) . 25 0 C: 1. Chuc k Pierc e (Yam) ; 2 . J R Co ffee (Hon) ; 3. Ried Horan (Yam) ; 4 . Bruce Shields (Kaw) : 5. Les Willia m s (Kaw). OPEN C: I. Richard Dobbins (GAS): 2. Kelly Prat er (Ya m) : 3 . M ik e Mc Bri de ( KT M) ; 4 . Ron in Colme n (KTM) ; 5. David Bums (Yam) . 4 -5 C: 1. Bry an Hoffm an (Suz); 2. David Burgen (SUl ); 3. Frank Dani elsen (Yam) ; 4 . Tim Mcj unkin s (HSB): 5. Don Stevens (Yam). 40 + C: 1. Garry Sing leton (TM) 2. Danny Hooks (Kaw): 3. Wayne Keel (Sua): 4. Mark Hogge (Kaw): 5. Ralph Crowder (SUl) . 50 + C: 1. Denn is Sanders (KT M ) ; 2. Dorman Nichols (Hon) ; 3. Broo k s Blair (KTM): 4 . Ron Debusk (Yam). 55+ C: 1. Mik e Hall (KTM ); 2. Norma n Delama r (Hon) : 3. Kenny Otto (KTM): 4 . Harold Goldberg (Yam ); 5. Geor ge Spalding (Hon). 60 + c: t . Will Hend ri x ( Ka w) ; 2 . J im Rohn ( Hon) ; 3. Co rky At ch ison ) ( Ke w} : 4 . Fr ank O lson (Yam). Randy Ha wki n s stayed In the points hunt by notching a runner-up finish. The Javelin won the first two rounds o f the s erie s . MSTR : I. J ac k Henry ( SUl) ; 2 . Vern on Markworth (Kew} . 16· LIW; 1. Cody Cappock (Kaw): 2. Erik Spain (Hon): 3. Bria n Younger (Kaw); 4 . Tanner Hendri ck (Hon): 5. Jason Beard (Yam). 16- 5 /W : 1. Brya n Glover (Yam ); 2. Corey Brown (Kaw) 3. Travis Snider (Kaw); 4 . Caleb Hall (Hon ). S/SH RT C: 1. Wendi Spark s (Hon): 2. Alison Hyde ( Ho n) ; 3 . Tr ev or Fros t ( Yam ); 4. Na t h an Crowder (SU 5. Kenneth Math ias (SUl). l); 2 0 0 C EX : 1. Ste ve Denman ( Kaw) ; 2. Chad Maupin (KTM). 2 50 C EX : 1. D av id J o hn s ( Ho n ); 2 . M ar c Will ia m s ( Kaw) ; 3 . Dav id White (Ka w) ; 4 . Phillip Singleton (Hen} ; 5. John Cam pbell (Yam). OPEN C EX : I . Steve T urne r ( KTM ): 2 . Lee Frazier (KTM) ; 3 . Terry Smith (Suz); 4 . J im Stov all (Yam). 4 -5 C EX : I . Bill Roe ( Hon) ; 2. Mark Rod gers (Kaw); 3. MC Ham lin (Hon) ; 4. Ken Grant (KT M); 5. Nelson Newto n (Hon ). AMA/FMF NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP ENDURO SERI ES POINTS STANDI NGS (Alter 5 of 12 rou nds): 1. Michae l Laffe rty (13 6/3 wins); 2. Randy Hawk ins (1 24/2 wins) ; 3. Da vid Lykk e (BO); 4. Matt Sla vi sh (77 ); 5 . Brian Garrah an (50 ); 6 . Ty Da vi s (46): 7. Patrick Garraha (43): 8. Nolan Knight (30): n 9 . (TIE) Craig Holasek /Ma rk Stevens (26 ). Upcoming Rounds: Round 6 - McArth ur , Ohio , Ma y 27 -28 Round 7 - Ida ho C ity , Idah o , June 3-4 BRIEFLY••• Two unique three-mile special tests were laid o ut for the riders . O ne was a very Euro pean-style grass tra ck that had been mowed thro ughout a 50 ·acre fiel d of prairie gra ss. It reminded some of the grass tracks that were at the 1994 ISDE In Tulsa. The other test let eve ryo ne relive so meth ing mos t ride rs have done . " race down the riverbed . " Three mile s of 1On -yard-wide . pure , una du lterated moi st sand greeted the en trant s. Riders checked i n a t 90 m p h and the n w icked it. There were several W iseco Pistons banne rs along the way . remindi ng everyone that the ir bi kes were straining . Yamaha rider Randy Hawk ins attended an open hou se Friday in nearby Lubbock. Texas . at St ovall's Yamaha. New ow ners Brady Robert so n and Earl S tovall w ere abso lute ly impressed w ith Hawkins' demeano r and public rela tions abilitie s. not to mentio n his riding sk ills. Ov er 50 0 ride rs , race rs. and frien ds attended the event. wh ich was cate red by D on Shobe rt . fat her of fo rmer Grand Natio nal Champ and Lubbock resident Bubba S hobert. Tucker/ Rock y . repr esented by Mike Collins. was respon sible for ton s of free giveawa y s at the eve nt, in addi tion to dona ting the club it s trail mar king s. D avid Duqan s of D ugans Engineering donated a Watchdog 2000 e ndu ro c o m p ute r to the Lubbock Trail Riders to be raff led off . c ue ' e n e vv 50 • J UNE 7, 2 0 0 0 31

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