Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

th en on th e la st straightaway he just sh ifted h is line ov er a coup le of feet and pow ered by Hawk and Edmond son in a blaz e of s e rious horsepower. "T h e re wasn 't a th in g we co ul d do ," said Hawk . "Onc e Shane go t into the woods in front, we wer e don e : And that wa s the wa y it went. Watts held th e other two off through the last mile of wo od s and emerged to take his sixth win of th e season on his s ixth different bik e , a nd win th e c ha mpionsh ip in fine form . Racer Productio ns had na iled down a piece of plywood o n th e ir pod iu m trail er in a nti c ipation o f what was go ing to ha ppen next, and s ure enough , Watts treate d the American audienc e to th e age-old Australian tradition of pulling a big bu rn out on the pod ium . Sadly, he o nly had e no ugh fuel in his tank to get a good sm ok ing going , a nd th en the "big g irl" s hut down , out of g a s . "I knew it would be to ug h , th e way Paul and Barry were riding ," Watts to ld the cr owd , "bu t I kn ew if I sta yed in a good po sit ion up until that la st field, it wo uld all work out. I'd like to th ank KTM fo r s u p p ly in g s uc h an unrea l bike . Th is year ha s been sen sational: eN lronman GNCC Crawf ordsville. Indiana Resuhs:October22.200D PRO: I. Shane Watt s (KTM): 2. Paul Edm ondson ( Kaw) ; 3 . Barr y Ha wk J r. (Yam ) ; 4 . Steve Hat ch (S uz); 5. J ason Raines ( Yam ); 6. M ik e Kied rowski (SOl) ; 7. Ji m Ja rrett (5 02); 8. Robbie Jenk s (Yam ); 9. Rodney Smi th (Suz); 10. Steve Leivan (Yam) . OPEN A : 1. Je remy Ber wa nge r ( KT M ) ; 2 . Norm an Feth (Yam); 3. Chad Coo n (KT M) ; 4. Paul McCall (KTM) ; 5. J ohn Yarnell (KTM) . 250 A: 1. A aron Kopp (Suz) ; 2 . Bill Atk inso n (KTM); 3. J eff Gregg (Yam); 4. Tod d Morain (KTM); 5. J ohn Rentschler (5 uz). 200 A: - 1. Chri s Gallt {Kew) : 2. J o shua Kn app ( Kaw ); 3 . M ik e M ih ali k ( KT M) ; 4 . Ia n Sh er woo d (KTM); 5. Brett Zofc hak (Kaw ). 4 -5 A : 1. B rad Hamr i c k ( Ya m) ; 2. Ron ald J ohnson (Yam) ; 3. Scott Phill ips (5u z) ; 4. Kyle Miln e (Yam); 5. Ryan Barre tt (KTM) . VE T A: l. Sc ott Ple ssi ng er ( Yam) ; 2 . J eff rey Hur sh ( Yam); 3 . J oh n Roth (Ya m) ; 4 . Ri ch ard Burbick (G oG) ; 5. Denni s Hawt horne (Kaw) . SR A : 1. Jeff Fredette (Ka w ); 2 . Robert Ki rchner (Suz); 3. Mark Smith (KTM); 4 . Troy Schlereth (Hon ); 5 . Terry Mealer ( Yam). OPEN B: 1. David Wol fe (KTM) ; 2. Kri s Ald ridge ( KT M ) ; 3 . A nth ony Wal sw orth ( KT M) ; 4 . Brya n Hensley (KTM ) 5. Cecil Kell y (KTM). 250 8 : 1. Blai r Ja ck son (Suz); 2. Sean Clayto n (Kaw); 3. Ryan Wuebbeling (Yam ) ; 4. J ohn Sarbe r (Yam ); 5. Dale Cash (KTM). 2 00 B : 1. Brian Meli k (G-G) ; 2. Chad Tallman (TM ) ; 3 . Scott Watkins (Kaw); 4 . J usti n Flu harty (Kaw ); 5. Mik e Stapu la (KTM ). 4 ·8 B: 1. J effr ey Hiv ely ( Yam ); 2 . Davi d Riel (Han) ; 3. Mike Han ch ett ( Yam) ; 4 . James Harris (KTM ); 5. Makot o Kurashlta (Ka w) . VET B : 1. Ray Owens ( Hus ) ; 2 . Russell Ba in ( Han) ; 3. D av id Pow ell ( Yam); 4 . T odd T emp le (KTM) ; 5. Daniel Kendr a (Yam ). 8 R B: 1. Benjamin Smith (Yam ); 2. Mark Miha lik (Kaw); 3. Randall Hillegas (Yam) ; 4. J .D. Ham mock (KTM) ; 5. Michael Schwartz (SUl ). SPTM N: 1. Shane Nalley (Suz) ; 2 . Jo hn Griffin (Kaw ); 3. Karel Krame r (KTM ); 4 . Matt Miller (502); 5. Steve Matthe s (KTM) . 8 /8R : 1. J oe Hu ll ( Yam ) ; 2. Harr y Gre enl ee (Yam ); 3. Terry Flynn (Han) ; 4. Don Rye (Kaw); 5. Carl Pruett (Suz) . 200 C: 1. J o sh ua Wh isnant ( Ka w); 2 . J o sh Pow ell ( Yam ); 3 . Ma tt Littl e ( K aw) ; 4 . B ra n don Rainey (G-G): 5. David Galiamo (Yam) . 250 C: I . Terry Deal (Han); 2 . J am ie Sm ith (Yam ); 3. Christopher Spear (Han) ; 4 . Nic k Dani els (KTM); 5. Dan Korm os (Kaw) OPEN C: 1. Cli nt Edwards (Suz); 2. Dougl as Da y (KTM ); 3. J oey Stanley (Hon); 4. Ro ss Alcom (KTM ); 5. Bobby Brook s (Yam ) . 4-8 C: 1. Carl Pettit (Yam) ; 2. Ben Butler (Han); 3. Tad Dan iel s (Suz) ; 4. J ohn Sche tschel (Suz); 5. Tony Rion (Yam ). VET C : 1. C hr is Ta yl o r ( KT M) ; 2 . Shawn Downing (KTM) : 3. Dou gla s Noll ( Kaw) : 4. Brook Barker (KTM): 5. William Stange (Han ). SR C: 1. Charl es Cress (Suz); 2 . Von Bra chn a (Yam ) : 3 . Br u ce Lo v e ( Yam) ; 4 . M ik e Br anh am (KTM); 5. Jo hnny Spears (KTM) . WMN : 1. Heidi Lando n (Hus) : 2. Bonnie Ham rick (Yam) . MINI JR: l. Thad Duvall (Kaw) ; 2. Allen Nutte r Jr. ( Yam) ; 3. Mo rga n Green ( K a w); 4 . T y l er MacDonald (Yam) ; 5. J effrey Guenthe r (Kaw ). MI NI I NT: 1. Char les Mu ll in s ( Han); 2 . D .R . Atwood (Kaw): 3. Cody Calki ns (Suz); 4 . Christopher Bach (Kew ): 5. Brad Hensley (Kew). MINI 8R : I. J ustin Dyk e ( Kaw ); 2 . Jo nat h an Wood ford (Ka w); 3. Bry an Happ le (Kaw) ; 4. Derron Oakl ey (Han) ; 5. Chris Tay lor (Kaw) . ILeft) One week after sewing up the AMA National Hare Scrambles Championship, Paul Edmondson chased Watts home in second at the GNCC finale. IA b ove l Barry Hawk Jr. ran up front all day on h is VZ250, but a last-lap charge by Watts on his big-bore machine knocked h im to third overall on the day. IRight) One proud Australian: Shane Watts won six GNCC round s this year, on six different model KTM off-road machines, to clinch his first American off·road championship. BRIEFL Y••• The Crawford sville ro und of the GNCC ser ies w as the most well-attended ye ar,end round yet. with an abundance of ATV participat ion at the Saturday races . Two ATV races w ere held to acco mmodate the nearly 400 four-whe elers on hand . and also an aft ern oon race of 50 Youth-class riders. Sunday' s motorcycle -only event saw a combined participation of 399 riders. including the morning C races and the afternoon Pro/Amateur race s. The to p-finishing A·class rider w as none other than former GNCC cham p Scott P le s s inger, back from his badly broken shoulder and riding somewhat cautiously in the Vet A class. He still circ ulated in the top ranks and finished 11th overall. provi nq that you might abuse it. but you never lo se it. Also on hand to try out the GNCC format was KTM mot ocr oss teamster Kelly Smith . Smith seemed somewhat out of his element in the slimy Indiana wood s but still finished a respectab le 13th in his GNCC debut . Smith was part of a large contingent of KTM employee s on hand to witness Watt s' win . includi ng KTM V P Scot Harden of the EI Cajon . California . offic e. ' This is great. - Harden was heard to remark . ' If you don't co me back east too oft en. you forget what riding bac k here is like. Next year I wan t to bring my sons o ut and race at least a couple of times . This is neat! " Th e morning rac e on Su nday wa s de lay ed by t he f a il u r e of one of the scoring computers . " At leas t it we nt before the race sta rted ," said track annou ncer J o hn Ayers. " Yo u guy s wou ld have bee n in trouble if it w ent ou t wh ile we we re racing ! " The problem wa s fixe d quickly, and scoring was no problem for the rest of the day. ' We 're investing in a whole new set of computers this wi nte r. " said a Racer Produ ct ion s representative. " W e 'r e past due. We'll sta rt the year with everything brand new ." cue I e n e VIl' s NOVEMBER 8 , 200 0 19

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