Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/146688
~ OF~ROADoA~~~_H_m~S_m_m_~_sS_m_'~_:R_oo_~_9~~~~~~~~ m Jan Hrehor continued his late-season off-road win streak by nabbing yet another overall victory. Hrehor had to overcome problems with lapped riders late in the race. Hrehor wins Mule Kicker National By Merle Acord KaHOKA, MI, ocr. II r eam Suzuki's Jan Hrehor grabbed the lead on the first lap of the Mule Kicker National, and two hours, 47 minutes, and seven laps later roosted across the finish line with 10 seconds to spare over runner-up Duane Connor to earn his third-career National Hare Scrambles victory. Scott Plessinger, the 1989 National Hare Scrambles Champion and current series points. leader, rounded out the top three. _ The 28-year-old native Czechoslovakian, said afterwards, "Plessinger and I followed each other for a while in the first hour or so. It's easier to change off the lead than to be the first man all the time. Then Plessinger dropped back late in the race, and Connor was second." After moving into second plac~, Hrehor just couldn't shake the. Kawasaki Team Green-backed rider, Conner. "We were having trouble with the lappers," said Hrehor. "I tried real hard but there were a couple of guys that just wouldn't let me by. So I lost some time. I did crash into one guy, but he didn't get hurt too bad. I stayed with him until someone showed up, .and he told me to go on. I was lucky not to lose much time." "I followed my game plan, almost," said Connor. "My plan was to try and get out front early and 'keep the lead, I knew with my fifth-place finish last week at Lynnville, that all I could do today was improve my third place in . the point standings. A win would've been nice, but it was a good race, nevertheless. " Connor and Hrehor went through the scoring barrels for the seventh and final lap in a dead heat setting the stage. for what looked like would be a photo finish, but it wasJ:l't to' be. "I was trying to pick some -better lines on the last lap and ended up with a sapling caught in my rear brake," said Connor. "And that cost me about 15 seconds to clear, and I couldn't make it up." "I had a good start," added Connor. "But I took longer in the woods to establish my rhythm, and I dropped back a few places. There was a little Qf everything out there. Wide open woods, ruts and whoops, grass tracks and the motocross track. I don't have any special stuff that I like to ride, so when I looked at the track, I had the feeling that I was going to do good today." Promoter Mike Burkhart used his farm for the 9.2-mile course of tight woods and open pastures plus incorporating a motocross track that Burkhart uses to run AMA District 18 motocross events. Burkhart also offered the Pro class a $1000 purse, with the winner taking home the lion's share of $500. Scott Plessinger, aside from picking up $300 for his third-place finish, taking the checkered flag two minutes and 45 seconds off the winning pace, might have put a lock on the National Hare Scrambles Championship for 1992. "All I need is LO finish 10th or better at Phoenix and-the Championship is mine," said Plessinger. Prior to the race, the KTM/KRW Cycle of Daytona/Ohio MS Racing/ Duralube/Temp Guard/Smith/Metzeler/Arai/DynoPort/TsubakilMikes Cycle Suppon/KK Cycle Supply/ Motion Products-backed Plessinger said, "It's coming down to the last three finishes again, just like when I won the championship in '89. Hopefully it'll work out just the same, but in the last two races, I've had a second and a third and I'd rather not finish third today. I'd rather finish first. I've got an eight-point lead over Summers right now." "I don't think that Summers is pushing it as hard now as he did earlier in the season. I know I'm not," said