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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/146693
~ HARE SCRAMBLES AMA National Championship Hare Scrambles Series: Final round ~ riders from the West s?id it was "tight a"nd technical." Bauman felt the BLM-approved course ,was still too fast on Friday before the e\(ent, and he finally talked the BLM into letting him swap some of the open roads in the baCK sections for more technical ter'rain. The course, ~onsisted of mining roads, trails, sandwashes and lots of rocks. It was the only round in the schedule to offer desert-type terrain, but most of the National regulars felt that it was a fair test. The general consensus was that if the series was to really be a true National Championship, then a round should be run in the West. Most of the Eastern riders were still trying to dial in their suspension late Saturday. Summers' mechanic, Fred Bramblett, changed shocks Saturday afternoon in an effort to get the right damping on theXR600 thumper, "Man, this terrain is so different from what w~re u~ to back East," explained Summers, "We're trying to find the right damping.combina tion." :"1 wish we had the 630 kit for this race," added Bramblett. "This course can use the extra power." When the starter waved the green flag, the first row of AA riders kicked their bikes to life on the dead-,engine start and blasted their way to the first turn down a short straightaway. KTM/KRW Cycle/MSR/Duralube/ Temp Guard/Smith Goggles! Metzeler/ Arai/ DynoPort/ Tsubaki/ Mikes Cycle Supply /KK CyclejSunco-backed Plessinger got the holeshot, with ISDE "Top AmericaI\" Rodney Smith right behind him on his RM250 Suzuki, followed closely by Husqvarna four-stroke-mounted Mike Young. Summers got a poor jump off the line, but swept around at least four riders through the first tur.n to quickly challenge for the lead. Smith wasted little time in displacing Plessinger for thg. top spot. American Honda/Hondaline/ Powerbar/Oakley /Bridgestone/White Bros/SprocketSpecialists/ Tsubaki/Arai/Camelback/Fredette Racing/Maier /Powermist/Bloomington Honda-sponsored Summers quickly powered past Plessinger and set off in pursuit of Smith, At the end of the first lap, Smith led, but Summers was closing fast. Plessinger held third until Young moved past on lap two. Plessinger settled into a conservative race plan in order to capture the championship. "Yeah, I just cruised," said Plessinger. "I just dropped back a bit to stay out of the dust. We didn't want to take a chance on the air cleaner becoming clogged. It was pretty dusty out there." On lap two, Stlmmers.got around Smith and the two rivals established a furious pace that saw the lead change Scott Summers battled with Rodney Smith throughout the race to score the overall win, but he finished second in the series. numerous times over the course during the near three-hour long race. The gas stops proved to be the difference, as Summers had a quick-fill setup, while the Suzuki pits had to pour gas via the slower spout method. In addition, Smith's RM, while fitted with a larger RMX tank, did not have the range of Summers' fouTstroke. "I had to stop for gas two times, while Scott (Summers) only had to stop once," By Larry Langley said Smith. "That allowed him to get out in front, finally, and I just couldn't reel WICKENBURG, AZ, NOV. 1 · "It's almost 100 percent," said him m. " th the National Championship Plessinger rode a conservative race and Summers. "It should be okay for this Another desert specialist, Don Griewe finished fourth overall, good enough for Hare Scrambles title on the line, race." on a four-stroke Husqvarna, passed the title. Scott Plessinger did exactly what he Summers' victory was hard-earned, Team Honda's Summers was at a Plessinger but crashed hard soon after had to do to earn his second series crown. as he battled Suzuki's Rodney Smith The points situation was simple. If point deficit due to missing one race with that, tweaking his already-tender knee the entire 10 laps on the nine-mile and slowing his charge considerably. a wrist injury and placing low in another defending champ Scott Summers won the On lap four,- La Habra Suzukicourse that was laid out by Motolink's round while the wrist was still healing. race, then Plessinger had to finish in the Greg Bauman. The course was • Husqvarna/Sinisalo/Race Tech/Up Before the final round, however, top eight overall to win the title. Summers described as being "wide open" by Summers said that the wrist was close to Tite/MotuJ/Shoei/Smith-backed Young did his part, winning the Motolink-proflattened his rear tire on a rock. With no most of the Eastern riders, while the moted, PJ1-sponsored event, but being completely healed. Battle to Summers, war to Plessinger W 12