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e0FF·ROAD~cas,..-,-e--=y F_ol-. ,. .k's-,.,.-Best in the Desert Series: ~inalr--ro_un_d~:-=-_~ .~ Greg Zitterkopf, last year's overall winner, was the runner-up. Paul Pitts was the first Sportman rider to cross the finish line in fifth overall. brake on, and my clutch was slipping, but other than that it was pretty uneventful. " Harden struggled through in sixth overall, despite coughing fits every time he hit a bump, which made it hard to catch his breath. Darren Sanford's 250cc Suzuki was seventh, and sportsman leader Paul Pitts caused some rapid calculation rechecks when he sprinted down pit row with the seventh fastest time. "This was my kind of stuff. It's just like what I grew up with - holes and jumps and rough trails just like Utah," said the Suzuki RM250 pilot. "I didn't know how I was doing. All I knew was that I had to keep the gas wide open and not let anyone get past." Illinois' Jeff Fredette was another unexpected high runner. "I don't usually do these races but I had a free ticket on the airlines and you can't let something like that go to waste," Fredette said. Wilk was leading the Open Expert pack, Maxim was still out in front of the Over-38 Pros, and Fullmer was charging hard with his heart still set on the 125cc Pro honors. Third in the physical standings when he headed into the final 31-mile loop, Zitterkopf knew what he had to do to win the race. He set off under full wottie but slowed to check his front tire less than a mile later. "The tire was flat again when I took off. It only had three or four pounds of air in it," said Zitterkopf. "I rode as hard as I could, but it cost me the overall. " Two places ahead at the front of the Scott Morris earned the 250cc Pro class win by finishing third overall. pack, Morris was also riding as hard as he could. "I felt really good going into the second loop. I was picking it up at the start but then I hit the wall," said Morris, whose strength was finally sapped by the £Iu, lack of water during the race, and lack of sleep the night before. "My brakes were dragging and I killed the bike seven or eight times.· They both passed me when I was trying to restart it." Morris was not the only racer who hit the wall as the finish line approached. Over-25 Expert leader Craig Huffer was counting the miles to the checkered £lag and admitted that all he could think about was seeing the finish line. Over-30 Pro hopeful Brian Schmuckle went over the bars in the last 15 miles, and fellow Vet contender Darin Cartwright watched a respectable ride unravel as he passed the oalfway point in the final loop. "I was racing with Harden, Fredette and Donatoni, but in the last lap we went our separate ways. They got faster and I got slower," said Cartwright. "They could've made it a 50-mile race and that would've suited me fine." The miles ran out all too soon for Zitterkopf, who had grabbed the physical lead from Ashcraft and launched an all-out sprint lo the checkered flag. With a front Oat, Ashcraft hard on his heels and the checkered flag almost in sight, there wasn't enough time to pull out the time he needed. Ashcraft was only 15 seconds behind when Zitterkopf charged across the finish and, when the starting times were figured in, the Honda pilot finished with a total elapsed time of three hours and II minutes, and topped the new KTM racer by almost three minutes. "That was hard work but it was my kind of course,", said Ashcraft, who thanked American Honda, Hondaline, Arai, IMS, Scott USA, Pro-Circuit and motor builder Eric Crippa of American Honda. "I've always been better in the tight stuff, and my bike worked really well because I have a new gearbox an IMS wide-ratio. The gear ratios were really, really good for this race· and that was a big factor." Ashcraft earned $254 for topping the Over-30 Pro class, while Zitterkopf's win in the larger 250cc Pro class earned him $333. Zitterkopf's win also tied up the 250cc Pro title for the 1992 season. "It was a fun race - really nice, tight and technical, with a little bit of everything. An excellent course," said Zitterkopf. Morris hung on for third overall, four minutes behind Zitterkopf, which gave him first Open Pro and the class series win for 1992. The KawasakilFMF/Duralubel Sprocket Special ties/Tsu baki/RenthallAcerbis/Michelin/GA Racingbacked rider said he was glad the race was over: "I kept killing the bike because the brake was dragging and trying to start jt drained my energy," . said Morris. "I think I need lo go and get some sleep." Johnny Campbell took fourth overall and second 250cc Pro on a Honda CR250 just nine seconds behind Morris. "I was using a lot of gas and· had to pit three tirrtes, but that was my only real problem," said the American Honda/HondalinelArail AXO/IMSI White Bros./FMF-backed racer. "I got tired at the end - the last 10 miles felt like a long way, but I'm going' to start doing more of these races. They're challenging, there's a payback and it's the most organized group I've seen in off-road racing." Third in the 250cc Pros went to Jim Gray, who reported a pretty uneventful day once he got used to the cactus. Pitts' race-long sprint went all the way to the checkers and ricocheted the 250cc Expert into fifth overall. "I had a rhythm going today. I didn't let anyone get past and I didn't even fall once. I'm proud of myself," said the Answer/Pro-Circuit/Duralubel OakleylAGVIPirelli/Toole Valley Suzuki-backed Pitts. Second in the Sportsman division went to Tom Webb in 10th overall, while Richard Wilk wrapped up the Open Expert win and series title in 13lh overall. Harden struggl€d home to claim sixth and was the closest Over-30 Pro finisher behind Ashuaft. "Today was the hardest day I've spent on a motorcycle.in my life," said the KTM-backed racer. "There was nol one minute, not one ounce of fun. The course was neat but in my condition it was terrible. Maybe in a week· I'll feel good about it. And with all these new guys coming into the Vet class, I should be happy I won the numberone plate this year." Dave Donatoni, who finished three places back in ninth overall to take third Over-30 Pro, was happy to come out of the race in one piece. "I really felt good before I started riding but once I started, I rode like a kook. Finishing is good enough for me today. The way I was riding, surviving is an accomplishment," said Donatoni. Bill Maxim came out on top in the three-way battle for the Over-38 Pro win, finishing 15th overall, and Patrick Fullmer gritted his teeth to the I 25cc Pro win in 39th overall. The win put Fullmer one point ahead of Charles Kline in the race for the 1992 series title in the 125cc Pro division. tN Results 01 A: L Dan Ashcrafl (Hon); 2. Greg Zillerkop£ (KTM); 3. ScOll Morris (Kaw); 4. johnny Campbell (Hon); 5. Paul PillS (Suz); 6. Scot Harden (KTM); 7. Daryl Folks (KTM); 8. jim Gray (Yam); 9. Dave Donatoni (Hon); 10. Tom Webb (Hon); I L Darren Sanford (Suz); 12. je(( Frooelle (Kaw); 1.'1. Richard Wilk (KTM); 14. Ray jewell (Yam); 15. Bill Maxim (Kaw); 16. Todd Hoy (KTM); 17. Ron Lawson (Hon); 18. je(( Boyd (Yam); 19. Mike Longine (Kaw); 20. je(( Martinez (Yam).