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/1510691
WIND IN THE P50 In the third hour, the lead changed hands again as the number-710 bike made its way past the number-4 Yamaha for the first time and opened a small gap over the next several laps. As quickly as the lead grew, it diminished even quicker, in just a single lap, as Nicholson's team spent a couple minutes in the pit allowing for Hunter's team to close in and eventually make the pass back for the lead around 2:30 pm Saturday. Over the next several hours, the two teams led the charge, with the lead fluctu - ating nearly every lap between as little as 10 seconds and as large as four minutes. As night fell, the real race began as teams were daunted by powering lights, deep silt and ruts, thick dust, and a slew of riders scattered all over the course as the difficulty factor increased. Just after 8:00 pm, Nicholson's team was forced into the pits for a wheel change, allowing Hunter's team to move back into the lead. Later that lap, the number-4 team suffered a big crash, mangling the bike and lights and relinquishing the lead back to the 710 team. Able to limp the bike back in, the DBT Yamaha squad was forced to get the bike back into working order as best they could and make an unplanned rider change. Over the next couple of hours, the running order remained the same as it had for most of the race, with the gap increasing or decreas - ing by the lap. Down to just three riders now, the DBT Yamaha team shuffled and scrambled to put together a rider order and change up the number of laps each would do with one rider out for a rotation. Just before mid- night, they put Hengeveld on the bike for a two-hour stint and, in the meantime, passed their way back into the lead for a few laps. Eventually, Nicholson's KTM team passed back into the lead and started to build a gap over the field. By 3:00 am, the lead had grown to its largest at 13 minutes, but Hunter's DBT Yama - ha team dropped it down to eight minutes, where it would hover for the remainder of the race. When the checkers flew Sun - day morning, Roberts was first to the line, his team completing 69 laps and covering approximately 725 miles. Second was the num- ber-4 DBT Yamaha team with 69 laps, and third went to Hayes and crew with 67 laps. The top two Expert teams battled to the fin- ish, with Tyler Martin's team win- ning the Business class in fourth overall and John Wheeler's team winning the Open Expert class in fifth overall. Zac Luce rode to victory riding an astounding 50 laps, or 525 miles, to take the Ironman win and finish 42nd overall. Zac Commans rode a Kawa- saki KLR650 ADV bike to fourth in Ironman class and 53rd overall with 42 laps. Other notable finishers include the top 85cc team of Larrick Curley, Kaycee Curley, Courtney Curley, Rhylan Benally and Jacob Saganitso, with 50 laps and fin- ishing 55th overall. CN OVERALL 1. Tyler Nicholson (KTM) 2. Trevor Hunter (Yam) 3. Jacob Hayes (Kaw) 4. Tyler Martin (GG) 5. John Wheeler (Hon) The Trevor Hunter squad was second overall, 12 minutes back. They were one of only two teams to finish on the lead lap. Zac Luce rode 525 miles en route to the Ironman-class win.