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/1542351
per.lition C)H\/ ATES csnlYo, CA Su EI a, winnlr Pesrsd leqdr evenUol AbEotf in rhd firit ldop. a I - lffi #- BucreIl I r E I F I I - I I ?-- eam Green's Destry Abbott hung back and waited, plan- ning/hoping to make a pass on Yamaha-mounted Russell Pearson near the end of the race. But Abbott got an unexpected break when Pearson slowed with engine trou- bles, and the Kawasaki pilot went on to win the Threat Racing, King of the Desen National Hare & Hound- Honda's Kendall Norman passed Pearson and his crippled bike in the waning miles for the runner-up spot. PeaGon hunE on for third. The race was hosted by the Roadrunner Off-Road Racing Club and was the third round of the A|'4A,/FMF Racing National Hare & Hound Series. Abbott's second win an a row on his Jonathan Weisman-prepared Pro CircuiV DunlopfIHOR KX450F moved him fur- ther ahead in series points standings, as he seeks to reclaim the championshap he lost last year ro Pearson. Abbott leads, 85-72, over Pearson, who, on his ZiP-Ty Racing/Montclair Yamaha/Moose YZ450E is now l-3-3 rn the series. Norman is YltF*D" '*r." third with 50 points via a DNF-2-2 show- ing so far on his Precision Concepts/Pro Honda Oils/O'Neal CRF450X. Abbott, Pearson and Norman owned the start off of Wheeler Road at the Superstition Off Highway Vehi(le Area not far from town and the Mexico border: "lgot a really good iump," Norman 5aid. ''l was impressed. Out ofthe hole, I was gone! "l could see those guys off to the right of me," Norman said, ''but they didn t have ground on me. Right before the bomb, my trail got a little rougher than 46 APR|Lt2,2006. CYCLE NEWS Destry Abbott ,oh."_:it, Xffi, yj*": iX,,: .o* down South I Round 3 Morch 26, 2OO6 OFF-ROAD AMA/FMF Racing National Hare E Hound ScPics theirs, and they were able to edge me out. They just staned dicing, like, crazy style! They were going back and forth. I just kind of sat back and watched, then I kind of got dusted out for a liftle while, so I probably fell to, like, a minute back of them." Pearson proved to be the rnost aggres- sive and jumped into the lead at that point, a lead he'd keep for a long time ar he sought to win in order to get himself back into contention for the championship. "l had a good start - ri8ht behind Destry - and I cut one corner a little bit on the inside of him," Pearson said. "He was roosting me, then lgot in fronr of him, and I roosted him. I think he backed off or something, We pretty much lust stayed the same the whole loop." Abbott, however, wae in no hunY to lead. "This is a place that's kind of like Mexico to me," Abboft said. ''lt's a place where you can't just ride 100 percent. You've got to be smart and look at the course markings and just be really careful. so I didn't mind; I didn't want to try to get out front and tryto leave him- I don't have a problem following." So that's what Abbott did, though he did show Pearson a wheel several times, espe- cially on the second, more technical loop, especially in the sandiune sections. The slim lead that built up (about 20 seconds at the end of the 50-mile first loop) evaporat- ed when Pearson lost the course as he left the pits, allowing Abbott to reel him in. "We rode in the dunes for the firct 15 miles lof the second loop] side by side," Abboft said. "l'd actually go into a comer and point to the right if we were turning right. We'd turn right together." "lt was kind of fun up in the hills," Pearson said, "because when we got into dre sand, Destry and I would ride side by side on some roads, just hauling buttl" They and a number ofothers had a few tip-overs in some of the gnadier drop- offs, but they always got Soing again and it didrft seem to aflect the outcome. About halfway through the 38-mile second loop, though, Pearson began hav- ing bike trouble. "l iust had kind of a freak little issue, and I ended up losing a lot of time," he said, "l had sgme more issues and,ust right at the end Kendall passed me, and I was iust tryin8 to get 'er in." Abbott knew something was up with Pearson's bike. "l passed him and slowly started pullinS away, pulling away," Abbott said. "l could smell his bike blrning, so I knew some- thing must've been happening. So I pushed it and never saw him again. "l knew we were on the rid8es and it was a little dustier," Abbott said. "l didn't want him to key-off me like I was keying off him [earlier]. but I think he was having some issues with his bike." I { a t- l.: -a I i. {&, .f - t '!l t ) ) \ re F 7/ (kfr) Abbot podded hir 5lod ond anded the dqy points leqd with hig second win of the 6eries. (Righrl fendoll Nomon mode use of o good in second,