Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

KTM teammate Kellon Walch rounded out the top fve on his Motorex/ GPR/Fox 525 XC. CN SUPlRsrroN OHV AREA EL CENrro. CauroRNta RErurrs: MaRcH 26, 2006 (RouND 3 oF 7) Kendall Norman rode the same CRF45OX that he and Robby Bell won the San Felipe 250 with wvo weeks earlier. ln order to save some weigk, they removed the bike's electric rtarter and other paraphemalia. Derpite not havint "the button" Norman still got a good start. Honda's Steve Hengeveld had a shon day. He tot only four or five miles out before his CRF450X broke. Destry Abbott and Rursell Pearson, among o[her National regulars, didn't hide their dislike ofthe Superstition OHV Area, rhouth seemingb/ allagreed that the RoadrunneE'first Nationalwas an improvemem over those oI the past two years when a different organization put it on. After winning, Abbott said, 'Actually, I feelgreat! lt feels more like a trail ride to me. You ride fast, but I think you have to ride at 90 percent, then there's times when you're in the rocks or sornething, and you really have to ride hard. For the most pan, it's like riding in Mexico. You iusr have to back ir down and be smart. When you re coming over ridges, l'll pull to the right. I won't be aSgressive like I would be at Lr:cerne or any of the other rounds. But they did a good iob. I could see they were marking the cross trails, putting a ribbon across so [triil ride6] would know we were cross- int, and they had people out fiere lpolicing different areas] so that was a plus." Kendall Norman said, "Other than that mishap from the bomb inlo the finish, it was good. The course markings were de€ent; I never.eally 8ot lost out there so that was good. By far, this one is the most organized and mort well-thought-out race that they ve done down here." As for the course not being marked in the final miles to the finish, some of that section apparent\,, rvos marked, but there was reason to believe that someone rhitht have taken down the ribbons. Accordint to another report, the club had planned to use a sectioh near the starting line - a hute berm that was used in the movie.lorheod - but after all the racers had left the start line, recreational riders soon inundated the area, makint the trerm unsafe to use as part ofthe racecourse. 5o, the club resorted to "Plan B" and betan marking a different route to the finish - albeit a bit late. Though $e fi6t loop was mostb/ fast and dusty, the second loop included plenty oftechniaal sections - something racers have been asking for the past two years. How technical was itl The club apparently had to elimi- nate one particular downhill section the day before the race after agroup ofolficials and racers inspected it on foot and deemed it too diflicult. That still left sections that proved extremely challenging. Kendall Norman said, "We came down thir wash and I had some trouble with it, but l'm sure [Abbott and Pearson] did too, because it was pretty technical. lt was these three-foot drop-offs with no good run to jump off oftlem. The first one I jump€d off m,, bike and bull-dogged it. The second one, I launched it, but when I landed, I landed in powder and tipped over atain." A frustrated R6sell Pearson said, "Third sucks really bad. lt's better than nothintl l've gotten third the last two races, because I've been having , troubles. I can't be doint rhati it's killing me. That's basically my two throwaways - I need to a try to win." ovERALli I Oerrr/ Abbot (Kaw): 2. Kendarl Noman (Hon)r l. R6sell Pearen (Yam)r 4. David PeaBon {KTM)i 5 Kellon Walch (Kll'l)i 6. CdlMurbe.s (Yam)i7. D,vid Kamo (KTll)i8. Man cosnell(KTtl); 9. t athew Henderbn (K!w): 10. Quinn Cody (Hon)i ll. R/an Kldta (Yamli 12. cahercn Coman (XTl.1)t ll. Dave BIrd (KTM): t4. Davd Grahm frn)i 15. Bob RobeB (Xaw)r 16. Eric Ca.nes (Hon)i r7. za.k Dodson (suz)i 18. Tmorh/ S.o( (Yam)i rt. Jams HendeEon (Hon): 10. chrly whie (fifl) AHA FMF RACING NATIONAI XARE & HOUND SERIES PolNrS STANDINGS (Aft.r I o, 7 rcuhdr: L Dstry Abbon (85/2 wns): ?. Rus*llPeaen (7?l wii): l. Kendall Nome (50):,{. flan Gosnell(44)i5 Q!i.n Cod/ (40): 6 David Pffin (36): 7 Rtan Kuda (32);8. Kerlon wal

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