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Elkton Hare Scramble The Hare Scramble up in Oregon is always one of the best races of the year and this year we were treated with just the right amount of rain in the days leading up to the race, resulting in perfect racing conditions. I just got a new KTM 200 EXC and took Shane Watts bike setup tips for the race, which is basically run it stock. Shane Watts and Nathan Kanney had been hanging out at our house in the week leading up to the race so we headed north and picked up Billy Russell on the way. We didn't leave until Saturday morning and got to the race track right before dark and only had a short time to look around. Sunday morning brought some morning fog to the area which would make the grass track really slick on the first lap. When the flag dropped most of the guys spun off the line. All of the fast guys were lined up on the inside. Chuck Woodford grabbed the holeshot ahead of Shane Watts and Brian Spearle. Brian and I had pretty good starts inside the top ten with Brian just ahead of me. In the second turn Brian stalled his bike for a second and I almost ran into him. In the next turn Eric Mashbir washed out right in front of us moving us up another spot. Billy is still getting used to the Hare Scramble starts and he learned something new at this race, turn your gas on before the race or your bike just may not start. He started at the back of the field but would put in a good ride. After the grass track we moved into some single track. The trees were a little slick the first lap but the course definitely looked like it would tack up nicely. Brian had a little bobble on the first lap in the trees and lost a spot and got up right in front of me. He got around a guy on a Husky but I had trouble getting right around him. We dropped out of the woods onto a fast fireroad and when trying to make a pass I got roosted in the goggles which broke my roll offs. Right after that happened Brian Brown got around me on the road. I got back around Brown on the next grass track and then put pressure on the guy on the Husky again. He roosted me one more time that I was unable to clean so I had to take off my goggles. I got by the Husky rider right after that and tried to catch back up to the lead pack. Brian was right in the hunt putting a lot of pressure on Brian Spearle. When they got to the fast fireroad Jason Raines let Brian by and he tried everything he could to get by Spearle. A little while later he got by Spearle and worked towards the lead. At the end of the first lap I made a quick stop to get some fresh goggles. The leaders were a little ways in front of me but I had arm pump so bad I was just trying to hold on at that point. Shane got into the lead on the first lap but then fell on a slick turn. Woodford got into the lead but Shane was on his game on this day and got back into the lead. Brian was in the mix and swapped positions but never got into the lead. The second lap I had trouble holding on and on the grass tack I saw that Nate Dawg had just about caught up to me. Going into the third I was feeling better and the 200 was waiting to get opened up. I started going faster and really like riding the 200. The bike is lighter than my 250 and feels like I was riding a pumped up riding 125. I went fast for a couple of laps and when I would look back on the grass track I didn't see anyone anymore. Brian was upfront and going for the win. He dropped a little back as a result of some small falls but caught back up of the fifth of six laps. He tried to make a pass on a slick downhill but fell and got his front fender stuck in a tree which he had trouble getting his bike out of. Shane had Woodford set up and was ready to make a last lap pass near the end of the last lap but got in front at the end of the fifth and went on to the race win. Woodford rode strong to second and Brian filled out the podium. Jason Raines put in a good race in fourth with Destry Abbott taking fifth. I was happy with my sixth place and had Nate behind me in seventh. Brian Brown was eighth for ahead of John Beal and Rory Sullivan. |