Fox Valley Hare Scrambles Wedron, Illinois - Sept. 16 Photos by Jen & Don McDonald. Story help from Dan Siener
T
alk about an excellent day to race a Hare Scrambles. Fox Valley Off Road's last hare scramble of the season was just right. With the heat all summer it was fitting that the last race would be clear skies, rain on Thursday to make the trails good, and well 70's never hurts either. 65 Beginner class was bumped up to 45 minutes instead of the normal 30. The riders seemed to enjoy this and with a longer course it kept the racing tight and challenging. Many turns, even a few well placed small logs to get them accustomed to what is in store for their racing next year. Dead engine start to keep the first corner less congested and they were off with Jay Pelka (150) grabbing the holeshot, Blake Phelps (121) and Conner Mabus (109) were hot on Pelka's heals and they continued to dog him for half the race. Lap times came down as the kids burned in a line and figured out the fast way around the course. Pelka had a issue in a corner and fell which promptly gave Phelps and Mabus the open door, Robert Bland didn't hesitate to take advantage of the mishap either. Mabus and Phelps battled to end of the race, tired and sweaty Mabus pulled a fifteen second lead for the win. This same process was used in the 50cc classes, which running them 40 minutes was likely just a little to much. A couple Cobra's didn't like that extended time and started to do that "clutch slip routine". Nathan Young (12) got an "early jump" on the flag start. Young got to the check point first but it was all about the CRF Honda 50cc mounted Andrew Voegtle (94) taking control from that point on. New to the HS scene was mx rider Lucas Geistler, he and Young the only two Cobra riders out there battled most of the race... as they heated up it got interesting to see which one would have enough clutch left to finish the race... it was a 50cc high 26 CYCLE USA, October 2012
revving affair at the end! Jaycie Olson and Jason Bahnik rounded out the top five. Jason being on the dependable and bullet proof Pdub 50cc Yamaha. A couple of new 4-6 aged riders came out to
Mason Schuhler (945) was a double class winner, running 85Sr, and 98-200c class. In fact overalling the morning big bike class, dicing with Wally Mika on the last laps. Interesting as
Cody Bollinger won the day’s overall.
try their hand at racing. Comical to see the little guys come up to the scoring barrel and when asked "what is your number" they stop, lean forward and call it out, then take off and make another lap! We give that humor award to Landon Lee (92), in his first race ever!
Schuhler is twelve years old, Mika, sixty. Coming through the barrels on the first lap, Schuhler came through twenty-third, Mika second. Schuhler worked his way through all the 30C and +50 riders to get up to the front of that pack. Once he got on Mika's tail he and Mika passed each other
back several times and in the end the young gun prevailed. Schuhler will be a force to reckon with, along with his two older brothers Riley and Nolan who did very well in the Big B class in the afternoon race. Nolan won 201Open B. Riley finished fourth after shearing off his rear brake lever on a tree root in rock creek. The +50 group was huge today with sixteen riders, Wally Mika (619) did what he always does and dominated the field, but it looks like DJ Ryan and Rick Marht, Kevin Finefield along with Dave Moose have been picking up the speed and keeping him more in check lately. Tanner Whipple (129) rocked the 65cc class again. He has been pretty much unbeatable this season in the class. Garrett Ward found a nice size stick and went flipping down one of the downhills by the mx track making his day a little rough but recovered to second with Eli Otterbach third. Matt McDonald, Nick Blacklaw, AJ Waggoner, and John Conely locked into fierce but friendly battle for the first lap of the thumper class. Conely being a little chipper on the starting line was speaking of green machines and dependability.... Oh was that not the thing to do!!! 2/3rd's of the first lap is in, Conely crests one of the many steep hills on the course and catches the edge of a downed tree limb. Sheering off his chain guide and derailing his chain. No hope of getting it back to racing condition, and being on the complete other side of the property he had quite a push ahead of him. AA and A were much bigger then normal. Today twelve riders filled the line, and even though that isn't a huge amount, all are quality riders and when the up and coming A rider like Hall's Alec Perry pulls the holeshot, with AA riders Cody Bollinger, Ryan Length and the old man of the field Ryan Moss, the race was on! Lots of bangin and dicing as the pace of the afternoon big bike race is ex-