Gibson on the Gas

BY DEBBIE ALLEN

Saulsbury, TN, Dec 2,

After ten inches of rain, the Memphis Motorcycle Club scrambled to reclaim most of its existing trail, so the Mid South Championship Winter Hare Scramble Series could proceed as scheduled. They cut nearly a third of the track because it was too muddy for the 380 riders who attended the Pirelli Tire, Parts Unlimited, Moose, and White Brothers sponsored fifth round. Come race day, the sun was shining while the riders sloshed through the mud and scrambled on the trail with Dustin Gibson, the 250/Open A winner as their leader.

The Sarge's Cycles / Suzuki / Pro Action of KY / Moose /Smith supported Gibson grabbed the throttle right from the start. After claiming the 250/Open A holeshot, he set his sights for the AA lead. Five laps later, he achieved overall and was two minutes ahead of the AA winner, John Maschino.

"I'm $500.00 richer now," Gibson said. "Thanks to my parents, who said they would give me that for my first overall." Gibson was on the gas the entire race. He passed Jeff Cregg and Alan Westerfield on his first lap and Mike McCrea and John Maschino on the second.

Gibson said, "Once Cregg and I got together, we rode and caught everyone. When Mike McCrea and John Maschino [AA leaders] got gas, I passed them." They swapped places several times and on the last lap, Gibson moved to the front and pulled away from Maschino.

Off the AA start, Robbie King stepped it up a notch and garnished the holeshot with John Maschino as second. They continued their lead for a couple of miles when King yelled out, "What do I do now?" He figured it out and stayed in front until P. A. Allen and Mike McCrea passed him.

Shortly thereafter, Allen ran into some vines and was thrown off his bike. He gained the lead again, but his next delay cost him the race. Allen said, "I was going up a sand hill, and it sank, and my bike fell into a four foot deep hole. I stayed there for quite some time trying to get it out" and dropped back into the 250/Open A class.

During the second lap, McCrea gained the lead with Maschino directly behind him. They stopped for gas, and Gibson, King, and Jeff Cregg freight trained by them. The lead went back and forth for the next three laps between Gibson and Maschino until Maschino crashed. The third lap McCrea dropped out when he hurt his back.

"It's good to be back, and the promoters did a really good job at putting the course together," said OffRoad Group / Bridgestone Tires / TM / MSR sponsored Maschino. "Gibson passed me the last time at the beginning of the last lap and was pulling away, and I crashed. After that, I didn't see him anymore." Maschino finished the race in second place in overall and returned to the Mid-South from a five month break as the AA Saulsbury winner.

Sarge’s Cycles / Oakley / FMF / GPR / Thor / Rebel Sprocket sponsored Allen took third place in overall and second in AA. He said, "I tried really hard to catch up, but nothing went my way. I'd like to congratulate Dustin on his first Mid-South overall win."

Several classes made up the top ten of the Saulsbury track. Mid West Motor Sports / Fox/ Yamaha supported John Roth and GPR’s Robbie King finished in fourth and eighth place, riding in the AA class. Performnce Cycle’s Gary Hendricks and Landon Carter raced in 250/Open A and claimed fifth and seventh place in overall. Vet A winner, Michael Cornett, came in ninth, and Scott Martin was in tenth place in overall, claiming his fourth win in Senior A for this season.

Brandon Wofford, in 4 Stroke C, was another rider to claim his forth win this season. He said, "I had a fun ride today and can't wait to move up to 4 Stroke B." Kevin Ayscue and Todd Buchanan followed respectively. This season Wofford is in first place, Ayscue is in second, and John Davis is running in third place.

The winner of 4 Stroke B was Ben's Performance Center / Factory Effex / AXO backed Brandon Freeman. He pulled the win after dropping back to seventh place on the first lap. He was in the lead by his third lap and maintained it for the rest of the race. He is currently running in second place for the season with Jason Elrod taking first, and Willie Graham following a close third.

Today's winner of 4 Stroke A was Robert Lich. He made five laps on his Yamaha and came in eleventh place in overall. He is currently in second place for the season with Marty Michels taking first with Jason Wofford in third place for this season.