AMA Pirelli Parts Unlimited Moose Maxxis

Mid-South Championship Winter Hare Scrambles

Round 10, TMT

Blackwell Blasts the TMT

BY DEBBIE ALLEN

Monteagle, TN, February 22, 2004

The AA riders were living on the edge at the tenth round of the Mid-South Championship Winter Hare Scrambles Series. They rode an impressive race since they have been setting a faster pace. Although the Sport Cycles/ Suzuki / FMF / Smith / IMS / Dunlop / Hebo supported Blackwell blasted his way into another win, the Mid-South riders can’t help but learn a few tricks of the trade, catapulting themselves into the lead more frequently these days.

“I defiantly had to earn my win today,” said Blackwell. “These guys deserve a lot of credit. P.A. [Allen] and Dustin [Gibson] and all of those guys have definitely stepped it up from what it used to be, and they’ve made me work for every one of these races.”

Cycle Shed / Michelin / Scott / Motor X / Thor supported John Robbins was the first Mid-South guy to take the lead. About a mile after the start, he moved into the lead on a wide-open straightaway and led for five miles until Gibson and Blackwell took a better line around him. The next Mid-South rider to take the lead was P. A. Allen. He charged his way into the lead after a dead last start and by the end of the fifteen miles raced; he secured the front while Blackwell, Blair Bersano, and Gibson freight trained behind him. Allen and Bersano stopped for gas moving Blackwell into the front.

He said, “I tried to charge but Gibson and Allen were right on my trail the whole time. I’m not sure what happened to P. A, but Dustin and I went back and forth the rest of the race.”

Sarge’s Cycles / KTM / Enduro Engineering / Moose / Maxxis sponsored Gibson made the fastest lap time during his second lap. “At first I didn’t feel comfortable riding at that pace,” said Gibson, “but I decided to let P.A. by and key off of his speed.” It worked when P.A. fell into a bit of bad luck.

Ten miles later, P.A. overshot a turn and landed in a twenty-foot sink hole, unable to get out until a nice guy pulled him out. “Thanks!” said Allen.

“Dustin was on it!” said Blackwell. “And actually, he was a lot closer in reality to me towards the end of the race than what the results show. He took a spill, and I think that kind of tired him out.”

After hitting a tree, Gibson decided to slow it down a bit to ensure second place. He said, “I tried not to charge because I didn’t want to fall and break anything.”

John Maschino also had a bout of bad luck. His started when he woke up at the hotel. Someone stole his bike, trailer, truck and all. Another random act of kindness allowed him to race. On a borrowed KTM, he finished in fifth place. Maxxis / Lowe Racing / Clarke / Motorex / Smith backed Bersano cruised into third place when Allen sank in the hole.

Clay Stuckey did a fantastic job at laying out the Tennessee Mountain Trail. Many said it was an awesome trail.