AMA
Pirelli Moose Parts Unlimited White Brothers
Mid-South
Championship Winter Hare Scramble Series
The Summers
Swoosh
By Debbie Allen
Round 11: Old School
Scott Summers moved to the head of the class and made an A+ at Mid-South’s eleventh round. The Old School competition posed no problem for this champion because it looked as if time literally stood still for everyone else except him. The riders would hear him from the rear, see him from the side, and then he’d soon be a part of their past. Gone that quickly, without even looking as if he was riding that well.
Unable to use his kick start, Summers was dead last, but it didn’t take him long to retrieve the lead, set a faster pace, and win Overall.
Off the start, P.A. Allen got the hole shot with Doug Blackwell and Dustin Gibson following him onto the wide open trail. Blackwell took the lead shortly thereafter and then Summers swooshed by all of them riding his CRF 450 R.
“My bike was flawless,” said Ohlins backed Summers, “and it just floated through the woods today. I’d like to mostly thank Parts Unlimited / Moose/ Smith / Alpine Star / FMF / Maxxis / Wiseco / Tire Balls / EK Chain / Cycra / Motion Pro / Sun Star / Malicon / Factory Connection / Honda Riders’ Club / Honda Oil & Chemicals/ Honda Genuine Break Pads.”
After capturing the lead, Summers hauled his Honda into a thirty second lead for the first lap. Then for each of the remaining laps, he charged ahead an additional two minutes per lap, giving him seven and a half minutes lead on second place, Dustin Gibson.
“I felt like the old Scott Summers of ten years ago,” said Summers. “I felt very comfortable on the bike and really having a good time just dodging trees.”
“I was about third off the start and followed P. A. and Blackwell for a while and then Summers thundered by us,” said the Sarge’s Cycles / KTM / GPR / Smith / Maxxis mounted Gibson. “I passed P.A. by the end of the first lap and got by Blackwell when he went down. I pretty much stayed in second for the rest of the race.”
Gibson now entertains thought of winning the championship due to respectively finishing the race in second place in overall. This will definitely stir up the dust at the last race of the season, Hazzard Hill.
In the mean time, Blackwell and Allen were struggling. Apparently Blackwell had reawakened a previous injury after nailing his thumb repeatedly while Allen was trying to overcome his own problem, a flat tire. In spite the two kept plugging away and Blackwell finished the race in third place while Allen captured his first real throw a way, seventh place in AA and eleventh in overall.
Blackwell said, “It’s not so bad when you think of my friend, Rob Shank. He tore his ACL and MCL ligaments today. It helps you to realize that it was not such a bad day for me. I had a good time, got in a good two hour work out, and finished in third place. That’s really all that matters is that I can say it’s been good because I can walk away.”
Robert Patterson made an A+ in the A class. He set a goal of making the top ten and set the bar higher in 4 Stroke A, coming in fifth place in overall.