COLUMBUS, IN

The first round of the Hoosier Hare Scrambles Championship Series and the third round of the Stoney Lonesome MC Championship Series of 2009 were held at the Stoney Lonesome Motorcycle Clubgrounds. The first two races of the Stoney Lonesome MC Championship Series were plagued with significant rain leading up to the events, as well as rain on the race days. Round three proved to be no different, as heavy rains started at 4:30 a.m. on race day and returned during the final lap of the big-bike event.

The Pee Wee course remained unchanged from the previous event, providing a well-established trail for the youngsters to follow. Langdon Feltner picked up where he left off at the last SLMC race - with a victory. While Jacob Stark won the Pee Wee Injector class, he quickly realized just how slick the conditions were when he slid out in the first turn, allowing the entire class to cruise by him while he recovered.

The Mini course was all new and laid out with tight turns, foliage-covered ground, and as much of the available flat land that exists, which is minimal. Clay Sullivan got the holeshot in the Supermini class but was unable to maintain his lead; Larry Fruend and Matthew Hatchett swapped positions the entire race, with Fruend edging Hatchett for the win.

In the 85cc class, Taylor Day (left) raced through the trails with Keagen Lee and Luke Chilman applying pressure. Day appeared to have little issue with the greasy conditions, landing the victory.

Michael Witkowski (282, right) struggled at the start with a bike that would not fire initially but picked his way through the riders one by one, eventually taking the lead on the second lap.

The big-bike event started with 83 riders on the starting line, down from the previous six D15 events, which averaged over 100 riders. Of those who started, 19 eventually finished all four laps, while nine riders failed to complete a lap. The course was significantly longer than those at previous events, in an attempt to preserve the track conditions in the inclement weather.

Tyler Tischler (11, below) was the first rider through the home check, followed by Jordan Johns and Jeff Cregg. Cregg experienced bike issues that required him to pull off for some repair activity. Tischler and Johns missed a key turn in an area where the trails were close together, and Cregg's bike gremlins allowed Logan Chilman to become the new leader at the end of lap two. Somewhere on the course during the third lap, Cregg took over the lead, with Chilman hanging on to the number-two spot, followed by Nathan Sullivan.

At the end, Cregg still had the lead, followed seven minutes and six seconds later by Chilman. Sullivan finished in third. Aaron Hughes came in fourth, just seven minutes and three seconds back. Senior A rider Robert Kirchner hammered it all day long after starting in the second row and finished in the number-five spot overall.

It was an awesome and challenging race, with three different leaders battling to the end, but it was the unsurpassed speed of Cregg that claimed victory, over the efforts of Chilman and Sullivan.

Results

HVY A: 1. Jeff Cregg; 2. Nathan Sullivan; 3. Aaron Hughes; 4. Lucas Gladson; 5. Jordan Johns.

LT A: 1. Logan Chilman; 2. Christopher Jewell; 3. Evan Chaille; 4. Matt Findley; 5. Tyler Tischler.

VET A: 1. Chad Smith; 2. Lucas Soole; 3. Zeke Smith; 4. Andy Cregg; 5. Nick Tannehill.

SR A: 1. Robert Kirchner; 2. Robert Williams; 3. Dan Scales; 4. David Dunnuck; 5. Jerry Chilman.

HVY B: 1. William Wagner; 2. Travis Perry; 3. Nathan Dimichi; 4. Chris Dargie; 5. Wolfgang Huser.

LT B: 1. Anthony Wagler; 2. Justin Brinn; 3. Craig Foster; 4. Dakota Hatchett; 5. Derek Vleck.

VET B: 1. Scott Johnson; 2. Brian Bennett; 3. Jeff Martin; 4. Toby Oltman.

SR B: 1. Timothy Trittin; 2. Kenny W Vogel; 3. Russell Fulton; 4. Robert Huser; 5. Ray Phillips III.

S/SR: 1. Donald Rainey; 2. Carl Pruett; 3. Brad Demott; 4. Donald Schmidt; 5. Randolph Montgomery.

C: 1. Josh Keys; 2. Ryan Brehob; 3. Jordan Billings; 4. David Warnsman; 5. Bryan Lemmon.

S/MINI: 1. Larry Freund; 2. Matthew Hatchett; 3. Clay Sullivan; 4. Shane Neafus; 5. Nathaniel Eversman.

85: 1. Taylor Day; 2. Keagen Lee; 3. Luke Chilman; 4. Jesse Parr; 5. Alex Witkowski.

65: 1. Michael Witkowski; 2. Eric Douglass; 3. Tate Gutierrez; 4. Dawson Dunnuck; 5. Vincent Smith.

P/W PREMIX: 1. Langdon Feltner; 2. Sam Hall; 3. Tanner Gutierrez; 4. Caleb Hancock; 5. Hunter Huser.

P/W OIL-INJ: 1. Jacob Stark; 2. Louden Feltner; 3. Carson Reedy; 4. Isaac Mull; 5. Brody Smith.