Kit Palmer | February 9, 2004
New KTM recruit David Lykke (pictured) was the overall winner at the opening round of the AMA National Enduro Series in Wickenburg, Arizona, yesterday. Lykke, who just picked up his new ride a few days ago, beat a talent-laden field that included such riders as former champs Randy Hawkins, Steve Hatch and Mike Lafferty, who DNF’ed the enduro with a knee injury.
Aboard a KTM 250 EXC, Lykke dropped 17 points on the day, edging out National Hare & Hound Champion Russ Pearson, Yamaha YZ250, by one point. Third place went to Throttlehead.com/Kawasaki Team Green’s Steve Hatch who, along with seventh-place finisher Destry Abbott, lives just a few miles from the race site. Hawkins ended up fourth, while Nick Pearson, following a long injury-related lay-off, came back to finish fifth. Nick Pearson, Russell’s brother, rode a Kawasaki KX250.
One of the other big news of the day concerned the injury to Lafferty, the defending champ. In the first loop, Lafferty re-injured his knee that he had originally tweaked on New Year’s Day while practicing. Lafferty, who was going to stay out west to prepare for this week’s enduro in Coalinga, California, instead flew home to New Jersey to get the knee re-evaluated. There is fear that Lafferty tore the ACL in his knee and might be facing major knee reconstruction. But Lafferty won’t know for sure until he visits his personal physician this week.
Speaking of injuries, Hatch broke his foot in the final loop but says he’ll ride Coalinga: “Oh yeah, I’ll be there,” he said. “Even if I have to wear a larger boot.”
Results:
O/A: 1. David Lykke (KTM); 2. Russ Pearson (Yam); 3. Steve Hatch (Kaw); 4. Randy Hawkins (Yam); 5. Nick Pearson (Kaw); 6. Ty Davis (Yam); 7. Destry Abbott (Kaw); 8. Fred Hoess (Hus); 9. Bill Russell (KTM); 10. Richard Lafferty (KTM); 11. David Pearson (Kaw); 12. John Barber (GG); 13. Mark Miller (Yam); 14. Matt Stavish (Hon); 15. Stephen Reed (GG); 16. Elmer Symon (KTM); 17. Nolan Knight (Kaw); 18. Eric Bailey (Kaw); 19. Tracy Stanton (Hon); 20. Chily White (KTM).
Kit Palmer | Off-Road Editor
Kit Palmer started his career at Cycle News in 1984 and he’s been testing dirt and streetbikes every since – plus covering any event that uses some form of a knobby tire. He’s also our resident motorcycle mileage man with a commute of 120 miles a day.
