| November 16, 2021
The final round of the AMA East Hare Scrambles Championship ran its course in Eagleswood, New Jersey, November 13-14, where Beta’s Kyle McDonal put the final stamp on his championship season. McDonal clinched the champion the previous week at the East/West Hare Scrambles Showdown in Oklahoma, but that didn’t dampen his desire to win. This time he got to celebrate his victory closer to home and in front of his family and friends.
Beta’s Kyle McDonal capped off the 2021 AMA East Hare Scrambles Championship with a win in New Jersey. Photo: Scott Mickelsen
By Kenny Held | Photos by Scott Mickelsen
For the first time in two years, the East Championship was able to co-sanction a race with the ECEA and over 750 racers from NYOA, NETRA, D6, ECEA got to meet up with the AMA East regulars, as they converged on the small town of Eagleswood. Motorcycle Competition Inc. (MCI) hosted the race that featured plenty of single track and three MX grass track sections.
It was a Lafferty family affair at the start of the race with AA Veteran Rich Lafferty (KTM) and his nephew Justin Lafferty (KTM) getting out in front. However, it wouldn’t last long.
After a mid-pack start, McDonal had already taken over the point position by the first mile marker. McDonal, however, had company.
Honda rider Andrew Delong had latched on to McDonal’s rear fender and the two would battle for the win.
McDonal leads Jason Tino (4) and Ryan Quinn (915) early in the Stump Jumpers Hare Scrambles.
At one point, McDonal was forced to pit after having caught his brake lever on a root. After a quick repair, McDonal had been relegated to second but was on a mission to catch the new leader, Delong. The Beta rider eventually caught Delong’s Honda and slipped past him, re-taking the lead.
Delong, however, stayed right with McDonal as they battled for the rest of the race. Only a few seconds separated the two as the laps wound down. McDonal held his ground and took the checkers with little room to spare over Delong.
KTM rider Jason Tino was never far behind the lead duo and would ultimately finish third, ahead of Brayden Nolette (KTM) and Salvatore Cusimano (Yamaha).
In the morning C event, more than 350 racers filled the starting grid to capacity. The top riders came out of the Schoolboy 1 and 2 classes, many of them had already raced the day before in the Youth main. By the end of lap five Schoolboy 1-class riders were leading. Out front was local favorite Lucas Seelman (KTM) who would go on to win. Dalton Hook (Yamaha) and Joey Rainone (Kawasaki) went 2-3.
In the Youth main, GNCC regular Robert “Christopher” Weiss nabbed the holeshot from the 14-15 Supermini row. Weiss checked out and never look back.
