Lebanon Youth Finds Niche In Hare Scrambles

LEBANON, Va. – Cody Thompson knows the value of hard work.

After the final bell rings at Lebanon High School, he heads to the sprawling family farm in Hansonville for another round of chores.
The long hours of old-fashioned homework pays dividends on the weekends.

For the past three years, the 17-year-old Thompson has competed in the unique sport of Hare Scramble off-road motorcycle racing.

“I love the physical and mental challenge,” Thompson said. “You have to be on top of your game at all times, and try to pace yourself.
“It’s all about endurance.”

Hare Scrambles are not for the meek. Competitors ride for 2-3 hours over wooded and rugged terrain.

From navigating around trees and rocks to zooming through creek beds and pastures, Thompson has mastered the fundamentals.
He won a 2008 North Carolina Hare Scramble Association title in the 200B class. He has now moved up to the Open A category, which features riders of all ages.

Thompson finished fifth in his first event at the storied Harleywood course in rural Washington County, Va. The story has improved ever since.

“I’ve been getting better with each race,” said Thompson, who has won a total of 12 events. “My lap times and overall finishes have really improved.”

Thompson’s father, Scott, has watched that improvement and maturation with pride.

“I’m more or less the sponsor, driver and crew chief for Cody,” he said. “We go to races about every other weekend and have a great time.
“Every kid has a dream, and Cody is following his dream.”

The origins of that dream can be traced way back, Scott Thompson said.
“I used to race the Hare Scrambles, and so did three of my brothers,” the father said. “My brother Jeff brother won a lot of races.”

Along with many veteran motorsports enthusiasts in Southwest Virginia, Scott Thompson has fond memories of the Lonesome Pine Enduro. The wild 100-mile event, which started and ended at the Washington County Fairgrounds in Abingdon, took riders to the Russell County line and to the southern part of the South Holston River.

For many fans, the most popular segment of the enduro was the large mud hole. As fans crowded around in a semi-circle, riders attempted various methods for getting through the obstacle, including daring high-speed runs.

The Red Bud Enduro on Big A Mountain in Southwest Virginia was also a popular event.

“This kind of racing is a lot more exciting and challenging,” said Scott Thompson, who tends to 68 head of cattle and works as a coal miner. “Through the years, we have competed in about every state east of the Mississippi River.

“Cody is carrying on the family tradition now.”

The North Carolina Hare Scramble Association includes 16 races in communities such Taylorsville, Asheboro, Wilkesboro and Yadkinville, N.C. The Taylorsville course is dubbed Rattlesnake Ridge.

“My first race is next weekend, and I can’t wait,” said Cody Thompson, who made his debut in the NCHSA last season. “I’ve already been practicing in the snow around my house.
“There are a bunch of guys around this area who compete in this kind of racing. We all try to help each other.”

In addition to following a busy routine on the family farm, Thompson has prepared for the season by lifting weights and tuning his bike.
Though motocross gets more media attention, Thompson gains plenty of satisfaction from scrambling on his sturdy KTM motorcycle.

“Motocross is a lot more dangerous, and I just think form of racing is more fun and challenging,” Thompson said. “We zig-zag through through trees and go up to 70 miles per hour at times. It’s a totally different style of riding.
“I hit a tree in practice once, but thankfully I’ve never really been injured.”

Like most young racers, Thompson has already charted out his long-range goal.

“I want to finish in the top three in my class this season, then race at the pro level in two more years,” Thompson said. “That’s what I’m working for.”

agregory@bristolnews.com|(276) 645-2544

Who: Cody Thompson
Age: 17
What: Hare Scramble off-road motorcycle racer
Hometown: Lebanon, Va.
Fast Fact: Thompson, who does the maintenance on his bike, recently won a regional welding competition. Jacob Lawson, Cody’s six-year-old brother, also competes in Hare Scrambles.
More information: www.nchsa.org