Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/125838
leavitt's Champion, Whaley's Champion, Griffitts's Outrageous By Christopher Ostlind HOLLISTER, CAL., NOV. 25 The PITS Trials Cllib of Northern California put on the third TOund of the California State Championship and with almost predictable results: Lane Leavitt won the trial, but Marland Whaley walked off with the number one spot in the state for the second straight Perhaps your' best motocross bargain today! CZ has been a legend in Motocross racing since it all began; with its superior design, engineering, handling and highest quality of material and workmanship. Isn't it refreshing to know that you can still get so much "value" for your money from CZ? Drop in at your nearest CZ dealer today and get one of life's nice surprises. SELECT DEALERSHIPS AVAILABLE I CONTACT TODAY! CANADA WEST COAST American Jawa, Ltd. 18408 Laurel Park Road Drawer 15 Compton, CA 90224 (213) 537-8400 C~ 'EAST COAST & Jawa Motors, Canada Ltd. American Jawa, Ltd. 7600 Trans-Canada Hwy. 185 Express St. Montr~1377, Canada Plainview, L.I., N.V. 11803 (514) 336-3131 (516) 938-3210 HI • PERFORMANCE TUNING *PORTING * *CUSTOM PIPES * * DYN~TUNING * for all makes and models by Gary Shumake See Gary for an llItimate Find it fast in the Cycle News Dealer and Services Directory 8 t Sweet Duck Suzuki Desert and MX Specialists 1010 E. ~i3i~~iinaJ Suzuki Et MaUo Mail Order Specialists. C4. YELLOW OR BLUE NON·SLIP OURY 515 N. VICTORY BLVD. BURBANK. CA (2131849-7295 Mike Patrick's • YAMAHA of CORONA Dealer Inquiries 'nviteO (2131 363-6230 1101 E. 6th St_ - Corona (714) 735-7721 year. This being the third round of the championship and also the decider for that series, Lane's victory becomes somewhat inconsequential as he missed one of the rounds altogether and didn't ride too well in the other but it also was the decider for the PITS Championship and that gives Lane the Northern California Championship to add to his long list of noted accomplishments. Mr. Leavitt's margin of victory was a comfortable nine points as he fmished with a total of ten marks to second place Bernie Schreiber's 19 for the day. This gave Bultaco a 1-2 sweep of the trial and moved Bernie in closer to the State Championship, hot on Marland's tail. - Whaley, however, shook off the Bultaco charge and put in a controlled, well though t-out effort to take third place overall for the day with a total of 21 to easily give him the championship and the most gigantic trophy arouncl The trial itself was not an especially demanding one as the super low loop scores will attest to. The sections were good Expert/Master rides which were set up in terrain that favored no particular riding style more than another. The Loop and sections were apparently put together by Leavitt and, another top NoCal rider, Steve Darrow, and a lot of credit has to go to these two guys for putting together an interesting trial for the spectator as well as the rider. There was none of the great, "Wher'd the loop go" dilemma as last year and most of the sections were easily gotten to by the curious spectators and numerous cow trailers. As I am a native Southern Californian, the yearly trip up to the Hollister area is really a pleasure. It gives me a chance to see just how beautiful this State can be with the rolling green hills, super rich black earth and big oak trees everywhere. The area around Hollister (In particular, Harris Ranch) is so conducive to riding that Martin Belair was prompted to say that he'd like to trade in his Cota for a Rickman/Triumph so he could blast around on those big rolling hills that seem to stretch for miles. Not a bad idea actually. One of the more interesting aspects of the trial was the "Special Test" held at the fmish of the last loop. It consisted of three pairs of stakes set up on a steep hillside where the riders were supposed to roll downhill with a dead engine and come to a stop hetween the last two pairs of stakes so that they would not receive a maximum of five points. If the stop was successfully negotiated then the rider was given no marks and his time elapsed between the first two stakes was recordecl This prompted many riders to exhibit some pretty wild methods of stopping their bikes, with SoCal rider Mike Griffitts getting the crash and burn award for the day. He dumped his bike just before going out of the braking zone, banged his knee, jumped up and promptly tore down a .bumed tree which fell right on Lane Leavitt's unattended Bultaco. Typical Griffitts outrageousness and by far the biggest crowd pleaser of the day. • Results: 1. Lane Leavitt (10); 2. Bernie Schreiber (l9); 3. Marland Whaley (21); 4. RObert Tyson (24); 5. Mark Eggar (25); 6. Steve Darrow (33); 7. George Smith (37); 8. Mike Griffitts (40); 9. Richard Delaney (41); 10. Martin 8elalr (5]).