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/126331
tis Comer. acting as assistant clerk of
course (a rider must work one round of
the series in his horne territory) . cou ld
only watch his Tryals Shope teammate
Jack Stites stan loop three in a three
way battle for third . In thi s case. a
third place finish by Stit es wou ld drop
Comer to fifth in th e championship
rankings . There was a sigh of re lief by
- Comer when th e event standings were
post ed - Stites had finish ed fourth .
"I blew it in th e final loop ," said
Stites. "I got tired and picked up three
fives. It was a long day ."
Eighteen sections on a 14.5 mile
loop t hat would be ridden th ree times
in a six hour plus one hour grace
period greeted the 56 riders in th e
Championship. Sportsman and Senior '
classes . By Alabama standards. the
weather was beautiful - ho t. but not
muggy . Still . the heat was strength
sapping in the final loop as many
sought to make up for lost time on the
first two loops .
"This event is the cu lmination of
almost two years of work ." said clerk of
course . Glen McN eal. "We wanted to
show everyone that we could put on a
championship event and I believe we
did. "
More than one rider was heard to
call the Dixie National the best event
of the season . "There were sections of
the World Championship cal iber."
said Schreiber.
One hour into th e event it ' was
learned that Schreib er had his ignition
quit (A sim ilar problem p lagued him
in Texas) and he was pushing his way
back to th e staging area . a d istan ce of
some six m iles. " He's lost any ch a nce
of th e championship ," said one spectator.
It was later learned that Wha ley was
having a bad day and had taken a pa ir
of q uick fives. Leavitt . too , was ap- '
parently in tro ub le with his tranny
jumping out of gear in some sections.
Luck . it appeared . would playa vita l
role in just who would win .
Schreiber lost almost an hou r getting the ignition replaced . O nce b ack
in action . Bernie displayed the type of
coo l d eterm ination that brought him
fou r World Championsh ip wins this
year. He calm ly and methodically rode
to a 13-point loss on the first loop . one
mark behind Leavitt. and fou r up on
Wha ley. . Then Schreiber put the
pressure on .
His masterful ride on loop two left
th e spect ators chee ring . A dab her e . a
dab th er e . and two more dabs - four
marks lost. The fina l loop prod uced
nin e . Bernie said he was a little tired .
Leavitt and Wha ley tr ad ed sco res in
the fina l rounds tallying loops of 1
4
an d 16 and leavingW h alev. with the
poorest first loop score . to finish third.
It was a very good weekend for
Sportsman class rider Jeff Carrens and
Senior class rider Wiltz Wagner. The
Bu ltaco-m oun ted du o doubled t heir
fun as each added Dixie Nat ional wins
to honors in th e eighth ro u nd on ly two
da ys befor e in Texas:
•
Results
Championship: 1. Bernie Schreiber (Bull 28.6; 2.
Lane Leavitt (8 ull 42;' 3. Marland Wha ley (M on) 47; 4.
Jack Stites IMonl 61.4; 5. Terry Cheney (Mon) 61 .6; 6.
David Burke ISun 62.9; 7. Bob Hopkin s IBull 71; 8.
M org an Kavanaugh (Mon) 75; 9. ~ v n e Galvin (Bull
76; 10. Dan Sutfin (Bull 97.
.
. Sport sman; 1. J. Carrens (8 ul) 31; 2. Kevin Cullen
(Bull 71; 3. Mike Corlett (Bull 74; 4. James Schaidle
(M onI75; 5. Rand y Herndon (Bull 95.
Senior: 1. W iltz Wagner (Bull 79; 2. Curt is Comer
(M anl l l O.S; 3. T'Om Cullen (Bull 122; 4. Gene Tuck
IBu1l 126.
'
TEXAS ROUND. SEPT. 2
CHAMPIONSHIP: 1. Bernie Schreiber IBull 22.8: 2.
Lane Leavitt IBul) 27: 3. Marlend Whaley IMon) 36; 4. ,
Bill Burgener IM an) 36.1;' 5. Jack Stites IMa n) 41; 6. -
Bob Hopkins IBuli 41.4; 7. Curt Comer IMonl44.1; B.
David Burke IBuli 47.9; 9. Morgan Kavanaugh IMon)
52; 10. Keith Ada ms IBuli55.
SENIOR: 1. Wiltz Wagner (Bull 65; 2. Tom Cullen
IBull73: 3. Gena Tuck IBull80.
SPORTSMAN: 1. ' Jerry Carreno IBul) 27; 2.
Michael Corlett IBuli 29; 3. Kevin Cullen (Bull 37; 4.
James Schaidla IMonl 45; 5. C. Mallow .
Eighth overall at the Dixie National went to Morgan Kavanaugh.
THE ·HOTSEJ.UP
E.I. COMPLETE CARBURETOR KITS FOR YOU
The performance and fuel economy you want and expect from EJ. Is available with Ihete kits.
Everything you need for a complete Installati on Is provided. Complete Illustrated Instructio ns and luning guide Included.
YAMAHA
eU,/X.T.500
HARLEY-DAVIDSON e SPORTSTER
epANHEADS eSHOVELHEADS
"
I
'- -
• 38MM CAR8URETOR
• K8