Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

I ~ E 0 00 0') ~ ~ 0') e- • ~ ::l las c::= ~ -, • By Len Weed .32 I Bob Hannah and Mike Bast have seven; Dick Burleson has six National ChampionshIps. And Marland Whaley has four - four of the last five American observed trials titles. Whaley saw 1979 as a year of reckoning after a sub-par '78 season. That off-year began with the termination of his II-event victory skein in National competition. Another termination followed a few months later. This one was voluntarily initiated by Whaley. He switched to the two-stroke Montesa after three and one halfyears aboard the Honda four-stroke. As expected, it took time to readjust. Perhaps more time than Whaley had expected. He finished third in the National standings in 1978, behind Bernie Schreiber and Lane Leavitt. And then the scnpt wn'ters for the Edge of Darkness got busy again. A couple of months after the National series concluded, a powersawaccident came close to terminating his n'ding career. But 1979 marked a return to form for the 21-year-old resident of Santee, CA, a suburb of San Diego. Marland bounced back to beat Schreiber in four ofsix National confrontations. He finished with six wins in eight starts and his fourth A men'can Championship. A life on wheels began for Marland Whaley on a Christmas morning 11 years ago when the 10-year-old towhead found a Suzuki 80 under the tree. A year later, he was on a Montesa Cota. Another two years found him a Montesa contract rider at age 13! In December of 1972, at age 14, he recovered from a poor morning showing at El Trial de Espana and underscored all n'ders, including winner Sammy Miller, in the afternoon exhibition sections. A few months later, fudging his age for an FIM license, he rode the Spanish world trials round. Later in the year he won the first of his four SoCal championshIps. Whaley wasjust 16 when he placed second in the first AMAINATC National Series in 1974. He joined Honda's plunge into trials competition in 1975 and dethroned Lane Leavitt. Thatfirst National title required some theatn'cs as Marland won two of the last three events to scoot by Don Sweet. The year 1976 required another cavalry-to-the-rescue charge. Whaley moved from third place to first by winning the last three Nationals. Dun'ng the year he also made a dazzling debut in world trioJs lJ_y- P14cing. secQ7Jd.q,UIJf. J,l.$..• IQ~M at GoJd 1:}~r~__WfZ}!zl7Jg!C!n. In 1977, Whaley scored another second in the U.S. world round held in Michigan, and then added a fourth overseas to finish 10th in the world. However, it was on the homefront that he really overwhelmed all comers. Marland won all eight Nationals he rode to notch his third straight U. S. title. Tackling the Scottish Six Days he finished 13th, earning the second best newcomer award. And on two of the days he posted low score. Lane Leavitt ended Marland's National victory string at the National Series opener in Apn'l of 1978. A month later in Scotland, intermittment bike problems forced Marland to retire. Instead of returning home, he flew to Spain to meet with Montesa officials. He resigned from Honda as soon as he got home. Whaley finished the year with just two National victon'es and spotty results in the world rounds he rode. Then in October, his powersaw hit a knot in some lumber, jumpd out of his hands and sliced into his knee cap. The sew-up required 250 stitches. World competition in 1979 started dismally for Whaley with machine problems. His best placing in six n'des was a third in Spain. Action in the states, however, went differently. Marland won two of the three rounds back east in May, losing the third on time penalty points. He rebounded from a disappointing showing in the World I National round in Colorado to win a pair ofNationals in Texas. Two months later a win in Arizona clinched the title. He added another win at the finale at Donner Ski Ranch to top off the year - and possibly his National career. That six year National career, if it has indeed ended, shows a record of 25 wins in 48 starts, including a string of 19 wins in the last 27 tnals. As 1980 approaches, Marland Whaley is at a pivotal point of his career. He finds little-left to conquer in his homeland. The world arena beckons. No doubt the lure of the continent is in part fueled by the on-going 10 year n'valry with the rider, six months his junior, who now sits atop the world trials pile. Whaley and Schreiber have been going at each other since they were ll-years-old. Marland was the first to win the SoCal Championship and the first to win the A merican ChampionshIp. But Bernie was the first to win the biggest pnze of all. No doubt his rival's recent successes supply some motivation for Marland's future plans. That was one of the topics covered after the V. O. T.E. Tri<;k or Treat T'14{ l~¥.P$~ qf~o,~er.

• Cover