Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

The series also drew a couple of new faces from British Columbia, Canada, riding on AMA licenses: Bill Sparks, who won the Western Canadian championship last year, and Kit Williams. Sparks finished third behind Comer and Skreen while Williams was the highest placing Irish-speaking rider. Colorado's 1979 champion, Morgan Kavanaugh, finished fourth. In fifth was Lane Leavitt, the AMA 's first National trials champion. Lane, still as enthusiastic as ever at age 29, was Montesa-mounted. Wife Debbie is giving the series a bye this year to develop a prototype for a second generation of Leavitt trailsters. Giving the series her first shot was Kerrie Brokaw. Her dad, Bill, a former SoCal champion and co founder of the Colroado's Rocky Mountain Trials Association, stayed home to mind his shop in Colorado's Rocky Mountain Trials Association, stayed home to mind his shop in Colorado Springs while Kerrie tackled the Sportsman (Sportsperson?) class. The highest pa1cing easterner was Jack Stites, who bases near his sponsor, the Tryals Shope, in Tennessee. Jack, just 'back from the Scottish Six Days , had to make a quick readjustment to his red and white SWM after having a week 's go on the brand new yellow model overseas. He finished sixth. Eggar, on a Cosmopolitan Motors Montesa, finished seventh, edging Don Sweet . In ninth was the highest placing Sherpa rider, Scott Head on a Bay Area Bultaco. Rounding out the top 10 was Dave Burke of Colorado. One of the major appeals of the support class system used by the AMA/ NATC series .is its encouragement of two-generation participation. For ex ample, Norm Sayler won the Super Senior class while his son Lance took second in the HighSchool class . David Webster topped the Sportsmen while his dad, Art, placed second in the Super Seniors. And the winner of the Senior class. Glen McNeal, saw his son, Steve, top the High School class. Another father/son entry was Bob Micket, senior and junior, in from Connecticut. Bob, Sr. took fifth in the Senior class while Bob, Jr. finished l!lth in the Championship class. And while Curt Comer, Jr. was busy winning the trial, his dad was taking sixth Senior. Glen McNeal's win in the Senior class was a real squeaker, by fourtenths of a point over Gil Smith. Steve McNeal's High School victory was also close, by the margin of eight-tenths of a point. Dave Webster had it easier in the Sportsman class, placing more than II points ahead of Keith Oliver. A couple of Arizona SWM pilots, Babe Sarver and Ron Saum, took third and fourth . The Fall River location drew high ratings for its scenic wanderings. Event organizer Bruce Monaghan of P.I.T.S. reported that the NorCal'ers cu t in a bou t 80 % of the trails for the National. He also mentioned, with ob vious pride, that 'his club was welcomed back after a 1979 Memorial Day local trial while two other land users th at weekend, a jeep club and a ho rseback riders' club, were not. Curt Comer's travels in"recent years have taken him from Alabama to Tennessee to Colorado to England and back to Colorado. And now a trip to California has placed him in the elite winner's circle. He's just the eighth rider to win a National during the past seven seasons. What better way is there to signal the arrival of a real Comer? Results . CHAMPIONSHIP: 1. Curt Comer 170 .4): 2. iliad Skr_ 1116.81 3. IliII !;pa'1Is l88.41; 4. Morgon ; Kav.18ugIl194.61; 5. Lw1e le8vin 1103.2l; 6. JacI< 5 _ (104); 7. Mark Eggorl106.2l: 8. Don _ 1109.81; 9. Scott Heed 1110.4); 10. lltMI Ilurte 1111 .4); 11. Brvon Benjamin 1112.8); 12. MarY HoBlh 1115 ; 13. Bob .41 .61; Midl8l, .If. 016.61; 14. Rich Hilbun 1116 15. Dan SuIfin 1120.21. SPORTSMAN: 1. Dovid Webster 1105 2. Keith .61; OINs 11171; 3. _ Sarver 11 17.61; 4. Aon Seum 1118.81; 5. Denny Wollf n 201 6. Kei1h Mc~ghlin ; 112 1.8); 7. Nils Mon-... 11221; 9. Den Williams 1125.41; 10. John HolIenbecl< 1128 .41. SA: 1. Glen McNeel (110); 2. Gil Smith 1110 3. .41; Chud< 1115 ; 4. 8ud Mylerberg 1121.61; 5. .41 Bob Midl8l, 51. 1128 ; 6. Curt Comer. 51. 11 38.61; 7. .61 John Moore 1139.8); 8. ~ _ e 1152.4); 9. Tom Cut1en 1154 10. len Weed 1156 .4); .6). SUPEASA: 1. Norm Seyler 1126.21; 2. Art Webster 11ll8.8l; 3. Joe Ige 1172.8!. HIGH SCHOOl: 1. Steve McNeel 1120.21; 2. teece Seyler (121); 3. Rod Ashmore 1125 .81; 4. Bim Miller 11671. w_ Skreen tests well in SoCal SAN FRANClSQ.UITO CANYON, CA, MAY 26 How appropriate. Just 40 miles north of Hollywood, the cinema capitol of the world. What better spot for a rags-to-riches Rocky type story to unfold. After taking the runner-up silver on Saturday, Brad Skreen got the "gold" on Monday with a victory in southern California. Skreen's second on Saturday was ridden over terrain similar to that found in his home state of Oregon, but he put it to the locals on their home ground two days later. Three SoCal'ers were nipping at his heels. Brad won with a score of 47 . Marland Whaley and Mark Eggar both recorded 50 while Scott Head had a 51. Another mark behind was the surprising Canadian, Bill Sparks. His third on Saturday and fifth on Monday moved him in the runner-up spot on the championship points table. Next came Rich Hilbun from Montana, where' there's about one trials rider for every 40 million acres of land. Hilburn doesn't get a chance to ride too many trials, but his practice paid off, earning him sixth place points. Jad Stites, Morgan Kavanaugh, Dave Burke and Lane Leavitt rounded out the top 10. The leaders were bunched tighter than the start of the Boston Marathon. Leavitt, in 10th, finished just nine points behind winner Skreen. Don Sweet, in 15th, was just 2!l marks off the leader's pace. , Saturday's WInner, Curt Comer, hit hard times early. As they sat around the locker room, he really got his chime rung, right at the first section. While negotiating a fairly simple ride over a fallen tree, his front wheel slipped on a roller and went full lock , pitching Curt face first into a limb offshoot several feet from his line. Stunned, Curt was down for a few minutes. He regained his feet, wiped the blood off his face and finished 12th, still somewhat dazed from his header. Skreen's victory was the second "first National win" of the weekend. And the third "first" in the last four nationals. Last year, Dave Burke of Colorado won the penultimate round in Oregon before Marland Whaley , closed out the series with a win in northern California. Skreen's story didn't end with the last section. Additional Hollywood type drama was injected after the final foot ings . Eggar, with 50 points, filed a protest on a scorer's ruling that if al lowed would have given him the win . Mark had ridden through the section in question feet -up, but the observer noted that he had run just otuside the boundary ribbon and gave him a five. Eggar claimed that he had run on but . not outside the ribbon and asked for a clean. However, his protest was not allowed. So Brad Sheen had his win. He also had sudsy hair and a foamy jersey. . Seems there's this douse-the-winnerwith-brew tradition among the Pacific Northwest crew . Five cans of beer were dumped on his head in a sneak attack that would have caught even John Belushi with his pants down. Brad, who is president of the Col~ bia Observed Trials Association, one of the member clubs of the PNTA (Pacific Northwest Trials Association), was bewildered a bit, but beaming over his victory. His first and second give him 27 championship points and an II -point lead over Bill Sparks. The 86 starters indicate the positive aspects of dropping the local rider rule . Southern California's last national in 1978 drew just 25 starters. For years, despite producing a majority of the finest riders in the series , the SoCal area has generaIly held the same oddball reputation that the L.A. area in general seems to hold across ( the nation - earthquakes, mudslides, Hollywood weirdos, tap dancing schools for flamingos and religions worshipping patent leather shoes or natural bran. Dry terrain, slippery cambers, tight turns and macho rock leaps and dropoffs have all become a part of a section philosophy developed to test the talents of Schreiber and Whaley in local trials. So the rest of the local experts kept getting better just trying to survive the sections ridden 'by these two SoCal champions. However, the "typical SoCal section',' has, over the years , tended to be a turnoff for the visitors. This SoCal National, organized by Schreiber's club , the Valley Observed Trials Enthusiasts, drew enthusiastic response from most out-of-state, competitors. One National stalwart, . seen gritting his teeth and preparing for die worst before the trial began, was later heard to exclaim: "T his , is a lovely trial, what happened?" Indications are that the NATC would certainly consider a bid by V.O.T.E. to put on ·a future world championship round. .. The trial site, in the Angeles National Forest, east of Magic Mountain and Indian Dunes, was opened up by the club this year. The riders twice tackled an 18-mile loop that included . rocky canyon climbs, ridge running, fifth gear swoops up and down the hillsides ' and rocky streams. Curiously, the majority of the water sections were in an area listed on the topographical map as Dry Canyon. Competition chairman Scott Head and his crew, drawing on their national experience, tried to eliminate some of the SoCal kinks where possible, widening the sections to offer multiple line options favored for national competition. . In Sportsman action, Keith McLaughlin, sponsored by Miller's Motorcycles, was an easy winner, by a l!l point margin, over Nils Montzoros . : Saturday's winner, David Webster, took third . Bud Mylerberg, a prime mover .in Pacific Northwest trials, topped the Senior class with a 12 point advantage over Chuck Withrow of Oregon. The Sayler family dominated two classes. Norm took the Super Senior by five points over John Heminway. Joe 1ge was th ird. Meanwhile, son Lance, runner-up on Saturday, won the High School class by five points over Rod Ashmore. Dave Ige was third . Norm Sayler, proprietor of the Donner T rials School, was the weekend's only dual winner. Over the years Sayler's school has utilized the talents of national stars like Lane Lea vitt, Mark Eggar, Marland Whaley, Debbie Evans and Bernie Schreiber as instructors. World champ Schreiber wiIl teach a school at Donner the week ofJuly 28th. After the trial the NATC launched their inaugural bicycle trial. The honor of first rider in the first section went to Lane Leavitt, Lane, Debbie and Honda's Bob Nickelsen helped organize the pedal plonker trial. An ~ -- .... i ~ E 0 00 0"> Q) s:: ~ -, Marland Whaley scrambled to a second in SoCaI. Eastern regional is planned after the national in Alabama in September. A national championship bicycle trial is slated for Amarillo, Texas in October. The 22 starters tackled 20 sections complete with climbs, cambers and a few rockpiles, Michael Lauxen, a 14-year-old SoCal Amateur, won the trial, followed by Clive Belvoir, Ronnie Simpson and KeithMcLaughiin. After the trial V.O .T.E. prez Howard Phelps reported that the club had received a certificate of recognition from state Assemb1yman Robert Hayes, acknowleging their efforts in putting on the national trial. And a few unofficial certificates of recognition are in order for the firms and individuals who pitched in at the last minute to salvage the rider bibs program. : The sponsor list includes Bay Area Bultaco, Cosmopolitan Motors, .Du ralu be, Knobby Shop International, Larry Head, Joe 1ge, Gil Smith, Art Webster and Leonard Davis. The National series now takes a three month summer break. Contestants will gather in Ohio on August 30 and in Alabama on September 1st. The central series, scheduled for October 4th and 5th in Colorado and Texas, will wind it up. So Brad Skreen now has three months to map out a route for going east while contemplating the possibility of the first privateer title in series history, Satchel Paige probably pegged it when he said: "Don' t look back, something might be gaining on you ." Regardless of how it winds up in October, it can certainly be said that the AMA /NATC points leader came to Hollywood and passed, with flying colors, the biggest Skreen test of his career. • Results CHAMPIONSHIP: 1. Brad Skreen 1471; 2. Merlend Whaley ISOI; 3. Mark Egger ISO); 4. Scott Heed 151); 5. Bill Spa-ks 152); 6. Aich Hilbun 152.21; 7. Jock Stiles IS3.B} 8. Morgan KlIVlInaugh 155 9. OlIVO Burke ; .2); 155.B}; 10. LBne Leevitt 1561. SPORTSMAN: 1. Keith McLBughlin 152); 2. Nils' Montzoros 165); 3. Devid Webster 1661; 4. Mersholl Jones (69) : 5. Dennv Wolff (70) ; 6. Babe Server (74); 7. John Hollenbeck (76); 8. Berry Lowery (791; 9. Ron Seum ISS); 10. Den William. 1901. SA: 1. Bud MyIerbergISO}; 2. Chuck Withrow I62l; 3. Edwin Heecox 1661; 4. Joen Fredette (71) ; 5. Curt Comer. Sr. 175 ; 6. Bob Mickel, Sr. 176); 7. Gil Smith .81 (791; 8. Bill Thompoon 1871; 9. Tom Cullen 1971; 10. len Weed 11011. SUPEASA: 1. Norm Seyler 1881; 2. John Heminway 1931; 3. Joe !g. 1981; 4. Jrsy Kevenaugh 1123.210 6. Art Webster 11291. HIGH SCHOOl.: 1. LBnce Seyler 1701: 2. Rod Ashmore (75); 3. Devid 19o (761; 4. Mark Bernbeum 189.6); 5. Bim Miller 1961. AMAINATC NATIONAL OBSEAVED TRIALS CHAM · PlONSHIP SEAlES POINT STANDINGS: 1. iliad SIueer> 127); 2. Bill Spa-lis 1161; 3. Curt Comer 115.8); 4. M...k Eggor (14); 5. Marlend WheIev 1121; 6. Mot-gen Kevanaugh 1111; 7. SCott tMd (10); 9. lene le8vin m; 10. Rich Hilburn15.6). C)C) ~

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