Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

AMA National Championship Enduro Series: ~inal round o CXl (j') IAbove) The thr_loop course crossed Itself at various polnts.IBelow) Dust made It difficult for riders and film make,.. who were filming Dick Burleson. Cunningham rolls at R. W. Wheeler By Don Rosene Photos by Michelle Lewtellier MOUNDS, OK, NOV, 9 An unseasonably hot Oklahoma day, deeppowder dust, and an infinite number 'of rocks (big rocks) .were the obstaCles Terry Cunningham and hIS 420 Husqvarna Automatic had to overcome to win his first-ever AMA National' EndJro. Terry felt good check and a run well laid out evened up the bad con- IAbove) Trails running alongside fencing. or put v.-Ious atrueturealbelow) were signa of Sblglng a 15ml" enduro on a 12,000 acre ranch. 8 ditions to make a challenging enduro. Both Terry and Rod Bush smashed Tulsa Enduro Riders Association's trailmaster Earl Schnell's prediction of 15 points would be the absolute best score. Cunningham's winning tally was 10. Bush.. riding a 125cc KTM dropped 14 points enroute to second overall and his second A class win in as many events. The consistent riding of Bush has now posted six class wins in the last seven National outings. This last event on the 1980 National Enduro calendar saw some 436 riders leave the starting line at the R. W Wheeler Ranch. The entire 125-mile J:ourse was run within the confines of this 12,000 plus acres of rugged terrain belonging to R. W. Wheeler, an avid motorcycle enthusiast. There were three sometimes overlapping loops all extending out from the start/finish area which also served as the gas stop area. A and B class riders rode all three loops while ~ '200 more fortunate C and women's classes rode the two· loop still-fun-riding course. The third loop was to be the true test for the trophy contenders. The few riders who started this loop with a still perfect score were lose that status soon. Ted Worrell and john Martin, both with unblemished sCores, had unfortunate encounters with some Wheeler rocks and broke a shift lever and a front axle. Rod Bush who had only dropped one point through the first two loops said, "1 pushed it past the danger point on the final section. It was long and 1 was lucky. Cunningham just outrode me." . Dick Burleson, who was being chased around &y a movie-shooting helicopter, ran out of gas on both the second and third loop and popped a rear tire as well. Said Dick, "You should have seen the chopper cleaning the leav~ off the ground and churriing up the dust. I've never seen anything like it." Burleson, in spite of his difficulties. still finished on top of the AA class and sixth overall. Rusty Reynaud had another of his high quality rides to win the 250cc A class and place third overall. This Springfield, Missouri Husky rider is getting closer to that National enduro win every time he rides. joe Dixon brought his 250cc KTM from Abilene, Texas to place second in the 250cc A class and fifth overall. Dixon who has been runner-up in the Texas Enduro Series for the last three years had to say it was a real neat run. J"he 200cc A class and fourth overall , went to jm Penton and his Kawasaki KDX 175. jack felt the dust was his only problem. . Clar Bonifacious emerged as the 125cc A class winner on his Husky. Wayne Beindorf squeaked by Kevin Davis for the Open A class win. Wayne was also Husky-mounted. Larry Bennett on a Can·Am will now see the competition get a lot tougher, because his High Point B award advanced him to the· A class for all future AMA endur05. The Tulsa Enduro Riders Association and R. W. Wheeler once again have to be commended for putting together one great weekend. This reporter would have to say the organization 'of the event was typical of the Tulsa asea: excellent. Good news for all the riders who thought the last section was too long - Earl Schnell said next year he'll shorten the rough part. 1 hope y'all will be bad. 1 will. • Results OVERALl: Terry Cunningham (HU.l10. HI-POINT A: Rod Bush (KTM) 14. HI-POINT B: t..ry IIenneIt lC·Al37. AA CLASS: 1. R. Burleson (Hual 77; 2. J. HlrO IVam) 30; 3. J. Marlin IC-Al40. A·125: 1. C.. Bonitocious lHusl 54: 2. Jim Moon IVam167. A-2OO: 1. ~ Pemon IKBwI 17; 2. C~ ~ lKBwI33: 3. Mike Rollo lSuzl 34. A-25O: 1. RUSlY Reynoud (Husl 16; 2. Joe Dixon (KTMI20: 3. Mike S","lieId lHusl 32. A-()PEN: 1. W"'f'WJ Ileindo

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