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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126541
Teny CunnInghem got the overeII win with • 20 point loa on his 23rd birthdey.
Two poIm. bIIck of Cu,.liItghem end first Open AA rider
ANA National Cbaaapionsbip Enduro
Serles: Bound 9
trails," Cunningham remarked. "In
fact in a few places you had to slow
down and foot pedal your way between
the trees. Vines and underbrush are
still thriving in the late summer heat."
Riders were used to trails that in
previous Black Coal runs had been
partially thinned by early autumn
frosts. Necks, shoulden, elbows, arms
and fingen bore evidence of riders'
efforts to give their machines that little
extra push, knowing that seconds
matter at the Black Coal.
Indiana rider Mike Traylor, riding
on the third row, found himself
impeding the progress of Husky's Mike
Melton, who started ten rows back.
Unfortunately, Traylor could not find
a place to pull over,before Melton was
right on top of him. A true southern
gentleman, Melton did not leave until
he was sure Traylor was all right. After
that, like the Timex that takes a
licking but keeps on ticking, he disentangled his bike and sped off in a
cloud of coal dust.
The weather was extremely dry and
had been for 10 days. This run, as its
name suggests, is set on land that is
part of an extensive surface coal
mining operation in southwestern
Indiana. The soil dries out to a
powder-fine dust that offers little
traction, permeates every pore and
dries your throat until it hurts. The
day's warm temperatures, combined
with the Schuler-special trail package,
gave eve.ry rider a true indication of his
stamina before the 144-mile course
was completed. Cunningham was one
of several who found himself affiicted
with complications of dehydration.
"I stopped sweating about 40 miles
into the run and before it was over, my
body was one big cramped muscle. I
felt like the Tin Woodsman after the
rain and walked like he did.
too." Several less hardy (or less
foolhardy) souls called it quits when
they were ·plagued with similar
cramps.
The Ind-Ill-Ky Motorcycle Club,
which sponsors the event. ga ve the
assembled masses another fine run.
Everything was well marked and trail
crews monitored the riden' progress
all day to make sure that anyone
needing assistance got it as quickly as
possible.
CunninghaDi
celebrates birthday
~th Black Coal ~in
By Brian Palormo
LYNNVILLE, IN, SEPT. 13
The National Championship Enduro scene
shifted to Indiana for the 11 th Annual Black
Coal Enduro. This year's date also happened
to be Husqvarna rider Terry Cunningham's
23rd birthday. Since no one reo
membered to bring a cake or
. d
presents, Terry d eCide to treat
himself to something a little
20
extra special, the 1981 overall win.
Cunningham dropped 20 points.
giving him a two·point edge over
reigning National Champion Richard
Burleson, who coincidentally happens
to be the captain of Team Husqvarna
and Cunningham's boss. two factors
that made the victory just that much
sweeter. This was Terry's third overall
win in as many starts and the third
time he has edged Burleson by two
points. "I guess I'm just practicing all
the things that Dick has taught me."
Terry said. summing up his ride.
KTM's Darryl Kuenzer was third
overall. dropping 23 points while
Husky's Mike Melton carded a 24
point loss for 4th overall and the 250cc
A class win. Rounding out the top ten
were Kawasaki captain Jack Penton,
26; Can·Am·sJohn Martin, 28; KTM's
Rod Bush and Suzuki mounted Drew
Smith 29; Suzuki rider Randy Martin
with 30; and Ron Ribolzi a 32 on his
Kawasaki.
The club limits the run to the first
400 entries, all received well before the
deadline. A high percentage of those
who crossed the starting line hit the
finish Line 144 miles later. With t.he
reset sche.dule and the over~ll quality
of the tra,ls. A and B class riders were
able to stay close to the AA class on the
scoreboard also.
In the A class Larry McVay took top
honors among the 125cc riders,
dropping 57 points, while Ken Brown's
47 point loss was high in the 200cc
class. Melton's 24 in the 250cc class
and Tom Notestone's 40 in the Open
class gave them top honors.
Alex Boze from nearby EvansvrIle
was the best of the B class with a total
point loss of 51 to win the 250cc class.
That was one point better than Justin
Conyers, who won the 175cc B class
with a score of 52. Mark Watson
carded a 66 to win the 125cc class and
Perry Taylor was top man in the Open
class with a 60.
Emmett Cox earned top honors in
the Senior class, losing 53 points on his
KTM, while John Buffaloe proved his
Super Senior talent once again by
beating his closest rival by 30 points
with a total loss of64 points. Suzy Barr
proved convincingly that women
deserve a class at the Black Coal as she
took top honors 10sing'Only 80.
This year's Black Coal was moved
up three weeks to accommodate the
October date for the Six Days. "That
made everything even tighter on the
W8S
Dick Burleson.
Jerry Schuler, chief architect of the run, always works to put on the "perfect enduro." He mentally matches
wits with Burleson as he locates checks
and resets, trying to catch riders off
guard and take points from them. The
normal Black Coal trails alone
guarantee that riders will lose a higher
than average number of points so the
mental duel is a little extra kicker.
This year, the placement of check
five, immediately following a reset and
the gas stop, came under fire and the
easiest solution was to change this to
an observed rather than time check.
Schuler bowed to the majority but
promised, "The old fox will be back
next year and I'll crucify them."
Changing this check benefitted
Burleson's cause since he had burned
it badly, perhaps not entirely because
of its location. The truth was that it
had been a long time since Dick had
taken an overall win and he wanted
this one badly.
Although he still holds a commanding point lead in the 1981 championship contest, second place (which has
been his most consistent spot this
season) can be a little like kissing your
sister_ Still there remain three more
opportunities to re-establish his
dominance of the number one position
and Burleson has certainly never been
one to back off from a challenge.
•
Results
OVERAll: Tony Cunninghllm IHusl20.
M 2lIlIcc:.- _ l ~ 26.
M OPEN: 1. _
8urteMln lHual 22; 2. o-yI
KuonzerlKTMl23.
125cc A: 1. Lony McV." 57; 2. Jim Sranford 58; 3.
Roy Brazier 58; 4. Keilh Addington 69; 5. Jerry S _
74.
200cc A: 1. Ken Brown 47; 2. Chuck Connoo 48; 3.
David Pi""", 48; 4. Jon Schwortz 51; 5. Tony _ I
56.
250cc A: 1. Mike _
24; 2. Bijl Bon-oIh 35; 3.
Ken Smith .Jr. 47; 4. Mike Fr.... 48; 5. David T""""
SO.
OPEN A: ,. Tom
N~one
40; 2. Robert CBpIinger
48; 3. Joe Ho"",",,," 51; 4. A.J. Kru", 55.
125cc B: 1. Mork WlIIIOn 66; 2. Randy Hon"", n; 3.
Bruce Guiliana 79.
200cc B: ,. Juston Conyer_ 52; 2. Rich Olton 61; 3.
Clint Lindberg 63; 4. Roger Man'"" 65; 5. Kent Wine
68.
250cc B: 1. Alex Bozo 51; 2. KllfT'/ C,-"k 54; 3. M",k
Alan Guy 110; 4. TIm _'66; 5. No