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(Above IeftJ
Mett P,ltdwd turned In the second best score of the day behind Lane Laevltt. (Top right) Derrick Bernard
finished fifth. (Above right) Slogging tl\rough 8 section. (File photos.I
ITAlATAlAOTSCAlAMAlNATC Observed Trials
Leavitt, Pritchard, Cooper top
five-in-one footing festival
len Weed
'.'
By
ORANGE, CA, NOV. 1
Talk about simultaneous organization. This
Saddleback sectionS test sported 19 letters and
five sanctions. One 10-section loop and five different trials. Total alphabetic hecticness. The
countdown: An ITA paints
trial. An ATA points trial. Round
two of the .A MA / NAT U'~'
Western Regional Championship
Series. Round five of the AOTSCA
125cc National Championship Series.
Round five of the AOTSCA 250cc National Championship Series.
The International Trials As5ociation
is Jean Fradette's trials association that
presents events twice monthly at Saddleback Park. A couple of these events
are also designated as ATA points
trials.
All riders tackled 10 sections
selected by former national champion
Lane Leavitt. A mud section and hill·
climb were included. All classes rode
the sections four times. The same entrance and exit gates were used, but
the sections split into A and B lines.
Experts, Amateurs, AOTSCA and
NA,TC riders took the tougiw:r A routes.
A fire Friday night left some black
flags in a couple of the sections. The
weekend's Santa Ana winds also played
havoc with some of the course markings laid .out earlier, but everything
was shaped by starting time.
Tw? dolla~, on to~ o~ the regular
Amencan Tnals Assoclauon entry fee,
was required to ride the AMA/North
American Trials Council Western Regional. An AMA license was required.
Another two bucks, plus an OATSCA
license, let a rider go for their points
too.
The U.S. Western Region champion.
ship series was added to this year's
AMA/NATC calendar to encourage
more regional competition. Three'
events in each of the three national
regions - eastern, central, and western
- were designated as Regional events
for championship class riders.
The first Western regional was held
in Oregon in July. Brad Skreen won
that trials. Saddleback was round two,
with the fmal event scheduled the fo1·
lowing weekend in Phoenix.
AOTSCA stands for American Observed Trials Side Car Association. The
organization was formed by Tennessee
side hack fanatic Chuck West. West
formerly operated the Tryals Shope.
His TMI company now imports Fantic
trials bikes.
This year AOTSCA sanctioned both
a 125cc and a 250cc championship ser·
ies, separate from the AMA/NATC
championship series. Manufacturer contingencies paying $100 for each event
win helped stimulate interest.
AOTSCA scheduled six events for
the 1981 series. The first was held in
Florida during Daytona Speed Week.
The second trial took place in Tennessee in June. A week later the third
round was presented at Watkins Glen,
the day before the FIM world championship round. Tulsa hosted round
four in October.
The AOTSCA 250cc points leader,
Steve McNeal (Fantic), 1980 High
School and Bicycle Trials Champion
in the AMA/NATC series, didn't
make the trip west although he was ex·
pected in Phoenix a week later along
with teammates Jack Stites and Mike
West.
The 125cc points leader, Crash
Cooper (SWM).of Indiana, did make
the trip west. Other visitors included
SWM importer Ron Saum, his wife,
Suzi, and son Andy, along with Joe
Alsworth from Arizona. Northern California riders included Bim Miller (who
topped the ATA Amateurs), Dan Suffin, Dan Dixon, John Husmann and
Kip Webb.
The lure of contingency money in·
fluenced some big guns in So
Cal trials to think small. ATA points
leader Dwaine Walters showed up on a
125 ltaljet. Matt Pritchard, number
two in points, had contemplated fitting a 250 cylinder to his SWM, but
stayed with his 520.
Lane Leavitt topped both the
AOTSCA 250cc and U.S. Regional
trial. He did not enter the ATA event,
so Matt Pritchard, who finished five
marks behind him, picked up that
win. Matt's victory, plus Dwaine
Walters' DNF, tightened the ATA
race considerably. Pritchard, still one
win behind Walters, possibly mlWed
ahead in points.
For Dwaine Walters, the day was
going great until it wasn't. Dwaine, on
a brand new 125 Italjet, tied Leavitt
for the first loop lead with nine. points.
Then he was plagued with carburetor
problems and had to retire. The problem was later traced to an unvented oil
filler ca p install~d for shopping. This
unvemed ·pressure bent one of the
floats. Walters' DNF enabled Crash
Cooper to win the AOTSCA 125cc
class.
The AOTSCA 250cc clash was a
family affair. Stunt woman Debbie
Leavitt, riding her fmt trial since
1979, took second behind husband
Lane.
In the U.S. Regional, Kip Webb
. finished third, 10 points behind
Leavitt and five behind Pritchard.
Then there was a 25 poiot jump to
fourth place finisher Dan Suffin. Derrick Bernard was fifth.
Runner·up in ATA Expert behind
Pritchard was Oli Thordarson. Mike
Lauxen edged Dan Suffin by a single
point for fourth. Derrick Bernard took
fifth.
In the ATA Amateur battle, Bim
Miller of San Luis Obispo won on
cleans, four to one, over Greg Pappazian. Both dropped 116 points riding
the same sections as the Experts. Ted
Feland was two points behind in third.
Senior A action also required countinR cleans to pick a winner. Tom Hasccher edged Art Webster in cleans, 25
to 24. Each dropped just 15 marks in
40 rides.
Duane Stone topped the Senior B's
b.y a four point margin over Dean
Hambrick.
In the Novice contest Bob Watson
was a one point winner over Mike
Philben.
John Robinson had it easier -in the
Beginners, winning by six over Suzi
Saum.
After the trial the riders headed for
a 1000al smorgasbord for the trophy
presentation. The checkers also shared
the spotlight, receiving caps and posters
from Italjet. You could say the all-youcan-eat feed was a perfect capper fo~
the five·way feet·upper day.
•
Results
AMAINATC u.s. REGIONAl: 1. Lane l.alNitt (Bull
25; 2. Mot! Prildwd ISWMI 30; 3. Kip Webb IBuIl 35;
4. Den Sutfin (Man) 80; 5. Dorridt IIemord (Man) 66; 8.
Joe AJoworth (SWM) 87; 7. DINe f'\Ite (SWMI 81; 8.
Den Dixon (Bull 93.50 9. Dobbie lMvitt (Yom) 101; 10.
Ran Seum (SWM) 111; I 1. Bim Miller (Bull 118; 12.
JolIn Huomenn (Monl 125; 13. Cteoh Cooper (SWM)
130.
AOTSCA 125: 1. C,ah Cooper (SWMI 130.
AOTSCA 250: 1. Lane' lMvitt (Bull 25; 2. Debbie
(Y..w 101; 3.11im _
(BuQ 118.
ITA/ATAEXPERT: 1. Mot! PrildwdlSWMl30;2. OIi
'ThortWmn (Man)