Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

ePREVIEW !.Next stop, Czechoslovakia 1991 International Six Day Enduro Unfortunately, most of the riders o n this year's Trophy team will tell you most likely not. No, they're not defeatists, nor do they have negative attitudes, nor do they lack confidence in themselves, instead, they're just being realistic. They know they're going up against th e world's best offroad riders , playing by their (Eu ro pean-en duro) rules and on their home court. A co mbin a ti on that's tough to beat, .. ISDE veteren Drew Smith, however, has a positive outlook. " I think that you can 't count the U.S . team out this year," said Smith. "Lately, the Six Days has been more of a motocross-type event, but I think in Czecho, there's going to be more emphasis on enduro than anything 0") I""""l By Kit Palmer "- 00 CN Ow that the sun has set on the five-round U.S_ ISDE Qualifier Series, a new challenge has arisen for 31 determined competitors. They have proven to themselves and everyone else that they have what it takes to compete in what is considered by many as the toughest a nd most prestigious offroading event in the world - the International Six Days Enduro (ISDE). _ Of the a p p ro xi ma tely 90 riders who set out in hopes of qualifying to represent the U.S . at the ISDE in Czechoslovakia, September 2-9, only 31 would be selected, based so lely (though there are a few exceptions) on their performance throughout the Qualifier Series. Among the 31 riders who made the cut are the 10 who wilL make up the premier six-rider N 1991 ISDE Teams Trophy Randy Hawkins Kelby Pepper Kevin Hines Fred H oess Dave Bertram Drew Smith Team Manager • Matt Cullins (Far left) Thirty-one riders will be wearing the traditional blue and white USA team helmet in Czechoslovakia. Ju n ior Jimmy Lewis Steve Hatch Chris Smith David Rhodes Team Manager • Alan Kandt Club Teams Salt Fork Dirt Ri ders David Bowers Lyle Duronso Gary Doerr T eam Manager Paul Rodd en 16 U.S. Trophy and four-rider Junior World teams. The rest represent the Stars and Stripes on three-rider club teams, but these riders are competing more for personal satisfaction than anything else. It's an honor to ride the Six Days. . This year's U.S. Trophy team will consist of threetime National Enduro Champion Randy Hawkins, .1987 National Enduro Champion Kevin Hines, past ISDE Top Americans Fred Hoess and Dave Bertram, six-time ISDE gold medalist Drew Smith, and gold medalist Kelby Pep per. While most of the riders qualified for the team via th e U .S. IS DE Qualifier Series. Hines and Pepper are the exceptions. Both riders were sidelined with inj uries during the series and cou ld not compete, but based on their past ISDE results and commitment to participate at this year's ISDE, both were chosen for the team by the AMA by way of the inju ry clause. The ISDE (o rigi nal ly International Six Days Trials) is one of the oldest forms of motorcycle competition and is perhaps the most co m plicated scoring event in the world. The first Six Da ys was held in Europe in 1913, but it was n't un til the early '60s when American riders began participating. Those first U.S. riders , however, found it tough to compete against th e more experienced European riders. It wasn't until 1971 when a U.S . team actua ll y tu rned some heads, fin ishing fourth overall. Up until then, no one took the U.S . team seriously. In 1973, when the ISDE .was held in Massachusetts, th e U.S. Silver Vase (now called Junior World for riders 24 years of age and less) team, made up of Malcolm Smith, . Ron Bohn, Ed Schmid t and Dick Burleson, fin ally ga ve Am ericans somethin g to rea lly cheer about when th ey grabbed the number one trophy, albeit in th e " B" division. Certainly, though , the Trophy win was just around the comer, or so it seemed. Well, here it is, about 20 years later , and th e U.S . is still seeking its first Trophy team victo ry. This year, perhaps? Bent Wheel Comp. Ri ders Jeff Fredette Jason Dahners Paul Krause T eam Manager • Bob Krause Merced Dirt Riders Tom Webb Shawn Hybarger Doug Jones Team Man ager J im Lewis Sr. Daytona Dirt Ri ders Bruce Field James Gray Curt Wilcox Team Manager • Alan Drafs Richmond Ra mblers M.e. I Dan Nielson Richard Mathers Jonathan King Team Manager Kathy Bertram King Philips Trail Riders Raymond Davis Peter Ruggiero Ron Lawson Team Manager • Jad Orlinski LoOOs M.e. JeffOdom Blaine Ostafin Rob Riley T eam Manager • Don Rhodes Overall USA Team Manager. Richard Claypoole Team Doctor - Dr. Richard Meyer Jury Rep resen tative - Hugh Fleming T he U.S. has never returned h ome from the Six Days with the number one trophy. Perhaps th is year? The od ds are against it, but as Drew Smith said, " Yo u can't co unt us out." else. If that's th e case th en I think our chances ar e good. " The only rea l disadvantage I think we have is more logistics rather than our r iding ab ilities ," said Smith. " Ma n y of us go over there without our fam il ies and su p port that we usually have wh en we co mpe te at home. That really makes a big differen ce. " Of the six riders who represent the U.S. Trophy team, Hawkins has to be regarded as the team 's ace. The current th ree-t i me Nation al Enduro Champion from South Carolina will pilot a specia lly prepared Suzuki RM in the 125cc class, th e same class in which he so su ccessfully competed in during the Qualifier seri es. Hawkins is perhaps ' th e fastest woods rider in th e coun try and sh o u ld be a real asset to the team. Last year, at th e grue ling Six Day s in Sweden , H awkins su ffered th e wors t Six Days o f h is career. Riding an unfa m iliar Su zu ki DR350 fou r-stroke, his ride ended on day two when th e DR broke, ruining a ny hopes the U.S. Trop hy team had of posti ng a top fin ish .

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