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.... Final rounds : ·O SE V DTRIALS·· B RE AMA National C hampionship Observed T rials.series . Aaron's the ,ham p By Kent Taylor NEHAWKA, NE, AUG. 6-7 hen 1995 rolls in, Ryan Young, th e NATe's winningest rider of all-time , w ill no longer do wha t he has done every year since 1989: carry the North American Trials Championship number-o ne pla te. The new champion, Geoff Aa ron, sou nd ly d efeated Young at the se ries fi nal rou n d in . Nehawka, Nebraska, thus ending Young's re ign at a reco rd six-consecu ti v e NATC / AMA National Championships. It is a story that closely resembles the AMA Grand National wars b etween Chris Carr and Scott Parker - jus t as Parker had kept Carr in the bridesmaid role, Aa ron had finished in the runner-up slot behind Young for three years straight. Carr finally wrested the dirt track crown from Parker in '92 and now, one week shy of his 22nd birthday, it is Beta-mounted Geoff Aaron who sits atop the Ame rican trials scene. An abandoned Eastern Nebraska rock quarry presen ted ride rs with 35 challenging sections which they would tackle over the course of tw o days of competition, with each day being scored separately. As could be expected, rocks, slabs, and loose p ieces of limestone comprised a course that Young called one of the most difficult they have faced all year. Rain showers early Saturday morning left many sections extremely slick; section n umber tw o, a rocky, wheel-catchin g, uphill ride was too greasy for even the championship-class rid ers. Ma ximum scores of five for all, including Young and Aaron. At th e en d o f th e fir st loop, it was Young who was leading the way wi th a re spectable sc ore of 26. Aaron could m uster no better than a 40, but carne back strong wi th a 23 and an impressive 14 on the second and third loops . Young netted scores of 30 and 21, leaving the two riders tied with 71 poin ts. The win was decided when Aaron was as ses sed one penalty point for failing to complete the three loops in the allotted time. Local favorite Jess Kempkes, who recently competed in a World Championship round in Spain, overcame a poor performance in the first loop to finish Saturday in a distant third place. With Saturday'S victory, Young kept his Championship hopes alive, as each rider now had four victories on the year . With a rider's best five finishes counting for the title, Sunday was looming very large indeed. But the drama would subside quickly, as Aaron scored an impressive 13 on loop number on e. Defending champ Young, who finished eac h loop in shorter time periods, was well off the pace with a score of 30, and the six-time champ knew that his stranglehold on the title had now been loosened. "The sections were pretty hairy, very physical," Young said. "I really couldn't get myself to hit all the sections at 100%. He's in better physical shape . . . I haven't worked at it as much this year as I have in the past. After six years, I've definitely started to slack off:' For Aaron, the Championship chase ended as he had believed it someday would. "I've been coming of age," he said. "I've gotten a lot better at dealing with the pressure. Even after losin g on Saturday, when I cou ld ' v e wrapped up the titl e, I still slept ok ay. This track was more suited to my style, very technical, and I felt pretty confident:' "The switch from Aprilia to Beta this W year really made a d ifference," added Aaron. "The help I've received from my m echanic Mike Komer, Dale Davis a t Xtrem e, Gae rne b oot s, Cosm op oli ta n Motors and Rising Sun Impo rts has been great. Along with them, I'd also like to thank my parents and m y good friend, Jesse Ho ffman . They really helped make this Championship poss ible." Behind Aaron, Young's Gas Gas team mate Kempkes finished an impressive second, while Raymond Peters put his Scorpa in third , two points better than Young. Despite the poor performance, Young said afterward that he is already looking ahead to 1995, when he hopes to add to h is record number of 45 NATC victories. But for righ t now, his thoughts were focused on his arch-rival: "He (Aaron) is a great competitor, the best in America. I would like to see him go to Eur ope . .. not just to get him away from us, but because I really believe he can score World Championship points. That's something that I wasn't able to do. I would lik e to see him ma ke it there." D National Trials Nehawka, Nebraska Results : August 6-7 s.turd.ly C'SHIP: I. Rya n YounS ~ (;.G) 77.0; 2. Geoff Aaron (Bet) 78.0; 3. Je>S Kem pkes (GoG) 113.5; 4. Raymond Peters (Ap r) 1395 ; S. Lonny Hallsled (Man)1405; 6. Ron Commo Jr. (Bet) 1525; 7. Matt Moore « (;.G) 1625; 8. Andy Saum «(;.G) 1695 ; 9. John Oark (Man) 1785. EX; 1. Ron Schme lzle (Bet); 2. Steve Oark (5<0 ); 3. Chris Bard ell (G-G ); 4. Da v id Rohrschneider (G-G); S. Kirek Martimon (G-G). SPTSMN; I. Jason Carpenter (G-G); 2. Ca ry Nason (Bet); 3. Kevin Swindel (G-G ); 4. Brian Arrowood (Yam) ; S. GaryIvy (Ap r). SR30: 1. RobertSchwenke (Fan); 2. Scott Wdliams (GG) ; 3. Jim Westcott (G-G); 4. Ken Fa rle r (Bet); S. Rod Chappell (Bet). SK3S; 1. JUll Altemus (Bet); 2. jim Snell (G-G); 3. run Wild er (G-G ); 4. Jeff Mezosi (G-G ); S. Th omas Kemper (Apr). SR40: 1. Keith Adams (Apr); 2. Mid Hu tcheso n (Ap r); 3. Dave Waldo (G-G); 4. Robert Brown (G-G); 5. To m Bohannon «(;.G). SR~ I. Michael Buchholz (Man) ; 2. james Fox (Apr ); 3. Jim Watso n (Bet); 4. Stephen Kirschn er (Fan); 5. Tim Detwiler (G-G) . SRSO: 1. Dale Ma lasek (G-G) ; 2. Stan Hensley (G-G); 3. Dave WalSOn (Bet ); 4. J.D. Shults (Bet ); S. Bill Thompson «(;.G). SR5S: 1. Bill Thompson (G-G) ; 2. Michale (Fan). SR6Q; I. Hawley Slayton (G-G) . Suncby C' SIllP: I. Geoff Aaron (Bet) 47; 2. Jese Kemp kes (GG) 71; 3. Raymond Pe ters (Ap r) 96; 4. Ryan Young (G-G) (Top) Geoff Aaro n put an end to Ryan Young' s si xstra igh t Champ ionship run ; Aaron won Sunday's event, wrapping up his first title. (Above) Defending champ Ryan Young won Saturday's ro und but co uld only muster a fourt h on Sunday. (Right) Jes s Kempkes f inished third on Saturday and was the run ner-up on Sunday. 98; S. Lonny Halls ted (Hon ) 110; 6. Brian Nagengast (Bet) 145; 7. John Oark (Moo) 157; 8. Matt Moore (G-G) 179; 9. Andy Saum (G-G) 193; 10. Ron Commo Jr. (Bet) 217. EX; I. Ron Schmelz le (Bel); 2. Stev e Clark (5<0 ); 3. Jaso n Carpenter (G-G ); 4. Chris Bardell (G-G); 5. David Roluschneider (G-G) . . SP: 1. John Francisco (G-G); 2. j im Campbell (Bet); 3. Brian Arrowood (Yam) ; 4. Cary Na son (Bet); 5. Kevin SwindeJ (G-G). HS; I. Travis Fox (G-G); 2. Mitch Reichardt (Apr) ; 3. Jonah leon (Yam); 4. Bria n Martinson (Fan) . SR30: I. RobertSchwenke(Fan); 2. Scott Williams (GG); 3. Ken Farler (Bet); 4. run Zigan (Man); s . Jim Westcott (G-G) . SR30: I. RobertSchwenke (Fan); 2. Scott Willi.lms (G- G); 3. Ken Farler (Bet); 4. Iim Zigan (Mon ); 5. jim Westcott «(;.G). SK3S; I. jim Altemus (Bet); 2. Iim Snell (G-G); 3. run Wilder (G-G) ; 4. Jim Wilder (G-G) ; S. Th o mas Kemper (Ap r). SR40: 1. Keith Ada ms (Apr); 2. Mick Hutcheson (Apr); 3. Dave Waldo (G-G) ; 4. Robert Bro wn (G-G ); S. Tom Bohannon(G-G) . S R45: 1. Michael Buchholz (Moo); 2. Tun Detwiler(GG); 3. James Fox (Ap r); 4. Larry Lurd (G-G); 5. Lawrence Schmelzle(Bet). SRSO: I. Dale MaIasek (G-G); 2. Stan Hensley (G-G) ; 3. Dave Watson (Bet). sass, I. Bill Thompson (G-G). SR6Q; I. Hawley Slayton (G-G).