Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

' ,a'rewe,"I 'to'ur 't:~eJ~~~h~;:c~;~' '" ,': '." F 'NeecUeSs to say. 'the W!ckers'- ------i', ' Kuroyama's Japanese teammate Tomoyuki Ogawa had problems on the second loop - not with his riding, but with his mindeL Ogawa's father, Chiyaki, slipped in a section and landed on his side on a pointed rock, breaking several ribs in the process. Because of the hard~hips, the Japanese suffered their worst scores on lap two, dropping 144 points, The Spaniards, meanwhile, continued to plug away and dropped only 59. Great Britain gave away 92, and Italy momentarily moved back into third with 119. "There is a big separation between us and the other countries," said Colomer, "The time'was not enough, and we were forced to ride faster than we wanted to." Colomer's teammate Bilbao agreed, "Jordi and Marc moved ahead, and I was forced to take several fives, just to stay with them," he said. "There was too many lines, and we could not wait." It was on the second loop that Lampkin collided with Lettenbichler. The two-way traffic may have presented the biggest problems for the British and Japan.ese riders, who are accustomed to driving on the left side of the highway. "Like I said, the trial was shit," said Colley, concerned for his' bruised-up countryman. "Dougie was almost killed on the second loop. It was ridiculous. It was more like the Motocross des Nations out there." For the Americans, the second loop included several tense moments. Kempkes parted company with his Gas Gas twice on lap two, once on the loop, and again in section 12 at the top of a huge 20-foot waiL "I was hauling ass on the loop on a downhill, and I just downshifted to go through a turn," said Kempkes. "I was sliding wide open and I hit a rock. The next thing I knew, my bike was doing a 360, and then I did a somersault and landed on top of it, I burned the crap out of my leg, and a bunch of guys came running up to me to see if I was all right. I got up quick and burned out of there." In the section, Kempkes barely avoided falling to the bottom by grabbing the section checker's shirt, but his bike was not as lucky. "Dude, my bike was wadded," said Kempkes. "The bars were bent and the forks got twisted all up. I had five guys trying to help me straighten it out." The right fork on Kempkes' Gas Gas was obviously bent, and the bottom of the fork cap was cracked below the axle. "I was scared on the loop:' said Kempkes. "I was waiting for the thing to snap and sent me over the bars." Before starting the third Lap, Kempkes switched forks with a Gas Gasmounted American spectator. Spain set their win in concrete with an 87-point final loop, quite a score considering the fact that all four riders were forced to punch fi ves in several sections to remain on time. The Brits were able to match the Spaniards' 87, but it was too little, too late, and the Englishmen would 'return home with their thirdstraight second-place finish, The Japanese riders were also forced to take several voluntary fives, but their 134-point final loop was good enough to overtake the Italians, who had 165. '1 was forced to take fives in four sections because of the time," said ColomeL "For this type of trial, the two-way traffic was very bad. Jf there was more -------Continued on page 29 effort. This yeaz's trip to' .Since th~ incepti~n of the Tri~ de; Nations Austria marked the WiCkers in 1984, two i1arnes have been ",y,nonymous i'ast'year ot'direct invoiveW,ith the Ameri,can T.ctN effort - Marilyn and ' ' ,ment. As Wick put it, "we're . N.E. "Wick" Wicket. Fot the Pilst 12 years, the getting too old for this retired couple from Cookesville, TennesSee, stuff." . . has spent S4ffiffier traveling across' the nation ' '1 wouldn't 'have missed folloWing the AMA/NATC National Cham'a minute of it for the worrd," pionship Series, selling commemorative iteins ' ' .said Marilyn. "All of ~e , in 'Order to raise funds for the American Trial frustrations, all of the times des'Nations effort. ' , when r was screaming and "When it all started out, Marilyn volunswearing, that I.'d ~ome t~red to b.e iJ:l charge of raising funds," said 'home and resign - I must . Wick, a retired airline pilot. "A few of us lWys ' say that I honestly loved said that the whole.program would never fly, 'every minute of it. This was and 't1;l.at'sort of tit a fire under that oL9- gaL an effort that I believed very , Since then she's taken over as Team M~ager, deeply ih. Before the Trial' and I figured that I'd better either join in or ·des,Nations, there wasn't a get thro,wn out. ~ gUess you could.call me'Marilyn's secretary." 'single.ev~t that pulled the,trials,community. into one big.farni" Through the years, the pair have attended at least 95 percent ly, There are a lot of things that we're going ,to miss: .We',ve ,of the. Nationals, .driVing across countryr in their motor home.:' made 'some marvelouslywonderful friends a~oss the counlry Die Amerikaners T_Captain Mike Ko:ater Rider Rayaaoad Peters NRooaa ServIce" Locke. New York 4Zya. M ' ..... NewYork %Ira " e-NP..... RaDked fifth in 1995 AMA/NATC Natioaal Championship Series,. '95 Ute Cup wbler, '9} Hish School Oaampion, four-time Trial des tiOIIs teal n"'"'lber. SpoDIon; TryaIB Shop, Axo, ReDth.l, Mit' Sales, PifeIIi. Spica gIlJfts. "'I thiDk we did all JiIht, pwbabIy betB tI-. we ever haft ill die p8It. 11le event was pIlI!iItJ pwt fm -.1 didn't line czuhes diclluift CIIlle baiIy t8ak Upper on the loop tIIlIt yoa don't want to J-r . . . Tbe two-WllY blIffic: an the loop was a deinile bonus. 'l1Iere _ IOBIe Rice lIeCtiDns today, they __ adua1ly quite ridable. my_.. =r W tiler GeoffAaroa Rider "OilP_" Matt Moore "'Corn Dog" 1lecIcIias. ConDecticut Sapulpa,. Oklahoma 16yrs. Cue. higblights: Ranked seventh in the 1995 AMA / 23)'1& Career highlights: Twotime and defending Nation- al Champion, 17 National wins, five-time Trial des Nations ream member. SPODlOrs: Cosmopolitan Motors, Beta Motor Italy, Elf, Braking, Xtreme, Michelin, Renthal, Tryals Shop, RCS,Gaeme. "I think we worked pretty well as a team. Because of the time factor, we got separated £Or a while, but we ended up starting together and finishing together. The event was tough. but the two-dass format was good for us and it gives us s0mething to shoot for next time. I think the Group B championship is a realistic goal for us. w DMR, Moore's Body Shop, DilJo.T, Mar] Sales. "The sections w~ slick, slicker than an~ we ride at home. I was nervous at the start, but after that it-was okay. I liked the last section the best, big dry rocks with a lot of people watching. The sorry two-way traffic on the loop was blId" and everyone was altting the corners and making it even more dangerous. I think we did pfelty good this year. Rieler J_sKenapkes "Dead Eye" Gary Jackson ~~tstone" highlights: Ranked third in 1995 W Minder LinA:oID,. Nebnska 18yrs. Career NATC National Championship Series, '93 High School ClIampion. two-time Trial des Nations team member. Sponsors: Gas Gas USA, Fox Racing, Sidi, Motomex, RenthaI, Rising Sun Imports, AMAI NATC National Championship Series, San Diego National winner, three-time Trial des Nations ream member. Spouors: Gas Gas USA, Rising Sun Imports, RenthaI, Gaeme, Hebo. *1 thought the trial was rad, it was sweet. The new format is sweet also, it gives us a betlIer chance to do weD. The sections weren't really my style, but I had my sparks of brilliance every now and then. I tried real hard for the team. It was a good time." HoasIon. Texas 4Zps. "When the WICkers asked me to help out as a minder I jumped at the opportunity. The team worked really well together. I was really proud of the guys. The time got really tight because of the tremendous munber of teams who competed this year, and it got pretty hectic at times. Minding for these guys was definitely harder work than any event I've ever ridden myself. ~ up and down the hills all day was tough." ,.... ,.... ... ~ E u o 25

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