Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/127813
TEARDOWN ByPaul·~ "Sc 0 t t Parker! What's he done?" In an effort to save the reputation of the person who made that idiotic statement, he'll remain nameless. But that was the response I received after telling the mystery man that Scott Parker had been named as our Cycle NI!WS Rider of the Year. And Parker was actually a shoo-in. Or as close to a shoo-in as we've had around here of late. "What's he done?" Well, what Parker did in 1996 was typical Parker. He quietly went about his business of winning a seventh AMA Grand National Championship. Although he won only six times in '96 (that's about two victories under the customary Parker limit for a season), he did exactly what he needed to do to retain his championship. He beat Kevin Atherton when he needed to - in the dutch. If Grand National Dirt Track racing is set to be broken down in the history books into two distinct parts - B.P and AP, or Before Parker and After Parker then round 19 of the 1996 Grand National Championship was sure to mark the beginning of a new era. Atherton was on fire when the Rolling Thunder Show headed to the Knoxville Half Mile. Surely, he would take over the championship points lead in Iowa, a lead he would most assuredly hold to the end of the season, a points tally that would give him his first Grand ational Championship - a title that would certainly end Parker's run. But something funny happened along the way - Parker got wind of all of this and didn't take too kindly to it. He became... well, the whole thing sorta Rissed him off. The half mile oval in Knoxville was constructed of day. It was rough. It was fast. It was the sort of rough and tumble half-mile that separates the men from the boys. Unfortunately for Atherton, and anyone else who has aspirations of ever taking Parker's title, there is no bigger man in motorcycle racing than Scott Parker. And he proved it that day in I' LOOKlNG BACK... Knoxville. He destroyed them all, including Atherton, winning by a large by dirt track racing standards - margin to take his fifth win of the season. But the win was significant not only because it marked the 75th such victory of his career... no, it was momentous because it was the straw that broke the camel's back, or more aptly Atherton's prospects of winning a Grand National Championship. Parker won again in 1996 and so did Atherton, but it was the race in Iowa that ultimately led to Parker's seventh Grand National Championship. right. Put it this way, as long as dirt tracks are still held on dirt, turns one and three still go left, shoes are still made of steel, and Harley continues to . put a big V-twin between his legs, Parker will be the man. Now that's not to say that Atherton doesn't have a Grand National Championship in his future because he most certainly does. And perhaps it will come to him as quickly as the 1997 season. But even if Parker never wins another championship, he will continue to be the man. No one will ever come dose to matching th.e records It wasn't supposed to be like this in 1996. Being a family man was supposed to slow Parker down. Married with a daughter and with another child on the way, Parker wasn't supposed to be able to hang it out on the craggy half miles of the Midwest, and he was much too old and too comfortable to mix it up with desperate young men on daunting mile ovals &om California to Indiana... Yeal1, he's amassed along the way - even if the unthinkable happened and he stopped winning entirely right now. "So what's he done?" Well, he's done it all... As always, strong cases can be made for others with admirable 1996 performances. Last year's Rider of the Year Jeremy McGrath is always at the top of the list, and this year was no different. McGra won 13 straight AMA Supercross fin in '96, the motorcycling equivalent Joe DiMaggio's 56-game hitting stre in 1941, and he also spearheaded Am ca's victory in the Motocross d ations. But McGrath has become good that you almost have to look what he didn't accomplish when you down and vote for Rider of the Year. 1996, McGrath committed the heino sin of not winning the AMA 250c National Motocross Championship, title that was won by Jeff Emig - anoth who was considered for Rider of th Year. It's pretty bad when you win 1 straight races, win another supercro title and another Motocross des Natio championship - and you're penalize for not being perfect. But that's th problem with being Jeremy McGrat people expect too much - and we' obviously no exception. Then tl1ere's the sad case of Micha Doohan. Who knows what this guy h to do to earn Cycle News Rider of t Year honors. Win a. fourth 500cc WorL Championship, perhaps? Doohan w his brilliant self in '96, winning eig more Grands Prix in earning the tit! for a third time in succession. But was voted down, again. This is a m who should have won the award b now but, like McGrath, he may have be perfect to do so. "Hey, that Spanis guy Criville beat him a bunrn of tim didn't he?" Last year McGrath barely beat 0 Miguel DuHamel and it would ha been difficult to vote DuHamel do again if he'd come away with anoth AMA Superbike title in 1996. But didn't. That instead went to Dou Chandler, who found himself back top after a six-year hiatus from w' ning championships. Believe it or n neither DuHamel or Chandler receiv much consideration this time around. In the end it was simple. Just like day in Iowa, Scott Parker rose to t occasion. For that he is our Rider of Year. -1 Champion Mark Barnett, who won an gloves ($6), mest protector ($13), elbow impressive 14 out of 16 nationals...CN 'I~~;;;;;;::-===---~ pads ($10), shoulder pads also conducted interviews with eight($14), helmet ($50) and goggles N ran a helmet time National Enduro Champion Dick ($5)...The Sanblasters N:C held evaluation and Burleson, 500cc ational and Transa District 37 hare explained what scrambles in Red ~nii~i=;:;::;~U~S;AChampion Broc Glover all of those little Mountain, Califori and 250cc National stickers like DOT nia, and J.N. Motocross Champion mean ... Gene Roberts took the Kent Howerton. CN Romero talked ta lked with the top win on his. 400 about life and national motocross Husky. Rich Thordeath ... It was waldson and Mike mechanics like Greg called the "Cycle Patrick finished secArnette, Chris Haines, Circus," and it feaond and third, Charlie Benson, Selvaraj tured jumpers arayana, Keith McCarty, respectively. Super Joe EinJon RosensteiI, Bevo Forte, horn, Bob Gill Dave Osterman, Pat and Dave • • ";'~ 15 YEARS AGO... Alexander, Jon Slenzak and Aldana.' Aldana? JANUARY 13, 1982 Jeff Clark... He was subbing for o u r cover was a injured jumper Steve Droste. Aldana f 0 u r - color 5YEARS AGO". jumped seven cars with·out a landing reproduction ramp and on his second jump, everyof David B. MattingJANUARY 8, 1992 thing was fine until the gas tank split ly's poster entitled "FlyN devoted a cover and a and the bike burst into flames. Aldana ing High." The 1981 Cycle News/West feature story on the jumped off and was uninjured...CN ran Rider of the Year was Louis McKey, the development of the an article on the cost of racing. Among Phantom Duck of the Desert for his world's most expensive streetbike, the the things listed were a motorcycle efforts to keep public riding areas Honda NR750...We ran· interviews with ($550), leathers ($60), boots ($40), shin open... CN ran an interview with U.S. U5cc MX ational Champion Mike 'gUards ($16), silencer ($10), AMA card Road Racing Champion Dale Singleton Kiedrowski, AMA Superbike National ($7), district card ($3), entry fee ($3), and 1981 125cc National Motocross Champion Thomas Stevens, National 25 YEARS AGO... JANUARY 12, 19n e IIii e Trials Champion Ryan Young and di tracker Ricky Graham...James Hart . ished first at the Bologna Motor Sho Exhibition Short Track in Italy. Mi Hale finished second and Ronnie Jon took third place... Danny Ham wrapped up the Best in the Dese Grand Slam Championship title with win at the Laughlin Hare Scrambl Teammate Jimmy Lewis finished se ond and Kawasaki's Scott Morris to third place...The Cycle News 19 Buyer's Guide featured over 140 bik &om over 15 manufacturers.