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point, finishing with a 35-point total, compared to Crosset's 34. Shercomounted Ray Peters finished fourth with 38, while ERE's Wilson Craig rounded out the top five with 57. DAVTWD Clouds rolled in late Saturday evening and it looked a.s though the rain would finally move in as the organizers had expected, but Sunday arrived without a drop of precipitation, leaving round eight again on the easy side. Typically, none of the top riders like easy sections, but Aaron found a way to turn this into a positive. "I knew today's event would be on the easy side and that would be to my advantage, because when the sections are hard, that's when Freddie [Crossett] shines," Aaron said. Aaron finished Sunday's initial loop with nine points for a three-point cushion over Crosset. Despite a trip over the bars in section five, Raymond Peters was having a solid ride. The Sherco pilot occupied third place with 15 points. Three riders, Chris Florin, Jess Kempkes and Ryon Bell, were tied for the fourth position with 16 each. Section number three would prove to be a deciding factor in today's round. After negotiating a rocky ascent, the riders had to launch up a four-foot wooden platform and off the other side. Aaron and Crosset each had first-lap fives here, while Bell and Peters got through with ones. In fact, Peters had a very good day in section three, following up his one-point ride with a two and a one on the final two loops. Crosset and Aaron each turned in four points for their second laps. Aaron's points came in just two sections' a two in section three and a two in section nine. Crosset had a couple of one-point rides and two stop-dab points in the man-made final section. This set the stage for a nerve-wracking final loop. Aaron still held a slim three-point lead going into the final lap of the day. Peters and Bell each had eight-point second laps and were in a duel of their own over third place. Aaron arrived at section 15 - the section that decided round seven's outcome - with a one-point total. Knowing that a two-point ride here would clinch the win - even if Crosset had a clean loop - Aaron went for a safe ride. A stop dab on the final wall gave Aaron a two-point total for the lap and 15 for the. day. This was easily enough for the win, especially after Crosset turned in eight points on his final circuit for a 24-point total. "I'd get a little out of shape, but I'd hang on for a little extra; my tire would grip something and I would pull it out," Aaron said of his twopoint loop. "My goal on the third loop was to basically smooth out those sections that I had already cleaned, and I realized what I needed to do in the others." Peters won the battle with Bell, edging the former Canadian champ by two points for third (33-35). Jess Kempkes, Gas Gas, rounded out the top five with a total of 41. CN TaDS SIc; Valley Taas, New MelicD Results: Augud 25-2&, 2001 Saturday C'SHIP: 1. Geoff Aoron (G-G): 2. Fred Crosset (G-G); 3. Ryon Bell (Mon); 4. Ray Peters (She); 5. Wilson Craig (G·G); 6. Chris Florin (Mon); 7. Jess Kempkes (0·0); 8. David Chaves (She); 9. Travis Fox (She); 10. Cory Plncock (Mon). EX: 1. Ron Commo Jr. (Bet); 2. Zech Clement (G-G); 3. Mitch Reichardt (Mon); 4. Eric TIdmore (GG); 5. Tom Deal (G-G). EX/SPRT: 1. Nick Mantzoros (She); 2. Derek martinson (Mon); 3. Dustin Ginder (G-G): 4. Mike Young (She); 5. David Cole (She). SPRTSMN: 1. James Espy (She); 2. Ken Pedersen (She); 3. Brandon Nafus (Mon); 4. Bob Rowland (Bet); 5. Kevin Moran (Bet). HIS: Keith Wineland (G-G); 2. Michael McGregor (Mon); 3. Greg Erwin (Mon); 4. Trevor Clancy (Mon); 5. Cody Webb (Mon). WMN: 1. Christy Williams (Mon); 2. Kerry Williams (G-G): 3. Andrea Davis (She); 4. Lliura Bussing (G-G). SR 30: 1. Martyn Holgate (Bet); 2. Keith Busch (G-G); 3. Heath Bobb (She); 4. John DIPlacido (G-G). SR 35: 1. Ron Lee (She); 2. Kevin Busch (G-G); 3. Barry Lee (Bul); 4. Anthony Herald (G-G); 5. Bob Duval (Seo). SR 40: 1. David Rohrschneider (She); 2. Bill Ibsen (She); 3. Stephen Dolan (G-G); 4. Robert Sehwenke (Mon); 5. Guy Van Gaasbeek (Mon). SR 45: 1. Howard Galbreath (Bet); 2. Wayne (Above lett) David Chaves finished eighth on both clays, which was even more Impressive considering he sawed off Ihe cast on his twoweek-old wrist fracture iust before the event. (Abc:»ve right) Montesa's Ryon Bell rode consistently _II all weekend and got a thlrdand a fourth-place finish for his efforts. (Right) Jess Kempkes finished a weekend-high fifth on Sunday and sits sixth In points. Galvin (Bet); 3. Steven Davis (She); 4. John McGregor (Mon); 5. Matt Cullins (Mon). SR 50: 1. Ted Gansberger (Man); 2. Nils Mantzoros (She); 3. Marvin Edgington (G·G); 4. Jim Watson (G-G). SR 55: 1. Bill de Garis (G-G); 2. Dale Malasek (G-G); 3. Larry Lund. SR 60: 1. Bill Thompson (G-G). Sunday C'SHIP: 1. Geoff Aeron (G·G); 2. Fred Crosset (G-G); 3. Ray Pete" (She); 4. Ryon Bell (Mon); 5. Jess Kempkes (G·a); 6. Wilson Craig (G·G); 7. Chris Florin (Mon); 8. Devid Chaves (She); 9. Travis Fox (She); 10. Cory Pincock (Mon). EX: 1. Zach Clement (G-G); 2. Todd Roper (Bet); 3. Jason Carpenter (G-G); 4. Ron Commo Jr. (Bet); 5. Eric TIdmore (G-G). EX/SPRT: 1. Kip Webb (G-G); 2. Derek Martinson (Man); 3. Dustin Ginder (She); 4. Tim FasUe (She); 5. Mike Young (She). SPRTSMN: 1. Ken Pedersen (She); 2. Will Ibsen (She); 3. James Espy (She); 4. Kevin Moran (Bet); 5. Brandon Nafus (Mon). WMN: 1. Christy Williams (Man); 2. Kerry Williams (G·G); 3. Andree Davis (She). SR 30: 1. Keith Busch (G-G); 2. Martyn Holgate (Bet); 3. Heath Bobb (She). SR 35: I. Ron Lee (She); 2. Kevin Busch (G-G); 3. Barry Lee (Bui); 4. Anthony Herald (G-G); 5. Bob Duval (Seo). SR 40: I. Bill Ib,en (She); 2. David Rohrschneider (She); 3. Stephen Dolen (G·G); 4. Robert Schwenke (Man); 5. Guy Van Gaasbeek (Mon). SR 45: 1. Wayne Gelvin (Bet); 2. Howard Galbreath (Bet); 3. John McGregor (Mon); 4. Jack Betty (Seo); 5. James Fastle (She). SR 50: 1. Marvin Edgington (G-G); 2. Ted Gansberger (Man); 3. Nils Mzmtzoros (She); 4. Jim Watson (She). SR 55: 1. Dale Maiasek (G-G); 2. Bill de Garis (G-G); 3. Larry Lund (G-G). SR 60: 1. Bill Thompson (G-G). AMA/NATC NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TRIALS SERIES POINTS STANDINGS (After 8 of 10 rounds): 1. Fred Crossett (213/4 wins); 2. Geoff Aaron (194/2 wins); 3. Ryon Bell (170/1 win); 4. Raymond Peters (122); 5. Wilson Craig (114); 6. Jess Kempkes (111); 7. David Chaves (109); 8. Chris Florin (107); 9. Travis Fox (99); 10. Mertin Crossweite (98/1 win). BRIEFLY••• Sherco rider David Chaves was fitted with a hard cast after suffering a fractured right wrist at the Geoff Aaron Invitational Supertrial event held just two weeks before the New Mexico National. The popular Spaniard sawed off the cast and participated in the National anyway. finishing the weekend with a pair of eighths. Participants had been wamed before the event to watch out for black bears in the area. Thursday night one wandered into the Gas Gas pits looking for food and eventually moving on to tent row where it tore open a tent occupied by one of the New Mexico Trials Associations team riders. Greg Arrants was able to scare the intruder away before any harm was done. In another incident the same night. an elderly woman was mauled to death by a black bear just forty miles away. The New Mexico National was held at Taos Ski Valley. The ski resort area welcomed the trials enthusiasts with open arms. allowing them to set up shop in the streets of the village. The final section each day was set up in the shadow of the main ski lift. The Ski Village operated the main chair lift. giving the large number of spectators a chance to visit the sections on top of the mountain. The high elevation of the event puts an added strain on riders and machinery. The pit area was located at 9300 feet and the loop wound up to 100400. "We changed quite a few small things on the bike." Geoff Aaron said about preparing for the altitude. -We re-jetted for the altitude. we used a higher compression head. and I also geared down. I just tried to make my bike feel a little more peppy. Also. I knew that by the time the third loop rolled around. fatigue could be a factor. - Aaron added. -I drank a lot of water before the event and I was taking it really easy on the loop and really concentrating on not exerting too much energy between sections. " One hundred and five riders participated in the penultimate event of the season. Despite the success of the split start procedure used In the previous rounds. event officials opted to use the NATC etandard start system that sees one rider per minute leave the start. Because of the six-mile loop. bottlenecks were not a factor in the event. cue I _ n _ _ S • SEPTEMBER 12, 2001 63