Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

~ TRIALS AMA/NATC National Championship Trials Series: Rounds 3/4 ------------------------------------'- ~ ~! w, It Ryan Young continued his perfect season by easily winning the second and third rounds in Oregon. Unexpected rains made for slick conditions in some sections. Young sweeps Oregon doubleheader By Russ Cazier TILLAMOOK, OR, JULY 4-5 yan Young, well-rested after winning rounds one and two of the eight-round National Trials Series in Colorado in May, came to Oregon and continued his perfect season by scoring the wins in rounds three and four as well. The weekend featured two separate events, with round three taking place on Saturday in Diamond Mill, near Tillamook, and nearby Cedar Creek hosting the fourth round on Sunday. R Saturday The weekend's opening trial fea-' tured an unseasonable drought-ending rain, but the enthusiasm of competitors and spectators' remained undampened, and riders said that traction was excellent in most sections. Young, National Champion for the past four years, posted ever-improving scores of 14/8 (14 points with 8 cleans,) 11/8 and 9/8 over the 14-section, threeloop course. The Aprilia rider's last two loops of 11 and 9 pOints were also best scores of the day for the Championship class course. Belgian Oliver Clamagirand, aboard a Gas-Gas, actually scored more cleans (25 versus 24,) but Young was more consistent, scoring no fives on the last two loops. One feature of Championship-level trials is that riders turn in their scores after each loop, and the scores are immediately posted and available for scrutiny by competitors. The greater knowledge of the opposition's scores makes for tighter competition and more interest for the spectators. Clamagirand, for example, found himself trailing Geoff Aaron by two points after two loops, and although Aaron managed a fine 16-point final loop, Clamagirand buckled down for a 12 and second place. Strong performances were not limited to the Championship class. The Expert class, new for this year, rode many of the same sections as the Championship class, although two sections were set aside as Championship only. Ron Schmelzle, last year's Sportsman-class Champion from Colorado, won the Expert class by a convincing six points on his Beta, but the battle for second place was one of the closest contests of the day. Greg Jones and Todd Clark were tied after two loops, but Jones rode his Aprilia to a one-point win on the final loop. Portland's Jay Terry was top local rider, with a fourth in the Expert class. The Sportsman class featured another squeaker with Dave Fracy eking out a one-point win over Bill Burgener. They were tied after one loop and Burgener was ahead by four points after two, but Fracy put in a s~arkling 17-point third loop for the WIn. Scott Stewart earned the distinction of being the only local rider to win a class, winning by a strong 20-point margin in the Senior 30 category. Idaho's Keith Adams, class champ for the last four years and well on his way to another title, won the Senior 35 class convincingly while making the best loop score of any support rider, posting a 9/9 score on his second circuit. California's legendary Art Webster, in a class by himself in more ways than one, had only the sections to compete against in the Over 60 class, and he emerged a clear winner. Webster's move out of the Over 55 class, which he has won for the last three years, left the field clear for Bill Thompson, who won with an excellent 92-point ride. Sunday For round four the venue was moved eight miles and four canyons away, but the final result remained the same, as Young made it two wins in two days. Negotiating sections with names like Stump Farm, Sniveler's Revenge, Swamp Thing and Butt Ugly, Young finished with a convincing five-point margin over his nearest competitor. Young's Aprilia teammate Aaron cranked up his concentration a notch and took second place over Clamagirand. Aaron and Clamagirand were tied after two circuits of the 16-section, three-loop course, but Aaron responded with a best-of-th~-day 17point final loop. Clamagirand hung on for third over Ron Commo by a scant one point. Although Adams posted yet another win in the Senior 35 class, he got a serious run for his money from Washington's Larry Drawhorn, who came within one point of a major upset over the seemingly unbeatable Adams. The battle in the Sportsman class came down to counting cleans, with Burgener's 47/16 prevailing over Fracy, who had an identical 47 points but only 10 cleans, in one of the few examples of consisten<;r not determining the winner. Similarly, the contest in the Senior 40 class was as tight as it gets, with Billy Erwin and M. Hutcheson in a dead heat at the end with identical scores of 77/9. Officials were forced to count who had the most "ones" to determine the winner, with Erwin getting the nod. Ryan Young had good words about the organization and course selection for both days of the event. "Difficult sections and a fairly easy ride between sections make for my favorite setup," Young said "This allows you to concentrate on conquering the terrain in the section instead of lighting the clock." Since the series championship is determined by a rider's best five out of eight rounds, Ryan's win means he has a chance to clinch the 1992 Championship with a victory at round five in California. The NATCIAMA Championship Series dates back to 1974, and since that time the only riders to come close to scoring five straight championships are Marland Whaley, with five nonconsecutive titles, and Bernie Schreiber, who had four National Championships. m Results SATURDAY C'SHIP: 1. Ryan Young (Apr) 34/24; 2. Oliver Clamagirand (Gas) 49/25; 3. GeoCC Aaron (Apr) 51/ 16; 4. Mark Manniko (Fan); 55/21; 5. Ray Peters (Apr) 77/16. EX: 1. Ron Schmelzle (Bet) 60/16; 2. Greg Jones (Apr) 66/14; 3. Todd Clark (Fan) 67/12; 4. Jay Terry (Gas); 84/11; 5. Keith Brown (Fan) 84/10. SPTSMN: 1. Dave Fracy (Bet) 54/16; 2. Bill Burgener (Mon) 55/15; 3. Kevin Couves (Apr) 81/ 9. HIS: 1. Jess Kempkes (Gas) 60/17; 2. E. Webb (Gas); 3. D. Martinson (Fan) 136/6. SR 30: 1. Scott Stewart (Yam) 67/10; 2. D. Elliott (Fan) 87/8; 3. Robert Schwenke (Yam) 90/5. SR 35: 1. Keith Adams (Bet) 42120; 2. Howard Galbreath (Bet) 58/10; 3. Garry Hoover (Fan) 70/ 13. S/SR 40: 1. Rodney Tomson (Apr) 70/10; 2. Hutcheson (Apr) 85/6; 3. Billy Erwin (Apr) 87/8. S/SR 45: 1. Dale Malasek (Gas) 63/9; 2. Bob Pick (Bet) 115/6; 3. Jim Watson (Fan) 122/4. VET 50: 1. Bill deGaris (Gas) 68/14; 2. Ken Marecak (Yam) 108/7. VET 55: 1. Bill Thompson (Yam) 92/5; 2. Bill WachendorCer (Gas) 140/5; 3. W. Webb (Yam) 144/ 2. VET 60: 1. Art Webster (Yam) 142/3. SUNDAY C'SHIP: 1. Ryan Young (Apr) 65/21; 2. GeoCC Aaron (Apr) 70/14; 3. Oliver Clamagirand (Gas) 78/ 19; 4. Ron Commo (Bet) 79.18; 5. Mark Manniko (Fan) 87/18. , EX: I. Ron Schmelzle (Bet) 62/11; 2. Todd Clark (Fan) 89/12; 3. Greg Jones (Apr) 103110; 4. Jay Terry (Gas) 11117; 5. Dennis Sweeten (Apr) 116/3. SPTSMN: 1. Bill Burgener (Mon) 47/16; 2. David Fracy (Bet) 47/10; 3. Mike Huddleston (Fan) 74/9. HIS: 1. Jess Kempkes (Gas) 59/15; 2. E. Webb (Gas) 82/5; 3. D. Martinson (Fan) 168/0. SR 30: I. Robert Schwenke (Fan) 64/10; 2. Scott Stewart(Yam)79/8; 3. D. Elliott (Fan) 113/3. SR 35: I. Keith Adams (Bet) 36/19; 2. Larry Drawhom (Bet) 37/21; 3. Howard Galbreath (Bet) 65/13. S/SR 40: 1. Billy Erwin (Apr) 77/9; 2. M. Hutcheson (Apr) 77/9; 3. Gary Lawver (Fan) 81/ 13. S/SR 45: 1. Dale Malasek (Gas) 67/10; 2. Ted Gansberger (Fan) 114/3; 3. Bob Pick (Bet) 13111. VET 50: 1. Bill deGaris (Gas) 99/4; 2. Ken Marecak (Yam) 147/1. VET 55: 1. Bill Thompson (Yam) 112/4; 2. Bob Reed (Fan) 159/0; 3. Bill Wachendorler (Gas) 167/ O. .VET 60: I. Art Webster (Yam) 167/0. AMAINATC NATIONAL OBSERVED TRIALS CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES STANDINGS (UNOF· nCIAL): I. Ryan Young (120) 4 wins; 2. Oliver Clamagirand (92); 3. Jen Aaron (85); 4. Mark Manniko (77); 5. Ron Commo, Jr. (61); 6. Tom Farr (56); 7. Kenny Leduc (53); 8. Todd Nordan (47); 9. Raymond Peters (30); 10. Steve Fray (29).

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