Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

Defending National Champion Ryan Young won the Escoheag season finale. Young rebounds atEscoheag By Michael Snyder ESCOHEAG, RI, SEPT. 13 £ter suffering a day that he'd rather forget at the previous National, 'defending National Champion Ryan Young gathered his senses and ended the season with a resounding win in the Arcadia State Forest at the Rhody Rovers M.C.-hosted season finale. At day's end, Young stood atop the field with a 65-point score, seven daDs less thaiJ. runner-up Ron Commo, who dropped a total of 72. Third on the day was Geoff Aaron, who dabbed 87 times. Riders were allowed six hours and 30 minutes to complete three laps around the 15-section loop that challenged riders with hills, logs and loose rocks. "The trial. had some great terrain," said Young, who turned in loop scores of 28,21 and 16. "There were some wideopen technical sections where momen~ tum and running a higher gear played an important role. Mter losing at the last round, I rode a lot looser today." Runner-up Commo looked to be the man to beat after finishing the first loop with only 19 points, but sutcumbed to Young with 23 and 30-point scores in the second and third loops. "I thought that the sections would be easier thaiJ. they were, but they were still okay," said Commo. "I fived the first section but after that I beared down and rode well. I almost had the best loop of the day, but Ryan nipped me on the last loop." Aaron was not as pleased with his third-place finish. "I was riding too hot and cold today," said Aaron. "I cleaned almost every A Geoff Aaron was the runner-up at Wrentham and finished the year second ov'erall. section at one .time or another, I just couldn't do it all in a row. That's pretty much how my whole year went too hot and cold I've got to become more consistent. " eN' Results C'SHIP: 1. Ryan Young; 2. Ron Commo; 3. Geoff Aaron; 4. Raymond Peters; 5. Brian Nagengast; 6. Kenny Leduc; 7. Gary Bourque; 8. Tom Farr; 9. John Clark. , EX: 1. Craig Fish; 2. Jeff Hurst; 3. Jared Malaquisl. HIGH SCHL: 1. Brian Hannon. SPTMN: I. Steve Dolan; 2. Robin Farmer; 3. Chris Bardell; 4. Albert Parente; 5. Ron Bertrand. PLUS 30: 1. Rick MODlone; 2. Bryan Benjamin; 3. Chris Arnold; 4. Tom Kemper. PLUS 35: I. Gary Hoover; 2. Frank Rodriguez; 3. Fred Eich. PLUS 40: 1. Gary Sampsel; 2. James Fox; 3. Dave Waldo. PLUS 45: 1. Dave Hulse; 2. Jim Watson. PLUS 50: 1. Jerry Young; 2. Dave Watson. PLUS 55: 1. Bill Thompson; 2. Robert Reed. PLUS 60: 1. Art Webster. AMAINATC National Championship Observed Trials Series: Round 8 .Commo climbs to Wrentham win By Michael Snyder WRENTHAM, MA, SEPT. 12 on Commo was a happy man after five and a half hours of hopping, balancing and finessing his way through three 15-section loops that wound through the Wrentham State Forest, as the 27-year-old New Englander earned his first-ever National win with R a two-point cushion over his nearest competitior. Commo's 97-point win at the King Philip Trail Riders' event ended defending National Champion Ryan Young's National win streak at 14, as Young faltered and could only muster a third-place finish with 104 dabs. Second on the day was Geoff Aaron, who. ended ·the day with a score of 99. The four-and-a-half-mile loop challenged riders with a variety of obstacles, including trees and many large boulders. "I had everything going for me today," said an elated Commo, who pilots. a Michelin/Cosmopolitan Motors-backed Beta Zero. "The sections were brilliant, if you got into trouble you could push your way out." . Things didn't look great for Commo after the first loop, though, as he dropped 36 points to Aaron's 29 and Young's 33. Aaron, aboard a Tryals Shop-sponsored Aprilia Climber, took his time on the first loop and was optimistic about the rest of the day. "I concentrated really hard," said Aaron. "It paid off with the lowest loop score." Things fell apart for Aaron on the second loop, though, as he dabbed 40 times. Commo closed the gap with a 33point run, while Young dropped 35 points. "I had some rear brilke problems and should've gone back to the pits to fix them," said Aaron. "But I rode it out and it was a mistake." Commo clinched his win with a brilliant last-loop score of 28, while Aaron and Young dropped 30 and 36 points, respectively. "Compared to last year's event here, the sections were really slippery," said Commo. "I usually prefer dry sections, but my bike pulled me through. I got a few works pans from the factory Beta team at the Trials des Nations, and my bike seemed to have twice the power." Normally one to handle pressure well, Young succumbed and completed the event in a somber mood. "All day I couldn't do a thing right," said Young. "It seemed like I was on the wrong side of my bike all day. The pressure of breaking Scott Head's National win-streak record of 16 affected my riding dramatically." Finishing fourth was Aaron and Young's Aprilia teammate, Raymond Peters. . "I just couldn't motivate myself on the first lap, but I was able to salvage my ride in the last two loops," said Peters, who ended the day with 118 points. CN Results C'SHIP: I. Ron Commo; 2. Geoff Aaron; 3. Ryan Young; 4. Raymond Peters; 5. Gary Bourque; 6. Brian Nasengast; 7. Kenny Leduc; 8. Tom Farr; 9. John Clark. EX: I. J. Hursh; 2. J. MalmquisL SPTMN: I. Steve Dolan; 2. Chris Bardell; 3. Mike Huddleston; 4. Dean Clark; 5. Ron Betrand. HIGH SCHL: I. Brian Hannon. PLUS 30: I. Rick Montone; 2. Bryan Benjamin; 3. Chris Arnold; 4. K. larkin; 5. C. Bonenys. PLUS 35: I. Frank Rodriguez; 2. Gary Hoover; 3. Fred Eich. PLUS 40: I. Gary Sampsel; 2. Dave Waldo; 3. Jim Watson; 4. Dave Hulse. PLUS 50: I. Jerry Young; 2. Dave Watson. PLUS 55: I. Bill Thompson; 2. Robert Reed. PLUS 60: I. Art Webster. 15

• Cover