Three Stooges Trial, 21APR2024

Bunn Three Stooges Trial April 21, 2024

Dark skies and rain greeted the twenty-one riders that came out to Bunn, NC for the annual Three Stooges Trial held at Jim Ellis’ legendary Whale Rock Trials venue. 

Trialmasters Kevin Bobal and Martin Sturla had to make some last minute adjustments to ease some of the sections because of the weather which started in the morning as a light patchy rain and progressively worsened with dropping temperatures through the day as the rain became steadily more persistent. 

The loop consisted of eight sections ridden three times.  The first three sections in the “bowl” area features steep hills, logs and tight turns, sections 4, 5 were in the Whale Rock area, section 6 in sandy creek offered steep banks, roots, sand and muddy turns. Sections 7 and 8 were classic Bunn log challenges with tight turns and many gates. 

The rain made conditions extremely challenging, sections got muddy, traction was hard to find, and wet logs became as slippery as ice.  Still, cleans were there for those with good riding technique and the event offered a different experience and a tougher challenge to the typically drier events CVOTC normally enjoys.

There was a long wait at the end of the event for the Advanced riders to finish their final loop and turn their cards in, but as the day wound down and trophies were eventually handed out there were many smiling faces, mud caked bikes and much laughter. To quote one rider “it was a proper trial.”

Written by Martin Sturla

Results:

EXPERT

Jeff Hensley 23

David Webster 28

ADVANCED

Mike Mazak 35

Joe Palrang 51

Paul Fuelling 60

Alan Hensley 66

Matt Simpson 68

Ed Romney 92

SPORTSMAN

Ash Harrison 42

John Hendricks 65

Berndie Lunsford DNS

INTERMEDIATE

Brian Merritt 21

Scott Barber 32

Rusty Lacy DNS

TWIN SHOCK INTERMEDIATE

Jim Ellis 18

Scott Porter 31

Rick Schill (EXH) 1

EXHIBITION

Randy Herndon

Mark Simpson

Joshua Hendricks

Kim Fuelling

Keith Bell