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