Rounds 1 and 2 of the AMA/NATC Trials Nationals took place this past weekend. The Goat Van got to rest its hooves for a bit as Pappa Smage railed the Sherco rig down to Omaha. Pat, Pappa, Phil, Rex, and, of course, H’Idalgo, set out to retain Pat’s national championship.
The crew arrived thursday to shake out Pat’s new GoFast!/ Gnar Bar/ Heal Clothing/ EVS/ 551 Films/ RYP Factory Sherco. The Nebraska terrain proved to be a worthy setting for the event. Huge limestone chunks were scattered throughout the picturesque rock quarry.
As soon as the trailer was unloaded the DVD tent went up and the guys headed out on the bikes. Phil was looking to get some “seat” time in on the trials bikes, as he was only able to ride once before the trip. Pat got his bike set up to his liking, and Pappa popped some big wheelies.
Saturday rolled around and the event got underway. Phil had planned on competing in the expert class due to his little time on the bike, but that didnt quite happen. While Phil scrambled to find red duct tape to make a number plate with, Pat came up with the idea of using the MotoPlayground sticker to write “PRO.” And with that, H’Idalgo set out to work, so much for not crashing alot…
Pat set the tone for the day, cleaning section one with ease while Phil’s rear tire crossed a support line gate and he was given a five. Things continued to go that way for the remainder of the day, as Pat kept stacking cleans and Phil stacked points.
Pat grabbed the victory over birthday boy Cody Webb by 2 points, followed by Will Ibsen. Phil tied for 7th, but time penalties pushed him back two places.
Sunday came just as quickly as saturday did, and the riders were treated with 12 new sections to throw their bikes at. Phil didn’t bring enough money to sign up for both days with the crazy late entry fees, so he was relegated to filming and practicing. Pat set the pace early with only a single dab in the first 7 sections.
The riders then hit a standstill with section 8’s mud bog. They played a waiting game until Webb pulled the trigger and attempted the 10 foot rock wall directly after the 2 foot deep mush.
He nearly got it, but ended up taking a nasty drop off the wall to his side. All the rest of the pro’s got 5’s on the section as well, and the loop continued. By the end of the second loop, Pat had control of the lead, with Cody, Will, and Keith Winleand battling for the rest of the podium positions. Will and Cody became the only riders to conquer the muck of section 8, but it wasn’t enough to catch Pat.
After the event Phil and Rex headed back out with the cameras to stack some footage for SA3. They found a rad tree ride to get some shots on. Just as the battery died, the rains started to move in.
The trailer got packed in a hurry and everyone piled into the rig with refreshingly drenched clothes. Now it’s back to Wisconsin to grab some more shots before next weekends AMA Superbike Trials Shows. A big thanks to Brad Baumert, Ryan Young, Mike Harker, Steve Storz, and everyone at Sherco for the help over the weekend. Phil would also like to thank all of those who bought Smagical 2 over the weekend and helped fund his ride on saturday. Check back soon for some more SA3: Smagical Acres filming teaser pictures.