2007 NBL Grand National

Photo’s by Jack McDaniel, Pam Oldham, Roger Plaskett and London Wilmot. Story by London Wilmot. 

For the 2006/07 Bizzarro made some changes in appearance, ditching the traditional red and black for a gray and black look. This change seemed to bring a little better luck as 3 Bizzarro riders won their main events at the 2007 NBL Grand National, pushing our team sheet to a score of 182 (91 double points) and finished 2nd to the 2007 repeat national team champions, Dan's Comp, for the event.
This score at the Grands enabled us to make up the 4-point deficit in the year end overall standings to move past Intense/Unbound for 4th place in 2007.
To say this years 2^nd place finish proved that our 2006 3^rd place Grands finish wasn’t a fluke is an understatement. Bizzarro has now proven, with these two finishes and our 2^nd place finish at the 2006 NBL Christmas Classic, to be “big game hunters”!
Not to be out shined by the great team finish were three Bizzarro riders, as they captured national titles. Read on:

Allen Currier continued his hot streak in the summer of 2007 by winning the Junior Men's class main at Saturday nights Pro Spectacular race event.

Keeping a successful team in operation isn't always about sponsoring the fastest rider on track. When the team trailer blew a tire on the way to Louisville it was contributions from two team members that made the repair a painless process. Rick Marceau's (RPM Inc) generous contributions this season got a new tire on the rim and a new fender to sit over it. Then came the efforts of the OMD (Old Man Dunn). Walter Sr. took the time Sunday morning to fabricate the mounting of the new fender so the trailer was a back in business. There's no "I" in team and this was a perfect example of that!

In his first NBL Grands Austin Loebe proved he has a bright future ahead of him. Not only did he qualify for both his class and cruiser main events, he took 3^rd in a stacked 14x main and won the 13-14 cruiser class.|

Shayne Robinson was one cool customer at the Grands. Thursday, she worked staging for the NBL versus riding her own practice session. Then after winning all of her moto's Saturday and Sunday, found herself behind in the main by a pretty large margin down straits one and two. But down strait three Shayne used her Intense Podium frame to make up the needed ground and pulled even into the last turn. Banging elbows with the leader she then stayed calm through the rhythm section and won the main by a bike length, capturing her first national title. Bizzarro was able to bookend the 45 & over Ladies cruiser class as Pam Oldham completed her 7th race ever and finished National #10. 

Welcome aboard Erik Meyer (and family)! Erik scored a second in 8X and a third in 8&under cruiser.

Michele Peters literally ripped the #1 plate off of teammate Kayla Gaddis' (06 18-24 #1) cruiser. Michele entered the 2007 grands with a huge points lead and mode the weekend very relaxed, knowing once the moto's were posted that the title was as good as hers. Third in the main was all that was needed to get the skinny digit on the front of her cruiser for 2008.

Chris Meaker has been on fire this summer and had some awesome laps in Louisville on his Intense Podium frame, Sinz forks and Fly bars. Unfortunately he saved his worst two laps of the weekend till the end. After getting bawled up by the Big Daddy in the 30 and over open semi and not making it out, he took a hard fall in the 35 and over expert main event and ended up with National #4 for the second year in a row.

Courtney Applewhite rode as good as it gets in the 15 girls class and captured the National #1 title. Look for big things from Courtney in the near future. In Louisville she had to deal with the likes of Maria Pajon, but her second place finish in the main was enough to help the team sheet to its second place finish.

Dave Bedford was rolling along untouched through the 30-34x semi when the train came derailed in the main. 8th and National #5 again in 2007.

Shawn DiPrete was in Louisville for one thing this year, to win the main that he should have won last season. Knowing in his head that even with the win he mathematically didn’t have much of a shot at the title. From gate 8 Shawn snapped the field in 35 and over expert and never looked back, there would be no last straight let downs this time. National number 2 again in 2007.

This report won’t show any pictures of me racing, since I couldn’t even make it out of my Quarter. But the Intense “Build a Bike” competition on Saturday night was quite interesting and drew quite the crowd. Brian Fell and Ron Anderson (Standard) left Ryan Birk and I in the dust. But I still contend that I beat Birk and “Q” just wasn’t paying attention! By the way, thanks Mr. Rennen owner for the pep talk over the phone. I am NOT a disgrace and I DID deserve to be out there buddy….   :)
 

Kayla Gaddis ® made both the Elite Women's and Elite Women's cruiser class main events.

Susie LeVan gave her best effort to retain her 2006 National #1, but it just wasn’t in the cards this year. Look for Susie to be at it again in Woodward PA at the end of the month.

Robin Applewhite is convinced Dave Bedford is an angel. I will hold back from any further comments.

Up next for the team is an NBL National in Woodward PA, then the ABA Disney National in Orlando FL!