OCR Text |
Show Pag 68, loktid Rvlw, Jun 17, 1981 Pwir fee Cyd Minn, where he trippled, taking first in class, first in open, and first in trophy dashing. The next day, he doubled with a first in open and 16 expert. May found Mike in State College Penn, for the Spring National East where he placed second in By Lyndia Graham Review Correspondent LAYTON Mike Poulson...That nice kid down the street to his neighbors... .the good looking guy in the lunch room to his classmates at Layton High.. .a special son to his parents, Bonnie and Virgil Poulson of Lay ton... but throughout the world of bicycle motocross racing Mike Poulson is success! Coming from Layton where BMX racing is not a common sports event, Mike has won international recognition in the brief 2Vi years he has been racing. He is the current Utah Number one in the American Bicycle Association (ABA) and he received the Rider of the Year Award from the ABA for 1980. He is the current World Champion for the 15 Expert class, and Second Overall World Champion. In the Overall World Champion catagory, Mike competed against 3100 pro and amateur BMX riders from all over the U.S. and eight other nations. Mikes climb to success began in July of 1978 when a friend invited him to a race at the Utah Hot Springs Track...which he promptly won. He then began competing in local and state meets. In October of 1979, Mike traveled to California for his first out of state event. Travel is nothing to Poulson now as he joins racers all over the U.S. for competition and tours. Last summer Mike was asked to join the Red Line Summer Tour and traveled over the western states for four and half weeks, stopping for local races as well as national events. Earlier last year Mike submitted a resume to the Schwinn Company and was selected as one of seven riders from across the nation to be a part of the Schwinn BMX Team. The Schwinn Co. supplied Mike with a bike, gear, and helps with plane fare, hotels, and registration fees as Mike travels to rational races. Mike is by Binghams Bicycle Shop in Sunset. Late last summer Mike was invited, as part of the team, to visit Chicago for two weeks. While he was there, he raced, visited the Schwinn factory, saw lots of local bike shops and even made some commercials for his sponsors. This year has found him no less busy. In January he took second in tthe North West National in Monroe, Washington. Then he went to Brandon Florida for the Gator National where he placed second in the sixteen expert class. Pointing out that Mikes racing has become a family affair, Mrs. Poulson commented, It didnt look like Mike would get to the Gator National because the Schwinn Company was on strike and unable to send him, but Mikes older brother, Clark supplied the money needed for both of them to attend. Thats really a brother, she said. Not many people would do that for someone. If he had missed it his points for the year in national scoring would really have suffered. In April, the Land of Lincoln National in Springfield, Illinois drew young Poulson where he had a good showing with a second place. The next weekend, Mike entered the Rondo Classic in St. Paul, Wood ' class, first in both open and trophy and dash. The Spring National West followed in Freemont Calif, and he again trippled in open, class, and trophy dash. The last week in May, Mike took second at the Hawkeye National in Demoines, Iowa. The summer pace is no less hectic. Mike left last weekend for California where he will join Vance Patterson and his son Brent, who is the number one Pro in the nation. They will tour the western states for three weeks then Mike will be home for a two week rest before joining the Schwinn team for a six week tour of the Eastern States. If trophy taking and travel arent enough to put excitement into this young mans life, surely his adventure with film making must have done it. The Big Blue Marble, a film company out of New York, traveled with Mike to a national meet in Arizona where they filmed him in action complete with sound accomplished by wiring Mike and his bike for sound during the races. The film crew then came back to Utah to the Poulson home where they spent three days following Mikes every move. That was quite an experience chuckled Mrs. I had cleaned Mikes room really good Poulson. before they got here but before they would film him in it they threw some things on the floor and messed it up a little. They said it looked too clean to be a real teenager s room. Mike is one of several young people who was selected for the movie because they have excelled in their hobbies or other achievements. It will soon be released over 260 stations across North America and sixty stations overseas. Mike obviously has outstanding talent and ability...a quick mind and a strong body. A few years ago no one in the Poulson family would ever have guessed Mike could accomplish what he has. When he was in the fifth grade, he was bitten by a dog and it took over 200 stitches to close the wound in his calf. A short time later, he had surgery on the leg because of muscle tightness and to replace missing tissue. Another surgery was planned, but Mike had become interested in racing and because of it, his leg healed and no further surgery was required. What has all this success and attention done to the sixteen year old Laytonite? Nothing, says his mom. He hasnt changed a bit. People are always asking us if with all his traveling he is still happy at home. Hes very happy here and is just like the other kids his age. Fame hasnt done much to him at all. When people ask Mike for his autograph, he usually grins and jokingly tells them that he doesnt write very well. What does the future hold for this amazing young athlete? Fall will find him enrolled as a junior at Layton High where he has maintained a B average and enjoys the academic and social life of a high school student. Of course there are many hours of practice and workouts.. .and many more races to enter, and win. I;.!,," - - hi; - WW& ' I !' V1 -- v;lHl is 'sASSS tSSl c , 'fr 'sS A '' s A Cr i- - q ' short time, Mike Poulson of Layton has collected this display of cycle trophies while racing for the American Bicycle Association and is currently ranked number ' 1 in the state of tit |