Posts
138
Joined
12/4/2007
Location
Prosper, TX
US
Edited Date/Time
11/7/2014 12:18am
I have found and purchased Mike Alessi's 2003 Honda Super Mini that was built by Terry Varner and claimed at Loretta Lynn's by Adam Chatfield.
For several years, I have heard and read stories on the internet about the claiming of Mike Alessi's Terry Varner built 2003 Honda Super Mini at Loretta Lynn's by Adam Chatfield. The story goes that Mike protested Adam at Ponca (even though Mike won the race) and had Chatfield's bike torn down. Chatfield's bike passed inspection and was found to be legal. As retribution, Chatfield claimed Alessi's super trick Honda Super Mini while Mike and the bike were still on the podium after winning Mike's last LL race on a mini before moving up to the bike bikes. I am trying to connect with the people that were there and to verify what I have heard many times over the years.
The bike has been sitting in a barn for a while and is not cosmetically up to its former glory. However, it is still complete and all of the Varner tricks are still intact.
If any one on this board knows Terry Varner or the Alessi's, I would like to connect with them prior to restoring this very special bike. I don't know Mr. Varner nor do I know how to contact him. Any help would be sincerely appreciated.
Here are some pictures that I took right after unloading the bike this afternoon. Of course, I haven't even begun to clean the bike so it's "barn fresh" at this point.
I don't know how to upload images in the proper way. Anyone have any pointers to make it easier and to make the pics show up better? Thanks!
For several years, I have heard and read stories on the internet about the claiming of Mike Alessi's Terry Varner built 2003 Honda Super Mini at Loretta Lynn's by Adam Chatfield. The story goes that Mike protested Adam at Ponca (even though Mike won the race) and had Chatfield's bike torn down. Chatfield's bike passed inspection and was found to be legal. As retribution, Chatfield claimed Alessi's super trick Honda Super Mini while Mike and the bike were still on the podium after winning Mike's last LL race on a mini before moving up to the bike bikes. I am trying to connect with the people that were there and to verify what I have heard many times over the years.
The bike has been sitting in a barn for a while and is not cosmetically up to its former glory. However, it is still complete and all of the Varner tricks are still intact.
If any one on this board knows Terry Varner or the Alessi's, I would like to connect with them prior to restoring this very special bike. I don't know Mr. Varner nor do I know how to contact him. Any help would be sincerely appreciated.
Here are some pictures that I took right after unloading the bike this afternoon. Of course, I haven't even begun to clean the bike so it's "barn fresh" at this point.
I don't know how to upload images in the proper way. Anyone have any pointers to make it easier and to make the pics show up better? Thanks!
(909) 227-6156
They are based in California by the way
shit that's as bad as gman protesting the doc after having dinner and staying over at the docs house the night before. hell doc even said his Labrador was pregnant after gman left...hmmm. that's a cold shot gman.
It had been so long since a claim, most all of us thought it had been removed from the rulebook.
Varner was pissed, really pissed.
When I talked to him, he was telling me how many hours he had into it and that was his trophy.
I saw them put the bike in a trailer, lock it up until they hashed it all out and the Chatfield's walked away with it
The Shop
"What goes around comes around"
I have the "chain of custody' of the bike. Moreover, the modifications that Varner did to this particular bike are unmistakable.
I someone will let me know how to upload pics in an easy manner, I will post up some of the things that can be seen outside the engine.
BTW, I am not sure that is the supermini after looking at the pictures
Wheels look smaller and pipe looks wrong. Terry had some special made pipe on it if I remember right
Personally, I think it was bullshit
Varner had a shitload of time into that bike and my understanding was Terry was supposed to get the bike when it was all over, that was his trophy
The Chatfield's jacked Varner, not the Alessi's
The pipe on the bike is not an "off the shelf" pipe. I'm still working on some of the details and that's why I'm looking for as many pictures as I can find.
The radiator that was on the bike was destroyed when Chatfield crashed the bike later. I'm told that Adam raced the bike at the Mini O's that year just to rub it in but I am looking for any pics of Adam ever racing this bike just to verify.
Any help would be seriously appreciated.
Pit Row
It's hard to tell from the pics
If the vin matches, you win.
(you talked to Carnegie? I think he dealt with it. How is he?)
Adam actually traded this bike in to D&S Kawasaki and it sat on the owner's credenza for a few years prior to being sold to the person that I bought it from. The ownership / possession of this bike is rock solid.
Just saying of course...
Had Mike lived up to the hype, the bike would have a lot of value
As it is now, it as some value above blue book, but only to a true collector and more for the story. Up until that bike was claimed, the claim rule was considered dead and forgotten.
Bottom line...one family was cheating, one was not.
At Ponca the Alessi's protested Adam's bike as illegal. After teardown, it was found to be legal. FYI, usually after a teardown, you get it back in a box, unassembled, and even if assembled, would you trust the re-assembly? No, so you have to take it apart and reassemble if returned assembled.
It's just a bitch all the way around
So, Ol Man Chatfield plotted his revenge and showed at LL's with a wad of cash, because it's a cash only process.
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