Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126484
.• (; ~ ·u t o 00 0') 1"""'4 (Top) Rick Hemme (27) and George Holland (17) lead the 83cc Stock Experts. (Above) "King" Richard Saxton kept one Pee Wee title. lost another. Curt McCuistion of San Marcos, CA, won the overall victory in the 125cc Modified Expert class. McCuistion, on a Kawasaki, came back from a h founh in this first moto to third in his second and a first in the Sunday runoff. Billy Liles of Fairburn, GA , rode to bt hree wire -to -wire finishes in the 250cc 'J Expert class for the overall title . Liles , ria factory sponsored Kawasaki rider, had Olittle problem nailing down his run-off - moto, finishing a com fort a ble 10 seconds ahead of second place Clay Hoenshell of Oklahoma City. Then there was George - Holland, that is. His lap times of 1:50 (plus or minus a few seconds) were cons istently the fastest of the week. To the specta tors on hand, it appeared that Holland had little serious competition. His only real threat came in the agcc Stock Expert run-off on Sunday when George started poorly and .had to play catchup to Quartz Hill , California's Rick Hemme, Hemme rounded the first turn in front, ahead of Bart Shiflett (Suz), Derrik Latham (Kaw) and Hoi land , By lap three. however, Holland's fast pace had .propelled him int o the lead a nd he stayed there to the end. According to Holland it wasn 't a tough race, " I didn't want to fall so I just took it easy," he said afterwards, Holland controlled the agcc Modi fied Expen runoff, finishing a comfort- able eight seconds ahead of Ken Dunlap (Suz) of Santee, CA. In his final race, George led throughout the contest to capture the crown in the 105cc , 12 and up class . The NMA is best known for its minicycle program and each year the Ponta City championships feature the world's largest gathering of Pee Wees - a boa rd their one speed mini machines, And th is yea r there was even a n upse t. Italjet-sponsored "K ing" Richard Saxton of Las Vegas , NV , lost his NMA crown in the Pee Wee Stock class to Bobby Yorba of Dana Poi nt , CA. Saxton, however, was predictably tough in the Modified Pee Wee class and captured the overall win with ease . Four riders: Billy Liles, Curt McCuistin. Keith Turpin, and Tommy McCarver returned home with more than trophies for their overall wins . Each was presented with a $1,000 bonus from Kawasaki for winning their races with a green machine. During the three hour awards ceremony on Sunday evening, promoters Ron Hendricksen and Ted Moorewood announced that the NMA champion. ships will return to Ponca City again next year. And to those who heard the words, that was good news. • 13