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/126539
Erick Poston 1291. Devid Tembling (2) end Doug Herrington (71) ere emong the full houseof 85cc Stock 12·14 riders getting out of the gete. 6th Annual AMA Youth MX National Championship Capacity turn- out tackles muddy Bolling Rills By Tom Mueller Photos by Henry Muller and Mueller REIDSVILLE, NC, AUG. 29-30 Four hundred and twenty-nine entrants battled in both optimum and almost impossible conditions in the AMA/Kawasaki Youth National at Rolling Hills Cycle Park. The race was the final assemblage of AMA amateur MXers through age 15 who qualified in their . .. h h respective dlstncts t roug out 6 the country. The program got off to a rough start when AMA's Hugh Fleming had to .inform riders that seven of the eight classes would have to be broken into divisions due to an overflow of riders. Tempers flared as entrants were under the impression that only 40 riders per class were to be ac~e.pted. . T~e final decIsIon was that all diVISIOns would run three motos each. All riders in each division would compete in the first three motos, with the top 40 in class moving on to the fourth moto, which was averaged into the final tally. "Every year we set a minimum number of riders that qualify for each class," said Fleming. "This year we invited a few more folks than before to draw a better turnout, and more riders showed up than ever before. We had to devise a new program to accommodate them all, and I believe once everyone saw how we were doing things they realized it was fair." Kawasaki's Team Green was at the event in force with program coordinator Dave Jordan offering assistance to riders. Yamaha Competition Support, headed by Cliff Lett, was also present to offer assistance and advise. Rolling Hills Cycle Park is just what its name connotes .. rolling hills composed of red clay and connected by berrned turns. Promoter Earl Milsap had the course in fine shape with back-to-back motos running in virtually dust-free conditions. Few injuries occurred during the 53 motos which ran over the weekend_ AMA referee Buck Sexton and crew had motos popping off one after another and it looked as if the expanded program would go off in its allotted time until threatening skies finally opened up, drenching the course on Sunday afternoon. Water ran in mini rivers from high sections of the course, churning up the clay and transforming it into a gooey mess which sapped strength and stuck to machines. It was enough to bring some of the smaller displacement riders to a complete halt. The 51cc class didn't require divisions. South Carolina's Hank Moree, Jr. took first overall with a consistent 3-2-2-3 weekend. North Carolina's Damon Bradshaw looked to be on his way to a top finish with wins in the first two motos. but a shock mount bolt let go during moto three and Bradshaw DNF. Bryan Smith from Ohio stayed towards the front and carded second overall. using a 2-4-3-2 to get there. 'Smith almost lost it down the front straight in moto one but maintained his pace for second. The final moto was won by Pennsylvania's Mike Johnson. which boosted him to. third overall. Bryan Smith's brother Ryan knew how to play the game with up-front finishes for fifth overall. The 65cc class was somewhat of a mix·up in that a fourth moto was never tallied. Yamaha Competition Support rider Ronnie Tichenor from Florida went 1-1-1 in his division motos on a Joe Wilson·tuned bike while Tennessee's Curt Libbey did the same in his division. "Now the track looks right!" said an Eastern spectator as heavy rains fell before the top 40 riders in the 65cc class were to run their final moto. Tichenor took the holeshot and used a slow but sure pace to gain a good lead over Libbey on lap one. By lap two disaster set in with every bike on the track SlOpped by deep mud. The checkered flag was waved after the leaders had gone by, signaling the end of the race. It was later determined the moto wouldn't count, and the race wasn't re-run due to lack of daylight and the end of the program. Tichenor went home with the trophy, but the official score sheet had Tichenor and Libbey tied for first. Georgia's Mike Lyle ran a 2·2-2 weekend for second overall. Michigan's Greg Bowen was third overall, and fellow Michiganite John