Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

'Howerton'a main nameala In '81 wu Bob Hannah (1001, but Kent won a lot. Kent Howerton: On the comeback trail By Tom Mueller 1981 was a year that gave Kent Howerton some glory, then victory, and finally despair. Howerton went {o warwith Bob Hannah on the 250cc National MX circuit and took six of a possible eight rounds overall, clinching the 250cc title for the second straight year. He was also running strong in the Supercross Series point standings and looked to be a top contend~r to repeat as the Trans·USA Champion. But on August 2J, Howerton's season ended. He was out practicing on his per~onal track, and when he stopped to help a fallen rider he was h,'t by yet another rider who crested a jump and landed on him. The result was a crushed and broken _ left hand and wrist. Injuries-at least the kind that keep you out of races- were foreign to Kent, and for the first time in his racing career he had to sit on the sidelines. Watching other n"ders take the titles home was at first hard for him to comprehend, but. he took a quick grasp on the situation and began to train as best he could. Four months have gone by since Kent incurred his injury, and he's about to get back on a motorcycle and make his comeback ride. Here's what a champion had to say pbout the past season, his time off. and what's in store in thefuture, ,82 Kent, would you give us an update on your hand? Well. it feels pretty good, I'm wearing a tiny little hand cast made of Iiber· glass. I can do ariythin~. I've been chopping trees, picking up big rocks. working on my tracks, It hasn't bothered me much anymore. I lind out Monday (December 14). when I get some X·rays, how I'm doing. If it's not healing that would be really weird. From the last time they X·rayed it (two months ago) there's been a 90 percent ·irgpl;Q.VeJZleDt.... " • • .. .. ... ... .... • Jill (Kent's wife) told me you might have a knee operation. What happened? I jammed my (left) knee in 1971 or '72. All they are going to do is scrape some of the rough stuff off the back of my kneecap. All they make is one small hole about a half inch long. I'll walk in and walk out the next day. It irritates me when I do exercises or run six or seven miles. so I'm just going to get it done while I have a few weeks off and then I'll have a perfectly normal knee. J)Q you believe in. the %S4kc. curse? Gary Jones, Tony DiStefano and Hannah were all injured after locking up 250cc titles. Oh, I don't know. The 250 cham· pions hang onto their titles longer than the 500 champions. There's been a new 500 champion almost every year. How about next year? Do you think you'll try the 500s? I think I'll ride 5005, even if I'm ready for the 250s. Most everyone is going to be riding the 5005 next year - Donnie Hansen, Broc Glover, Mike Bell, Chuck Sun -I forgot some of the others. It's a very dull deal. You ride :!50s in stadiums, then you ride the 250 Natiomils, then ;n the Trans-USA you ride 250s there. In '79 at least we got to ride 500s in the Trans-USA. There's a whole invigorating attitude involved with riding a brand new bike of a different size. I told them (Suzuki) at the Superbowl (in Los Angeles on July I I) that I'd like to ride 5005. I was tired of riding 250s, especially with all thaI garbage that happened with Hannah. II wasn'l any fun. I like to have fun when I ride. Do you think Hannah will stay with the 250s? I would if I were him. If no one moves into the class he might even be able to win it. What sort of eUccts has the lay-off had on your life? Have you enjoyed the time oU? I've enjoyed myself. Mostly I've been workin~ on my farm .and ranch, working on my tracks. getting them ready for when I slart practicing, len~hening them. putting new stuff in. I've got a totally new layout. This time I've got a bunch of really high hills and steep banks; it's even more serious than Unadilla (New York USGP course). We're right on the San Antonio and Medina Rivers and there are 100 foot banks there. I've got my track up and down the hills and through the canyons. Have you thought of retiring? No.way! This makes me want" to ride even more. I like riding toO much. On the average I ride two to three hours four times a week. not counting Sundays, All I can think about is riding. It's been almost live months. It seems like a long time since I 'got hurt, . but it doesn't seem like a long time since I rode last because I feel the same as when I quit. My attitude is better than ever, it's refreshed. Some of the ride" have said you won't come back as strong as you were, that you just can't layout as long as you have and come back competitively. What's your reaaion to that? A lot of people. you know how they are, they think, 'Well, he got hurt, so that's that.' I just hope none of those people are watching me next year when I come back. I've been keeping up my running when I've been off, so I'm not that far out of shape. It'll take about a month of riding to get back into shape. I plan on coming back a lot stronger than when I went out. Before the Trans·USA I was stronger than I've ever been before. I just want to get back like that agai·n. I just hope .I can make the first,stadium ra-ce;. U

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