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/126950
(Above) Scooter Stafford (35). Glen Nicholson (701) and Jon McCabe (168) fight it out in the Open Pro/Am final. (Below) Rodney Orr (126) leads Tommy Knapp (4) in the 250 Brace. Brian McElroy (380) powers away from John Shey (61) in the 125 Prof Am contest. Honda-mounted McElroy finished first. Shay took third. Rorlda February series: Round 4 McElroy, Hoover, Stafford crowned at Cocoa -, By Mike and Anne Adair Photos by Kinney Jones COCOA, FL, FEB. 22 Florida's Brian McElroy, Canada's Doug Hoover and Louisiana's Scooter Stafford were crowned Pro-Am class champions at the final round of the Florida February Motocross Series at Diamondback Cycle Park. Two hundred seven'd fr 20 ty-seven n ers om states, Canada, Peru, West Germany 50 and Argentina enjoyed warm, sunny Florida skies at the Yamaha, Gear, Scott USA-sponsored, Beach Sportcycle promoted, event. . McElroy controlled his own destiny by winning the 125cc Pro-Am division. Pressed in the series by jeff Frisz and Mike Larocco, the Honda/ EP/WKRljB Racing-endorsed rider, charged for the holeshot in both motos, through he couldn't play it safe. McElroy said, "I rode my best race at the jacksonville Arenacross, but to beat jeff for the series, I knew he'd be really going for it at Cocoa." Honda of Canada/Pro Circuit/ AXO/Oakley-sponsored Doug Hoover said, "I need to win all four motos in the 250 and 500cc classes today to pay for the trip down from Canada." Hoover had a good payday, with a 250cc Championship and 500cc Cocoa win. "Today is my last ride on this old dinosaur," said 500cc Champion Stafford, as he pointed to his 1985 Yamaha YZ. "Yamaha is the only manufacturer that o£fered cash in tbis series and I wanted to take some home." In the 125cc Pro-Am opener McElroy 'buzzed the start with Frisz, john Shay, Gary Paul and Larocco in tow. Frisz pushed his Suzuki hard and reeled in McElroy for the win on lap four. "Brian took the series lead from meatjax and I needed to get it back," he said. In a wild second moto start, McElroy, Frisz and Shay were three abreast at the top of the tunnel jump, but McElroy's Donnie Chafin-prepped Honda held the edge after the third turn. Frisz and Shay tangled and crashed on a jump with Paul Cornell, William Dzielak and Larocco moving by. Frisz said, "john and I got up with a broken handlebar but then a couple of guys misread the yellow flag and jumped on me. I am really skinned up and sore." Ohio's Shay rejoined the contest and finished third to Larocco. Mickey Kessler returned to Florida, where his name is indelibly etched in the Winter AM record books. The New Jersey MXer said, "Debbie and I came down for a couple of weeks. I will ride at the Gainesville National and play it by ear for the Daytona event. In the opening 250cc Pro-Am moto, Kessler beat Shay, Eddie Wilboune and Jon McCabe to the first turn and his Kawasaki blew off the moto flag to flag. The series race, between Hoover and John Reinbolt, developed into a battle for second in the first go. Hoover held a slight advantage until Reinbolt's Yamaha crashed to fifth on lap fi ve. Reinholt said "How does Kessler go so fast? He says he hasn't been riding much but he's really on il." Hoover's second in the moto bumped Reinholt from the point lead and it all came down to the second moto. In moto two, Kessler and Reinholt battled from the outside in the first turn with Kessler taking the edge. Hoover had a ringside view for the stackup that followed. He said, "Kessler was leading up the anthill and got sideways. Several guys, including me, clipped him." Kessler was not seriously injured but was forced to leave the race to. Larocco, joe Waddington and Reinholt. Larocco's Yamaha led £lag to flag for the overall win, with Hoover having to be content with fifth for the day and the championship. Larocco said later, "jeff Stanton got here from the Miami Supercross in time to pump me up for the moto." Stafford owned the first 500cc moto flag to flag. Hoover bumped jon McCabe from the number two spot on lap two to set up a second moto confrontation with Stafford. Hoover said, "I waited for Scooter to get tired but he set a good pace." Moto two saw Stafford and Hoover sandwich Tim Ealy for a lap before going to war. After lap two, the pair had a clear track and both churned the black dirt. Hoover was patient and made his move for the win on the last rotation. Stafford said, "This tired old bike started to seize and I had to shift up a gear to save it. Hoover won the battle but we won the war." Canadian Glenn Nicholson advanced from fifth for third overall. Robby Hanson and Gene Naumec both returned to the Florida circuit to contest the l25cc B Championship; Naumec from an injury and Hanson from a winter's racing in the Golden State Series. Naumec shared mOlO wins with Hanson but took the day's overall and the class championship.