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/127116
Fred Andrews (18) got by John Reinholt in the second 250cc Pro moto to take second and the overall win. Keith Johnson (9 ) and Jon McCabe (168) dice in the seco nd 500cc Pro moto until Johnson fell. allowing McCabe to take the ove rall w in. Florida Winter AltA Series: Round 2 Andrews, Bo"en, McCabe score at Gatorback. By Mike and Anne Adair GAINESVILLE, FL, JAN. 2-3 Keith Bowen, Fred Andrews and Jon McCabe scored Pro victories in the second rou nd of the Suzuki/Scott USA-sponsored Florida Winter AMA MX Series at Gator12 back Park. The even t featured 640 entries from 30 states, as professional racers made their first appearance in the '88 event. . Supersports' Bill West announced ' a significant change this year , as West elaborated, "Pro licensing is down and the AMA has agreed to allow qualified Expert class amateurs to compete with the Pros without a Pro-Am license. We hope that this will encourage all riders to move up and make more room in th e Band C classes. " In the Pro class motos at Gatorback many amateurs made th e big jump and gave the Pros a run for their money. Suzuki 's Bob Hannah, after a fourth place finish in the first 250cc moto, said "Twelve years ago I came down to Florida as a punk kid and won. I guess it was bound to catch up with me and do a turn around. " Suzuki Racin g's Pat Alexander was on hand with Hannah, Ron Tichenor, Keith Turpin, and Todd DeH oop. Junior Jackson was out with an injury and DeHoop tweaked a n ankle in practice. Cagiva's Mark Hosbach introduced a seven rider team to co nte st the series and commented, "Cagiva is adding contingency money for riders on our bikes. " Yamaha, Honda, and Kawasaki join Suzuki and Cagiva for a total contingency program of $200,000 for th e series . Gatorback's National circuit was immaculately groomed with cloudy, . cool weather greeting the opening 125cc Pro moto, Amateurs Kenny Kizzar, Jeff Beckington and Jay Mann took a surprise lead at the head of the 45-man pack. Kizzar's Barrs / PJ- IIScott USA-supported Yamaha set a blistering pace wi th Beckington and Mann in tow. TUF Racing/ Answer/Bell-backed Keith Bowen pushed his Kawasaki from mid-pack in company with the Suzukis of Turpin and Tichenor. It would take II laps before Bowen caught Kizzar and took the moto win. Bowen said in his pit between motos, " T hese young boys are going for it. They made me work for that win." _ Kizzar explained, "Bobby Barr took my stock Yamaha and did a number on it . The bike was perfect today. " Turpin said after his third-place finish, " T he harder I rode the more my arms pumped up." Moto two featured an instant replay of Kizzar's holeshot, but T ichenor was on Kizzar and moved h is Du n lop / MX Fox/ Arai /Scott USA Suzuki by for the lead on lap two, and went on to win the moto. Tichenor said, "Alan (Barker) changed forks and we tried a different tire. It made a big difference for me." Turpin passed Kizzar and escorted Tichenor to the flag. Bowen was content in third, wrapping up the day 's overall. Bowen said, " I am pleased with such a good result after only a week with the Kawasaki." In th e 250cc Pro opener Mike LaRocco burned Alan Andrews, John Reinholt, Chris Coleman, Keith English and Fred Andrews off the gate to lead th e race. Hannah was mired in traffic and had a lot of ground to make up. Andrews caught Reinholt, scrapped for second and took th e point. Schmidt Cycle backed Rein holt said, " I was closing on LaRocco and took a stupid fall. I just lost my momentum and Andrews took advantage of it." Hannah closed on Reinholt and sett led for fourth as the flag fell. Andrew and Kevin Foley put in an impressive debut for Cagiva with fifth and sixth. LaRocco said, " I was happy to have the lead but knew someone wou ld be coming after me. It was good to see David Dye's checkered flag ." In moto two the weather changed and the "Hurricane" struck as Hannah ripped from the line, fought Andrews, Andrew and Reinholt for the first turn then rode into the sunset on his R a n d y Bruining prepped Suzuki. LaRocco flipped over the bars in turn two and sat out the moto. Andrews trailed Reinholt for eight laps before wrapping up second and the overall. Andrews said, "Suzuki has a great 250cc machine and they pay 2000 big ones for the overall. That's what Pro racing is all about. I wanted to catch the old man (Hannah) but I was too tired. " Hannah responded, ' 'I' m glad , Andrews can use the money. Suzuki doesn 't pay me anything extra for a . win. " Hannah was fo llowed in the runner-up spot by Reinholt, Andrew and Mark Murphy. Murphy, a ' former series champion, said, "I retired after Daytona last year, but changed my mind and decided to try one more time. I'm happy with my fifth ." It was 500cc Pro showtime and Chuck Weinburg, John McCabe and Jim Kapitan jammed into the sweeping left-hander. McCabe took the lead : for a lap, but 'Massach usetts' rider Keith Johnson was on the gas and boogied past several riders on lap two before sighting in on McCabe. Johnson passed him to win the moto, while Mike Stahman held off Kapitan for third. Johnson said, "I kept my own pace and was able to catch McCabe. After that I was on my own to the flag. The bike feels really good today. " In moto two Weinberg took the point and owned a lap of prestige ahead of Johnson, Mike Spear and McCabe. Johnson then bolted by on the rim of Gatorback's pit to take the lead. McCabe pushed his Honda and sta lked Johnson for six laps. After an enthusiastic dice J oh nson went down and McCabe was th e wmner. Connecticut's David Mc Lean rode his Spectro/Oneal/Norwalk Honda from sixth on lap one to edge Kapitan for the runner-up spot. McCabe explained, "We were racin~ hard. He went outside and I tried Inside. I lost my front end, slid into him and caused him to fall. It