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/127178
Billy Silverole (706) topped Anthony Paggio (7 ) for the 125cc B class w in. Silverole also took first in the 250cc B class. -, Jeff Beckington (459) passed Barry Carsten on the last lap of the second 125cc Expert mcto, but Carsten still took the overall w in via a 1 -2 score. Sen io r class w inner Donnie Banks (3 4) grabs the holeshot ove r runnerup J im Marchant (44). Dave Wagner (2 4 ) and Woody Strickland (7 2 9) . Carsten, Beckington & .Naumec tep Gatorback By Mike and Anne Adair GA INES VIL LE, FL, FEB. 5 Barry Carsten, J eff Beckin gton and Gen e Naumec topped the Semi Pro classes in the secon d rou n d of th e Supercross Cou n tdown Series at Ga torb ack Park. Ap p roximately 26 -- 279 riders contested th e AMAsanctioned, WorldSports-pro- I superb even t on aday. Carsten, moted nother warm, Florida who has been in the hunt all winter, scored hi s fir st win in th e I25cc cla ss. Hi-P oint/Carrs Camp/Scott US A/ Mo ntg o mery vi lle Cycl ebacked Car sten said, "T h is is my alltime favorite tra ck a nd today it was smoo ther and faster th an ever." Man y of the turns were so hard th at riders were flat tracking them . Carl Vaillancourt led the ope n ing I25cc parade a hea d of Kurt is Barren , Cars ten, J ohn Kitsch a nd Shane Drew. Vai lla nco urt spi lled a n d Carsten's Suzuki doubled by Barren to open a devastat in g lead . Kitsch loc ked up second a t th e midwa y po int, wit h J eff Beckington scra mbling back from a bad start to third. Mota two Eric McLear took th e holesh ot ahea d of Carsten, Barren , Va illanco u rt, Kit sch , J eff Gl ass, Swede And ers Sven sson, Gary Paul and Jeff Beckington. Vaillanco urt co mme nted, " I was go ing for it, hit a dirt clod a nd took ' ou t Kitsch ." Carsten set aft er McLear a nd used th e cu shi on in a left-bander to pass ·o utside for th e lead. Ca rsten sa id, " I watched Damon Brad sh aw win with that line at th e Winter AMA o pe ne r." J eff Beckington cau~ht Carsten for the rnoto win on th e fin al lap. " My motor started 10 seize," said Carsten. " I was luck y th at I had enough speed to fini sh just ahead of Da vi d Beckington to save th e . overall." . The first 250cc mota was paced by th e Beckington brothers. David led th e first lap but J eff took over o n lap two, th en th e pair was joined by T UF Racin g's Mark Barnell for a ' thrilling du el. Barnett sai d, " I had 10 come back after my rib injury just to get some tra ck ti me a nd testing, but reall y got into th e race." Barnett took David Beckington over th e doubles, on ly 10 overshoot two laps later in th e same spo t and lose it back. Beckington added, " H e was push ing me hard today. H e passed me th en ' swa pped o ut and I go t him back. " T ommy Martin took th e seco nd mota first turn from Vaillancourt a nd Gar y Paul and hi s Honda owned th e tra ck until th e last lap, when J eff Beckington cha lle nged, passmg Martin on th e front for the o verall win. After sa lvaging a fifth overall, Barnell said, " I jumped the gate in the start and then, after I made up som e time, a guy trashed me out. The ribs a re OK th ough and I'm happy abo ut th at." Gen e Naumec had never raced a open class bik e before today, but found himself in second behind Jeff Frisz in th e first 500cc rna to. Frisz took th e win flag to flag . Frisz said