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/127244
Honda rider Ezra Lusk was the big w innerat the 17 t h Annual Bermuda Cycle Un ion Boxing Day Classic in Bermuda. He topped three classes. IYIX Kawa saki- m ou nt ed Buddy Joell (5) captured the overa ll victory in the 250 cc Pro class. wh ile Cory Smith (2) claimed second place. Lusk conquers Bermuda MX By Gary Crider ST. GE O R G E, BERM UD A, DEC. 26 Honda ri der Robbie Smith (55) leads Jeff Stephenson (24) and Ricky Nottingham (20 ) du ring the 250cc Novice class race. Winner Justin Belboda (17), Rejay Gibson (35) and Duprey Joell (29) battle for t he early lead in the 125cc Novice division. Am erican m ini ' ace Ezra Lusk left a big impression on the tiny island-nation of Bermuda as h e sailed away with all three m oto wins in t he 80cc division at the l Zth Annual Bermuda Cycle Union Boxing Day MX Classic. Lusk returned for exh ibition rides during the 125cc Expert rnotos wh ere he mat ch ed wh eels with class win ner Otis Ingham. Lusk was on hand as part of th e three-man Ameri can team sponsored by Freewheelin g Honda of Douglasvi lle, G eorgia . The o the r team members, Novice Brian Stokes a nd Expe rt Mike Goolsby were held back by mech anical probl em s o n th eir borrowed mounts. Local rising star Melvi n " Bud dy" J oel I topped the ha rd-fo ught 250cc Expert di vision over Cory Smi th, while defending Berm uda ·Nationa l Cham pion J ohn Edness retired after the first moto du e to bike prob lems. T he event mark ed the end of the firs t ha lf of the six- mo nth Pep sisponsored Bermuda National Ch ampionship Series a t Co ney Islan d MX. "Our raci ng seaso n is o n ly six months long," exp la ined Bermuda Cycle Union presid ent J erry Rob inson, " beca use th e island's o n ly lega l motocross track is on go vern ment parkla nd a nd we are n' t perm itt ed to run during the spri ng a nd summer. T he govern ment is afra id th at tour ists wi ll not lik e th e noise." Rob inson wen t o n to say, "T he sho rt seaso n and th e lack of riding areas a re fru strating for us. We go to th e States to race wh en ever possibl e. This yea r we are sending a team to th e Amateur Nationa ls at Ponca City and Loretta Lynn 's." The Ga ry Bail ey-designed course features many steep hills and the surface is alternately sandy or hardpacked. Said Lusk, " I liked th e track a lot . It remi nded me of Gatorback MX in Florida." Thousands of spectators lined th e course and cheere d loudly for Lusk and the local favorites. " All of our stree t bik es are limited to IOOcc o r less," sa id Robinson , " may be that's why motocross is so po p u lar here." In 80cc ac tio n, Freewh eelin g H ond a /P J -I /B eII / Scott-b a ck ed Lusk was cha lle nged o nly br iefly whe n fello w H onda pil ot Seo n Smith kep t pace dur ing th e first two la ps of mo ta o ne. La te in th e IO-lap, 15-minute mo to, Smi th tangled with a la p ped rid er a nd was held to third overall via h is 8-2-2 ta lly. Worrell Bean , who has been racing on ly two months, claimed runner-up honors behind Lusk after fini sh in g 2-3-4. Series leader Otis In gham easily ou td ista nced th e compe ti tion in th e 125cc Expert action but came .under pressure fro m exhi bi tion ri der Lusk. Said In gh a m , " I rea lly en joyed wa tch ing Ezra Lusk race. I've learned some things from him , especi ally co ncerning jumps." Kawasak i rid er Buddy Joell and