Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

The 125cc B class commences battle. More than 870 riders co nverged at Gatorback for t he opening round of the Florida W inter AMA Series . Steve Starnes (69) j um ps out in front of t he Sen ior Division Two class, but it was Robbie Neeley (1 1 1) crossing the checkered f lag in first place. Bro wn sai d, "T y Wallace a nd I go t together a nd hi s bike hook ed my handleba r. My wh ol e ri ght side is scra ped and bruised a nd I ca n ' t rid e." Yamaha o f Lumb erton /G ear!. Du n lop-supported K evin Wa lk er sa id, " I hung in th ere a nd n ever expec ted to ge t as hi gh as seco nd." In mot a two Mann a nd Co lema n were a t the front agai n , but Co lema n overj u m ped a turn a nd Ma nn carried a 15-second cush io n throughou t m o st of th e m o to . . Co lema n exp la ine d, " I was t he o nly o n e j um p ing a sho rt u phill do u ble. I got carried away a nd jumped a ll th e wa y across th e track, hit a ba nk a nd fell." Col em an charged back o nl y to fall agai n , lea vin g Ma n n th e mota win , bu t p reservi ng the overall victo ry. Col em an sa id , " I want to than k m y mom a nd dad. T hey have backed me ever since I race d m ini bikes." New J ersey's Barry Ca rs ten m oved up well for third a nd th ird overa ll a hea d o f David Beckin g ton a nd T y Wallace. T he 250cc Pro opener -sa w Bradsha w qui ckl y p utt ing h is Mike . Cha vez pre pped , MX Fo x / Scott USA/ Roc ky's Sport/D.I.D/NGK spo nsored Yamaha into a virtually unchallen ged lead . Bradsh aw sa id, " I felt good, My timin g was o n, but I got tired o u t th ere. I saw a Kawasak i behind m e (Ge ne Naumec) a n d m ade sure th a t he stayed back th ere." Th e real ra ce was for seco n d 'b etween John Dowd, Ross Peder son, Dennis Hawthorne, Fred Andrews and Naumec. By lap three Naurnec's Team Green /M axima/S cott/Pro Circuit-boosted Kawa saki had knifed ' through th e front -runners . into second spot. Pederson worked on Dowd then m ad e a n unsuccessful run on Naumec at the end. Naumec sa id, " I kn ew th at Pederso n is strong a nd th at he wo u ld be co m ing. I saved a litt le strength and held him off for seco nd ." J ohn Dowd , p leased with fourth sa id, " I was close to Dam o n in th e sta rt, but I h av en 't ridden sin ce O ctober and m y tongu e was dragging o n th e grou n d." In m o to two , An swer/H ombre Int ern ati on a l! Andr ews S uz u k i/ Sm ith-supported Andrews cl u ng to Brad sh aw's back fende r throug ho u t th e ope n ing lap, th en hel d a so lid seco nd to tie Peder son for seco nd overall. And rews sa id, "The tra ck . wa s ro ugher today than it usually is for th e Nat io na l. we h ad to work for i t o u t th ere. Dam on pu ll ed 10 seco n ds o n me a nd hel d it , he must have been tir ed too." Su zu ki -mou nted Pederson , who raced the 125cc class as well , sa id, " I shou ld 've saved more for the 250c(: class. I can' t bel ieve tha t I lost a tie for seco nd." Na umec sta rted in th e to p dozen, but h ad to wi th dra w wi th back pa ins . " I m ust h ave landed wrong o n a jump," th e Con neet icu tt rider sai d . Brian McEl roy whipped hi s Gear/ WKR-backed Suzu ki from 10th to thi rd b y mot o's en d to ea rn fou rt h o vera ll. Mar yland r id er Bill y Sch lag boasted th e o n ly triple win. The Ka w a sak i l S i n is a l o /P owerm i s t/ S&D -supported rider topped th e 125cc Youth class, a n d hi s 125 a nd 250cc B divisions as well. Schlag said , " Mike McAndrews of Factory Su spension wa s a big help with m y bike 's handling." Schlag will be ch allenged in ro und two by Ti m my Ferry, who won 125cc di vision two and 250cc B division two winner , Billy Schlag (14) sets up Carey Jones (42) for a pass in the 250cc B class. Schlag won both motos for the class victory; Jones took th ird . Chris Brown . Doub le winners were Ricky Carmichael (65cc and 85cc 7II ), and Fred Vertucci (P lus 25 and Senior). In 125cc A racing , Kevin Walker a nd Gary Paul di ced for th e win before Walker eventually took th e victory. Paul sa id, " I was on him; a lmost hi ghsid ed in a turn a nd n ever go t close eno u gh 10 pass aga in." Mot o two featured David Beckington 's L a rocco C ycl e/P reci si on fabricati ng-sponsored Suzuki all the way. Walker, who ended secon d for the overall win , said, " Dav id a nd I were ru n ni ng abou t th e same pace a nd lin es, b u t th ree laps was not enough tim e to wea r h im down." T h e fir st 250cc A m ot a belonged to Kaw asaki-mounted Mike Stahlma n with Paul an d Walker as escorts. Mot o two gave Paul h is revenge, leading all th e way a fter tu rn two for th e rnot o and overa ll win. T he TX-IO Cl oth in g/H onda -supported ri der sai d , " I got a hol esh ot a nd tri ed 10 keep Beckington a n d Walker back th ere." Sta h lman recovered from a bad sta rt 10 finish fifth in th e m ot o . Long tim e MX teach er G ar y Bailey, wh o battled G ary Peak for a close seco n d in the Super Senior ranks, sai d , " T h is is a n impressive field o f Sen iors . I predict that yo u will see a 50-P lus class in th e near future." In the 500cc B contest T.]. Brantley and Todd Gardner resumed their contin u in g rivalry, eac h winning a moto, with Bra n tl ey topping th e fin al a b o a r d his C ycle Marine Center-b acked Kawa saki for the overall. - Re sults 12 5 PRO: 1. Chris Coleman (Kaw); 2. Jay M ann (Kaw); 3. Barr y Carsten (Suzl ; 4. David Beckington ISul); 5. Ty Wa llac e (Kawl . . 25 0 PRO: 1. Damon Bradsh aw (Yam); 2. Fred Andrews (Suz); 3. Ross Pederson (Suz); 4. Brian McElroy (Suz); 5. John Dowd (Kaw) . 125 A: 1. Kevin Walker (Yam); 2. David Beckington (SUl); 3. Gary Paul (Hon ); 4. Ty Wallace (Kaw); 5. Dean Baker (Han). 250/ 500 A ; 1. Gary Paul (Hon); 2. Dav id Beckington ( Suz~; 3. Kevin Walker (Yaml; 4 . Mike Stalman (Kaw); 5. John Coll ins (Yam). PIW STK; 1. Tyson Hadsell (Yam); 2. James Castleman (Yam); 3. A aron Lind sey (Yaml . P/W MO D: 1. Kenny Burkholder (Yam); 2. Tyler Shields (Yam); 3. Ronny W ilkes (Yam). 65 7 -11 : 1. Ricky Carm ichae l (Kaw); 2. Scon Pinson (Kaw); 3. Erik Waters { Ka w~. 85 7 ·11 : 1. Ricky Carm ichael (Ka w); 2. Scan Pin so n (Ka w); 3. Erik Waters (Kaw) . B5 12·13: 1. Kevin Windham (Kaw); 2. Tony Hayn es (Kaw); 3. Greg Rand (Kawl. B5 14 -15 : 1. Ezra Lusk (Hon ); 2. Trey SmaIiIKaw); 3. Dwayne Bone (Hon ). 125 YTH; 1. Bill y Schlag (Kaw); 2. Chr is Brown (Hon); 3. Timmy Ferry (Hon). PLUS 25 0 -1: 1. Earl May (Yam ); 2. John Collins (Yam); 3. Rick Lindell (Vam). PLUS 25 0 -2; 1. Fred Vertucci (Yam); 2. Kevin Foley (Hont 3. Ross Johnston (Hon). SR PLUS 3D D· 1; 1. Fred Vertucci (Yaml; 2. Kevin Mathews (Hoo t 3. Gary Peak (Yam). SR PLUS 30 0 -2 ; 1. Robert Neeley (Kaw); 2. Mark Ashworth (Yam); 3. Tim Sm ith (Hon). SR PLUS 3D 0 -3 : 1. TIm Ealy (Kaw); 2. Jeff Jones (SUl ); 3. David Bowman (SUl). S/SR: 1. Gary Peak ((Yam); 2. Gary Bailey (Kaw); 3. George Str ickland (SUl) . 125 B 0 - 1; 1. Bill y Schlag (Kawl; 2. Ryan Dean (Hon); 3. Carey Jones (Hon ). 125 B 0 ·2 ; 1. Tim Ferry (Hon); 2. Bret Beauchamp (Honl; 3. Chr is Brow n (Hon). 25 0 B 0 - 1: .1. Billy Schlag (Kaw) ; 2. Richar d Hampshire (Yam); 3. Carey Jon es (Hon). 250B 0 ·2; 1. Chris Brown (Hon); 2. Todd Gardner (Hon); 3. Joel Beng ler (SUl). 500 NOV : 1. T.J. Brant ley (Kaw ); 2. Todd Gardner (Hon); 3. J eff Me lcher (Hon): 125 C 0-1 : 1. Tony Bull ard (Hon); 2. Chuc k Green (Hon); 3. Kenny Kawalezyk IHon) . 125 C 0 ·2 : 1. J osh Hinson (Hon); 2. Scon Moo re (Hon); 3. Dust in Round s (Hon). 125 C 0 -3 : 1. Jeff Yoder (Kaw); 2. Joey W est (Kaw) ; 3. Brian Ben nen (Yam). 25 0 C 0-1 ; 1. Chr is Percell (Hon ); 2. Gary Peak (Yam); 3. J ohnny Ovelby (Kaw). 250 C 0 -2 ; 1. Bill y Sexton (Hont 2. Chr is McNeill (Hon); 3. Tim othy Lozaw (Yam). 2 50 C 0 -3; 1. Bryan Abel (Hon ); 2. Jesse MacDonald (Hoot 3. Scon Skrove (Hon). 7·

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