Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

SMOTOCROSS Florida Winter Am MX Series: Round 1 ~ Brian Swink (19) passed Damien Plotts (280) early in the first 250cc Pro mota, then pulled ahead to the win. Swink easily topped mota two for the overall victory. Race announcer Joe Williams (right) talked with 250cc Pro class winner Brian Swink (center) after the event~ Damien Plotts (left) posted the win in the 125cc Pro division. pros at Gatorback By Mike and Anne Adair GAINESVILLE, FL, JAN. 2-3 eam Suzuki's Brian Swink and Suzuki-mounted privateer Damien Plotts topped the two premier Pro classes at Gatorback Cycle Park, as the 23rd edition of this popular MX series attracted 1000 entries from 35 states and Canada. And to top it all off, the twoday event was run in warm sunny Florida weather with near-perfect track conditions. Swink, now a full-on factory-backed Suzuki team rider who won many of his amateur championships here at Gatorback, swept both 250cc Pro motos in seemingly easy fashion. The Suzuki/Answer/Scott/Bell/Dunlop/Be I-Ray /SoCal-sponsored rider from Michigan had been packing a rod in a leg he broke sometime back and he hadn't raced for quite a while. "It was a good test for me. 1 had surgery to remove the rod from my leg and have only raced once in three months. My arms pumped up, but my leg feels fine." Pennsylvanian Damien Plotts, whose 2-3 moto finishes climaxed a dramatic l25cc Pro overall win, said, "I picked up r 18 my Suzuki in Pennsylvania just two days before 1 came down." The AXO/Renthal/Pro Action/Scott/PJ1/ Action Photos/Powermist/FMF / Tsubaki-supported winner added, "I can't believe that 1actually won." World Sports promoter Jerry West, obviously pleased with the large turnout, gave credit where credit is due. "We have a record contingency program this year provided by Yamaha, Kawasaki, Honda and Suzuki. Their support helps privateers with their expenses and is a major reason for the success -of this series." This year's event sponsors include Scott USA, Dunlop, Barrs Competition, Pro Circuit, Tuf Racing, Cycle News, AXO, Maxima, Powermist, Boyesen Engineering, Pro Action Suspension, Hammerhead Graphics and Chariot Trailers. 125cc Pro Brian Deegan led Ezra Lusk, Plotts, Kurt McMillen, Jim Neese, Kenny Yoho out of the Gator Pit at the start of the first 12Scc Pro moto. Timmy Ferry recovered from a mediocre start, but soon caught the front pack. Lusk, who eventually took the lead from Deegan said, "I watched his lines for a while and picked my spot to pass." Deegan, who would later finish sixth, said, "I got a great start, but a flu bug was working on my stomach. 1 had to back off." . Ferry, who was third behind Lusk and Plotts at the halfway point, said, "I took my time out there, then passed Plotts and then Lusk." Jim Neese moved up to fourth only to lose a chain, while Josh Latino inherited fourth but caught his foot in his swingarm and dropped to 10th. Ferry's RRP Yamaha took the win followed by Plotts, who passed Lusk late in the race. McMillen and Yoho finished fourth and fifth, respectively. Moto two saw Neese grab the early lead with Mike Brown, McMillen, Latina, Deegan, Billy Schlagg, Ferry, McMillen and Yoho in the hunt. Brown passed Neese for the lead on lap two and the pair soon broke away from the pack. Ferry rode a brilliant race, as he made up for a poor start and soon had control of second place after passing Neese, but Neese refused to give up and hugged Ferry's rear wheel as Ferry began to challenge Brown. Ferry found a flaw in Brown's lines and took the lead on the white flag lap, and a few turns later, the two front-runners tangled and went down. Neese took full advantage of the situanon and stayed clear of the pile-up to take the win. Brown recovered in time to keep second, ahead of Plotts and Jeff Curry. Ferry finished out of the top 10. Brown said of the crash, "Ferry's bike slid out. 1 ran into him and we both fell." Neese said, "I saw them down on the ground and could not believe my good luck. When 1 took the checkered flag, all of a sudden my b1isters didn't hurt any more." "I was really bummed," said Ferry. "The bike just bogged, and there was no way that Mike could miss me. 1 was looking forward to that big Yamaha contingency, maybe next week." Overall winner Plotts said, "1 was running in fourth and a rock hit me in the leg really hard. I'm glad that 1 hung on for the overall. It was a tough break for Timmy." Plotts had to get help from a more experienced Brian Swink to open his champagne and spray the crowd. 250cc Pro McElroy and his Yamaha of Shelbybacked YZ2S0 opened the 2S0cc Pro action with a decisive holeshot ahead of Plotts, Vince DeVane, Tommy Martin, Swink, Derek Youngblood and Ferry. Swink moved up fast on his Malcomb Plumb-wrenched Suzuki and took the lead on lap two. Swink, who went on to score the victory, said, "McElroy, Ferry and DeVane are all fast on this track. J was pleased to be strong enough to win." McElroy finished a close second followed by DeVane, Ferry, Plotts and Keith Johnson. "McElroy, who was· recently married, said, "Pam and J are moving to North Carolina, but (tuner) Woody Kyle will continue to do my engine work." Ferry said, "I caught up to Vince, had a good race with him, but could not get by." DeVane led the final moto in its early stages with Swink, Alan Andreu, Plotts, Michael Moore, McElroy and Johnson in the lead pack. DeVane's place in the spotlight came to an end when he crashed. "I thought that this was my moto, but the track had become dry and slick," said a disappointed DeVane. "My front end washed out, I crashed and got up last in the pack." DeVane's misfortune benefited Swink who inherited the lead and cruised to the win. McElroy, who finished second, said, "I wanted to race with Swink, but 1 got boxed off the gate and he was gone." Johnson took third behind McElroy. "Daylight was almost gone when we finished. The sweeper was wild to getthrough," said KTM's Johnson. "You just couldn't see the holes."

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