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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/127565
eSUPERCROSS
AMA Amateur National Su~:.=er=cro=s . .=. . : Se: :. :rie=- -s
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Greg ~ ('77) took control of both the superaoss and the molocross portions of the amateur event. earning a total of four class wins.
Rand rules in the Gatorback mud
By Davey Coombs
Photos by Jim Talkington
GAINeiVILLE, FL, FEB. 26
uzUki-backed Greg Rand raced to
two main event wins at the
"Daytona" Amateur Supercross,
held at Gatorback Cycle Park. Rand, a
16-year-old from Ohio, piloted a pair
of RM Suzukis to the 125 A and 250 A
class victories on an extremely muddy
race tracle.
Torrential rain showers on the eve
of the Friday afternoon race caused
World Sports, the organizers of the
Gatorback National MX weekend, to
delay the morning practice sessions for
more than an hour while course workers tried to clear water and mud from
the jump-filled, stadium-style circ';lit.
(The rain also caused the cancellation
of Dunlop Day, which pro:--ides :,n
early opportunity for professiOnal nders and fans to check out the tracle.)
The supercross course, set in a. f.ield
next to the starting area of the facility's
MX trade, features several difficult
whoop-and-jump combinations, plus
an over-under tunnel jump in the
infield. The tracle was in the process of
drying out all day long but was still
fairly muddy by the end of the amateur program.
Before the event, World Sports'
Jerry West was presented With. a li!etime achievement award from Jmonch
"Henry" Gref, a longtime motocross
enthusiast. Gref mentioned the
advancement of amateur sport in general as one of many reasons for presenting West with the award.
After the presentation, it was time
for the Greg Rand Show. The
ThorIMcGrath/Scott-backed teenager
proved to be too much for veteran pro
racer Ross Pederson in the 2S0cc A
class as he reeled in and passed the
ever-aggressive Canadian and went on
to win. Pederson fell off the pace in the
middle stages of the main, allowing
Vermont's Chad Shepard to move into
second at the finish ahead of
Pennsylvania Suzuki rider Mike
S
44
McDonald. Pederson managed fourth
in the race.
In the 125cc A main, Rand dominated from the start, leading pro racer
Bill Wallin and McDonald past the
checkered flag. Shepard and John
Gallagher rounded out the top five in
the class.
Pederson had a shot at redeeming
himself in the +25 class and the Suzulci
pilot took full advantage of the opportunity. He holeshot the race ahead of
Davey Coombs and Wallin and
stretched a lead that he would hold all
the way to the finish. Coombs narrowly held off Wallin for second while
Kevin Clayton grabbed fourth.
The stars of the minicycle classes
were Texan Charley Bogard and
Ohioan BrocIc Sellards. The two battled
together in both the qualifying heat
and main event of the 8Scc (14-1S)
class. Bogard out-lasted Sellards after
Sellards dropped his bike while battling for control of the race. Sellards
remounted to take second ahead of
Jarrett Tipping.
0
R.esults
125 Ie 1. Gros Rand (Suz); 2. Bill Wallin (Suz); 3.
Mile< McDonald (Suz).
125 B: 1. Paul Currie (Kaw); 2. J.D. Collins (Kaw);
3. Billy ' " - (Suz).
ZSO Ie 1. Grog Rand (Suz); 2. Chad Shepard (Suz);
3. Moo. McDonoJd (Suz).
ZSO B: 1. RaI. Mitcholl (Hon); 2. John FesI