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/127715
4i?·••.MOTOCROSS '· ' FloridawinterAMASeties . . Final R()und: Gatorback Cycle Park (Left) Jim Neese may not have won a title, but he aced three 01 four Pro motos . (Be low) Brian McElroy (135) and Keith Johnson (55) took the championships in the 250 and 125cc Pro divisions, respectively, By Mike and Anne Adair Photos by Rik Ojeda GAINESVILLE, FL, JAN. 28-29 eith Johnson and Brian McElro y earned the Pro . class championships a t the final rou nd of the Florida Win ter AMA Motocross Series, but Jim Neese stole the show with three of four Pro mota wins . Johnson had amassed a sizable 125cc points lead , and had onl y to start both motos to sew up the crown. " The bike hand led well the whole month," said Johnson. The Z50cc title chase was a different matter; McElroy led Johnson by a scant four 'poin ts, The two battled hard and ended the day fifth and fourth, respectively, with McElroy taking the crown. "This has been the toughest month of my career," .said McElroy. "I had to come back from a 12-mon th layoff, start over wit h a new bike and get in shape all atthe same time ." K 22 The champions were upstaged by a' , Jim Neese/Ronnie Tichenor battle royal ' in the 250cc class, ending in a climactic conclusion which left Neese with the overall wi n . Neese also' claimed the 125cc class w in after a mota split wit h Davey Yezek. Riders competed for a $6000 Pro purse in the Worldsports-promoted final round of the 27th annual series, Reports of rainy weather proved to be a myth, and warm weather and fast track conditions blessed the finale. Neese paced the first 125cc moto with Tony Lorusso and Mike Treadwell o n his tail. "My arms pumped and Lorusso and Davey Yezek got by," said Treadwell. Neese controlled the mota and led Lorusso, Yezek and Tichenor at the end, commenting, "I' m glad I had a lead . I felt my shoulders and arms getting tired ," Tichenor added, "The track is super fast. I kept the 125 wi de ope') most of the time." Yezek was pumped in mota tw o, stalking Neese and then sliding by in a sweeper on lap four . From there, he led to the end. "We we re going really fast," said Yezek afterward . "I was lucky that Neese was saving some energy for the final 250 mota." Tichenor worked up through th e pack to place third, saying, "I was ready to take on Neese, when I caught my knee on a tire, drug a leg and lost my momentum ." In th e fir st 250cc mota, Neese and McElroy cleare d the first tu m in front of the pack. Snellinger, who is on vacation from his native Norway, moved into the secon d spot on lap two, with Tichenor, who will soon be ret u rn ing to Japan, closing in on lap five. "Tichenor was gaining on me every lap by taking the eleva tor double," said Snellinger. "I saw Neese make it, and I knew I