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/127822
BEST TEST planned, it could be a major player in the 250cc division. Team Manchester Honda will field the enigmatic Damon Bradshaw, and if the "Beast from the East" starts the season off with a bang, he could very well be in the thick of things by May. To attest to this assumption, if not for a bobble in the last turn at the '96 Tokyo Supercross, Bradshaw would have pulled off the victory. Instead, Albertyn, wJ\O capitalized on the miscue, dived under Bradshaw, thus snatching away the prestigious win. Bradshaw was said to be livid over the loss and vowed to get even come January '97. Well, that time is now here and it will be very' interesting to see how Damon fares on a Honda after spending his entire professional career as a member of the Yamaha factory team. Joining Bradshaw in the Manchester Honda transporter will be 125cc East Region competitor Robbie Skaggs of Kansas. To add fuel to an already-raging fire, 1997 will see a plethora of privateer and dealer-supported riders salivating at a chance to take a swipe at the high and mighty factory - and factory support teams. Brian Swink and Brian Deegan will form the Team Moto XXX effort and run in the 250 and 12Sec East divisions, respectively. Team F&S Suzuki/Kawasaki out of Ohio will field a squadron of riders including Davey Yezek, Shaun Perolio, Kevin Crine, Mike Metzger and Jeff Hedden in the 12Scc class, while Cliff Palmer will compete in the 250cc division. Suzuki Support will lend a hand to Texas hotshot Charlie Bogard, along with Jiri Dostal and Chris Wheeler. Team Green will provide support to promising Ohio youngster Brock Sellards. Other privateers who will provide atmosphere to the '97 series include Ty Wallace and Gene Naumec (whose '97 season is in doubt because of an off~ son crash/injury) of Team RRP, the fast and talented Rich "Taylor, Tony Amaradio and Jeff Willoh of Team Noleen/ K2/Sizzler, Cory Keeney and the highflying, crowd-pleasing, hell man Mike Metzger. . Finally, a cross-section of young European and Japanese riders will run. in the first few rounds of the series, with the foremost among them being FlM 12Scc World Champion Sebastien Tortelli. Tortelli will ride a KX250 in the first four rounds before heading back to Europe to take on Stefan Everts, Marnicq Bervoets, Tallon Vohland and American Mike Brown - who also will race the first four supercross events - in the FlM 2S0cc World Championship Motocross series on his Chesterfield Yamaha. So there you have it - the premise to the 1997 AMA Supercross Series. The series has not even started and the soap opera that is currently being played out has enough high drama, infighting, finger pointing, two-timing and intrigue to make the writers of "Melrose Place" green with envy. Think about it. The best rider the sport has ever seen has decided to change teams at the very last minute, leaving the strongest team in the history of the sport with a huge void to fill and no time in which to do anything about it. A team that has not won the supercross championship since 1981 - or a supercross race since 1991 for that matter - is now in the driver's seat, and the only man to beat·McGrath in 1996 is eagerly awaiting to draw first blood. What's going to happen in this cliffhanger? Who knows? You'll just have to tune in next week. (;N Choose from the full range of 1997 BMW Motorcycles. If you buy 0 new BMW within 90 doys of the test ride, you recieve 0 rebote in occessories ond options motching the full tour price. (Offer is volid for 3 or 4 doy itinerories for the rider only.) Coli your neorest Edelweiss' Bike Trovel ogent or BMW deoler for program detoils. ~.~ EDELWEISS BIKE TRALIEL ~,- _ .Al- r1 r1.t. ~ i4! ~ SU~~fI~~OSS9 Souvenir yearbook The ficial Event Program of the AMA Supercross Series Once again Supercross fans can order their own copies of the official event program of the AMA Supercross Series. Now, you can read all about the 1997 Supercross season: Factory team line-ups, interviews, rider number's, top 125cc and 250cc stal'S, 1997 schedules, and more! . Retail Price $5.00 ea. (foreign price $6.50 ea). VISA/Mastercard Accepted Everything you'll wanl to know abOLIt the 1997 season is here in this a1I-color, glossy Supercross Souvenil' Yearbook... to order ju t call toll free 800-831-2220 or bette/, yet- 'I' 11 :II• • E