Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

AVIEW FROM THEERIC JOHNSON FENCE BY hen the gate dropped for the 1997 edition of the Gatorback AMA National Motocross in Gainese, Florida, there was a certain "something" missing from the premier 250cc class. But before we discuss that mysterious " omething," let's take a trip back in time to May 2, 1982. A young, unknown rider pounded an exotic, blood-red Honda RC250AF through the treacherous, brutal sand and stifling St. Petersburg, Florida, humidity as if his very existence depended on it. Honda support rider Kenny Keylon had been given the chance of a lifetime and he was doing everything in his power to make good on it. The year was 1982, and as the laps of the second moto clicked off, Keylon moved that much closer to realizing a dream. Cheered on by the boisterous crowd, Keylon, riding a track which he had competed on hundreds of times as an amateur, forged on toward the checkered flag. Just as the white flag flew, a cloudburst drenched the sandy, whooped-out circuit, but Keylon continued along undaunted, crossing the finish line 21 seconds ahead of David Bailey, Broc Glover and Rick Johnson three of the world's best riders at the time. The Cinderella story had just been played out to the maximum. '1'11 be looking back at this one," said the incredulous 18-year-old racer to the enthralled crowd of 5,(J()() spectators. "1 exceeded my expectations - 1 didn't think 1 could win both motos. It wasn't the works bike that much, either." The year before, Kenny Keylon was nothing more than a hard-working pri: vateer, de perately trying to make a name for himself on the AMA motocross circuit. A phenomenal sand rider, Keylon cut his racing teeth on the legendary Florida sand tracks of Jacksonville, Chicken Farm, Orlando International Speedway and Cocoa Beach considered by many savvy enthusiasts to be the roughest tracks ever created. Upon venturing out onto the AMA professional circuit, Keylon struggled to come to term with the hairball tracks and intense competition of the high-prome U.S. national scene. However, he chipped away at it and when all was said and done, finished the year up a very respectable 12th overall in the AMA 500cc-elass points standings. Urged on by the help of friend - and modern-day sunglass mogul - Greg Arnet, Keylon landed a spot on Honda's support team for the 1982 campaign. He didn't waste any time impressing his new employers, domil'lating ~e annual Florida Winter AMA series and placing a very respectable fifth at the Seattle Supercross - a discipline of the sport he was still in the midst of grasping. Then came the big break. Northern California wildman and notorious loose screw Darrell Shultz, then riding for Honda's works effort, got off hard at the Hangtown National in March, thus ending up in another ambulance - and on the disabled list. Team Honda now had a hole in its starting lineup and a purpose-built, half-million-dollar Honda RC works bike up on the stand with nowhere to go. Enter Keylon. Keylon, who had begun to develop into a serious threat in the AMA Nationals, was immediately drafted into Team Honda's big-league factory operation. Coached by works mechanic Dave Carter and team trainer Jeff Spencer, Keylon hit the ground running and took to acclimating himself to the "Big Red Machine." When the circus pulled into St. Petersburg on May 2,1982, Keylon, now armed to the teeth, put his sand experience to work. From waging war in his youth against such notorious Florida sand blasters as Karl Jordan, Mark Murphy, Kippy Pierce, Steve Martin and Kevin Foley, Keylon was considered by those who knew of him to be America's best sand rider. When all was said and done later that hot and humid afternoon at the Sunshine Speedway Mr. Pibb National, Keylon had forever etched his name into the AMA ational Motocross Media Guide. A relatively unknown rider from Florida had taken the verdict of the world's best motocross riders in both motos. To say it was a shocker is an understatement to the highest degree. Keylon had not squandered his big chance' - which brings us back to Gainesville, Florida, in 1997. When the call went up for the 250cc division to begin staging for the first moto of the 1997 ational Championship Motocross Series at Gatorback, there were no Team Honda factory riders to be found. After years of dominat- ing the class through the much-heralded accomplishments of such legendary riders as David Bailey, Rick Johnson, Jeff Stanton, Jean-Michel Bayle - and the main man himself, Jeremy McGrath - . Honda was remarkably absent from the starting area. What was going on? On the eve of the 1997 AMA Supercross Series, McGrath announced to the world that he was leaving Team Honda to form his own operation to be known as Nac-Nac Enterprises. With substantial support from MCI/1-800-Collect, No Fear, Fox, Suzuki of Troy and American Suzuki, which wielded a heavy hand in the whole affair, McGrath planned to take on all comers with his private outfit. While Super Mac's declaration sent everyone in vol ved in American motocross reeling, it was completely devastating to American Honda from both a public relations and on-track standpoint. The Torrance, Californiabased corporation, through politics and bickering, had lost its favorite son. And to make matters worse, at that point in time, there was no way in hell that they would be able to replace him. The damage had been done. Then the rumors began flying. Steve Lamson would be moved up to the 250cc ational division, defending F1M 250cc World Motocross Champion Stefan Everts was on his way over from Europe to provide Honda with a presence at Gatorback, new recruit to Honda Scott Sheak would be plucked out of the entry-level 125cc class and dropped into the quarter-liter class. Honda was doing little to throw cold water on an alreadyraging fire. "No comment" was the corporation's standard line of communication regarding team rna tters to the racing media When the Honda 18-wheel big rig pulled into Gatorback, no 250cc factoryprepared motorcycles were rolled ,out of the dark confines of the big, red Honda truck. And with that, the questions regarding team logistics were answered. Both Lamson and Sheak would remain in the 125cc class. Honda, no doubt still stammering over the McGrath incident, decided to cut its losses and man an allout assault on the 12Scc division. Meanwhile, a subplot (much like the Keylon incident) was taking place in the team Honda of Troy and Team Manchester Honda transporters. With no factory presence in the 250cc Class, American Honda pulled an end around and decided to back-door some support to each of its two sa tellite su pport teams. While the two aforementioned teams are set up somewhat differently than TeaD'l Honda's support squad of '82, the concept is quite similar. Honda provides parts and technical assistance to the' teams in exchange for additional promotional support of the Honda "wing." Perhaps in a bit of a payback to Mr. McGrath, the factory-tweaked CR250 engine Jeremy utilized to roost to victory in the 1996 Motocross des ations in Jerez, Spain, was yanked off of the shell and handed to Manchester Honda's Damon Bradshaw. Moreover, Phil Alderton's Team Honda of Troy was rumored to have received some serious high-performance hardware from the shop guys back in Torrance. After two dramatic classes of racing, American Honda was able to leave the Gatorback facility - which ironically is now completely devoid of sand - with its head held high. Bradshaw, who appears to have exorcised his demons of the past, rode to highly impressive 5-3 moto scores for third place overall. In addition, Honda of Troy's Larry Ward and battle-hardened war-h.orse Mike Kiedrowski raced to fifth and seventhplace overall scores, respectively. Keylon's stunning 1982 AMA ational victory is an indelible part of the folklore of motocro s: The young, relatively unproven athlete gets his big trip up to the plate and hits the ball out of the park. While it seems hard to fathom in this day and age tha t a total unknown could enter the sport and pull off a shocker such as Keylon's - particularly with the now-neb.ulous gray area .between amateur and professional in American motocross - one must admit that it's an awesome situation to let the support riders have a crack a t factory equipment. While Bradshaw, Ward and Kiedrowski have already taken their ride on the factory gravy train, the thought of them - or any promising young racer who deserves a chance getting an opportunity to pull off that big, unexpected victory against the wellheeled titans of the sport is all part of the mystique of racing tha t keeps us tuning in each and every week. t'X 30 YEARS AGO... MARCH 30,1967 Patrick in second and third, respectively. Mashburn won the Open class, while Bill Barnes and Monte Darling closed out the top three. Yamaha over Lance Jones and Craig Morris, also on Yamaha TZ250s...Team Yamaha's Bob Hannah took his Keith McCarty-tuned production YZ250 to the win at the Daytona Supercross in Daytona Beach, Florida. It was Hannah's 12th consecutive moto win that season. Can-Am's Jimmy Ellis finished second while Bultaco-mounted Ken Zahrt, Husky's Kent Howerton and Kawasakimounted Terry Cliuk rounded out the top five. classes at the 11 th annual Grand National Championship International Motocross Final held at the Lake Whitney Cycle Ranch in Texas. Errtig won the Mini Stock (14-16) and Mini Open classes, while Thomas won the 125 and 250cc Expert classes. Other notable finishes include Kevin Windham's win in the Mini Mini Jr. (6-8) class, Damon Huffman's wins in the Mini Mini Sr. (9-11) and Mini Stock (7-11) classes, Jimmy Button's wins in the Mini Stock (12-13) and Mini Intermediate (12-13) classe~, Craig Decker's win in the Mini Jr. (7-11) class and Damon Bradshaw's win in the 125cc Intermediate class. Honda-mounted Paul Krause (who had left Team Husqvarna the week prior) bested Team Honda's Dan Ashcraft by about a bike length after nearly a hundred miles of racing in Huntington Beach MCs Wild Hare Hare & Hound in Lucerne, California. CN ary Nixon and his Triumph graced the cover of CN as he raced to victory at the Daytona 200 in Florida. Nixon became the first rider to win both the 250cc Lightweight 100miler and the Heavyweight 200-mile National on the same weekend. Triumph-mounted Buddy Elmore got second place in the 200 with George Roeder, Mert Lawwill and Cal Rayborn rounding out the top five on HarleyDavidsons. Dick Hammer took a close second in the Ugh tweight race on a Suzuki followed by Robert Winters, Dick Newell and Donald Twigg on Yamahas...Jim Halford won the 125cc Expert class at the Arizona State TT Qtampionships. Tom Halford got secorr.:.! and Harold Pheps took third. John Halfmd won the 250c Expert class, followed by Keith Mashburn and Carl G 20 YEARS AGO... MARCH 23, 19n amaha's Steve Baker was on the cover for his double wins in both the rain-shortened Daytona 200 and the lOQ-mile 250cc race. The 200 was actually broken down into two 100-mile legs due to tire-wear problems, but rain caused the can~el1ation of the second leg. Yamaha's Kenny Roberts took second in the rain-shortened 200 and Tkazumi Katayama finished third on a Yamaha. Katayama also finished second in the 250cc race, while Richard Schlacter got third on a Yamaha. 'Eddie Lawson celebrated his 19th birthday with a victory in the 76-mile Novice event on a Y 10 YEARS AGO... MARCH 25, 1987 he 1987 RM250 was on the cover of CN and received a full test inside. The bike was good due to Bob Hannah and his involvement with the production of the bike...Team· Green Kawasaki riders Lowell Thomas Jr. and Jeff Emig dominated their respective T

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