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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/127986
AMA USA Mega Series, Round 1
By Barbara Williams
Photos by Loren Williams
BLOUNTVILLE, TN, MAR. 7
oto Planet/ Al Lane Yamahabacked Robbie Horton brought
the heat to Muddy Creek Raceway by leading every lap save one of
both the 12scc A and 2sOcc A contests.
Horton's f6urth-place finish in 12scc
action at the Daytona Supercross proved
to be a good springboard for his domination of the Mega Series opener.
"Daytona was fun yesterday, and I'm
glad to be here even though Daytona
was a lot warmer," allowed Horton,
who pocketed $500 for his wins. "But
it's good that it's so cold today, because
that's keeping me awake:'
Nearly 800 riders celebrated MCR's
first race of the 1999 season, enjoying
sunny skies and enduring bone-chilling
cold wind. Dunlop awarded tires to all
Amateur-class winners, and the Victory
Sports crew presented a perfectly prepared track with many new features.
Promoter Sam Gammon had elected to
cancel Saturday's practice day, because
the snow on Wednesday and intermittent rain until Saturday afternoon left
the Muddy Creek loam too soggy for
useful practice riding.
Horton did not get every holeshot,
but he did employ the stamina and
speed that he has gained over the winter
to easily pick off riders. The only exception came in the ~econd round of 2socc
M
5 W e· e p 5
the Creek
(Above) Robbie Horton cleaned house at Muddy Creek's opener
of the AMA Mega Series. Horton took 125cc A and 250cc A
horiors by winning every mota he entered.
(Left) Brad Edwards came back·to racing after nearly a year off
and still grabbed the 125cc A holeshot. Edwards finished fifth
on the day.
A action, when Kevin Walker got the
drop on Horton and rounded, turn one
first at the top of the hill.
Aboard a borrowed YZ400, Walker
set the pace for the first lap, with Horton
looking for an easy way to get around
him. But with Walker's experience and
smart riding, even though this was his
first race back after months of recuperation from knee surgery, he held off Horton. Horton jiggled the latch lap after
lap, but he could not open the window.
Finall y Horton decided to just go
through it.
At the beginning of lap two, Horton
was glued to Walker's fender coming
'into the new uphill section of the track.
Horton then simply pulled to the right
into a really rough part of'the track and
powered into the lead.
Seconds later, Horton reined his
plunging steed back into the usual line
just in time to make the downhill corner
to take the win.
•
In 12scc A
action, KTMmounted Brad
Edwards
pulled
the
holeshot in the
first
moto,
followed by
A u's t i n
Squires, Hans
Neel, Horton,
Tim m y
Milligan and
Wi I I i a m
Wilson. For
the better part of the first lap, Edwards
rode in clean air before handing the lead
over to Horton. Edwards fell back to finish ill fourth.
.
''I'm having a terrific day," said
Edwards, despite his fading back to
fourth. "Basically, this is my first race in
seven months, and it feels really good
because I know it hasn't been a 'gimme:
These guys don't let you have anything."
.
Edwards' 1998 season was severely
shortened by a badly broken leg. Then,
in his first race back ,in November, he
broke his wrist in a turn-one crash. During his comeback, he notched a second~
round seventh in 12scc A for fifth overall.
Hans Neel does not say much, preferring to let his Hondas do the talking. As
Horton took the lead in the first 125cc A
moto and Edwards began to fade,
Squires found a place to pass, putting his
Suzuki into second in place of Edwards'
KTM. Then Neel slipped around
Edwards to take over third, where he
remained for the rest of the moto.
The second-moto start found Neel in
midpack, having to make up ground to
crack into the top five. One by one,
Neel climbed from position to position
until late in the race, when he ducked
inside in a sweeper and passed both
Squires and Wilson to take fourth.
Neel's 3-4 finishes were good for second overall.
"Sometimes it's all I can do not to
whoop and holler," grinned Neel's dad,
Reggie, who regularly handles the
announcing duties at Victory Sports
races. To Reggie Neel's credit, he
remains cool and professional.
CI'I
Muddy Creek Raceway
Blountville, Tennessee
Results: March 7, 1999 (Round 1)
so (4-6): 1. Ian Trettel (Cob); 2. Preston Thomas
(KTM); 3. Trevor Brown (Cob); 4. Cody Robbins (Cob);
S. Dustin ChandJer (Cob).
50 17-8), 1. Los Smith (Cob); 2. Colton Bailey (Cob);
3. Ben Denton (Cob); 4, McKinnon Welborn (Cob); 5.
Zachary Alvear (KTM).
50 SHFI, 1. Cody Robbins (Yam); 2. Randall Taylor
(Yam); 3. Damon Gain (Yam); 4. Chelsea McSwain
(Yarn); 5. Trevor Barrett (Yam).
60 (7-9), 1. Zach Osbome (KTMJ; 2. Justin Ashburn
(KTM); 3. Sean Hackley Jr. (Kaw); 4. Dustin Rowe
UCaw); 5. Jacob Kenton (}(aw).
60 (l0-11): 1. Justin Sipes (Kaw); 2, Jake Fricker
O