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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128371
AHRMA Progressive Suspension Historic Cup Series
ay two of AHRM.A:s National
off-road weekend at Gatorback moved to the faCility's
historic motocross track,
attracting over 225 entries
for an exceptional day of racing on post1974 machines. The action in the Gran Prix
500 Expert class was about as close as it
gets, old machines or new.
This one was a battle between two
South Carolinians on 198 I Yamahas. In the
first moto, Steven Smith shadowed Robert
Neeley all the way to the finish line. The
second time out, Neeley led initially, but on
the second of the five laps, Smith moved to
the front - barely. The two circulated the
track Virtually side by side for the remainder
of the race. Two turns from the checkered
flag, they were balked by a lapped rider
who rode off and then re-entered the track
as they passed by. On the final climb to the
finish line, Smith eked out a half-bikelength
win.
Smith's 2-1 finishes were good for the
overall, ahead of Neeley's 1-2. Third went
to Suzuki-mounted Doug Kadrovach, with
3-3 finishes. Neeley went on to win the
Plus-50 Expert class over Jimmy Jerles,
while Smith earned a second-overall victory
in the Ultima 500 Expert class, with a pair of
moto wins, ahead of Honda-mounted
David Berger.
In the Ultima 250 race, a pair of
Intermediates showed they might be ready
for a skill-level upgrade. Leaving the Expertclass riders behind, Kentucky's Mitch Keller
was pursued by David Blauman of
Columbia Station, Ohio. On lap four,
Blauman and his '82 Suzuki found a way
around Keller's '83 Yamaha and opened a
D
small gap to the win.
In the second moto, Blauman got out
first, with Keller and Expert Jeremy
Brewington in his shadow. At the start of lap
four, Brewington got around Keller and set
his Sights on the race leader. Then things got
interesting as Brewington and his Maico
failed to come around again, and Blauman
pulled off with mechanical problems just
before the last turn. That allowed Keller to
cruise in first across the line and finish first
overall, with 2-1 motos, as Blauman
dropped to fourth overall, with 1-6 scores.
The Ultima 250 Expert-class win went to
Ohio's Mark Mitchell, who had a pair of
moto wins on his Honda, giVing him a pair of
overall wins for the day; he posted I-I finishes in the Historic 250 Expert class.
Blauman and Keller went at it again in the
Plus-40 Intermediate class. In the opening
moto, Keller got away first as Blauman
worked his way up, eventually finishing second. In the second race, it was again Keller
leading from the start, with Blauman and
Honda-mounted R. Von Smith giving chase.
Smith disappeared from the picture on lap
two, as Blauman and Keller battled for the
lead. Blauman eventually took control and
opened a gap to win with 2-1 finishes, over
Keller's 1-2. Third went to the Honda of
John Munich, over Derryl Leverett in
fourth.
Former factory rider Tom Benolkin of
Andover, Minnesota, rode to a pair of moto
wins in the Gran Prix 125 Expert division on
a vintage Penton, with second going to
Suzuki-mounted John Hart by virtue of his
3-2 finishes over Chris Brewington's 2-3.
Benolkin had a tougher time in the Plus40 Expert race. David Berger was the early
leader, but he was eventually chased down
by the Honda duo of Tony Fox and Tony
Lee. By the checkered flag, it was Tacoma,
Washington's Fox with a good-Sized lead.
Benolkin on a Honda was sixth in that
first moto, but in race two, he grabbed the
lead from Fox before the end of the first lap.
On the second lap, Benolkin lost his silencer
and some speed, but not enough to allow
Fox to catch him. Fox, however, got the
overall win, with a 1-2 score, ahead of Lee's
2-3. The third-, fourth- and fifth-place riders
from the first moto didn't show for the second race, so Benolkin's 6-1 was good
enough for third overall today.
eN
GATORBACK CYCLE PARK
GAlNESVllll, FLORIDA
RfSULTS: MARCH 5, 2005 (ROUND 2 OF 16)
HIST 125 EXP: I. Michael Owens (Yam): 2. Jack Weaver
(Hus).
HIST 125 INT: L Mark Maynard (Bul); 2. Bob Watson
(Su,); 3. Randy P;ecce (Kaw); 4. 'J. KJpp (Hen).
HIST 125 INT: I. Kim LeW (Han).
HIST 250 EXP: I. Mark Mitchell (Suz): 2. John Hart
(Hu,); 3. Corl