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/146701
Kevin Windham captuml the overall championships in the 125cc 12-15 year-old and 125cc B classes en route to earning the Bronze Bike and Scott Golden Goggles AwUds. ecor nrnon a aorac By Mike and Anne Adair GAINESVILLE, FL, NOV. 23-28 ' record 2995 rider entries from 35, states, Canada, the United Kingdom and Costa Rica made the 21st Annual Florida Winter National Olympics a memorable event indeed, but it may have been Kawasaki Team Green's Kevin Windham who went home 'with the best memories of all. Windham earned overall class wins in the 125cc 12-15 year-old and 125cc B classes and became the first rider in the history of the event to win both the World Sports Bronze Bike Award and the Scott USA Golden Goggles Award in the same year. The Bronze Bike Award is earned by the age group (Youth) racer that scores the most points thn;lUghout the meet, while the Golden Goggles Award is given to the top performing amateur racer. In winning the Bronze Bike Award, Windham became only the second rider 'in history to win the World Sports perpet- A 6 ual trophy three years in a row. The Bronz'e Bike Award is passed on each year until it is retired by a triple winner, and Windham joins Damon Bradshaw who retired the Bronze Boot Award - as only the second rider on that list. Robbie Reynard joined 'Windham as the only other double-class winner, as the Kawasaki Team Green rider turned in an overall sweep of the 125 and 250cc Expert classes. Reynard was awarded the Dunlop Silver Tire Award' for his performances, as well as a $500 bonus from World Sports, the event's promoter. The pits at Gatorback Cycle Park were transformed into a sea of colorful tents, motorhomes and box vans throughout the five-day meet that included four disciplines; TT, stadium-style motocross, motocross and grand prix. The AMA-sanctioned, World Sportspromoted event boasted a $1600 purse and over $200,000 in contingencies from Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha. Other prizes were awarded by event sponsors Dunlop, Barrs Competition, Boyesen Engineering, Pro Circuit, Pro Action Suspension, Action Photos, Maxima, Scott USA, Power Mist, TUF Racing, Hammerhead Graphics, Renthal, Photo Sports, AXO and Cycle News. IT IT competition traditionally opens the motorcycling's Winter Olympics, and is a , perfect icebreaker for the five-day event. This year's IT track was a smooth, kidney-shaped oval with three small jumps. The racing action was short, sweet and fierce. Windham started with a bang by grabbing the lead early in both 125cc 1215 year-old motos and roosting away with a pair of easy wins. James Humphrie and Richi,e Horton did their best to stay with Windham, but to no avail. Humphrie was second, Horton third.' ' Windham returned in the 125cc Stock and Modified Intermediate classes and again skipped away with the wins. Richie Horton led Windham in the opening laps of the Modified race, but couldn't fend off . the hard-eharging Windham. "Me and Horton are going about the same speed," said Windham. . Like Windham, Reynard established his dominance from the get-go, as he ran away with the wins in both 125cc Stock and Modified Expert main events. Greg Rand, Kevin Walker and Danuen Plotts shadowed Reynard home in both races. "They were just waiting for me to make a mistake," said Reynard, who didn't make one. Clint Latham grabbed the holeshot in the 250cc Stock Expert class and led Bobby Stoval and Jim Neese in the early going. Neese, however, came to life and