Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

BMm~&~~.~O~_kS ~_ m Kevin Windham (511) grabbed the holeshot ahead of Dustin R.oun~ (67) and Paul Currie (M) in the 125cc :B Grand Prix. Kristy Shealy (45) led Kimberly Sybert (570) and overall class champion Cindy Cole (partially hidden) at the start of the Women's Grand Prix. Windham. "I had to take every chance- I could to catch him, but it paid off." Kevin Walker led Reynard, Rand and James Eichel at the start of the 125cc Modified Expert final, but disaster struck on lap three when he was forced to abandon his goggles. Reynard was quick to capitalize on Walker's misfortune and smoked into the lead. Reynard went on to score an easy win over Rand and Latham. In 125cc Stock Expert action, Brian Deegan led the Charge into turn one and battled throughout the race with Plotts. The two riders battled intensely until Plotts crashed on a jump. Neese inherited second, while Reynard recovered from a bad start to finish third. ' "I'm pumped," said Deegan. "That was the ride of my life!" Reynard returned in the 250cc classes with vengeance and smoked to the win in every moto. Plotts and Jeff Curry followed Reynard home in the Stock division, while Kevin Walker and Deegan did the same in the Modified division. Bubba Stewart grabbed the holeshot in the 50cc Automatic class and led every lap aboard his Sky Racing Yamaha. While Stewart was out front roosting, his father James Sr. was busy picking up other fallen riders. "All of the parents help each other out a 8 for this bunch," said Stewart Sr. "It's a lot of fun." The Women's class competition heated up substantially when TT winner Cindy Cole was upset by 13-year-old Kristy Shealy. Cole led the race in the early -stages, while Shealy worked through the pack after a poor start. Shealy closed in on Cole in the closing stages and made the necessary pass for the win°. Kimberly Sybert also managed to pass a bobbling Cole to steal second at the finish. The best Senior class action of the dfilY was in the Plus 30 class. Jon Ortner led Alan Andreu, Ricky Palmer and Bart Lucas off the line, but Andreu took control soon after. "I set up Ortner in the WRPOPS," said Andreu. Unfortunately for Andreu, he made a mistake in the closing laps and allowed Ortner to squeak past for the win. Andreau dropped to third when Lucas also forced his way past. Motocross The two days of MX competition on the Gatorhack course is regarded by many to be the highlight of the meet, as competitors race on the same course used in the annual AMA National Championship MX. As expected, Wmdham blew away the competition, winning every class in which he competed. Pocorobba and Horton trailed Windham in the 125cc Stock 12-15 year-old dass, and Gerald Lashway and Pocorobba chased him. home in the Modified class. Windham smoked Maxirnoff and Lashway in the 125cc Modified B class and left Maxirnoff and r<:enny Yoho behind in the Stock class. Reynard won the first 125cc Stock Expert moto, and Deegan did the deed in moto two. It was Rand, however, who came away the overall" winner wit}:l his steady 3-2 finishes. Deegan suffered a flat tire in moto one and Reynard was hampered by a terrible start in moto two. Reynard got back on the right track in the 250cc Expe!,t classes, though, as he wiped up the competition in both the Stock and Modified divisions. Doublerunner-up Walker was second ahead of Plotts in the Modified class, and ahead of Derek Youngblood in the Stock race. Shawn Perolio p.iloted his Team Noleen Yamaha YZSO to the win in the 85cc 14-15 year-old class after crashing in the Stock race. Jarrett Tipping took advantage of -Perolio's misfortune to notch the Stock division win ahead of Brock Sellards and John Schneider. No one could match Perolio in the Modified race, though, as he easily outdistanced Tipping and Sellards. In the best Women's class battle of the week, Cole piloted her Suzuki to a pair of moto wins ahead of Shealy, Sybert and Amber Hughes. In the first moto, Shealy reeled in and passed Cole twice, but came up short at the finish. Grand Prix The concluding event of the meet was the most challenging. From a Le Mans-style start in the grassy pastures surrounding Gatorback, riders would negotiate the motocross course, enter the woods, drop onto the IT course and file through thEi scoring barrels for 30 minutes. Like the Amateurs, the Expert division competitors raced a single moto, but for an additional15 minutes. Windham wrapped up the overall championships in the 125cc 12-15 year-" old and 125cc B classes by again trouncing his competition in every race he entered. Reynard started the 125cc Expert title race behind leader Deegan and Rand. Reynard took control of the lead before the completion of the third lap and went on to post a convincing win. Reynard returned in the 250cc Expert final rested and ready to earn his second crown~ Plo.tts grabbed the holeshot ahead of Walker, Earl May, Rand, Latham and Reynard. Walker, who was tied with Reynard 'entering the finale, assumed the lead on lap two, but Reynard was not to be denied his second crown. Reynard blitzed through the field and into first by the end of lap three. Once into the lead, Reynard was unchallenged and led Rand and Walker across the finish line. In the 65cc class, Rodriguez trailed Aaron Lindsay throughout the final race; knowing that a runner-up finish would be good enough to clinch the class championship. Lindsay rode his heart out, but his victory in the finale wasn't good enough. "I saw Rodriguez behind me in the woods and I rOde as hard as I could," said Lindsay. "But he haq. a better score than me." In the 85cc 12-13 year-old class, Ricky Carmichael chased after Horton, knowing that the class title was at stake. Although he came close to making the pass on several occasions, Carmichael had to settle for second and the championship went to Horton. "I saw Ricky behind me and got real nervous," said Horton. "But I gassed it and pulled away." Brock Sellards and Andy Bower entered the Grand Prix tied for the lead in the 85cc 14-15 year-old class, but both riders had bad luck and took a back seat to Perolio. Perolio won the race and clinched the championship. "I'm sure glad that we made the trip from California," said Perolio. "The tracks were great and the event was very well organized." Bart Lucas aced the final race in the Plus 35 class and romped away the overall class champion. • "My big break was at the start," said Lucas. "Everybody let off for the big puddle but me. I splashed them all and trashed their goggles." In the highly-competitive 250cc B class, Skaggs roosted away with the win, but Yoho finished 'second and emerged the overall class champion. "I had a good start, but I hooked my handlebars in a tree and crashed," said _Yoho. "After that I got going pretty good, but I couldn't catch Skaggs." Gary Peak clinched the Plus 40 championship, and was congratulated by 65year-old competitor Chuck Wicker. "I started riding an Indian Scout when I was 16 and I never quit," said, Wicker. "I figure that you can lay down and die or come out and play with the eN kids." Results Tr SCILUOLES 125 A SD: I. Robbie Reynard (Kaw); 2. Damien Plotis (Hon); 5. Gregory Rand (Suz); 4. Brian Deegan (Kaw); 5. David Kratz (Kaw). l2!S A MOD: I. Robbie Reynard (Kaw); 2. Gregory Rand (Suz); 5. Scott Sheak (Kaw); 4. Nevin Walker (Yam); 5. Joel Deubler (Kaw). 2!iO/500 A STK: I. Jim Neese (Kaw); 2. Bobby Stovall (Kaw); 5. Robbie Reynard (Kaw); 4. Todd Bennick (Suz); 5. Craig Noack (Kaw). 2!iO/500 A MOD: I. Kevin Walker (Yam); 2. Scott Sheak (Kaw); 5. Jim Neese (Kaw); 4. Travis Blackburn (Kaw); 5. -Clint Latham (Kaw). PIW STK: I. James Stewart (Yam); 2. Jason_ Staples (Yam); 5.Jason Wood (Yam); 4. Derek Sturgell (Yam); 5. Brandon Husnander (Yam). PIW MOD: I. James Stewart (Yam); 2. Cory McDeni:l.itt (Yam); $. Ryan Bougenoy (Yam); 4. Broc Johnson (Yam); 5. Matt Shogrm (Yam). ' 65-7-11 STK: I. Ernesto Rodriguez (Kaw); 2. Aaron Lindsy (Kaw); 5. Jonathan Shimp (Kaw); 4. Joshua Faustino (Kaw); 5'. Scott Perry (Kaw). 65 7-11 MOD: I. Ernesto Rodriguez (Kaw); 2. Jeff Gibson (Kaw); 5. Jonboy Pereyo (Kaw); 4. Josh Scott (Kaw); 5. Jessie Ballard (Kaw). 85 '-11 STK: I. Justin Buckelew (Yam); 2. Traw Pastrana (Suz); 5. Matt Walker (Kaw); 4. Reginald Mitchell (Yam); 5. Ernesto Rodriguez (Kaw). 85 7-11 MOD: I. Justin Buckelew (Yam); 2. Matt Walker (Kaw); 5. Travis Pastrana (Suz); 4. Johnny Marley (Kaw); 5. ~ LeBlanc: (Kaw). . 85 12-15 STK: I. Ricky Carmichael (Kaw); 2. Robbie Horton (Kaw); 5. Mark Burkhart (Han); 4. Charley Bogard (Suz); 5. Shane Bentley (Kaw).

• Cover