Posts
1957
Joined
12/1/2009
Location
Columbus, GA
US
Edited Date/Time
2/2/2018 3:32pm
the florida winter am series really showed how good fla riders were as pros and amatuers would come down every yr to battle local guys like kippy pierce , steve martin, harold buckingham,monte mccoy, and top amatuers like joey cartier,mark murphy,freddy van wagganor, todd hemp stead, karl jordan, rocky folsom and there were many others , tracks like sunshine mx, orlando, cocoa beach, were the roughest sand tracks ever, but i really enjoyed chicken farm mx , the mini os started there the outdoor nationals at st pete in august were brutal but i grew up in fla and was like this isnt hot ha ha ,
I am trying to get my new trailer rigged but may not be done in time.
I raced back in the 70's but was no match for those guys mentioned.
They were very fast in the sand and always had the best equiptment, but i am still out there on occassion LOL
Kevin Politte
Heres one of my bikes now and another fast guy not mentioned from south Fla.
Jimmy King
Jim Haynes, John Joyner,John Calathes, Joey Gratton.
The Shop
Jim Haynes was also know to make a stop now and then at the Bronze Buzzard raceway in Tampa. You know where I'm talking about, BVS40FL. Those sprint cars got the best of him, though. RIP Jim Haynes and Freddie Van Wagoner.
Here is a shot of him wheelie across the finish line on his Honda ride 1976.
And Here is a shot of Joey Gratton
Calathes, Gratton, Joyner remember. And end yr or early next was Fla Winter Series that was a huge series in them days and prep for Nat series and any SXs.
I post pics on Photobucket.com
Then u can link them to this site.
I wish my family would have taken more pics back then.
They only had a cheap instamatic camera and was more concered about watching the race than taking alot of pics.
Just think of the [ics we could of had if we had the digital cameras of today
.
Kevin Politte
Jeff Hope, Tim Ealy, Doug Longwell, John Collins, Frank Thomas, John Olten, Keith Perry, Brian Ward, Keith Olerich, Jim Pinner, Kevin Foley, Dan Farley, Steve Martin, Dennis Huffstutler, Brad Boger, Dan Schmit, Todd Shirah, Kenny Smith, Vince DeVane, Glen Lofley, Barry Ferrell, are more of some of Florida's A/Pro riders from the '70's-'80's.
i knew some fo the guys you mentioned, like keith perry out of orlando, along with brian ward. i knew a ricky pinner and keith olerich along with mark murphy, were some of joey cartiers main comp. in the sr mini class in 1976. steve martin and joey cartier we all went to dixie hollins high school together. and kenny smith i think he was from hudson ,fl . but one yr think it was 76 we raced the nml series and kenny smith won the 100 class of that series, we used to bring a racer with us his name was rocky brunette , he won the 175 class that yr . and frank thomas , isnt he jason thomas,s (jt$)dad?
i called joey the other night, and asked him about monte mccoy, and he said he hasnt talked with monte in yrs, but another guy we knew does his name is buzzy germony,
i did know keven foley, and i seen and talked with him one yr at lorrettas. i didnt know vince devane but have heard of him for sure
Tim Ealy came out and raced with our FLVMX group two weeks ago an an old Yam 465. He KILLED it on that thing. Lot's of very fast guys still hanging around.
i do remember robert westerman, not sure about tim ealy there was so many racers and im digging thru the cobwebs(of my brain lol) trying to remember so if i missed any other top racers sorry, but thats why i posted this to see what other riders people remember. i do remember robert westerman at a mini os race at chicken farm 76? or 77 and i think he was sponsered by fmf or dg at that time
Robert Gordon ?
Stan Yabczanka ?
Freddie Little ?
How about Arthur North? Hank Stone? Ronnie and Robbie White? Bob Allison. Greg and Doug Kolonia. Pat Post. Christine Cummings. Bill French. Kenny Maycroft. Jay Rhodes. Bruce Buerk. Mark Cassels. Rhett Gerzel. John McCabe. Jeff Fisher. Tracey and Jimmy Brooks. Beannie Cummerford. Greg Gordon. Mark and Carl Johnson. Robert Noa. Ken Johnson. Mark Sharp. Conrad Eigenman. Brad and Kurt Kadau. Stan Perry. Scott Lorenz. Gene Maxwell. Malcolm Quehl. Frank Ligouri. Mike Shuman. Tim and Bob Buffaloe. Tom and Dave Wagner. Brian McElroy. Greg Porter.
Damn, I got a headache now. But memories of all these guys is worth it.
Pit Row
Donnie Delgado ?
Greg Cecil ?
Russ Human ?
Tony Dayton ?
He even rode for our shop on Cagiva's support ride 1988
Along with a few others
Alan Andrew,Tom Rice, Tim Ealy, Brian McElroy, Vince Devane, Doug Solether
all were given bikes to compete in Florida Winter series and a few nationals and supercross races.
McElroy took a second at Daytona SX and won races at the winter series
Action Sport Cycles Fort Lauderdale
Kevin Politte
Been around most of the names mentioned either raced with or watched them grow from mini;s to 125's to 250's to open class to AM/Pro's to Full factory Pro's
Wish I had taken more pics
#43 Mickey Haynes
anyways cool you mentioned Barneys Yamaha, and Cycle Springs Yamaha, i knew the people from both and also from Sunshine Cycle Suzuki, tri city honda, hub cycles of pinellas park, honda of st pete, and al lanes kawasakii have a small photo album of pics im going to slowly post.
mxr203,
L.G.
Post a reply to: top riders of fla from 76-81