St Pete MX

croom mx
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croom mx 7/14/2009 3:21pm
7/14/2009 3:21pm Edited Date/Time 7/14/2009 3:23pm
Ken Fineis wrote:
I rememeber watching Todd Hempstead, Kenny Keylon, and Bruce Burke go at it hard. Too bad Todd got hurt. I have no idea what happend to...
I rememeber watching Todd Hempstead, Kenny Keylon, and Bruce Burke go at it hard. Too bad Todd got hurt. I have no idea what happend to Bruce. In the 1982(I think) National Kenny spanked all the factory riders that weekend and landed a factory ride for himself. I see Kenny's boy is racing in the 250 class in Supercross.
I know exactly who you are talking about! I think he was with Cycle News. He was always taking pictures at the track.
JOHN CHOATE
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JOHN CHOATE 7/14/2009 5:45pm
7/14/2009 5:45pm
Mike rode an XR 75(yeah, he was tall) and Ann rode an MR 50. I bet those bikes had 100,000 miles each on them.
flarider
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flarider 7/14/2009 8:17pm
7/14/2009 8:17pm
Yes, Mike was the guy on the XR75
He passed away a few years ago.
I was working a BOAT US store in Ft Lauderdale (this is a LONG TIME ago, maybe 20 yrs) and they came in and told me they were long retired and living on a sailboat.
Mike passed away of cancer about 8 yrs ago, if I remember right.

I went to the new Sunshine track a couple months ago for a Fla series race and while some of the original surroundings are there (drag strip, car oval), it is really hard to picture the original track, can't even find the lake next to McCoy's Mtn....it's all buried back in overgrowth.
project racer 7/15/2009 2:57am
7/15/2009 2:57am Edited Date/Time 4/17/2016 12:55am
flarider wrote:
Yes, Mike was the guy on the XR75 He passed away a few years ago. I was working a BOAT US store in Ft Lauderdale (this...
Yes, Mike was the guy on the XR75
He passed away a few years ago.
I was working a BOAT US store in Ft Lauderdale (this is a LONG TIME ago, maybe 20 yrs) and they came in and told me they were long retired and living on a sailboat.
Mike passed away of cancer about 8 yrs ago, if I remember right.

I went to the new Sunshine track a couple months ago for a Fla series race and while some of the original surroundings are there (drag strip, car oval), it is really hard to picture the original track, can't even find the lake next to McCoy's Mtn....it's all buried back in overgrowth.
The majority of the " lakes " have been back filled in long ago. With all of the warehouse encroachment, it is hard to make out any of the old surroundings from yesteryear around the old track.
You can guage the old starting area from the corelation of the dragstrip/ pit area, but much more than that is difficult. It's kind of sad to me when I go to the new track, to know what was there and the history of the original track.

I went to an event there in '74 that was put on by Yamaha, called Yamaha Dirt Days.Tim Hart and Pierre Karsmakers were there giving riding clinics, there was just about every off -road/mx model of Yamaha there that could be demo ridden . Moto-Bike bmx races, they had a pile of about 50 of them that were just trashed laying next to a semi trailer.

Before everything got so liability crazy in this world. Ah well....

And I remember the day Monte McCoy ate it over his namesake jump and busted out one of his upper front teeth in late '75. He picked it back up and won the moto.

And watching "Rokon Don" Kudalski win the open class on that pile. Hannah and Burgett's '76 Winter-am debut, lots of good local "small money" and open money class racing with all the Florida boy's.

Old Sunshine was pretty cool.

The Shop

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croom mx
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croom mx 7/15/2009 5:49am
7/15/2009 5:49am
One of the good things about Sunshine Mx was there was always a good turnout of riders. I had alot of laps on that track I can still remember all the turns and where the bad whoops were. I remember Greg Cruz he was riding a 250 Honda in 1982 and I was on Rm250 floater. The front straight after the start that went to a big jump had alot of whoops and holes and I would gain about 10 feet per lap on him there , then he would gain the 10 feet back in some of the tight turns.
JOHN CHOATE
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JOHN CHOATE 7/15/2009 8:41pm
7/15/2009 8:41pm
If I remember correctly, after the first turn was an off camber, right hand corner that would get some big braking bumps going into it. It was not uncommon to see someone get out of shape braking and miss the turn and get a bath in the lake to the outside.
JOHN CHOATE
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JOHN CHOATE 7/15/2009 8:43pm
7/15/2009 8:43pm
I also remember listening to Arlo Guthrie's "I don't want a pickle, I just want to ride my motorcicle(motorcycle)" before the '78 Mr. Pibb(remember that soda?) 125/500 National there. Even to this day when I hear that song(I have it on a CD), it takes me back.
72kiteboarder
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72kiteboarder 7/15/2009 11:33pm
7/15/2009 11:33pm
This rocks.
mxhonda17
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mxhonda17 7/21/2009 8:39am
7/21/2009 8:39am
Its great to read what went on at Sunshine. My dad loves to tell me about the good ole days.
The new sunshine now... i like. I love the way the track turned out with the new clay and new jumps. The "old" Sunshine that i used to go to was the small one with the fence rapped around it. Mr. Woods and Kenny Yoho used to train me there...and sometimes JB Ballard. I had fun those day when i was racing hard. But unfortunately i suffered from a really hard crash at Dade City Raceway... but i don't like to reminisce on that. Anyway, i love the new Sunshine, but i would like to see races like the ones you talk about now with Kenny Keylon and the others. We get some at Dade City, but not so much.

If yall ever head out to Dade City Mx. Be sure to pick up one of my magazines called Dade CIty Track Talk...there great to keep around. If you ever want to see yourself in it. Just give me a shout! dadecitytracktalk@hotmail.com

thanks and hope to see you around soon...Jennifer #17
BobbyM
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BobbyM 7/22/2009 4:36am
7/22/2009 4:36am
MPM64 wrote:
[img]https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2613/3708380011_541d18045b.jpg[/img] Here's an oldie from the scrapbook. ( If you can read it). '83 St. Pete Winter Series. I'm leading on the #14. Finished 4th that...


Here's an oldie from the scrapbook. ( If you can read it). '83 St. Pete Winter Series. I'm leading on the #14.
Finished 4th that day with 3-4 moto finishes. Thought I did good but I'm pretty sure it was all about the big showdown between Keylon and Jordan on this day. All I know is that I never saw them. LOL.

Raced there a couple times and remember the dirt being a little weird. Recall someone saying there was a lot of seashell mixed in with the sand?

Seems Like Karl Jordan is overlooked in many of the posts about Florida riders. All I remember is he sure was good on 125's in the sand.

How bout Bailey and Finkelday in the other classes? Wonder what happened to Finkelday? I forgot all about him til I dug this article up.
finkleday was a bad mofo
croom mx
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croom mx 7/25/2009 3:10pm
7/25/2009 3:10pm Edited Date/Time 7/25/2009 3:14pm
Back then St Pete was not the most difficult track , Diamondback was much harder and so was Chicken Farm. These 2 tracks had whoops that were about as hard as a rider could ride, 5 feet deep in some sections, turns with 7 or more berms , jumps with kicker lips before the top. Moist sections and dry sections on the same track! I wish I had video of these tracks today! The new guys would freak.
BVS40FL
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BVS40FL 7/26/2009 5:05am
7/26/2009 5:05am Edited Date/Time 4/17/2016 1:08am
I'd have to agree. St.Pete was fun to race on. I really hated Diamondback.
St.Pete was a 20 minute drive. Diamondback was 2 hours.
They graded the track at St.Pete before the weekend so at
least the track was smooth and fast during practice and got rougher as the day went on.
At Diamondback , we pulled into the pits Sunday mornings and looked
at those giant sandy-ass whoops and knew we had a tough day ahead.
But.... the thing that made me the maddest about the whole driving clear across the state thing was the points. We were point chasers,looking for a title. We would go to StPete and have 35-40 guys in our class. Then because no-one liked the Diamondback track only 12-13 guys would show up and District 8 points were cut in half if less than 15 riders were in the class. We would make the trek,pay our $$,ride their crappy track,and then get penalized in the point department. I always felt that 15 riders or less you should reward the loyal followers who showed up by paying "DOUBLE" points.
MAN, that used to piss me off. (hmmmm , 29 years later I guess it still does. haha)
P>S> Chicken Farm was always my favorite.Sand whoops and all.
flarider
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flarider 7/26/2009 4:26pm
7/26/2009 4:26pm
I loved Diamondback.
One of my all time favorites

I now live a couple miles from where it was.

Diamondback today


Basically a football/baseball park with some 1/4 midget or karting oval that looks barely ever used
croom mx
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croom mx 7/26/2009 4:29pm
7/26/2009 4:29pm
flarider wrote:
I loved Diamondback. One of my all time favorites I now live a couple miles from where it was. Diamondback today [img]https://farm2.static.flickr.com/1124/541163666_ce9d44d6d7.jpg[/img] Basically a football/baseball park...
I loved Diamondback.
One of my all time favorites

I now live a couple miles from where it was.

Diamondback today


Basically a football/baseball park with some 1/4 midget or karting oval that looks barely ever used
We need to make a MX track there my brother!
gsxrcr28
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gsxrcr28 7/28/2009 8:25pm
7/28/2009 8:25pm
Does anyone know what ever happened to Jimmy King?
FlashptA10
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FlashptA10 7/29/2009 4:48am
7/29/2009 4:48am Edited Date/Time 4/17/2016 1:11am
I havent herd anything about him in years. He was one of the smoothest and most talented riders in south Fla. he disappeared late 70's as best I remember. I saw him last running in the local pro class on a 125 and winning (1978). He did have a bad endo at clewiston MX and broke both wrists. Heres a pic back in the day.
Jimmy King
Jimmy King 1
By the way cool pic of the MR 50. I have one in my collection.

MR 50i
FlashptA10
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FlashptA10 7/29/2009 4:51am
7/29/2009 4:51am Edited Date/Time 4/17/2016 1:11am
He and I along with Joey Gratton and others rode Yamaha's in 1976 for Gables Yamaha. I got the hole shot this day and was winning until Jimmy got by and won LOL
Kevin Politte 1976 Kevin Politte #67 Jimmy King #119
Tbteam
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Tbteam 7/29/2009 7:49am
7/29/2009 7:49am
Kevin,

You going to Hardrock on Saturday? Big FLVMX get together.

Pit Row

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FlashptA10
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FlashptA10 7/29/2009 7:56am
7/29/2009 7:56am
I might be there. I didnt hear about it. What time ?
Still waiting for parts for my 86 250.
Tbteam
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Tbteam 7/29/2009 8:05am
7/29/2009 8:05am
Read the message board at www.flvmx.com

Lot's of folks going all day and riding, cooking, eating.

Go!
gsxrcr28
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gsxrcr28 7/29/2009 9:38am
7/29/2009 9:38am
FlashptA10 wrote:
I havent herd anything about him in years. He was one of the smoothest and most talented riders in south Fla. he disappeared late 70's as...
I havent herd anything about him in years. He was one of the smoothest and most talented riders in south Fla. he disappeared late 70's as best I remember. I saw him last running in the local pro class on a 125 and winning (1978). He did have a bad endo at clewiston MX and broke both wrists. Heres a pic back in the day.
Jimmy King
Jimmy King 1
By the way cool pic of the MR 50. I have one in my collection.

MR 50i
Thanks for the info Flash and posting those photos. Cool
flarider
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flarider 7/30/2009 3:49pm
7/30/2009 3:49pm
After Jimmy broke both his wrists on that double at Clewiston (I saw it from the top of the big jump, can still see it clearly in my mind to this day), he was never the same and just faded away.
gsxrcr28
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gsxrcr28 7/30/2009 4:19pm
7/30/2009 4:19pm
That's too bad, that guy hauled ass.

Thanks Dave.
FlashptA10
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FlashptA10 7/31/2009 4:24am
7/31/2009 4:24am
Back then he was the only guy to ride a 125 in the Money class. That double jump was spread out so far that only the open and some of the 250's could clear it. Was down a long straightaway and the 2nd jump was taller. Jimmy did it all the time except 1.
I was there and saw the crash too. The bike cart wheeled to the next turn.
Kevin

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