St Pete MX

Ken Fineis
Edited Date/Time 1/27/2012 12:25pm
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.
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FlashptA10
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FlashptA10 7/2/2009 10:12am
7/2/2009 10:12am Edited Date/Time 4/17/2016 12:42am
maybe Kenny will see this.
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project racer 7/2/2009 1:00pm
7/2/2009 1:00pm
Kenny was hired by Honda as one of their "B" team riders in '82 that also included Steve Martin, Jo Jo Keller, and Jimmy Ellis.He was supposed to ride the 125 series that year, but Darrell Shultz injured his knee before the Natonals started, and they put Kenny on the works RC250 to replace Shultz. He was already on the factory bike when he won St. Pete.

A guy I used to work with used to tell me that before Hempstead hurt his back, that Todd was supposed to have gotten the 'B" team spot instead of Kenny. Who knows if that was true or not.

The last I heard of Bruce Buerk,(not Burke), was in '87 he was doing some GNCC racing.
Ken Fineis 7/2/2009 1:18pm
7/2/2009 1:18pm
Ahh, so that's how it went. I always wondered. I knew he was on great equipment at the time, just did not know if was already works stuff. I always enjoyed watching those guys. Such the good ole days. I now live thru my boy's racing. That's a full time job almost just keeping their stuff running.
croom mx
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croom mx 7/3/2009 1:58pm
7/3/2009 1:58pm
Kenny Keylon was hired as a Factory rider by Team Honda for 1983-84. He told me he had a problem with his wrist such as carpol tunnel syndrom that made pain in his wrist. He was really fast I rode with him a few times. He was the fastest sand rider during his time! No factory rider could touch him in the sand.

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croom mx
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croom mx 7/3/2009 2:03pm
7/3/2009 2:03pm
Also speaking of Todd Hempstead. I saw him make easy work of Broc Glover and about 10 other factory riders at Orlando Sports Stadium. I can only wonder what he would have been if he didnt get hurt!
project racer 7/3/2009 2:59pm
7/3/2009 2:59pm
croom mx wrote:
Kenny Keylon was hired as a Factory rider by Team Honda for 1983-84. He told me he had a problem with his wrist such as carpol...
Kenny Keylon was hired as a Factory rider by Team Honda for 1983-84. He told me he had a problem with his wrist such as carpol tunnel syndrom that made pain in his wrist. He was really fast I rode with him a few times. He was the fastest sand rider during his time! No factory rider could touch him in the sand.
Croom, by '84 KK was back on a privateer Yamaha doing the 500 nationals. The last time I saw him at the Pro level was in '86 at the Croom round of the Winter - Am series that year, still riding Yamaha's. He was still fast, as he won the first moto over Hannah in the 250 class. That was the first year for BH on Suzuki. Those RM's were pitiful that year.
croom mx
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croom mx 7/4/2009 6:02am
7/4/2009 6:02am
project racer wrote:
Croom, by '84 KK was back on a privateer Yamaha doing the 500 nationals. The last time I saw him at the Pro level was in...
Croom, by '84 KK was back on a privateer Yamaha doing the 500 nationals. The last time I saw him at the Pro level was in '86 at the Croom round of the Winter - Am series that year, still riding Yamaha's. He was still fast, as he won the first moto over Hannah in the 250 class. That was the first year for BH on Suzuki. Those RM's were pitiful that year.
Yeah your right it was 1982-83 on factory Honda.
BVS40FL
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BVS40FL 7/5/2009 7:58am
7/5/2009 7:58am
In 1981 Keylon was riding for Yamaha. When Honda hired him for 1982 he still had a brand new 1981 yz 250 in the crate. A guy I worked with was friends of Kenny's dad and he brokered the deal for me to get that bike. I won the points title for the 250 B class that year in District 8 (fla.) with it. Wish I had it today.
That was the year of the AMA/FMC split. Ken Fineis I remember you being in the run for that title too. I think you crashed in practice at Cocoa and got knocked out. It might have turned out differently for me if you had been able to race that day.
Oh yeah , back to the subject. Keylon got to ride the works bike that day at St Pete because Donnie Hanson got hurt. My friend Bob Mcelroy from work (remember Flyin Brian his son ?) and our whole gang were camped out on the very back straight where the current track is at today. We had a big cardboard sign that said "Broc who?"
then the other side said "kick ass Keylon" . Glover gave us a funny look during practice when we waved the sign at him. But he wasn't so confident after Kenny spanked then in both Motos!!
Man those were the days
FlashptA10
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FlashptA10 7/5/2009 3:56pm
7/5/2009 3:56pm Edited Date/Time 4/17/2016 12:45am
Hey my name is Kevin Politte.
I know Bob and Brian back in the late 80's & 90's.
Brian rode out of our shop in south Fla. on Cagiva's. We ran the south east Usa team for Cagiva. Brian had his best professional ride on the Cagiva 125 at Daytona SX and was 1 place away from being the first to qualify in both 125 and 250 SX at Daytona 1988. Brian also won the Florida Winter AM in 1988 beating Mike Larocco and othersI have lost touch for many years and would like to make contact with both of them. Maybe u could get me a number or 2 to contact. Hers a pic of Brian and othe winners including Bob H & RC the mini GOAT .
goat
Kevin Politte
1988 Fla Winter Series champs
FlashptA10
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FlashptA10 7/5/2009 4:00pm
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project racer 7/5/2009 4:17pm
7/5/2009 4:17pm Edited Date/Time 4/17/2016 12:45am
BVS40FL wrote:
In 1981 Keylon was riding for Yamaha. When Honda hired him for 1982 he still had a brand new 1981 yz 250 in the crate. A...
In 1981 Keylon was riding for Yamaha. When Honda hired him for 1982 he still had a brand new 1981 yz 250 in the crate. A guy I worked with was friends of Kenny's dad and he brokered the deal for me to get that bike. I won the points title for the 250 B class that year in District 8 (fla.) with it. Wish I had it today.
That was the year of the AMA/FMC split. Ken Fineis I remember you being in the run for that title too. I think you crashed in practice at Cocoa and got knocked out. It might have turned out differently for me if you had been able to race that day.
Oh yeah , back to the subject. Keylon got to ride the works bike that day at St Pete because Donnie Hanson got hurt. My friend Bob Mcelroy from work (remember Flyin Brian his son ?) and our whole gang were camped out on the very back straight where the current track is at today. We had a big cardboard sign that said "Broc who?"
then the other side said "kick ass Keylon" . Glover gave us a funny look during practice when we waved the sign at him. But he wasn't so confident after Kenny spanked then in both Motos!!
Man those were the days
Donnie Hansen did not get hurt until September of '82 while practicing for the Trophy des Nations in Germany. The St. Pete national was in May of '82. When Shultz hurt his knee he was moved to the 500 nationals that started later in the season , leaving the 250 he was supposed to ride with no rider. Honda asked KK to switch from the 125 class to the 250 class right before the Hangtown national in '82, on Shultz' vacant RC250.
Hansen was also riding that day at St.Pete when KK won , as he went on to become the '82 250 national champ.
croom mx
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croom mx 7/6/2009 5:42am
7/6/2009 5:42am
I was at the St Pete National also when KK won both motos. It was unreal seeing him beat all the Factory guys. People were stunned!
BOBBY LEE
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BOBBY LEE 7/6/2009 6:29am
7/6/2009 6:29am Edited Date/Time 7/6/2009 6:29am
Yes Todd Hempstead was going to get that ride until he got hurt. Either way,Kenny and Todd were some of the best sand riders in the country and Todd would have kick their ass as well that day.
Ken Fineis 7/6/2009 9:35am
7/6/2009 9:35am
You got that right!! Riding in the sand had those westcoast guys struggling. I remember racing Bobby Lee at Chicken Farm in the 250 class. He fell and as I was going by I was too busy looking at him and fell myself....he got back up faster than I and that was all she wrote.
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BVS40FL 7/6/2009 10:59am
7/6/2009 10:59am
So it was Shultz who got hurt and opened the ride for Kenny ? Hmmm.
For some reason I was thinking it was Hanson.
Hempstead was awsome on the 125 .
Bobby Lee didn't you have the same kind of injury as Todd (with the halo) ?
I know Ken and I were both glad when Bobby ran the A class.
I lost track of Bob and Brian too, but if I can find them I'll let you know Kevin.
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BOBBY LEE 7/6/2009 11:56am
7/6/2009 11:56am
Hey BVS40FL yes I also broke my neck like Todd. I broke mine at Bithlo in 82 but i was lucky and i am still able to walk and i still ride from time to time. But if the people would have been paying attention to the riders that came out of Florida back then there might have been some more good ones. I didnt want to say another Ricky or James but there were some fast mofos down south.
Larry
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Larry 7/6/2009 5:49pm
7/6/2009 5:49pm
Bullet Bruce Burke was 1 of the funniest guys I have ever met. We had a blast launching
bottle rockets out of a van sun roof on the way back from devils ridge in 1980.

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JOHN CHOATE
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JOHN CHOATE 7/7/2009 6:59pm
7/7/2009 6:59pm
BVS40FL wrote:
So it was Shultz who got hurt and opened the ride for Kenny ? Hmmm. For some reason I was thinking it was Hanson. Hempstead was...
So it was Shultz who got hurt and opened the ride for Kenny ? Hmmm.
For some reason I was thinking it was Hanson.
Hempstead was awsome on the 125 .
Bobby Lee didn't you have the same kind of injury as Todd (with the halo) ?
I know Ken and I were both glad when Bobby ran the A class.
I lost track of Bob and Brian too, but if I can find them I'll let you know Kevin.
Kenny beat Hansen at St. Pete that day. I believe Donnie finished 2nd overall. It was Schultz's bike he was on.
project racer 7/8/2009 1:36am
7/8/2009 1:36am Edited Date/Time 7/8/2009 1:36am
JOHN CHOATE wrote:
Kenny beat Hansen at St. Pete that day. I believe Donnie finished 2nd overall. It was Schultz's bike he was on.
Didn't you ride the amatuer day on Saturday before the National there at St.Pete? '82 KX125 ,maybe?
monte hoge
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monte hoge 7/8/2009 8:35pm
7/8/2009 8:35pm
The new sunshine mx track is on part of the land from the old track. The drag strip is still there.
project racer 7/8/2009 10:10pm
7/8/2009 10:10pm
Monte Hoge. Damn. I remember the old Sunshine Cycle place on 19, Chariot on 580. Monte McCoy, John Reinholt, Scott Lorenz, Jerry Eggert, were all Sunshine Cycle boys at one time . And Chariot trailers were status symbols back then.
croom mx
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croom mx 7/9/2009 4:54am
7/9/2009 4:54am
That's right about those Chariot trailers. If I remember Kenny Keylon had one , Keith Olerich had one, Kevin Foley, John Reinholt, Todd Hemstead and many other riders back then. It was very practicle for hauling bikes around. Now you got to have an 18 wheeler or you are a nobody!
BVS40FL
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BVS40FL 7/9/2009 3:15pm
7/9/2009 3:15pm
Wasn't Ronnie Runion one of those Sunshine Cycle boys too ?
JOHN CHOATE
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JOHN CHOATE 7/10/2009 9:22pm
7/10/2009 9:22pm
JOHN CHOATE wrote:
Kenny beat Hansen at St. Pete that day. I believe Donnie finished 2nd overall. It was Schultz's bike he was on.
project racer wrote:
Didn't you ride the amatuer day on Saturday before the National there at St.Pete? '82 KX125 ,maybe?
Probably, I knew that track pretty good. What I'd give to do some laps at the old St. Pete now.
MPM64
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MPM64 7/10/2009 10:13pm
7/10/2009 10:13pm


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.
croom mx
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croom mx 7/11/2009 10:50am
7/11/2009 10:50am Edited Date/Time 7/11/2009 10:55am
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.
Karl Jordan, I use to practice with him and Keylon in 1982. Jordan was real fast on a 125 but he would ride a 250cc with me and Keylon and I would reel Karl in after about 2 laps ,Keylon was in a league of his own I couldnt touch him, he helped me get faster riding with him though. About the dirt? it is dregged in Tampa Bay bottom.
JOHN CHOATE
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JOHN CHOATE 7/13/2009 8:04pm
7/13/2009 8:04pm
St. Pete was loaded with seashells pieces. I used to walk the track as a kid and find some unusual seashells there. Didn't Finkelday ride a off brand bike like a KTM or something? Mike and Ann Adair(Cycle News) were good people. I used to look forward to seeing them at all of the bigger races.
MPM64
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MPM64 7/13/2009 9:30pm
7/13/2009 9:30pm
JOHN CHOATE wrote:
St. Pete was loaded with seashells pieces. I used to walk the track as a kid and find some unusual seashells there. Didn't Finkelday ride a...
St. Pete was loaded with seashells pieces. I used to walk the track as a kid and find some unusual seashells there. Didn't Finkelday ride a off brand bike like a KTM or something? Mike and Ann Adair(Cycle News) were good people. I used to look forward to seeing them at all of the bigger races.
Looked thru some of the other articles I had from the '83 winter Series and it looks like he (Finkelday) ended up second in the series behind Reinholt. Appears that he rode KTM's, which were somewhat rare at that time if I recall. Think he was from New England or somewhere around those parts. NESC guy...Explains why he was fast in the sand.

X2 regarding Mike and Anne Adair...They did a great job covering those races over the years and were just all around nice people. I have a photo somewhere of Anne interviewing me with her notepad during the '82 Winter Am. Thought I was pretty cool. LOL.
BVS40FL
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BVS40FL 7/14/2009 12:19pm
7/14/2009 12:19pm
Was Mike a real tall guy with a red xr-75 for a pit bike ?

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