Throwback Thursday: Jeff Emig Opens AMA Motocross Title Defense with a Win at Gatorback (1997)

Larry Lawrence | May 23, 2024

Kawasaki Ace Went 1-1 to Beat Jeremy McGrath and Damon Bradshaw

Jeff Emig Opens AMA Motocross Title Defense with a Win at Gatorback — Kinney Jones photo

In this week’s Throwback we set the Wayback Machine to March of 1997 and revisit the opening round of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship, which that year was held at Gatorback Cycle Park in Gainesville, Florida. This photo shows defending AMA 250cc Motocross (now the 450cc class) Champ Jeff Emig (No. 1) nailing the start in one of the motos, taking the early lead on his factory Kawasaki ahead of Ezra Lusk (No. 11), Brian Swink (No. 13), Jeremy McGrath (No. 2), Doug Henry (No. 20), Jason McCormick (No. 52). Todd DeHoop (No. 49) and Larry Ward (No. 6). Emig went on to go 1-1 to score the overall victory and went on to dominate the championship that year. Now, 27 years later, the AMA Pro Motocross Championship will open this Saturday at Fox Raceway in Pala, California. Visit here Motocross Schedule – Pro Motocross Championship for more information.

You can read about this race and much more by subscribing to the Cycle News Archives at: https://www.cyclenews.com/cycle-news-archives/