Arkansas Rider Blasted to the Front from a Third Row Start on his Team Nordica Roberts Yamaha
In this week’s Throwback we travel back to Daytona International Speedway in March of 1988. This photo shows the podium of the first round of the AMA/Castrol 250cc Grand Prix Series. John Kocinski (center) won the race aboard his Team Nordica Roberts Yamaha after racing up from a third-row start and getting to the front of the field on the second lap. Also in the Winner’s Circle was runner up Alan Carter (left) and third-place finisher Danny Coe (right). Castrol’s Walter VonSchonfeld stands behind the riders.
Kocinski finished sixth in his qualifying heat race after his bike ran poorly due to bad carb jetting. But the team got it right for the main event and Kocinski sliced through the field, went to the front on the second lap, then briefly battled with Carter before pulling away to a 5.7-second victory.
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