Kent Howerton, on the No. 4 factory Suzuki, and Rick Burgett on his factory Yamaha, battle side by side during a circa 1980 AMA Supercross race. (AMA press kit photo)
Two of the leading motocross and Supercross riders from the late 1970s and early ‘80s, Kent Howerton, on the No. 4 factory Suzuki, and Rick Burgett on his factory Yamaha, battle side by side during a circa 1980 AMA Supercross race.
Both riders were national champions. Burgett, one of the early stars from the Pacific Northwest, specifically Sandy, Oregon. Howerton, from San Antonio, Texas, had an outstanding 1980 season. He earned two major championships and was named AMA Pro Athlete of the Year.
Nicknames were big back in that era, especially in Supercross with announcers like Larry Huffman. The five-foot-ten, 185-pound Burgett was known as “Lumberjack” and Howerton of course was the “Rhinestone Cowboy” after the popular Glen Campbell song. Press photos of the time began showing Howerton wearing a cowboy hat, which became something of a trademark.
It was a muddy race, at what looks to be the Atlanta Supercross (based on the overhang at the top of the stadium that looks like the old Fulton County Stadium). Burgett has already taken off his goggles.
Rider Files 
Kent still rides the local MX track every Saturday with his son, the “OLD GUY” still goes fast…..
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I rode in the 1980 Winter AMA race at Gainsville, and in practice was ahead of Burgett for about a lap and as I sailed off into a turn he yelled “DONT FALL” and I popped out of the berm and he rode away. I couldnt believe it. Those guys were great riders and great at getting in your head.
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TYPO it was actually 1981.
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Based on the their numbers it’s 1980. Burgett was No. 18 in ’81 and Howerton No. 1 since he won the 1980 SX title.
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Little known fact: After he’d been retired from MX for several years, Kent Howerton went club roadracing with the CMRA in the early 1990s (circa 1993 if memory serves well). He was quite quick for a new roadracer, but gave it up after just a season of on-and-off again racing in the endurance classes.
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Whoa, I did not know that. I would love to have a photo of Kent road racing.
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This is 1980 (btw, Kent Howerton did not win the ’80 SX title. Mike Bell topped everyone that year).
By 1981, Kent was on the Full Floater, single shock rear suspension.
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C.J.
Just re-read your comment. Sorry I misunderstood what you were saying. You were saying you raced him in ’81. Sorry a little slow on that one.
LL
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Larry,
No it was me, I probably should made that more clear..
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