The Hannah-Howerton Rivalry at Southwick (1981)

• Larry Lawrence
Yamaha vs. Suzuki, Hannah vs. Howerton. 1981 was an absolute war for the AMA Pro Motocross title. Coming off a massive leg injury, Bob Hannah was out for blood, while Kent Howerton was locked in to defend his crown. Their intense rivalry included a controversial takeout at Saddleback that left Howerton in a wrist cast, but Howerton ultimately won 5 of 8 rounds to take the championship. In this iconic shot from Southwick, captured by Tom Mueller, Hannah (100) leads Howerton. Howerton took the 1-1 victory that day, noting post-race that Hannah rode “out of shape”—a loss so bitter Hannah refused to show up to the podium. Special thanks to Tom Mueller for sharing his incredible photo archive! (Tom Mueller photo) 
#bobhannah #kenthowerton #southwick338mx #thewickmx #suzukivsyamaha #epicseason #promotocross #amamotocross

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