11/25/2008
Cobra Riders Throttle Up and Dig Their Knobbies Into Gatorback @ The Annual Amateur Mini Os
Justin Dunn and Austin Forkner lead Cobra into the week-long battle in Gainesville, Fla., as Cobra looks to again sweep all the Mini Os’ titles
HILLSDALE, Mich., (Nov. 24, 2008) – Loud, proud & drawin’ a crowd – that’s what it is for the Cobra line of competition mini cycles down in Florida this week as they take to the famed Gatorback Cycle Park dirt for the 37th annual Winter National Olympics – aka the Mini Os – to defend their entire 50cc class podium sweep (Jr./4-6 & Sr./7-8) in both the Motocross and Supercross portions of the season’s last major national amateur motocross competition.
Leading the way for Cobra in the Senior class are outgoing Justin Dunn, Chase Sexton and David Milana along with seven-year-olds Jonathan Lee, Jordan Bailey and Tristan Lewis. And in the Junior class it’ll be Jackson Turpin, Jack Rogers, Cullin Park, Jarrett Frye, Kruz Sampson and Grant Doolittle.
“Everything’s underway and all of our kids had a good showing here on the first day of competition,” said Cobra President Sean Hilbert who’s in Florida all week. “Bit cold at night here, but the track looks excellent. They’ve changed the supercross layout from last year and it suits our little guys real well.”
Along with Cobra being the defending champion in SX and MX in both the Senior and Junior classes (as well as sweeping the entire podium in every class), Hilbert pointed out that the Cobra CX65 stands a solid chance of improving upon its already rising status as Austin Forkner will be one of the favorites to podium in the 7-9 division. Forkner is joined by Michael Hicks (a seven-year-old who’s also contesting the 50cc Senior class), Dawson Ebbitts and Canada’s Cole Dekoninck in running the American-made Cobra CX65 against a field of international bikes.
“We brought down several 2009 CX65s to demo and the kids just loved them,” added Hilbert. “So in addition to the usual Cobra-backed American riders, a number of other kids parked the bikes they were going to race on in favor of the CX65!”
Note: Several of Cobra’s top racers this summer, including Clay Woeste, Sean Cantrell and Michael Young are not racing this week. Woeste, the 51cc 7-8 AMA 2 Stock class national champion at Loretta’s, has a banged up shoulder and Young (North Carolina) and Cantrell (California) opted out of the event. Cobra’s other Loretta’s champ, “Lightning” Lance Kobush, will be at Gatorback later this week to contest the Senior MX class.
Stay tuned to www.cobramotorcycle.com for updates throughout the week. You can also check out the Mini Os at Gatorback Cycle Park in Gainesville, Fla., Nov. 24-29, on the track’s website: http://www.unlimitedsportsmx.com/
Cobra, founded in 1993, produces the most successful line of competition mini cycles and mini quads in the United States with more than 200 national titles in the last decade. Based out of Hillsdale, Mich., Cobra''s mission is to build premium products for the serious racer. For more information on Cobra products, please visit our website at www.cobramotorcycle.com.
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