Cobra Dominant at Branson

North Carolina’s Matt Burkeen races to historic first-ever moto win for the new Cobra CX 65, fellow Cobra racers sweep all the 50cc class titles

HILLSDALE, Mich., (Oct. 18, 2007) – Cobra Motorcycles – led by the legendary CX 50 Sr., aka the “King 50” and the CX 50 Jr. – laid claim to the entire 50cc class podiums at the recent Branson National MX Championships in Missouri.

“The performance by our young guys caps off probably the best competition summer on record for Cobra,” said Cobra President Sean Hilbert. “I can count on one hand the titles we didn’t win this summer. Congrats to the kids that did well on Cobras at Branson. Hit the school work hard and we’ll see you in a few short weeks at the Mini O’s in Gainesville (Fla.) for the final event of the season.”

Leading Cobra charge in the 7-8 Pee Wee Modified, Stock and Super classes were North Carolina’s Austin McKee (1st place, 7-8 PW Mod) and Ohio’s Hayden Justice (1st place 7-8 PW Stk) and Missouri’s Carter Stephenson (1st place, 7-8 Super PW)

Rounding out the podium and top five in the 7-8 50cc Mod class for Cobra were: Ohio’s Hayden Justice (2nd), Arizona’s Connor Giardina (3rd), Pennsylvania’s Dawson Evitts (4th) and Texas’ Challen Tennant (5th). Overall in the 7-8 50cc Mod class Cobra swept the top five spots, took eight of the top ten and 12 of the top 15!

In the 7-8 50cc Stock class North Carolina’s Justin Dunn (2nd) and McKee (3rd) joined Justice on the box with their Cobras. New York’s David Milana (4th) also ran real well. Overall Cobra-mounted racers took 1st through 4th in the 7-8 Stock class, eight of the top ten positions and 12 of the top 15 positions.

In the 7-8 Super PW class Cobras again rules, with Justice (2nd) and Missouri’s Austin Forkner (3rd) joining Stephenson on the box. Cobra riders then captured six of the remaining seven top ten spots in the 7-8 Super PW class and 13 of the top 15 positions.

The 4-6 Pee Wee 50cc classes were also all Cobras as the little yellow bikes swept the podiums in every class. Led by Pennsylvania’s Logan Leitzel – who had the best weekend out of any Cobra racer – Cobra took 1st through 14th place in the Pee Wee Stock class and swept the entire Pee Wee Modified class (1st through 16th). Leitzel was unstoppable in both classes, going 1-1-1-1. Joining Leitzel on the podium in the 4-6 Pee Wee Stock class for Cobra was Kentucky’s Tanner Craddock (2nd) and Missouri’s Lance Kobusch (3rd). In the 4-6 Pee Wee Modified class is was Cobra’s Kobusch (2nd) and Louisiana’s James Shockey (3rd) that put their Cobras up on the box with Leitzel.

And in the 65cc Modified class North Carolina’s Matt Burkeen made history, becoming the first Cobra CX65 racer to win a moto at a national competition. Burkeen went 2-1 in his first two motos, then got tied up at the start in the 65cc Mod run off, but battled back to a respectable 6th overall.

“Matt ran real well all weekend and in the run off had the speed to stay with the 3rd place racer on the podium,” said Matt’s father, Mike Burkeen. “We ran a stock ’08 Cobra CX65 and it performed flawlessly against the best mod bikes money can buy!”

Next up for Cobra racers is the 36th annual Thor Winter National Olympics, presented by Pro Circuit, aka the “Mini O’s,” at Gainesville’s Gatorback Park, Nov. 19-24.