March 4
1990
Gatorback Cycle Park hosted the opening round of the 1990 AMA Pro Motocross Championship and would feature an epic battle between Honda teammates Rick Johnson and Jeff Stanton and Yamaha's Damon Bradshaw in the 250 Class. RJ was returning to the scene off his wrist-break the previous year, and was riding the #13 Honda CR250. He and Stanton would end up out front together and practically cross the finish line side by side, but Johnson held the advantage and took the overall win. No one knew that day that this would be the last win of Johnson's Hall of Fame career.
1984
For the first time the Gatorback National kicks off the AMA Motocross Championship schedule, with three classes on the gate. In the 500cc division, reigning AMA Supercross and 250 National Champion David Bailey would ride a works Honda against the production-based Yamaha of Broc Glover, both wearing #1 because Glover was the previous season's 500 champion and Bailey was the Grand National Champion. In this first tilt of their rivals Bailey got the win, with Glover going 3-2 to Kawasaki rider Goat Breker's 2-3.
In the 125cc class showdown between reigning champion Johnny O'Mara of Team Honda and Kawasaki's Jeff Ward, it's Wardy who comes out on top in the opener, with Team Tamm Honda rider A.J. Whiting a distant third.
And giving Honda two of three wins at the Gatorback opener is Bob "Hurricane" Hannah in the 250 class. He would top Team Tamm rider in Alan King, with Suzuki's Mark Barnett third and young Honda teammate Ron Lechien fourth.
2006
In Indianapolis Suzuki's Ricky Carmichael won a fierce three-way battle ahead of Kawasaki's James Stewart and Yamaha's Chad Reed.
In the 125 class Honda's Davi Millsaps topped Factory Connection Honda's Josh Grant and Pro Circuit Kawasaki rider Christopher Gosselaar, whose father is Carmichael's mechanic.
