Kent Howerton
Kent Howerton (born July 11, 1954) was one of the top American motocross racers in the 1970s and 1980s. He won three AMA national championships.[1]
Born in Wichita, Kansas, Howerton was raised in San Antonio, Texas where he began racing motocross.[1] In 1973 he began competing in the AMA motocross national championship series, and by 1974 he had won his first national race in the 250cc class. For the 1975 season, he was offered a job to ride for the Husqvarna factory racing team and finished the season is second place behind Tony DiStefano.[1] Howerton would win the 500cc AMA Motocross National Championship in 1976 for Husqvarna.[1] Suzuki signed Howerton for the 1978 season and he went on to win the 1980 and 1981 250cc AMA Motocross National Championship. He is remembered for his battles with Bob Hannah in the early 1980s. At the time of his retirement in 1984, he was second on the all-time AMA 250cc motocross win list.[1]
In 2000, he was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame.[1]