Kent Howerton was one of the most versatile motocross racers of
the 1970s and early 1980s. The Texan, nicknamed the
"Rhinestone Cowboy," won three AMA National Motocross
Championships and two Trans-USA titles. He is best known for his
time as a Suzuki factory racer, but he also rode for Husqvarna
and Kawasaki during his 15-year professional racing career.
In all Howerton won 32 career AMA nationals and when he retired
in the mid-1980s, he was second on the all-time AMA 250cc
Motocross win list. In addition, Howerton was the 1980 AMA Pro
Athlete of the Year; a two-time winner of the 250cc United States
Grand Prix; a two-time member of the American Motocross des
Nations team and twice winner of the groundbreaking ABC Wide
World of Sports Superbikers competition.
Howerton was born in Wichita, Kansas, on July 11, 1954. He was
raised in the Denver area and first learned to ride motorcycles
when he was 15 on friends’ bikes. At 16, Howerton got his first
motorcycle, a 100cc Kawasaki Trail Boss, and his family moved to
San Antonio, Texas, which would become his permanent home.
He rode the little Kawasaki all around his neighborhood and
caught the attention of an older off-road rider, who saw talent in
Howerton. The fellow rider invited Howerton to ride his bike at a
nearby motocross race and told him he was good enough to race
in the expert class. Not knowing any better, Howerton raced as an
expert in his very first race and finished a credible third. Two
races later, he won his first local event and Howerton’s racing
career was off and running.
He quickly became the leading up-and-coming rider in Texas and
first realized his potential when he held his own against some of
the top AMA national riders at an off-season Texas race. In 1973,
Howerton began racing a limited number AMA nationals, primarily
in the South. The young Texan showed tremendous promise,
finishing in the top five overall in both a 250cc national (fourth at
Lake Whitney, Texas, on a CZ) and a 500cc national (fifth at
Houston on an AMP) in his rookie season.
In 1974, Howerton won his first AMA national in the 250cc class in
New Orleans riding a Husqvarna. He went on to finish sixth in the
final AMA 250 Motocross Championship standings that year. 
Howerton signed his first factory contract with Husqvarna in 1975
for $8,000. He finished runner up to Tony DiStefano in the 250cc
championship that year and scored a series-leading three wins
along the way. He also ranked fifth in the 1975 AMA 500cc
Motocross Championship.
Around this time announcers began to call Howerton the
"Rhinestone Cowboy," after the popular Glen Campbell song.
Press photos of the time began showing Howerton wearing a
cowboy hat, which became something of a trademark.
1976 proved to be a breakthrough year for Howerton. He earned
his first AMA National Championship in the 500cc class in a tough
battle with Gary Semics that went to the final round. Once again,
Howerton kept busy, also competing in the 250cc nationals and
scoring fourth in that series. He also won a round of the popular
Trans-AMA Series in the fall at Mid-Ohio. Howerton’s 1976 AMA
500cc MX title for Husqvarna would prove to be the final AMA
Motocross Championship for a European manufacturer for 27
years. Grant Langston finally put a European maker back on top
in 2003 when he won the AMA 125cc Motocross Championship on
a KTM. Howerton was unable to defend his title in 1977. That
year, his factory Huskys were plagued with numerous mechanical
problems and for the first time in three years he didn’t score a
single win. full story on motorcyclemuseum.org
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