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Rupert X Ruport: Never a Low Point at High Point 1

I truly don't recall the first time I traveled across Ohio, into West Virginia, down through Pennsylvania and up those windy country paths to Mount Morris, but I'm-a-guessing '82 or '83. And, I've been pretty much going ever since. Thinking I've seen at least thirty Pro National motocross races there, all glorious, all with the looming threat of sketchy weather, all with the anticipation and, the realization of a tremendously grand time. Used to have a throng of thugs with me, or a gaggle of goons. We'd camp out on the dew-moistened fields, awaken to a smoldering campfire and a mountain of empty beer cans, a light headache and a missing cooler. Later days were in campers, motorhomes or in laid-back Toyota seats, trying to sleep whilst the parties raged on.

These most recent years have me mostly attending solo, roughing it at a swanky hotel in that very fun college town that is Morgantown, West Virginia. About twenty minutes from the track, as the doe flies. While I do miss the wild days 'n nights partying at the track, now I'm content to strut around in my jammies in an air-conditioned room, with a belly full of pizza crust and a fistful of IPAs, watching reruns of Big Bang Theory whilst ignoring texts from loitering loonies.

Morris Mountain. Nineteen seventy-seven was the first year for pro racing at this scenic, double-hillside circuit, and it was Bristol, Pennsylvania's Tony DiStefano, aboard a Suzuki RM 250 taking the overall, at this early summer's round of the AMA 250cc Motocross National Championships. Looking through the stats in Racer X tremendous online VAULT, they show 1978 featuring a combined 250/500 event, with two events in July, but, through 1982 they had either 250 and 500cc races, or, a combination of the two. 1983 through 1985 featured all three classes! That's right 125, 250, and 500. Those were, indeed, some competitive, stacked fields with incredible riders and races.  1986 would see a 125/250 format that reigned into the nineties and the early 2000's, until four-strokes reappeared in the motocross scene and then, in a most remarkably silly move, for a while we called them "Lites" and "450s." I'm not sure we always had forty riders back in the olden days of Mount Morris. In 1982 they have Ricky "Bad Boy" Johnson winning the 250 class aboard a Yamaha, with twenty-three riders listed, while Darrel Shultz took the 500 class with a mere twenty-four riders involved in the filthy skirmish.


David Vuillemin got his first AMA National win at Mount Morris.

Ricky Carmichael was unbeaten here from 2002-2007.

Many witnessed Brock Sellards' FMF Honda 125 motor swapped out in about six minutes, after it failed during the parade lap…

Akira Narita and Travis Pastrana had an epic battle here, 'Twas a fence bender.

That slimy, mucky race in 1997 where Damon Bradshaw returned to motocross, won in the Mount Morris Mud on a CR Two Fiddy? That was brown-river nuts. Scott Sheak took the 125s, remember? A slightly boozed up chap from New England kept screaming at Bradshaw on the podium, 'You're a SAVAGE, a SAVAGE!"

2003 was, for me and countless others, the single greatest day for motocross RACING, as the "250" class or whatever they called it then – had RC on a CR250 Honda (1-1), versus Kevin Windham on a CRF450 Honda (2-2), in a vicious two moto battle and. On the same day, the furious action in the 125 class was between Mike Brown (2-1) on a Pro Circuit Kaw AND Ryan Hughes (1-2) on a KTM, it was an absolute EPIC day of moto madness...

RC, on his RM-Z450, running down Bubba and launching past in the mechanic's section to take the lead?
Josh Grant cast off the back of his 450, only to run 50 yards to track down his bike, that ran off on its own, now stuck in a fence?

Those wild-ass parties where they called in the State Patrol and cars were burned and helicopters flew overhead? Things did get out of hand there, for a while. Generally speaking, as with most of the problem crazy folk, whether it be at old Troy, Red Bud, Washougal, or whatever, it is usually the "professional partiers" that cause the trouble, not so much the racing fans.

The layout has changed over the years, and, along with many other tracks on the circuit, the configuration has been shortened and condensed–down to about two-minute lap times at most venues, with camera locations and the fans view and enjoyment–factoring in.

This year's course was indeed spectacular and well-received, with the addition of a new, signature, HUGE step-up quad jump, being a great hit with the fans. Broc Schmelyun sailed alongside his bike in an ESPN Sportscenter-worthy wreck–be well Broc! And, Sportscenter, please quit ignoring MX and SX.

It was Ohio-based Jeremy Hand's first outdoor pro national - #332 qualified well and took 35th overall…dad Carl, uncle Dave and the whole Hand clan were mighty proud

#566 was Carson Tickle of Cary, North Carolina in the Fo-Fiddies. He has to be Broc's brother, no?

'Twas, officially-the UPMC Sports Medicine High Point National, round five of the Lucas Oils Pro Motocross National Championships.

I don't know what planet Gared Steinke (Woodland, California!) is from, but he boldly thrust his YZ125 smoker around that hilly course, beating a bunch of 250 effs, racing hard the whole time for a very impressive 27th overall.

Was that Steve Vertucci #209, son of the famed Fred Vertucci?

That's a reinvigorated #16, Zach Osborne-after training with the Tomacs in Colorado, he's running near the front, of late...5-2 at MM, while the craftiest of Frenchmen, another MM...a kid I discovered at the Russian Supercross, Marvin Musquin, ran off with the 1-1.

That #522, Cole Zitterkopf? Is that Greg's boy? He's from Fruita, Colorado…

You do know that back on 13 June, 2009, but six years ago, NBC featured Mount Morris as the first live broadcast, on NETWORK TV, of professional Motocross?

Oh yeah, 2015-Kenny Roczen took the 450s over Ryan Dungey, 2-1 beats a 1-2.

James BUBBA Stewart (remember him?) won in 2014, with Blake Baggett taking the 250s.

That's all for now. Later, Moto Freaks.

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