Remember Your First?

Twist1
Posts
382
Joined
1/3/2015
Location
EI, NC US
2/6/2016 10:56am Edited Date/Time 5/23/2018 4:06am
Rubber Band start.

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ML512
Posts
15424
Joined
12/28/2008
Location
Wildomar, CA US
Fantasy
36th
2/6/2016 11:04am
Twist1 wrote:
Rubber Band start.[img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2016/02/06/122852/s1200_trophy.jpg[/img]
Rubber Band start.

I'm pretty sure I only participated in two races that had rubber band starts. Both were in Utah when racing 50s in about 1998... I think?
mgifracing
Posts
1507
Joined
1/25/2007
Location
Newton, KS US
Fantasy
319th
2/6/2016 11:27am
When I started flat tracking in 1973 that's what they used was the good ol rubber band neck whipper.
hillbilly
Posts
9080
Joined
8/16/2006
Location
Afton, TN US
2/6/2016 12:05pm
Raced years before a gate appeared. A lot of flag starts,when it leaves the ground go.

Ever seen someone stand where the band is tied off? Some tracks had a board for it to hit,some didn't.

At muddy creek "wirehead" ron jones was the man. Took me a bit to figure out he had a deal worked with the guy pulling the tiretool out.

When wirehead flinched his head the starter yanked the tiretool. So,when i could I'd get beside him and go when he signaled.

Good times
Tbteam
Posts
2799
Joined
8/16/2006
Location
Ormond Beach, FL US
2/6/2016 12:10pm
Cherry Hill MX park, Western NY.

Went 1-1 on my '74 XR75. Broke my frame at the downtube on the last lap on a hard pack ski launch jump. Limped across the finish line to win. My brother was going to pour a bucket of water on me because he thought I was showing off by cruising slowly the last three turns.

Hell yes I remember it.

The Shop

Paw Paw 271
Posts
3640
Joined
4/3/2013
Location
Benton, LA US
2/6/2016 1:53pm
I raced all over the south using the rubber band starts for years. I did not know what to make of a "starting gate" the first time I had to race from one. Then after many years it went to the current "backwards falling " starting gates and another new challenge.

Paw Paw
2/6/2016 2:01pm
ML512 wrote:
I'm pretty sure I only participated in two races that had rubber band starts. Both were in Utah when racing 50s in about 1998... I think?
I raced one right outside of st george in 96 I think that was a rubber band start as well. I remember one kid got way too antsy and clothes lined himself when they had it stretched haha
WhiteTaco
Posts
151
Joined
10/8/2009
Location
Wake Forest, NC US
2/6/2016 2:13pm
Yes. A track called SME in the late 70's. District 13 in VA.
Brad460
Posts
3718
Joined
5/15/2012
Location
Richfield, WI US
Fantasy
807th
2/6/2016 2:30pm
Lake Country Fairgrounds 1991 (I think) my dad nailed a turkey on the way down with the Chevy Safari minivan..Laughing
bents
Posts
3278
Joined
12/31/2009
Location
CA
Fantasy
694th
2/6/2016 2:34pm Edited Date/Time 2/6/2016 2:35pm
Bemidji in around 1977 & 1978. That is where I first saw Tom Benolkin ride on a pair of Kawasakis. Fuck he was fast. Great track BTW.
2/6/2016 2:41pm Edited Date/Time 2/6/2016 2:42pm
The first race I ever did had a rubber band start. It was the last race of the year and they installed a backwards fallIng gate for the next season. So the first race I ever did was the last race for the rubber band. It was 1980 NEMA fall Jamboree at Lunenberg MA.
abn166
Posts
517
Joined
11/26/2006
Location
Rancho Cucamonga, CA US
2/6/2016 4:00pm


Rawhide Park rubber band start 1972. My first trophy and first overall win. I still remember the pass for the lead like it was yesterday. My other first was with Sue Fogg. I was 16 she was 17. It was late and mom nearly walked in on us. Luckily I had thrown my beanbag chair against the door. She said goodnight and closed the door. I got back to business.

Bultaco
Posts
1724
Joined
1/20/2014
Location
Planet, VT US
2/6/2016 4:08pm
When I started all the starts were rubber band. I remember the first time I ever lined up on a starting gate. (Sept 1974, Baldwin, Ks) It was weird.
The Rock
Posts
8763
Joined
3/21/2007
Location
HAIKU, HI US
2/6/2016 4:16pm
Don't remember my first rubber band start but I do remember lining up as close to the center pole as possible every time. There were a few Ohio tracks used two rubber bands secured on a pole in the middle in the early 70s. By mid 70s gates were common.
markit
Posts
2638
Joined
1/10/2013
Location
Bogalusa, LA US
2/6/2016 4:32pm
Oh yea Durbi track, white sands MS, Pine LA track. ( sweet up and down hill's track. 74 YZ 80 Great memories. I got out of moto after the mini and moved to off road enduro/hs, me and a friend got IT 175s then 200s for some reason. I never missed the moto but still raced and practiced moto but the friends and times i've had over the years where great. I can still remember the mornings at the track with the been oil in the air and the guy airing out a CZ on a cold wet morning at Pine raceway.
Twist1
Posts
382
Joined
1/3/2015
Location
EI, NC US
2/6/2016 4:55pm
I was on my SL70 moto'd out, went 2-2, sandwiched between 2 Honda of Raleigh XR75's. Took a digger in practice, hurt, scared, ampd, holeshot both motos. XR75 wasin the garage soon after. I had everything a kid could want....then that damn YZ 80 showed up
DE262
Posts
328
Joined
8/20/2015
Location
The bar, OR US
2/6/2016 6:43pm
1991 Albany Supercross in Oregon on a KX125- I was prob. part of the Mid-pack Mafia. Track was next to a giant factory that stunk like shit...
Beast666
Posts
682
Joined
8/13/2013
Location
Englewood, CO US
2/6/2016 6:46pm
Never had a rubber band start in moto. But Jet ski's was another thing got way too many band burns racing ski's.
jimmie
Posts
2256
Joined
8/21/2008
Location
Huntington Beach, CA US
2/6/2016 7:02pm
Yeah I remember....

1978 Ascot Raceway.

And 1982 Corona Racetrack, rubber band start only because the gate was being used for the Los Angeles Coliseum Supercross that weekend.
jock
Posts
1585
Joined
9/25/2006
Location
Toowoomba AU
Fantasy
1st
2/6/2016 7:09pm
Local race in 1979.
kzizok
Posts
8392
Joined
10/19/2010
Location
AS US
Fantasy
1859th
2/6/2016 7:35pm Edited Date/Time 2/6/2016 7:39pm
No but I remember the backwards falling gate at 59th and Douglas. If you timed it right, and lined up on the back of the starting pad, you could upshift as you were crossing the gate. Locals advantage like Pastrami(Pastrana)used to wax about.

As for the rubber band starts, I think my diapers would have got caught up in it as I crawled across. Never actually saw a rubber band start.
Vet57
Posts
1778
Joined
12/13/2010
Location
White House, DC US
2/7/2016 12:33am
Pepperell, MA...1974
johnnymf0
Posts
84
Joined
8/3/2014
Location
San Martin, CA US
2/7/2016 1:11am
My first race ever was an arenacross at the Cow Palace in '94 I think and they had a rubber band start.
JW381
Posts
10643
Joined
7/21/2009
Location
Harrisburg, OR US
2/7/2016 1:26am
I did a few rubber band starts in 07 at Salem Arenacross
2/7/2016 5:01am
Orwell, Ohio had a little flat track about '73. 8 yrs old, Yamaha mini enduro ( no lights ).

Anyone remember Mespo Moto, Mesopotamia Oh ?
1
hvaughn88
Posts
8363
Joined
6/19/2013
Location
Conway, AR US
2/7/2016 6:47am
Is it true if you don't use it, you lose it?
kkawboy14
Posts
11494
Joined
6/5/2015
Location
TX US
2/7/2016 6:49am
The rubber band actually worked pretty good
5/22/2018 9:45am
me and my father raced at mespo moto
and orwell quite a bit
as well as most of the other north east ohio tracks


long ago
1
agn5009
Posts
6757
Joined
6/8/2012
Location
State College, PA US
5/22/2018 9:49am Edited Date/Time 5/22/2018 9:49am
I remember doing a few races with rubber band starts back in 95 or 96. It's crazy to think that people who are old enough to legally drink a beer weren't even born yet Laughing

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