The USA needs something like the old Trans-Cal series!

jeffro503
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Edited Date/Time 8/24/2014 6:52am
Remember those? Or something like the old Gatorback nationals or whatever they were called. Some kind of an outdoor series where dudes could do a 6 - 8 round series during the winter between the nationals and SX. Something obviously in the south where the weather stays really good for winter racing.

Not a mandatory thing or anything like that....but just a fun , short series. Start sometime Oct and finish in Nov - Dec.

Remember when some of the Euro's would come over to compete in it? Make it a short , fun series where they could combine the GP riders and American riders.

Whatever happened to these series? And why did they go away?
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jeffro503
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8/23/2014 9:48pm
BTW.....Props to Reese for giving me the idea of starting this thread.
GuyB
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8/23/2014 9:51pm
Back in the day, riders would do SX events on Saturday nights, and then hit a Golden State series race on Sunday.

There were also the Winter-Ams for the East Coast guys.

I wish I could have followed the Trans-AMA series back in the day. It would have been awesome to shoot some races with Fall color.
zehn
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8/23/2014 9:51pm
We don't need another series. It would just turn into an arms race and before you know it, it'd just be a continuation of the MX season. These guys need a break.
reded
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8/23/2014 10:02pm
I haven't done any homework but if I remember correctly, neither the SX or MX series were as long back then which gave the riders more time to R&R and have fun with the trans-cal series. It seemed like everyone had more fun at a slower pace back then. It truly was the golden age of motocross, I just wish I'd been 5 yrs older at the time so I could have appreciated it more.

The Shop

bd
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8/23/2014 10:32pm
zehn wrote:
We don't need another series. It would just turn into an arms race and before you know it, it'd just be a continuation of the MX...
We don't need another series. It would just turn into an arms race and before you know it, it'd just be a continuation of the MX season. These guys need a break.
Bingo! They need time to heal, rest, and reset. Betting money Villo's burn out with professional moto has nothing to do with racing dirt bikes. If anything, I think they need a little more time off.

* Think NFL
bd
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8/23/2014 10:33pm
reded wrote:
I haven't done any homework but if I remember correctly, neither the SX or MX series were as long back then which gave the riders more...
I haven't done any homework but if I remember correctly, neither the SX or MX series were as long back then which gave the riders more time to R&R and have fun with the trans-cal series. It seemed like everyone had more fun at a slower pace back then. It truly was the golden age of motocross, I just wish I'd been 5 yrs older at the time so I could have appreciated it more.
Call me crazy, but we are still in the golden age - and the upside is infinite
jeffro503
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8/23/2014 10:35pm
I was pretty young back when I read about all the winter races. I remember getting my dirtbike magazine in the mail and read it from cover to cover looking for results. 79' , 80 ' 81' , 82'...........those were the years that I was so hooked on MX and SX that I thought about it 24hrs a day.

Back in the early 80's I would beg my dad to take me to the local bike shop for the latest issue of cycle news. When he didn't have the time......I would ride my BMX all the way to town and back. About 10 miles each way!! It was a hell of a ride.....but worth it!

I know the guys need a break. But there is a HUGE gap between now and Jan 3rd! And a lot of guys would race this series just to keep in tune.....I would think anyways. That's dang near 4-1/2 months with no serious racing unless they head over the pond for the European SX rounds. ( Minus Mxdn ).

Just a wild thought......and hope something like this starts up again one day.
wow123
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8/23/2014 11:01pm
No Time

IMO Problem is 17 sx rounds is too long

with 12 mx rounds and the training and testing that they HAVE to do

Combined with all the travel they would be fully burnt out right now and the thought of another series would be a nightmare.

If you've ever spent a lot of time toing and froing out of airports, it gets old real quick.

LtColMXUSM131
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8/24/2014 5:56am Edited Date/Time 8/24/2014 6:01am
They were awesome.
1986 in Victorville. Ward, RJ, Lechien, Billy Frank, Eric Kehoe
Mud race. Lechien rammed RJ and then RJ went to fight him in the pits. Lechien stayed in his box van.RJ threw rocks at him.
I rode some rounds in 2002 not the same.
8/24/2014 6:29am Edited Date/Time 8/24/2014 6:40am
Lack of European participation after about 1978 took the "Trans" out of the Trans -AMA series. I think '82 was the last year, renamed the Trans -USA series. Less than a handful of rounds to it.

Edison Dye built it, then the AMA took it, and killed it off.

The winter series were never the same once SX started to begin their series in January. In Florida, they were like 4-5 rounds of nationals until about '77-78.
DEMONDAVE
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8/24/2014 6:52am
zehn wrote:
We don't need another series. It would just turn into an arms race and before you know it, it'd just be a continuation of the MX...
We don't need another series. It would just turn into an arms race and before you know it, it'd just be a continuation of the MX season. These guys need a break.
I think it would be great , its an option to the top guys but a great warm up for the AMS turning pro for SX , a good test base as well for some teams

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