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Glad to hear you have good memories of the days we had great battles. I always tried and raced as hard as I could when we raced together and those were some awesome races. You were a bad dude and thats why I raced as hard as I did against you. Obviously I respected you. I always respected other racers that gave me serious comp and you did just that. And by the way, thanks for comments you wrote about me too.
Peoples life's drift apart with time, but remembering the fun we had when we were raced together are called memories and let's keep them fresh in our minds and in a positive light, because the older we get those days are what will keep us young.
I have great memories of those days of racing, with not only you Paul, but also the reason for this post. Rick, Bruce and Kyle will always hold a special place in my heart.
I know, I know, this doesn't sound like the old Larry Brooks, but I'm much older now and much much.......................smarter? Smarter,,,,,thats kind of funny. Have a nice day, men.
Oh I almost forgot, Hello Hal! Nice to know your still out there buddy. Hope life it treating you well. Hope to talk to you someday again.
By the way LB.... how does #7 look? I'm rooting for him!
The Shop
Bruce Bunch sitting on Rick Hemme's bike at Ponca City in 1981. Rick Hemme is seen just inside the trailer.
Been over a month since anyone posted.
This thread should be a sticky in the "Old School" forum because those kids were the future of moto in the 80's.
After the awards ceremony we continued our journey to Loretta Lynns. That was such a sad drive...I kept thinking about the boys and how sad the families were. I remember lying in the back of the RV crying and hearing the song "Eye of the Tiger", by Survivor. I didn't really know them, but we were parked next to the Flemmings. I also recall that the Kiedrowski's were parked behind us and the funnel cake truck was right next to us, and I thought those were the bombe!
The Ponca City and Loretta Lynns races were some of my fondest memories.
BTW, anyone remember going to the water slide park and plugging up the slide with people? The park employees would get so mad! They probably dreaded us mx people!
Pit Row
Merry Chrismas boys, too bad it all ended so fast.
T
I've been back to Ponca since that year that took their lives and the RR crossing is much different. It took too long....much too long to change it. It still brings back bad feelings to be there. It was fun to take my kids to Ponca, but that year !982, scared me for life.
I'm sad to say that Chris Taylor lost his father, Dave. If no one knew. I didn't find out until they had already had the funeral.
I spoke to Chris and we shared stories of loosing our fathers. Too much death in this World. I just tired up and hate to cry.
God Bless all the people and the friends that we made over the years racing mini bikes. Those memories will last forever!!!
For every one of you guys that hit it "big", there are thousands of us that slowly realize, it "just ain't there" or there's not enough money to fund the effort.
I have thoroughly enjoyed reading this thread and getting some insight into some of you guys' life as a racer. We that don't make it as a pro, always are wondering just what we missed out on and the life involved(or at least I do :-).
From the very first race I saw as a teenager in 70 or 71 when Jimmy Weinert beat the Euros at a TransAMA event at Rio Bravo in Houston, TX...I was smitten big time with the moto bug.
For those of you that LIVED it...I hope you guys know how very lucky and blessed you've been to have achieved that!
I posted some cool pics of Kyle on my Facebook page please check it out. If the link above does not work, just search Rob Fig Naughton on Facebook or copy and paste the link.
In Memory of the original 54 Kyle Fleming
Updated on Tuesday
Kyle Fleming was my best friend and to this day I run the 54 in memory of him. He was a winner and a champion and I'm honored to run his number and represent. I also want to thank his family Carl, Paula and Michele (and your family) for supporting my racing for the last 31 years. If it wasn't for you guys I would have never become the racer, winner and Champion I have, I love you guys. March 16th is Kyle's Birthday and my season opener at Firebird, I hope to make him proud.
I also found a Facebook group called, you should know bruce bunch http://www.facebook.com/groups/109896465716631/
where I posted some more pics and some pics of my Kyle Fleming memorial trophies. Again, if the link does not work copy and past it and check it out, heres what I posted.
Rob Fig Naughton
I ran across Bruce's page today while doing some research on Kyle, Rick and Bruce and Posting some photos on my Facebook page of Kyle. Those Kyle Fleming Memorial (in memory of all three boys) shirts are amazing and I wish I still had mine. What I do have and I cherish them today (more than my CHampionship trophies, X-games trophy etc...) are two beautiful first place cups from that race, one for the 250cc Expert and 125cc Expert classes (and if its ok I will post some pics, they are the one on the far left and far right). Although I did not know Bruce or Rick, (but I've heard and read many stories of what amazing kids and racers they were, I know for a fact Kyle looked up to Bruce and Rick). Kyle was my best friend and I still race with his number 54 in memory of him. I was devastated that day in 1982 along with everyone else who knew these boys. But I think of him on a regular basis, dedicate my racing career to him and am still very close to his family Carl, Paula and Michelle. I only became a racer because the Fleming's gave me an opportunity after Kyle's passing.
I 100% agree the MX and SX record books would look different today had these three had the opportunity. As I have google searched the internet it's awesome to see how many people were touched by and still remember Bruce, Rick and Kyle.
Very cool to see how many people remember and have great memories of Kyle, Bruce and Rick.
Rob / Fig
Thanks for posting and sharing the story and pics, good to hear from you.
Ironic thing- I buy 80's MX magazines on EBay and just about 30 minutes ago in the mail I opened an August '84 MXA that I had bought.
As I looked through a magazine I had not seen in almost 30 years, I came across coverage of the 84 World Mini GP. Bruce and Rick would have been riding the 125 Nationals by then, but Kyle probably would have been the dominant guy had things gone different that day in Ponca City.
PS- you are getting old, so in case you forgot you were 6th overall with a 13-3-5 (in the Race of Champions). Not bad for a Honda guy riding a KX for one race.
Post a reply to: Bruce Bunch, Rick Hemme, Kyle Fleming