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Anybody else??..I'm just a Canadian guy who remembers reading about him in the mags back in the day.
Mark was factory Honda on 80's. Back around 83-84
His bro is a golf pro now.
The Shop
Is that the one with Firetower Hill? I ran an enduro there one year.
Some of these posts confuse Mike Melton of Team Husky/Offroad who is 10 to 15 years older than the Indiana Melton's.
Mark's parents were some of the best and smartest people at the races in the early 1980's.
Mark was a Yamaha Competition Support rider at that time.
Yamaha had Connie Feist, Aaron Pitts, Tom Caldwell, Bob Bremm, Larry Witmer, Jacque Bryant, Brian Hennesey, Derrick Roe, Mikey LaRocco and Mark Melton riding the AMA Amateur Nationals.
Bobby Wagner, Charley and Dave Walters, Dave Nissen, Bruce Newman, Tim Kauffman, Donny Lines, Ronny Weatherholt, Tim Ramsey, The Chapman Brothers, Kirk Thomas, Rodney Ritter, Eddie Cleveland, Jeff Hinen, Kim Lefever, Dennis Nichols, Kerry Pulley, Larry Lee, Mark Patterson, Randy Carrick, Nick and Lowel Hancoch, Phil and Dave Lindeman, Mike Roth and others. This was known as the CIA. (Connie's Indiana Associates).
The FBI was the Fast Boys from Illinois. Michigan had the Mafia and Kentucky had HIP. (Hillbillies in Pursuit).
FBI: Billy Tuman, Junior Jackson, Jimmy Vuegler, The Randa Brothers, Troy Bradshaw, Dave Benson, Jeff Theodicus, Jeff Reynolds, Jeff Surwal,Denny Blum and others.
HIP: They were hip. Tommy Watts, Doug Jackson, Billy Able, Guy Euler.
Michigan Mafia: Denny Bentley, Bobby Joysey, Kris, Kreg, Kip Bigelow, Jeff Stanton, Jeff Spreeman, Mark, Scott, Darla Hinkle, Lisa Akin (Wagner), Dave Mack, Scott Currey, Dave Brown and 50 more.
Kind of got off track there.
Honda signed Mark and Brett to their amateur support team and Mark had some National Championships to his credit. Honda's support as a rookie Pro through Team Tamm and George Quay didn't last long. Mark finished as high as 7th in the 125 Nationals. A true top 10 caliber rider. Honda has a cutback in budget and Mark decided to go to college.
One of the few riders that I known of who had the intelligence to truly study and pick lines and adapt to changing track conditions.
Indiana lost one of its unique talents when Mark retired. The Melton Family was an asset that Indiana could never replace.
Add Rusty Ott and Alvin Schmitt to those names.
Some of these posts confuse Mike Melton of Team Husky/Offroad who is 10 to 15 years older than the Indiana Melton's.
Mark's parents were some of the best and smartest people at the races in the early 1980's.
Mark was a Yamaha Competition Support rider at that time.
Yamaha had Connie Feist, Aaron Pitts, Tom Caldwell, Bob Bremm, Larry Witmer, Jacque Bryant, Brian Hennesey, Derrick Roe, Mikey LaRocco and Mark Melton riding the AMA Amateur Nationals.
Bobby Wagner, Charley and Dave Walters, Dave Nissen, Bruce Newman, Tim Kauffman, Donny Lines, Ronny Weatherholt, Tim Ramsey, The Chapman Brothers, Kirk Thomas, Rodney Ritter, Eddie Cleveland, Jeff Hinen, Kim Lefever, Dennis Nichols, Kerry Pulley, Larry Lee, Mark Patterson, Randy Carrick, Nick and Lowel Hancoch, Phil and Dave Lindeman, Mike Roth and others. This was known as the CIA. (Connie's Indiana Associates).
The FBI was the Fast Boys from Illinois. Michigan had the Mafia and Kentucky had HIP. (Hillbillies in Pursuit).
FBI: Billy Tuman, Junior Jackson, Jimmy Vuegler, The Randa Brothers, Troy Bradshaw, Dave Benson, Jeff Theodicus, Jeff Reynolds, Jeff Surwal,Denny Blum and others.
HIP: They were hip. Tommy Watts, Doug Jackson, Billy Able, Guy Euler.
Michigan Mafia: Denny Bentley, Bobby Joysey, Kris, Kreg, Kip Bigelow, Jeff Stanton, Jeff Spreeman, Mark, Scott, Darla Hinkle, Lisa Akin (Wagner), Dave Mack, Scott Currey, Dave Brown and 50 more.
Kind of got off track there.
Honda signed Mark and Brett to their amateur support team and Mark had some National Championships to his credit. Honda's support as a rookie Pro through Team Tamm and George Quay didn't last long. Mark finished as high as 7th in the 125 Nationals. A true top 10 caliber rider. Honda has a cutback in budget and Mark decided to go to college.
One of the few riders that I known of who had the intelligence to truly study and pick lines and adapt to changing track conditions.
Indiana lost one of its unique talents when Mark retired. The Melton Family was an asset that Indiana could never replace.[/quote:17tnrszf]
WOW! Awesome first post Connie!!! That's my early era of racing in Indiana, Mich and Illinois. Brings back a LOT of good memories for sure. I lined up and raced against the majority of riders mentioned. Aaron Pitts (his father Max Pitts owned the shop that I rode for) and Derrick Roe were friends of mine. Cool post for sure! The Melton's were awesome people.
Doug Jackson was crazy fast. Of all the riders talked about in the above posts I would have to say that Doug Jackson was probably the most talented. I watched him week after week and the guy was incredible. His physical conditioning was incredible, there was no wearing the guy down.
Does anyone remember Kevin Arnold? All I can say is WOW. I remember him riding the first water cooled two stroke I had ever seen back in the mid 70's. He was an amateur and he was incredible. That water cooled bike was a 125cc Honda and the damn thing was tight. I never saw him break, NEVER. His mechanic knew was he was doing.
He later switched to a Montesa, a make of bike that I had never seen at the time. I remember him placing third at the nationals on it at Lake Sugartree.
Those were good times.
Hey conniemx: Are a few of these folks YOUR associates? If so, how you been?
i wish i would have made connies fastest list.
Pit Row
2008 Loretta Lynn Area Qualifier
1 827 Kaw 743351 Junior Jackson - Q Davenport, IA 1 1
3 827 Kaw 743351 Junior Jackson - Q Davenport, IA 5 1
And as far as Connie goes, he was practically flawless. I think I beat him 1 lap a few times. He was using subtle yet effective balance and weight transfer while myself especially and others were overriding the 125 2-stroke, kinda the way they were meant to be ridden. However, Connie seemed to be using the clutch less and rarely was over revving the engine while getting maxiumum traction and great lines. Something I wish I would have realized when I was 16.
I really think Bobby Wagner, Donnie Lines, and Steve Lovelace were some great Indiana riders. For some great pics of some of these riders: http://swillian.domainhost.com/remember_when.htm http://www.myspace.com/crazydave15
Mark was fast, smooth, and a smart rider. The one and only time I seen him down was at 1986 Reg. qualifer at a track in MI I can't remeber the name of the track (I know I did not do well) crashed over a double and got into some tree's it was a bad crash.
The first race I remeber seeing Connie at was at Rome City and they were having a money moto there were lots of fast talent in D15.
Nice post guys and boy the time flies.
Thanks for the memories guys!!!
I think that was common back then often the 80A class was at or better lap times than the 125 A dry or muddy.
I am not around it enough today to know but is it still kinda of that way today with the 4 stroke big bikes?
Post a reply to: Mark Melton