Mark Melton

mikey
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Lafayette, IN US
10/7/2006 6:16pm Edited Date/Time 1/26/2012 6:44pm
I've heard about hiim from some of the D15 vets. Was he really as talented and fast as they? Connie Feist, John Baker etc all say he used to be amazing.
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justpinit
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British Columbia CA
10/7/2006 6:24pm
I remember a classic endo pic of him from the Daytona Supercross. He used to go pretty fast on a YZ490, too. Against a lot of fast guys like Goat Breker, JoJo Keller, etc.

Anybody else??..I'm just a Canadian guy who remembers reading about him in the mags back in the day.
Dirteater
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Greeley, CO US
10/7/2006 7:12pm
Yeah, he was super fast on them CR80's and 125's when he raced the amateur nationals.. His brother was pretty fast also!!
10/14/2006 2:23pm
Him and his brother Brett were fast.

Mark was factory Honda on 80's. Back around 83-84

His bro is a golf pro now.
Ing
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Spring Hill, FL US
10/20/2006 3:40pm Edited Date/Time 4/16/2016 6:00pm
He rode for Team Husqvarna in the mid 80's. Raced one of the first Husky 4-strokes. Way ahead of their time. Rode in a 3hr. Hare Scrambles with him in Keithsburg, Ill. Told me after the race that the first two hours weren't too bad, the last hour was hell. For anyone who hasn't been to Keithsburg, the whole track is large sand whoops. Hoops if your RC. " title="Laughing">

The Shop

JPT
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Cedar Falls, IA US
10/20/2006 5:23pm Edited Date/Time 4/16/2016 6:00pm
[quote="Ing":a771b]He rode for Team Husqvarna in the mid 80's. Raced one of the first Husky 4-strokes. Way ahead of their time. Rode in a 3hr. Hare Scrambles with him in Keithsburg, Ill. Told me after the race that the first two hours weren't too bad, the last hour was hell. For anyone who hasn't been to Keithsburg, the whole track is large sand whoops. Hoops if your RC. " title="Laughing">[/quote:a771b]

Is that the one with Firetower Hill? I ran an enduro there one year.
11/4/2006 1:57pm
I used to race against Brett Melton. Mark was a few years older, he was the fastest rider in D15 at that time. Nobody could touch him. Everybody in D15 knew of the Melton brothers back then.
conniemx
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US
3/6/2008 7:19am
Mark and Brett Melton are from Indiana.
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.
Oldschool
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3/8/2008 5:50pm
Thanks for Posting Connie & Welcome !
crashnuke
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3/10/2008 1:51pm
FBI: Billy Tuman, Junior Jackson, Jimmy Vuegler, The Randa Brothers, Troy Bradshaw, Dave Benson, Jeff Theodicus, Jeff Reynolds, Jeff Surwal,Denny Blum and others.


Add Rusty Ott and Alvin Schmitt to those names.
Larry
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Fayetteville, GA US
3/10/2008 7:55pm
Doug Jackson was one fast dude on his way to the big time before he died in a tragic work related accident. I saw him at Devils ridge in 1980 and he freakin killed the whole field at a regional.
3/25/2008 10:07am Edited Date/Time 4/16/2016 6:27pm
[quote="conniemx":17tnrszf]Mark and Brett Melton are from Indiana.
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.
amc401v8
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US
3/27/2008 9:31am
Mark Melton was fast. Smart guy too.

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.
FBI_51
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4/2/2008 8:39am
conniemx wrote:
Mark and Brett Melton are from Indiana. Some of these posts confuse Mike Melton of Team Husky/Offroad who is 10 to 15 years older than the...
Mark and Brett Melton are from Indiana.
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.
HMM......I think I may just know a few of these guys (oops and gal) Woohoo

Hey conniemx: Are a few of these folks YOUR associates? If so, how you been?

toddh
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IN US
4/2/2008 1:56pm
To give yopu an idea of how good Mark was, he finished 3rd in the 125 east Supercross, then quit and went to Rose Hulman and earned a engineering degree. Can you imagine someone doing that today?
7/5/2008 1:33pm Edited Date/Time 4/16/2016 7:30pm
i have beet mark melton a few times in the first moto. not so much in the 2nd moto. kevin allen also put up go good fight for mark. but he was the fastest.


i wish i would have made connies fastest list.
7/5/2008 1:57pm
John Baker once said i tought him everything he knows. i don't believe it but it sounded good coming out of his mouth.
notlem012
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Austin, TX US
7/5/2008 5:06pm
mark melton is my dad...it's so cool to read all of this
evomx244
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Mason, OH US
7/6/2008 5:14am
Whatever happen to Jeff Spreeman he won the 1981 250 Amateur National title the same year as Connie won the 125 title (the only alternate to do so)
BobbyM
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AZ US
7/6/2008 7:40am
conniemx wrote:
Mark and Brett Melton are from Indiana. Some of these posts confuse Mike Melton of Team Husky/Offroad who is 10 to 15 years older than the...
Mark and Brett Melton are from Indiana.
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.
wow! that was a cool post
Oldschool
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7/6/2008 9:39pm Edited Date/Time 4/16/2016 7:31pm
F.B.I. JR. Jackson is back Racing :


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
Oldschool
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7/6/2008 9:40pm Edited Date/Time 7/6/2008 9:41pm
Why does it double post when I edit? !!
7/7/2008 9:53pm Edited Date/Time 4/16/2016 7:32pm
Some of my foundest memories of racing was when I eventually became a good enough rider to be competitive with Mark and some of the other riders menioned. The wins were few and far between but when you ran with Mark, I think we knew then and now that we had some of the best riders around. So, 2nd through 5th was almost as good as a win for any of us.

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
TJW909
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Maple Park, IL US
7/18/2008 6:28pm Edited Date/Time 4/16/2016 7:41pm
WOW just ran across this. Just a few more names for that D15 list Kevin Kipta Norm Meadows Fred Rosenich Rusty Ott (D15 & 17).

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.
nedercpa07
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Katy, TX US
7/19/2008 9:32am
I raced against Mark Melton in the mini class. I was a year older than him but it didn't matter to him. He still managed to beat me most of the time. He was a hard charger like Jeff Stanton and Carmichael. He hated to lose. Anyway, my dad and I stayed at a campground in Roselawn, IN in between racing in Rennsalear and Shady Hill one weekend with Mark and his family. Mark, Brett and I went minature golfing. For all I know, that was the first time that Brett ever picked up a golf club. Pretty cool that he is a pro golfer now. I remember one time at Shady Hill, Mark and I were walking the track in between motos. At the riders meeting they told us that if anybody was spotted on the track they would be disqualified. Mark's dad walked up and asked Mark if he was at the rider's meeting. Mark said, yes and his Dad (who was very soft spoken) yelled at him and told him to get off the track. Mark looked petrified. He then went out and smoked everybody, including me in the second moto. I have always wondered what happened to him. If he reads this post, send me a note. I live in Texas now so maybe we are close. I would love to hear from you.
toddh
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8/1/2008 8:44am
Mark lives in Texas now. Austin I think. If you get on the Suspenion Plus website they have some info on him.
gearhead342
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Whitehouse, TX US
8/15/2008 11:12am
Hey Fellas, This is Brad Smith. This thread brings back alot of memories. I grew up and raced in Indiana back in the early 80's. I won the D15 250B class in '82. Turned A in '83 and discovered girls and beer and pretty much shot the ole moto career! HA! My good friend Shane Nalley ended up as a factory wrench for Keidrowski and now works for the Suz GNCC team. I remember Mark and his family. They we're a class act and never got uptite! I now live near Tyler, TX and my two sons and I race all over the place. I'm very blessed to be in the industry. I work for Tucker Rocky and I design all the Pro Taper hard parts and MSR hard parts. It's sooo cool!!

Thanks for the memories guys!!!

8/19/2008 2:51pm
Ah....Casey, just like Wabash, I did good there sometimes but tracks I loved to hate. Something just never did feel right at those 2 tracks even when I did good. It is no wonder I would have pretty much ending injuries at Wabash.

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?
partialperson
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Murphysboro, IL US
9/17/2008 8:07am Edited Date/Time 4/16/2016 8:28pm
Mark Tripp recently passed away: I run with his wrench cousin Sonny who also wrenched for Mike Layne, Billy Fosnock in & out of prison, Robert Motsinger travels the Fair circuit with a very successful food stand business with his family, Billy Davis: not sure but recently ran into his father with a grandson @ some races, Billy's dad & Robert's mom were brother & sister, Kenny Bollemier racing Vet @ LL's. I was thinkin' Darla Hinkle's & Lisa Akin Wagner's moms were sisters & rode when they were young. I wrenched a little on Darla's bike @ the Regional & subsequent LL a few years back when she sported a comeback traveling with her mother. I think she & her husband went Quad racing later on, he was a first class act! Darla's older brother Mark was also very fast & turned some very memorable rides racing Barnett, one at St Louis comes to mind. Darla's family are some of the nicest people I've ever met or conversed with. Frank Johnson, who was responsible for the first two monoshock KTM's into the US & wrenched for KTM Factory support rider Mark Barr & LL's standout Marty Vaughn, is now a Factory CanAm wrench. Jon Mitchceff later wrenched for Marty Vaughn & Brian Mason & is now RV's wrench.

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