Old Florida MX Photos

JineTC
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JineTC 5/30/2011 9:37am
5/30/2011 9:37am Edited Date/Time 5/30/2011 1:11pm
I think I isolated myself to some degree from the "demise" of District 8 by going off-road with FTR, then eventually NORBA. I recall that Cahill's truck, and do think it would make a great obstacle.

Here's some Sunshine Speedway images, 1978 125/500 Series Finale:


Early in the first 125cc moto. Steve Wise led by I-can't-recall-who; Marty Moates at far right in the image.


Warren Reid


Wise trying to avoid a face full. If memory is serving me correctly that's Mike Guerra behind Steve.


Glover leading Reinholt.


Glover, JT'd from head to toe.


Glover...


...and Glover.


Jeff Ward...


...and Jeff Ward; still diminutive, but growing in stature in more ways than one.


Brian Myerscough, Steve Wise.


Wise...


...Glover, composed.
SCIENCE
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SCIENCE 5/30/2011 1:12pm
5/30/2011 1:12pm
This thread keeps getting better! JLineTC , I think that the guy leading Wise in your first pic is Anthony Mascirelli (sp). Law131 can probably confirm for us. Thank you for sharing these pics. Absolute gems. Can't wait for the 500 class!
JineTC
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JineTC 5/30/2011 2:48pm
5/30/2011 2:48pm
SCIENCE wrote:
This thread keeps getting better! JLineTC , I think that the guy leading Wise in your first pic is Anthony Mascirelli (sp). Law131 can probably confirm...
This thread keeps getting better! JLineTC , I think that the guy leading Wise in your first pic is Anthony Mascirelli (sp). Law131 can probably confirm for us. Thank you for sharing these pics. Absolute gems. Can't wait for the 500 class!
SCIENCE, I'm just glad to have found a "home" for them. They've just been sitting around under-appreciated for all these decades, not that the photos are anything great, but the riders and the moment recorded were. I feel like I've relocated some long-lost friends here, even if we've never met. We all share a common bond- unshakeable, irreplacable, priceless memories.

I'll try to get the 500 class pics up in the next couple of days.
croom mx
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croom mx 5/30/2011 4:00pm
5/30/2011 4:00pm Edited Date/Time 5/30/2011 4:01pm
Nice photos from those races, and all the ones I raced also! Lots of heat on that track is what I remember!

The Shop

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oldschoolmxr203 5/30/2011 4:35pm
5/30/2011 4:35pm
More great pics JineTC,,

Now i might be wrong on this,but i thought the reason Sunshine closed is, partly because of the old people complained , from the retirement community off 19,, or the real reason, was the factory riders and the teams didnt like Sunshine in august
because of the heat and humidity,,?

As far as why Chicken Farm and Orlando closed ,, dont know, i really liked them tracks, and i also liked the Bradenton, Fla track.

I really miss Florida at times, until july and august heat, changes my mind really fast lol,, Tenn, gets hot, but not like the Tropical heat of Florida..

I listened to the DMXS radio show last wed night, and David Bailey was on , at the very end, i asked David Izer to ask Bailey about Kippy Pierce and Monte Mccoy, and he said they were very fast, along with Steve Martin,John Olten, Rocky Folsom, Karl Jordon, and Mark Murphy..he told a very cool story and described how fast they really were.


http://www.vurbmoto.com/dmxs/archives/79/post-show-david-bailey/
thats the link to it, if any of you all want to listen ,
Law 131
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Law 131 5/30/2011 6:44pm
5/30/2011 6:44pm Edited Date/Time 5/30/2011 7:20pm
SCIENCE,

Correct.

182 is Tony Masciarelli riding for (his family business) Conkin Cycle Center. Look close and you'll see the "Conklin" on his jersey.

Tony, Fred Vertucci and I were down for the warm up and the Winter AMA that year. Tony rode the 125s, Fred and I rode the 250s out of VPE (Vertucci Power Equipment)

In 79 I rode the 500s.

That Sunshine track was a blast. Nice deep sand. I remember it was a scorcher that day.

Those old photos are very cool. We took almost no photos during my race career or i'd post 'em.

Thanks for taking the time to post them, guys.

Edit: Just realized that was the National final (not the Winter AMA final). I wasn't at that one.
JOHN CHOATE
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JOHN CHOATE 5/30/2011 7:33pm
5/30/2011 7:33pm
I have reminisced with Vertucci the pas two years at Loretta's. It's fun talking about the old days, isn't it???
Law 131
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Law 131 5/30/2011 7:44pm
5/30/2011 7:44pm Edited Date/Time 5/30/2011 7:47pm
John,

In the 70s, Fred was the genius behind the Vertucci Power Equipment Suzuki race team.

Fred's ability to setup suspension and motors started at a young age. He had a lot of customers, me included.

I understand he went on to start Vertucci Performance Equipment in PA.

I wonder if he's still running that shop?

Edit: I'm wearing the VPE colors in my sig photo.
PN27416
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PN27416 5/31/2011 4:22am
5/31/2011 4:22am
I drive by VPE here in PA every so often. Its along side a major highway. It looks like its all closed up. The building was up for sale for the past year or so. Sorry to see. Fred was a local legend at Unadilla every year.
SCIENCE
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SCIENCE 5/31/2011 5:38am
5/31/2011 5:38am Edited Date/Time 5/31/2011 5:40am
Law 131 wrote:
SCIENCE, Correct. 182 is Tony Masciarelli riding for (his family business) Conkin Cycle Center. Look close and you'll see the "Conklin" on his jersey. Tony, Fred...
SCIENCE,

Correct.

182 is Tony Masciarelli riding for (his family business) Conkin Cycle Center. Look close and you'll see the "Conklin" on his jersey.

Tony, Fred Vertucci and I were down for the warm up and the Winter AMA that year. Tony rode the 125s, Fred and I rode the 250s out of VPE (Vertucci Power Equipment)

In 79 I rode the 500s.

That Sunshine track was a blast. Nice deep sand. I remember it was a scorcher that day.

Those old photos are very cool. We took almost no photos during my race career or i'd post 'em.

Thanks for taking the time to post them, guys.

Edit: Just realized that was the National final (not the Winter AMA final). I wasn't at that one.
Thanks for confirming Pierce. I remember those jerseys and Tony running that number as '78 was the first year I started going to the D3 races. My Dad always commented on how fast he (Rice and guys like you) were so fast and how the heck would Me and my brother ever get to that level! Lol. Fred did have his VPE in Kutztown, Pa that offered suspension/engine work. Lots of D6 and D7 riders used him. He also worked for Boyesen and raced regularly up to about 5-6 years ago, and I think he won a couple Loretta's titles. He would do well in the 30A class when he was mid 40's. Same old Fred. Sounds like he may be closed bummer.
Like you said, I wish we took more photos back then.
croom mx
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croom mx 5/31/2011 6:42am
5/31/2011 6:42am
There were a couple of riders that always raced everyweek for years and I raced them quite a bit. They were Tom and Dave Wagner , Charles Norwood, Pat Post, Eddie Wilborn, Mark Triplett, Greg Crews. I had over 100 photos of Florida racing that got lost over the years, I wish I still had them.
JOHN CHOATE
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JOHN CHOATE 5/31/2011 11:21am
5/31/2011 11:21am
Vertucci was at LL's the past two years in a VPE box van. I know he said he had several customers racing in different classes. At least one of his riders must have been pretty good because I heard Wes Cain (remember him?) announce VPE several times during the week. Maybe he downsized his shop or works out of his home now. Hope he is doing well as with the rest of y'all.
project racer 5/31/2011 3:21pm
5/31/2011 3:21pm
torq5252 wrote:
I remember that Cahill's truck well. Used to see it at Dade City and the national and winter series events in the 80's. Then from 92-94...
I remember that Cahill's truck well. Used to see it at Dade City and the national and winter series events in the 80's. Then from 92-94 I worked there and had to move it out of the way every morning. Thing made a hell of a gate....
That's funny. I too, used to back that old F600 up in the mornings. No brakes, just a concrete block buried in the sand to stop you. That is, if she even fired up. Your leg would get sore pumping the gas pedal because the accelerator pump was so weak. It was like a scene out of Mad Max.

I bet I know you. I worked there on three different occaisons. If you left on good terms, there was always a spot there if you wanted to come back.
project racer 5/31/2011 3:34pm
5/31/2011 3:34pm
BVS40FL wrote:
District 8 completely fell apart midway through the 1982 season. I remember agroup of parents/officials tried to get their own organization off the ground called FMC...
District 8 completely fell apart midway through the 1982 season. I remember agroup of parents/officials tried to get their own organization off the ground called FMC (florida motocross club). Their home track was at Bithlo and I hadn't been there yet.
The people who were in charge and were going to jump ship, changed the schedule so the District 8 raced at Bithlo too. I was leading the points in the 250 B class and was already dreaming of accepting my 6 foot tall trophy at he banquet after all the hard work and time spent traveling all year and NOT missing a single race.(the secret to winning a championship back then). When it all was over the then last official act of the reigning District 8 pres , I think his name was Dub Murphee, was to walk through pits at Bithlo and hand me my 1 foot tall ,single column trophy . Apparently all the $$$ was gone and there was no banquet ,no huge trophies, no pomp and circumstance, NOTHING. what a let down. We raced the last race at St.Pete, Chicken Farm, and Orlando Sports Stadium that year too. They all shut down. I raced the 1983 Winter Am and the Golden Gate Speedway Supercross series, and the last night of the series was the championship race for my 250 class and I won that 6 foot trophy. I retired on the way home that night. I said to my grandfather as we drove back that all the tracks have closed , and there's no way I'll be able to top this giant trophy. Let's quit. And we did. He died a couple years ago at 94 and still talked of those days from 20 years before when we were chasing points all over the state. Sorry to drag on so long but I get VERY nostalgic when anyone reminds me of those days. OH, and we saw you guys on top of the Cahills truck too !
Golden Gate SX. That lasted about 6-8 weeks if I recall. We showed up one night, and were told there would be no races that night ,or any other. I seem to recall one of the promoters running off with the money to keep it going.

Never got a trophy, and I believe I was leading the 125B points at the time of the last, almost race.

Remember the night the security guard showed up stagger assed drunk? Dude could not even walk, and got in his car to leave. Thankfully ,someone got his keys away from him.

I think that was the night that they called it quits.

We used to sell Cam2 race gas there for Don of Riverview Racing for the moto guys. Had a good free gas deal going just for taking a 55 gallon drum with a hand pump and peddling a few gallons here and there.
project racer 5/31/2011 3:39pm
5/31/2011 3:39pm
JineTC wrote:
I think I isolated myself to some degree from the "demise" of District 8 by going off-road with FTR, then eventually NORBA. I recall that Cahill's...
I think I isolated myself to some degree from the "demise" of District 8 by going off-road with FTR, then eventually NORBA. I recall that Cahill's truck, and do think it would make a great obstacle.

Here's some Sunshine Speedway images, 1978 125/500 Series Finale:


Early in the first 125cc moto. Steve Wise led by I-can't-recall-who; Marty Moates at far right in the image.


Warren Reid


Wise trying to avoid a face full. If memory is serving me correctly that's Mike Guerra behind Steve.


Glover leading Reinholt.


Glover, JT'd from head to toe.


Glover...


...and Glover.


Jeff Ward...


...and Jeff Ward; still diminutive, but growing in stature in more ways than one.


Brian Myerscough, Steve Wise.


Wise...


...Glover, composed.
In your first picture, I am almost certain that is Steve Martin with the silver helmet in the Yamaha jersey, just above and behind Wise's head.
JineTC
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JineTC 5/31/2011 4:52pm
5/31/2011 4:52pm
project racer wrote:
Golden Gate SX. That lasted about 6-8 weeks if I recall. We showed up one night, and were told there would be no races that night...
Golden Gate SX. That lasted about 6-8 weeks if I recall. We showed up one night, and were told there would be no races that night ,or any other. I seem to recall one of the promoters running off with the money to keep it going.

Never got a trophy, and I believe I was leading the 125B points at the time of the last, almost race.

Remember the night the security guard showed up stagger assed drunk? Dude could not even walk, and got in his car to leave. Thankfully ,someone got his keys away from him.

I think that was the night that they called it quits.

We used to sell Cam2 race gas there for Don of Riverview Racing for the moto guys. Had a good free gas deal going just for taking a 55 gallon drum with a hand pump and peddling a few gallons here and there.
Golden Gate? Forgot about that one. Going back a little further in time, how about Golden Eagles MC and their scrambles track off of west Linebaugh? Or when Dade City was a scrambles course, much closer to a TT track than SX, years before Yoho? I can't recall if they actually called it Confederate Raceways or not, but I believe they did.



Do they still hold races at Dade City in conjunction with the county fair? I know that dates back to the early '70s.
oldschoolmxr203 5/31/2011 6:56pm
5/31/2011 6:56pm
I have a couple of trophys from Dade City , from the 70s, and they say confederate raceway on them,,also have a couple from Golden Eagles, in Tampa, i remember going there one yr,77 or 78,, was a sat night race, , and Arthur North, had this customized van, (not sure what kind), and had a tiny battery powered tv , with football on lol

Pit Row

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oldschoolmxr203 5/31/2011 7:09pm
5/31/2011 7:09pm
Steve Martin # 477 on a Cycle Springs Yamaha,, with what looks like a Electro helmet and Trim racing gear.,^^
torq5252
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torq5252 5/31/2011 10:08pm
5/31/2011 10:08pm
Ok, I'll have a go at posting pictures..
St Pete 1981. Both Glover
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Gainesville 1983

Johnson
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Keylon
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Barnett
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Orlando 1983

Lechien
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Glover
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Ward, Reid, Cantaloupi
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Barnett tangled up
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Steve Martin
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Keylon
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Domokos
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Gville 1984

Murphy
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Johnson and Hannah
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Glover
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The Pit
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Croom Winter series 1986 (I think)

Hannah
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Jojo Keller

Murphy
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Keylon
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I've got more somewhere. I know I have pics from Croom of Kees VanDerVen FLYING on a KTM....
torq5252
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torq5252 5/31/2011 10:14pm
5/31/2011 10:14pm
Oh and in the spirit with which Kgilch started this off. One of me all crossed up and badass from 1981 LOL
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project racer 6/1/2011 1:12am
6/1/2011 1:12am
I remember that night at Orlando SX 1983. Lechein was one of ,if not THE only rider who was doing a big double jump right in front of where we were sitting in the main. He gained about a second a lap in that section,on the way to a dominant win.

My buddy's drunk step-brother also pulled off an amazing feat that night. He spilled not one ,but two of those giant cups of beer on the same guy during the night, and didn't get his but kicked. Finished up his evening by taking a header down about five rows of bleachers when the race ended as he tried to keep up with the rest of us who were skipping down the stands.

Was also there at Croom in 86 ,Winter-Am. Keylon beat Hannah in the first moto,but the Hurricane won the second one,and the O/A.

Thanks you guys, for all of the great pictures and memories.
JineTC
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JineTC 6/1/2011 3:14am
6/1/2011 3:14am
oldschoolmxr203 wrote:
I have a couple of trophys from Dade City , from the 70s, and they say confederate raceway on them,,also have a couple from Golden Eagles...
I have a couple of trophys from Dade City , from the 70s, and they say confederate raceway on them,,also have a couple from Golden Eagles, in Tampa, i remember going there one yr,77 or 78,, was a sat night race, , and Arthur North, had this customized van, (not sure what kind), and had a tiny battery powered tv , with football on lol
oldschoolmxr203, you specify Saturday night- do I recall they normally ran on Friday nights? I never did race there, just played pit crew a few times. My most vivid memory at Golden Eagles is a buddy telling someone who was picking on someone younger and smaller to pick on someone their own size, and getting a black eye as a result. At least the bully cooperated.

Thanks for the Steve Martin pic, not enough of those around.Unsure
JineTC
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JineTC 6/1/2011 3:25am
6/1/2011 3:25am
"Ok, I'll have a go at posting pictures.."

That's one great "go" there, torq5252. Great pics, thanks for posting!!!
torq5252
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torq5252 6/1/2011 9:24am
6/1/2011 9:24am Edited Date/Time 6/1/2011 9:55am
JineTC wrote:
"Ok, I'll have a go at posting pictures.."

That's one great "go" there, torq5252. Great pics, thanks for posting!!!
Thanks Jtc..I love this shot of Kenny...thanks to Paul Buckley Photos
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JOHN CHOATE
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JOHN CHOATE 6/1/2011 10:58am
6/1/2011 10:58am
Historic picture with Johnson leading Hannah. That was the second moto where RJ was wearing a pair of shorts provided by the Simo brothers. Keith McCarty told RJ that he could wear the shorts over his pants if he won the first moto and the rest is history. That was the big break that put Mark and Brian Simo on the map and basically became "Life's a Beach" and eventually "No Fear". I knew Mark and Brian well.

Awesome photos
JOHN CHOATE
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JOHN CHOATE 6/1/2011 11:02am
6/1/2011 11:02am
I think it was Orlando '83 where I raced a special (best of) Georgia vs. Florida race the same night as the Pros. I got to hang out with a lot of the big names that evening. This thread just keeps getting better.
torq5252
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torq5252 6/1/2011 12:49pm
6/1/2011 12:49pm
JOHN CHOATE wrote:
Historic picture with Johnson leading Hannah. That was the second moto where RJ was wearing a pair of shorts provided by the Simo brothers. Keith McCarty...
Historic picture with Johnson leading Hannah. That was the second moto where RJ was wearing a pair of shorts provided by the Simo brothers. Keith McCarty told RJ that he could wear the shorts over his pants if he won the first moto and the rest is history. That was the big break that put Mark and Brian Simo on the map and basically became "Life's a Beach" and eventually "No Fear". I knew Mark and Brian well.

Awesome photos
...and I spent the next year wearing Jam shorts over my riding pants! Of course, I thought the 'Bad Bones' stuff was cool too....Dry

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