Anybody here race NEMA in the 80's?

Those flat track guys thats so funny they stll hate me lol
the club is doing great over 300 members 3 yr waiting list still doing friday night races lights computerized sprinkler sysytem its great new dozer skid steer backhoe place is good I have access to 6 acres right across the street.
Denton wow havent seen him in years how is he doing what type fighting ?
call me when you have time 203 878 2379

My name is Steve Barna i was a former 80cc nema 80cc expert champion in the 1980s.
My competition was Charlie Brier,Chris fischer,Craig Cady and a few others.

Wow Steve Barna thats a blast from the past! Erin Rand here and I havent seen you or your brother Mike in years! How are you both Doing? Are either of you still riding?

Hi erin, Im still going lol! Just old and much slower i did lorettas again in the early 2000s. I raced 4 stroke nationals back then
For Riva yamaha from miami. How have you been are you riding?

Good to hear! I to am older and much slower! I took a few years off ( all the injuries took a toll on my and I threw in the towel. I had ACL surgery 4x and a host of other things ). But I got the itch again the end of 2010 I've been riding the past few years. I raced 2 NESC races last year and raced a bunch of Friday night races down here in CT @ Milford Riders Club.

Tell the family I said Hi. Well have to get together and go for a rip this year!

My brother mike has been out of it for years although. My son is riding the A class in nesc
Too. I haven't seen many of the mini riders we raced with over the years so it is Nice to see
This forum. I hope to see more on here also,oh and say hi to your dad too. Thanks

I rode NEMA from 1980-1984 before going to Disct. 34 and some NESC races. Good times for sure, I was #421. Started on a 1977 RM-100, then a 1980 RM-100, 1983 CR-125 and then a 1984 KX-125. Loved the North-South races at Broome and Aquasco. But nothing compares to the Wick. Those were the days! Would love to hear from some guys I raced against.
Greg Bastek

Hey John Ruddy, it's Brett Nichols #44. How are you doing? Haven't talked to you in like 20yrs. I ran into Steiner like 10 yrs ago but haven't seen anybody else since the late 80s. I quit racing shortly after Jason fowler got paralyzed. I use to practice with him everyday and it was really tough to see that happen. Just got the bug again though and raced middleboro last weekend. How's your dad doing?

Wow!! A little late to the punch on this one but here goes. I raced NEMA from 1981 to 1984, started in "80 under 12 novice", ended up in "80 over 12 expert". Let's not forget the "105 open class". Some real good memories and we were all very fortunate to have the experience. Some of my favorite tracks were: Waterboro ME, Claverack NY, Middleboro MA, and of course Southwick. Anyone remember the track in Brookfield MA? It is still there and might be reopening as a practice track soon. Here are some names of friends and competitors from back then: Brian Vernes #70(me), Ted Donofrio #181, Pete Olson #27, David Antonucci #57, Chris Fischer #88, Tim Lemire #30, Vinnie Vacca #85 and Eric Chemello #16. Sure am glad I saved all the photo albums from those days!

I raced NEMA in the late 80's on a kx125 #124 john peterson.....my buddies were Joe Hidler 168 and Mark Merchant #143
I just remember everyone seemed to have a motor home and a bunch of bikes. No different from today just seemed different from NESC. I liked racing at south berwick Maine nice track. I also recall Ryan kaichen tearing it up on a 60

I raced in the 70's and won the 100cc class championship in 1980 i believe it was and came in second in 81. Best times of my life right there. Miss those days!!! By the way my name is Gary Frink. Went on to race 250 in Nesc with the likes of JoJo Keller and those guys. Wish i decided to look up nema alot sooner and caught this thread when it started. Well hope someone gets to see this.

Made a mistake!!! I won the 100cc Championship in 1982 and came in second in the championship in 1983. Mind is going on me in my old age.. lol

Lunenburg back straight away with the four jumps in a row. First time i tried to clear all four my handle bars snapped. Told my father my throttle stuck cause he was pissed i tried all four. Lol... Next time i attempted it i cleared them. Was a huge time saver over doubling or triple single... Memories!!!

Gary that awesome! I remember when they put those 4 jumps in.

I raced NEMA 78-80. Had the best time back then. 80cc 12-15 Amateur. #238 Steve Violette. Went to NESC 125 class in 81. Walked away from racing in 1983 and didn't touch a bike again til 1990 when I hit a race every now and then..
Decided to run a full season in 92 and won the NESC 250 Amateur Championship.

Reading all these posts bring back great memories for me. My brother Craig Cady rode NEMA and NESC from 74-84. I remember Chris Fischer and my brother always battling for 1st. Some of my fondest memories were weekends at the races!!

Dawn these were some of the best memories of my life. NEMA was such a family oriented group. Not like NESC. The times we had at the races compare to none other. I remember you and Liz like it was yesterday. There were a lot of highs as far as championships go and lows as the day we lost a good friend "Peter R." Miss the days like no other. Me and my oldest son are going to New Jersey on April 26th for the Monster Energy Supercross. Cannot wait.

Hi Dawn, How are you doing and how is Craig? Steve Barna

WOW!! This is a great thread! I had to re-join Vital just to be part of this discussion! My name is Craig Hoyt and I raced NEMA from 1979 until the late 80's then headed to NESC... then ended up in California. However, Im back on the East Coast now, in New York. Racing the Jday series now.

Jason Thorp, I totally remember you, my parents and yours where friends. I had a few numbers in NEMA, usually #125, but also had #9 and #5. Im sure there are other people that have added to the forum that I know, I just got excited and didn't read threw it all.

Anyone else on here racing the J-Days? Hope to catch up with some of you!

This photo is actually from NESC... But its the only one I had on my computer... this thread is bringing back memories.

Instagram: mtb_skippy

Missing tank stickers... Must be the 80's lol

Oh ya those tank stickers did not last long back then. Lol Hate to show my age but i remember my YZ80's tank was metal... haha

Hiya, just found this forum. What a neat bit of history. I raced in the 65 & 80 cc classes in the early 80's My number was 175. I remember racing in Loudon, Southwick, Lunenburg, Waterboro, and a few more that I do not remember off the top of my head.

What a great time it was. I recall David Antinuchi, forgot first name Johnson being some of the top riders of the time.

I was looking for old pics of the loudon NH race track, if anyone has any links.. It would be nice to see some pics of the old motox track since everything is gone now and just a nascar track.

It was always fun to have shorttrack on sat & motox on sunday..

Hey Fzrkid, Johnsons first name is Keith. From what I understand he is running the Southwick track now, but that might just be a rumor.... I hope its true!

Pretty sure it's the real deal, there was a thread on here a few months back announcing and confirming Kieth's appointment to the capacity of promoter of "the wick 338". I always preferred the hard packed tracks and never really liked Southwick too much, but it's good to see it back for the sake of it's place in MX history. It would be perfect for a GP round or future MXDN.

Hi, Just found this site while I was looking for Old pictures of the Lisbon, Maine Motocross track. Anyone on here old enough to remember Lisbon or Leeds Junction?

I only remember Waterboro Maine.. I think those tracks were after Waterboro closed possibly.

Hi Gary105,
Actually Lisbon and Leeds Jct. were open back in the late 60's and early 70's. I remember watching Jimmy Ellis race in Lisbon.

I raced in the late 70's into the 80's with NEMA & NESC and never raced at those tracks so they must have been gone by the late 70's. Wish people took more pictures back then at the races that could be posted.

Yes, I think both were gone by then. I know the Lisbon track is a shopping mall now, not sure what happened to the Leeds Jct. Track.
I know my parents had taken pictures back then but unfortunately nobody seems to know what happened to them.
I was hoping I could find someone on here that had been around back then and had some pictures.

I raced NEMA in the nineties when they would run on Saturday at wick and NESC on Sunday, hell im 57 and still do an occasional NEMA event, did one or two this year, fun events even if it's geared for the kids!

I did not know NEMA was still around. I googled it and came up with nothing??? Hmmmm