Anybody here race NEMA in the 80's?

HOLESHOT861
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HOLESHOT861 10/29/2015 5:58am
10/29/2015 5:58am
GaryCat - Long time no see. Spent a lot of time back in the 80's racing with you guys!

I see Corey on Facebook.

--Erin Rand
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Steve125
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Steve125 10/29/2015 8:13am
10/29/2015 8:13am Edited Date/Time 10/29/2015 8:46am
hellion wrote:
I'd love to go walk the old Lunenburg track if anyone knows the address of where it was. I was too young to remember where exactly...
I'd love to go walk the old Lunenburg track if anyone knows the address of where it was. I was too young to remember where exactly it was, but the track and the pits left an indelible mark on my memory. I'm sure it's all grown over, or even developed, but for whatever reason I would really like to go see it for myself....
Lee...I went there in 2013. Had trouble finding it but suddenly I came upon the little red house by the dirt road entrance. I stopped for about 2 seconds before the guy in the car behind me stopped and started questioning me why I was in the area. Now, I'm not an idiot, or disrespectful, but the people in the area are very protective of each other. The guy ended up confirming that yes, this is where the track was, On "Thompson Farm" or Townsend farm.. not positive. The big white farm house next door is where the owners live, and the woman who came outside was not too friendly. I was polite and said I use to race motocross out back of here. She loosened up a little and said there was nothing but corn fields back there now and I wouldn't recognize anything. I was not allowed back there. But damn I wanted to go back there so bad.. I respected their wishes and didn't try any funny business... I left and went to find Lanesboro... In fact, I've been to a few of the old tracks, including Pine Top in Escoheag RI. I live about 15 minutes from there now but as a kid it was about an hour and a half from my home.. Now that's a place you can still walk around.
Steve V. #238
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hellion
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hellion 10/29/2015 8:59am
10/29/2015 8:59am Edited Date/Time 10/29/2015 10:30am


Steve, you might like to know this pic still hangs on my office wall. We were still novices here, but I remember we worked our way out of that class at about the same time. This pic was from the old Loudon track.

Thanks for the info on the track. I may drive out there someday and try my luck even though you were turned away. For some reason I feel this need to revisit old tracks too.......alas maybe they're better served by the memory of a then twelve year old.

Hope all is well, Lee
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Steve125
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Steve125 10/29/2015 10:41am
10/29/2015 10:41am
Great stuff Lee. Thanks for sharing that.


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pete24
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pete24 10/29/2015 11:03am
10/29/2015 11:03am
i was told that Sean Mathews ,(current nesc vet #111) dad ran the luneburg track, he is buddies with Steve Burdette, and the rumor is they are comming to Southwick on sunday, if they can help you guys ill get you in touch
hellion
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hellion 10/29/2015 11:42am
10/29/2015 11:42am
Thanks Pete!
fzrkid
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fzrkid 10/30/2015 5:45am
10/30/2015 5:45am
Its great to see the old pics. I often wonder what the old tracks look like, or if they even exist. Loudon NH is totally different, the MotoX track no longer exists. I remember short track / TT on Saturdays with muddy ass MotoX on Sunday. I was #175 amateur 60CC and 80CC novice, not likely many remember.
Steve125
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Steve125 11/1/2015 5:23pm
11/1/2015 5:23pm Edited Date/Time 11/1/2015 5:25pm
fzrkid wrote:
Its great to see the old pics. I often wonder what the old tracks look like, or if they even exist. Loudon NH is totally different...
Its great to see the old pics. I often wonder what the old tracks look like, or if they even exist. Loudon NH is totally different, the MotoX track no longer exists. I remember short track / TT on Saturdays with muddy ass MotoX on Sunday. I was #175 amateur 60CC and 80CC novice, not likely many remember.
I use to do the flat track on Saturdays up there too. I got a huge trophy at the 1978 banquet for doing it. I wasn't expecting it at all. I loved that place. Use to watch the racecars fly by behind the MX starting line...

Lee, you're in this photo. 2nd from the left I believe. I'm 3rd from the right.


fzrkid
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fzrkid 11/2/2015 2:47am
11/2/2015 2:47am
Unfortunately, No, I wore a grey Yamaha jersey and raced as an amateur. I remember that starting gate though.. Sandy ass straight to a right hander that crossed through some mud and then up a hill to a left turn with more sand.


I was only 10-12 yrs old and could barely see over the fence. Most of my racing was early 80's.

All my racing photos are in storage, wish I had access to them..
hellion
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hellion 11/2/2015 5:12am
11/2/2015 5:12am
Steve, cool pic. I can also spot the Blackmans, Ted and bobby, Dennis Wolfe, and possibly Russell Stetson.
Gary105
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Gary105 11/2/2015 5:36am
11/2/2015 5:36am
Is this Loudon after they changed the start from going up the hill to the long straight along the fence???
pete24
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pete24 11/2/2015 6:49am
11/2/2015 6:49am
i didnt see Burdette or Mathews at southwick yesterday, when i run into them and if i remember ill ask about lunenburg
hellion
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hellion 11/2/2015 8:37am
11/2/2015 8:37am Edited Date/Time 11/2/2015 8:39am
OK Pete, thank you!

Gary, yes, this was the long start along the fence. This photo must be 1980, you might have been on the 100's by then. I must be getting old because I can't remember the start going up the hill. Funny looking back though. I always ran pretty much stock motors, but if you had a really strong running bike it would have been a huge advantage on this start. We must have been pinned in fifth by the time the turn came. Funny thing was though, I think it was one of the safest starts.
Gary105
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Gary105 11/2/2015 9:50am
11/2/2015 9:50am
When i first started racing there the starting line faced -90 degress from that starting line up the short hill and went into that left hand turn at the top of it. Yes the way it is shown in that picture we were wide open going down that straight away... The thing i did not like about that track was the lack of jumps!!!
hellion
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hellion 11/2/2015 10:27am
11/2/2015 10:27am
Just two round humps before the finish line. Usually they'd get so whooped out between them that you could barely catch any air.

But, I do remember seeing one of the craziest things I ever saw in racing at that spot. Dave Barrett went over the handlebars there, but the way it happened he never let go of his handlebars. He went all the way over, landed back on his wheels, and rode away from it!
Gary105
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Gary105 11/2/2015 10:43am
11/2/2015 10:43am
I can totally picture him doing that... LMAO!!! I use to call his father "Jed" after Jed Clampet from the Beverly Hillbillys.. Fun times were had at those races....
Sir Roostsalot 11/2/2015 6:16pm
11/2/2015 6:16pm
Anyone remember the Spring and Fall Jamboree races? Those were fun only events with no championship points. I can remember my last NEMA race was Fall Jamboree 1984, I raced a 60, 80 and 125 all in the same day.
How about the NEMA banquets? Definitely some stories from those. I think NEMA was banned for life from several hotels in Massachusetts.
Gary105
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Gary105 11/3/2015 5:30am
11/3/2015 5:30am
Fall jamboree at Lunenburg... Was my first race on a 100cc. Borrowed one of the experts 100 and they rode a 125 in the 100cc class. I was an 85cc expert so ran 100cc amature. I was second in the hole shot behind Billy Dill.. Ended up second in the amature class. Was the changing point in my racing. No pressure racing was much more fun... lol As far as the banquets. Yes they were fun and never at the same place twice for some odd reason.. Smile

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jp1buddy-2
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jp1buddy-2 1/4/2016 2:18pm
1/4/2016 2:18pm
Here is any old pick of Southwick first turn action. I believe it's 1982 60. #8 JONPIERRE #125 CRAIG HOYT #36 JOHN WOODS . Can anyone name the rest? class.

Steve125
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Steve125 1/4/2016 3:35pm
1/4/2016 3:35pm
Here's a few of us.. a little blurry but, Looks like, Me, Lee, David Barrett?, Teddy Blackman? and.. is that you Gary closest to the camera?


Sir Roostsalot 1/4/2016 7:19pm
1/4/2016 7:19pm
jp1buddy-2 wrote:
Here is any old pick of Southwick first turn action. I believe it's 1982 60. #8 JONPIERRE #125 CRAIG HOYT #36 JOHN WOODS . Can anyone...
Here is any old pick of Southwick first turn action. I believe it's 1982 60. #8 JONPIERRE #125 CRAIG HOYT #36 JOHN WOODS . Can anyone name the rest? class.

Seeing the name JOHN WOODS sure brought back memories! Remember his Dad Roger? That guy was absolutely hilarious!! I watched him piss all over the guy standing next to him at the urinal, and then had the balls to call him a fool for standing next to him!
fzrkid
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fzrkid 1/5/2016 4:44am
1/5/2016 4:44am
jp1buddy-2 wrote:
Here is any old pick of Southwick first turn action. I believe it's 1982 60. #8 JONPIERRE #125 CRAIG HOYT #36 JOHN WOODS . Can anyone...
Here is any old pick of Southwick first turn action. I believe it's 1982 60. #8 JONPIERRE #125 CRAIG HOYT #36 JOHN WOODS . Can anyone name the rest? class.

Sir Roostsalot wrote:
Seeing the name JOHN WOODS sure brought back memories! Remember his Dad Roger? That guy was absolutely hilarious!! I watched him piss all over the guy...
Seeing the name JOHN WOODS sure brought back memories! Remember his Dad Roger? That guy was absolutely hilarious!! I watched him piss all over the guy standing next to him at the urinal, and then had the balls to call him a fool for standing next to him!
What a great pic. I recall #125 for some reason. Any of these guys in the pic on this board?
Gary105
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Gary105 1/5/2016 5:27am
1/5/2016 5:27am
Steve125 wrote:
Here's a few of us.. a little blurry but, Looks like, Me, Lee, David Barrett?, Teddy Blackman? and.. is that you Gary closest to the camera...
Here's a few of us.. a little blurry but, Looks like, Me, Lee, David Barrett?, Teddy Blackman? and.. is that you Gary closest to the camera?


Nope not me Steve... I think it is this guy next to me in this photo.

Gary105
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Gary105 1/5/2016 5:59am
1/5/2016 5:59am
A picture of me and Lee (Hellion) doing the quad at Lunenburg. Lee squashing the suspension landing. I squashed mine pretty good as well. lol



jp1buddy-2
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jp1buddy-2 1/5/2016 6:51am
1/5/2016 6:51am
Yes #8 is me Jonpierre Levesque . My brother Mike raced with you guys.
hellion
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hellion 1/5/2016 7:01am
1/5/2016 7:01am
That's weird Steve, I've got a pretty good visual memory of those days but I can't remember who that could be. He looks pretty tall, so I'm guessing we were in the 12-15 class at that point. Thanks for posting that, it's really cool seeing old photos that are new to me all these years later.
Craig125
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Craig125 1/5/2016 7:10am
1/5/2016 7:10am
jp1buddy-2 wrote:
Here is any old pick of Southwick first turn action. I believe it's 1982 60. #8 JONPIERRE #125 CRAIG HOYT #36 JOHN WOODS . Can anyone...
Here is any old pick of Southwick first turn action. I believe it's 1982 60. #8 JONPIERRE #125 CRAIG HOYT #36 JOHN WOODS . Can anyone name the rest? class.

Sir Roostsalot wrote:
Seeing the name JOHN WOODS sure brought back memories! Remember his Dad Roger? That guy was absolutely hilarious!! I watched him piss all over the guy...
Seeing the name JOHN WOODS sure brought back memories! Remember his Dad Roger? That guy was absolutely hilarious!! I watched him piss all over the guy standing next to him at the urinal, and then had the balls to call him a fool for standing next to him!
fzrkid wrote:
What a great pic. I recall #125 for some reason. Any of these guys in the pic on this board?
Yeah! #125 is me! Craig Hoyt...... I could NEVER beat you Jon!!! I think 013 behind the 313 is Wally Silva (Snapper) isn't it?
jp1buddy-2
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jp1buddy-2 1/5/2016 7:17am
1/5/2016 7:17am
That is Wally and #98 I believe is Todd Reynolds? Great memories! Craig thank you for the picture.
HOLESHOT861
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HOLESHOT861 1/5/2016 7:18am
1/5/2016 7:18am
jp1buddy-2 wrote:
Yes #8 is me Jonpierre Levesque . My brother Mike raced with you guys.
Jonpierre Levesque! Lots of great times with you back in the NEMA days.

Erin Rand here Long time no see!

I hope all is going well for you.
Craig125
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Craig125 1/5/2016 7:19am
1/5/2016 7:19am
jp1buddy-2 wrote:
That is Wally and #98 I believe is Todd Reynolds? Great memories! Craig thank you for the picture.
yes 98 is Todd...

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