Where were ALL the (now) defunct AMA MX Nat's ?

Sondy132001
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Sondy132001 9/8/2008 11:20am
9/8/2008 11:20am
az2u wrote:
Hollister Hills?
Rich Winkler ran a GP there no Nationals that I can remember !

Um Hopetown didn't have a National and the very first AMA MX Nationals were at Saddleback Park and Carlsbad Raceway in 1972 ran by my dad, Stu Peters.

S
andymoto
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andymoto 9/8/2008 3:01pm
9/8/2008 3:01pm Edited Date/Time 4/16/2016 8:22pm
TG-
Jo Martens rode my bike at Hollister that last yr there.

What I didn't include was when Houtermans called, tranny was blown. He didn't care; he just wanted bike. Must not known anyone w/ KX500 or wanted to loan theirs.....He put on a bunch of acc parts, did some motor/susp work and off to Hollister we went. Wouldn't take a dime for anything; refused. He was just happy that JoJo had a bike to race.

After race, JoJo gives me full set of brand new Sinasalo KX green gear as well.

End of yr, he sends me a handwritten thank you letter and couple of pics autographed that I think I'll post. Good pics IMO; one color; one B/W.

JoJo to write me long after; very few would think to do so....class man he is. Jan the same; fix, have real nice bike, refuse any $$$.....both showed much class that I will never forget.

You're right. Sure was fun back in the day; so many good Pro and local races up here to watch....wish I still had that Grossi pic I took of him at E st goin' under the bridge on the Husky...
andymoto
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andymoto 9/8/2008 3:44pm
9/8/2008 3:44pm Edited Date/Time 4/16/2016 8:22pm
az2u wrote:
Hollister Hills?
Sondy132001 wrote:
Rich Winkler ran a GP there no Nationals that I can remember ! Um Hopetown didn't have a National and the very first AMA MX Nationals...
Rich Winkler ran a GP there no Nationals that I can remember !

Um Hopetown didn't have a National and the very first AMA MX Nationals were at Saddleback Park and Carlsbad Raceway in 1972 ran by my dad, Stu Peters.

S
Sondra, that Cal Expo SX in Sac back in like '82 or '83; wasn't that your dads gig?

Seem to remember it being a CMC event for some reason; think it was run after Nats were over......maybe it was Goodwin again....just didn't seem to be AMA Pro event.

Poor Zitterkopts Maico linkage breaking.....twice I think. Some stunt jumper on the horse track.....Think Bailey won......remember Hannah; not much else.

Thought I'd ask.

Hopetown, they ran that famed GP...more like a long CC, desert race or something of the sorts...not moto related.
Sondy132001
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Sondy132001 9/8/2008 4:05pm
9/8/2008 4:05pm
We ran Cal Expo and San Diego SX for Goodwin when he booted the AMA, I worked them both and it was 1983 woo hoooo we're getting old huh ?? lol but better.

S

The Shop

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andymoto
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andymoto 9/8/2008 7:08pm
9/8/2008 7:08pm
Thanks Sondra. Now I don't feel my brain is mush yet......Smile

You're getting better with age Sondra, no worries there.....Wink
andymoto
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andymoto 9/8/2008 9:11pm
9/8/2008 9:11pm
TG- Here are back to back posts of the pics of what Jo Martens sent me for your entertainment.

andymoto
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andymoto 9/8/2008 9:16pm
9/8/2008 9:16pm
Here the other he sent me.



Good guy that JoJo....
TG130
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TG130 9/8/2008 10:26pm
9/8/2008 10:26pm
andy - Thanks for posting the pics and story about Martens and your KX. Cool as hell. Post some more of your pics too. We'd love to see 'em on here.
Kid from the 80's 9/9/2008 6:23am
9/9/2008 6:23am
twizzler wrote:
Some of Escape Country (Racing World) track is still there, but it's completely surrounded/consumed by housing developments all around. I think that section of track in...
Some of Escape Country (Racing World) track is still there, but it's completely surrounded/consumed by housing developments all around. I think that section of track in the Hannah pic is one of the few sections that is undeveloped.
Where exactly was Escape Country? I've heard a lot about the track over the years, but I didn't start racing until after it was shut down.

Thanks.
Sondy132001
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Sondy132001 9/9/2008 8:58am
9/9/2008 8:58am
Escape Country was out in the Coto De Caza area near Saddleback Park just more east in Orange County.

S
fcr
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fcr 9/9/2008 9:03am
9/9/2008 9:03am
Sondy132001 wrote:
We ran Cal Expo and San Diego SX for Goodwin when he booted the AMA, I worked them both and it was 1983 woo hoooo we're...
We ran Cal Expo and San Diego SX for Goodwin when he booted the AMA, I worked them both and it was 1983 woo hoooo we're getting old huh ?? lol but better.

S
Not at all, I like to think of it as fermentation. Just don't want the vinegar to show up.
andymoto
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andymoto 9/9/2008 8:03pm
9/9/2008 8:03pm
TG130 wrote:
andy - Thanks for posting the pics and story about Martens and your KX. Cool as hell. Post some more of your pics too. We'd love...
andy - Thanks for posting the pics and story about Martens and your KX. Cool as hell. Post some more of your pics too. We'd love to see 'em on here.
Thanks TG....appreciate you enjoying the story and pics. You helped greatly since I have serious bouts of depression and today is a bad day. It was funny how the whole deal with the bike, tranny blown up and all came together.

Since I don't have a slide scanner, I'm gonna find out at a photo shop how much to put a fair amount on prints on post 'em....if it doesn't cost an arm/leg.... I did find some B/W negs of '77 Sears Trans and the pic Jan bought from me of Shultz for Maico to put in CN....Hope those come out like they did back then.

Those that FTE and McNamara have are awful good and remembering racetracks I had forgotten about...way cool... I hope the ones I post are anywhere close. I enjoy their photos a lot as I'm sure most do here and anywhere..

TG130
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TG130 9/9/2008 10:24pm
9/9/2008 10:24pm
andymoto wrote:
Thanks TG....appreciate you enjoying the story and pics. You helped greatly since I have serious bouts of depression and today is a bad day. It was...
Thanks TG....appreciate you enjoying the story and pics. You helped greatly since I have serious bouts of depression and today is a bad day. It was funny how the whole deal with the bike, tranny blown up and all came together.

Since I don't have a slide scanner, I'm gonna find out at a photo shop how much to put a fair amount on prints on post 'em....if it doesn't cost an arm/leg.... I did find some B/W negs of '77 Sears Trans and the pic Jan bought from me of Shultz for Maico to put in CN....Hope those come out like they did back then.

Those that FTE and McNamara have are awful good and remembering racetracks I had forgotten about...way cool... I hope the ones I post are anywhere close. I enjoy their photos a lot as I'm sure most do here and anywhere..

Smile
psychcle
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psychcle 9/15/2008 7:02pm
9/15/2008 7:02pm
Orlando Sports Stadium during the 70's and "They ALL showed up" :-)
Paul Buckley 9/23/2008 4:15pm
9/23/2008 4:15pm
How bout Pine Top in Rhode Island? They had one National in '77 Rick Burgett won the 500 class.

No one came because all around the track it was pouring but Pine Top must have been in the eye of the storm because it was dry right up to trophy time.
xnationalwrench 9/23/2008 6:03pm
9/23/2008 6:03pm
Sondy132001 wrote:
Escape Country was out in the Coto De Caza area near Saddleback Park just more east in Orange County.

S
Just turn at Cook"s Corner and go past the State Park and up the switch back and your there. I think Coto has a front road now but back then it was the back way and you had to cross a creek to get to both Escape Country and Coto, in the rainy season the creek would flood and the road was closed. I can remember one of the rich folks at Coto would have their newspaper and groceries delivered by helo.
ninety3
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ninety3 9/24/2008 7:18am
9/24/2008 7:18am
A few more Racing World pics





watty
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watty 9/24/2008 8:24am
9/24/2008 8:24am
KTM 93,
I notice the "saddlebackpark.com" at the bottom of your pics. I have tried to go to that web site, but it only says the page is reserved. How can we see the site?

Thanks.
P.S. Great pics

Pit Row

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ninety3
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ninety3 9/24/2008 7:51pm
9/24/2008 7:51pm Edited Date/Time 9/26/2008 8:12pm
I let the domain go a while back, kind of regret that now.

and thanks.
Moto East Mag
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Moto East Mag 9/26/2008 1:04pm
9/26/2008 1:04pm
Wow, I never knew there was a national in Maryland before Budds Creek. I found this:

Keyser's Ridge is an unincorporated area in northern Garrett County, Maryland. It lies to the west of Grantsville on Interstate 68 and is bounded to the northwest by Savage River State Forest.[1] It is primarily known for its key location on Interstate 68 and U.S. Route 40. In the past, Keyser's Ridge was feared by travelers on the National Road due to its very harsh weather conditions as a result of its location at the top of a ridge.

I might have to roll up there and check it out, since its near where I ride these days...I've never heard of Negro Mountain though!
swedishchef
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swedishchef 10/7/2008 6:31am
10/7/2008 6:31am
First pro race was 76 Trans-AMA at Sears Point, went to the World MiniGP at the Richmond Ramblers club house the friday before and got my first of many Bob Hannah autographs, now that I live in Vallejo it would be nice to have an MX nat there.
dirtbikemike 10/9/2008 9:18am
10/9/2008 9:18am
in 1977 there was an AMA National in Lebanon, Tennessee just east of Nashville. i was a first year pro and after riding the winter series in florida, that race would be my first big deal. i rode the 500 support class and got the holeshot in the first qualifier. after leading the first lap, i was so afraid that i would bust my ass and not qualify, i worked my way up to 12th taking the last transfer spot. i don't remember how i finished, but over the next 10 years and many, many miles, i made it 5 more times. not a great accomplishment, but considering that day in Tennessee i was 29 years old. that was the only National ever held at that track. dirtbikemike
Law 131
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Law 131 10/10/2008 3:24pm
10/10/2008 3:24pm
That race was my first National. I didn't qualify in the 500 support class. Do you remember the rubberband start?

The next weekend was in Herman, Nebraska. That track had a beatiful loam surface with rail berms. It was alot like one of my practice tracks and I qualified.

Good times.
Donny O'Slow O'Hara 4/13/2014 3:15am
4/13/2014 3:15am
twizzler wrote:
Some of Escape Country (Racing World) track is still there, but it's completely surrounded/consumed by housing developments all around. I think that section of track in...
Some of Escape Country (Racing World) track is still there, but it's completely surrounded/consumed by housing developments all around. I think that section of track in the Hannah pic is one of the few sections that is undeveloped.
I think this is part of the track your talking about.



Bultaco
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Bultaco 4/21/2014 4:27pm
4/21/2014 4:27pm
Sedan, KS had a Trans-AM the first year of the series, I think. It must have been a one shot deal, since I've never heard of a race tack there. Even when I lived and raced in Kansas in the early 70s.

Boise, Idaho had an Inter-Am in 1972. Maybe other years. That track is still active, but not for nationals or defunct series.

Pepperell, MA had a couple of Trans-Ams. That track would be about 4 miles from where I live/work now, but is not there.

I raced at the Baldwin, Ks track in 1974. It was pretty amazing for a kid from western KS used to racing on scrap ground next to wheat fields. I think it would still be a great track for racing. Great dirt, fun lay out.

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