PNW Motocross in the 1980's

Yeah I live down the road from Jamie Munson. Some of his stories are really funny and really shows how the sports come along. Also has two daughters now and a lil track in his front yard.

McCormick did win the moto at shougal but not the overall.

I raced around Portland starting in '83 along with my two younger brothers Ben and Jamie and remember all of them, although i was racing the mini Intermediate class while those guys you mentioned were all expert.. I was #533 on my CRs most of the time or 53 or 5. Paul Winn was also # 533 so they made me slash my number even though it was my actual AMA number and Winn told me he just "picked" that number because he thoght it was cool. One big race at Washougal Winn won the expert class while I was running mid pack intermediate. He lapped me right at the finish line and we were both number 533. First they listed me as dead last then my dad complained and they switched me to first, then everyone else really complained. It took them a couple days to sort that out. Some of you might have remembered that one.

Tim Parker

I did all the NW races back then and the names you mentioned bring back GREAT momories! Thank you for that. I was a 125 Int. racer back in the early to mid 80's. Racing for Team ATAK (American Tire And Kawasaki) out of Salem Oregon then got on with the young team green am. program from 86-88. Turned pro in 87 and tried to follow the dream of becoming a true pro racer. For the next two years I chaced that dream up and down the west coast. Just me, sometimes my dad, my bike and a lowered 86 Toyota mini truck. I hit all the tracks from So. Cal to No.Cal to Wash. East to Idaho and even made a trip to Colorado for a race cuz a friend of mine said the track was cool. Did I make a name for myself? At the time I thought that was what was improtant. Looking back on it now, no one really knew who I was other than some kid from Oregon who had a little skill but HUGE determination. At the end of the day I can look back on it all and say to myself "I was there for some cool stuff, raced on some of the best tracks in the world, some of which are no longer there. I met some people who changed my life forever" To this day I still race, although no longer on a track, I do off road and GP's now but you will never take the track away from the racer! Thank you for this post and letting me tell a little about who I was, am and always will be.

Oh yeah, I was there racing moto and riding trials as well.... my dad owned Mr-Bike a Kawasaki franchise in Warrenton (near Astoria) Oregon. I remember watching Jason Mcormack do doubles on his 60 that scared me on a 125! Bret Stevens and I raced all over the Northwest...I believe I was there from 1985-1988 or so.... my number was 692 and I was usually on a Kawi although I did race a friends 87'CR125 in early '88 I think. Let's see, along with Bret, there was Mark Burqhart, Stevie Salmon, Blaine Hanson, Mark Koontz.... those were some of the Coast guys. We raced Washougal, Mcminnville, everywhere.... I used to do all the arena cross races in the winter as well. Crap, I am trying to remember more names....

The Vohland Brothers were ass-kicking fast and Larry Brooks would show up at various events on occasion. I remember watching Tallon Vohland line up next to Bret at some race...we always kepts Bret's stuff immaculate (my dad owned a Kawi shop for christ's sake!). I looked over at Tallon's bike and it was BEAT. Bent bars, oil leaking out of his forks and shock, broken levers... of course he kicked ass.

Those were some very good times!

I remember one year my dad and I talked the Astoria Stock Car Racing track into allowing us to build a super cross style track in the infield, we promoted a few races there but the track was shite, all we had to work with was this sugary sand which broke down almost immediately, no matter how much you watered it! I remember one of my favorite races was that GP held every year on the beach...down near Tillamook (?) I think. It was a bit of a marathon and would completely waste a 125 because you had to ride the entire lap pinned just to move, but it was absolutely BRILLIANT fun!

Great Times!

Rick Burget,Chuck Sun very fast but Bob Suserchy RED DOG Kelly if I could only keep it on two wheels Welchel and Flin Mike McCormic kept these guys honest Rich Boland you were fast too but Im not sorry I got you ride or one of the girls you couldnt score on but hey you were pretty fast back in the day,love to race you now though.Bring it!

Raced 60/80/100s Yamahas '79-83 in the PNW, Washougal was my home track. Remember all the names you mention, Jeff Dailey was a good friend. #822/Grant.

Old thread , and brings back a lot of memories. I know a lot of those guys mentioned above. I also had one of Danny Ulvens KX 125's. And it ripped!

I used to watch Ulven at Hannegan Raceway in Bellingham, at Jolly Rogers. No one could touch him on the 80s.

Yeah was fast as heck. I still see McCormick and Huffman all the time. The guy who posted about living next to Jamie Munson , sure would like to run into Jamie again one day. Good dude and always got along good with him. I have some early to mid 80's pics I'll throw up later this evening.

Lived in B.C. raced all over the tri-state area 80-83
Lowell Thompson Larry Ward killed it on 80,s
Jim Anderson and Clayton Blood ran at the top in pros
Racetracks I remember Colville,Sandpoint,coure de lane
Good times!

Clarks Branch. Ryan Huffman was untouchable there. Saw him just goofing around one day there on a CR250. He was throwing that bike nearly upside down over the downhill ski jump that most riders were scared to even jump. I always thought he would make it big in the sport.
Myself? I floundered around in the beginner class. Raced almost exclusively at Clarks Branch because I couldn't afford to go to any of the more distant tracks.