Area riders you thought would be factory stars.

grunkster
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grunkster 10/7/2020 8:24am
10/7/2020 8:24am
J-mart/A-mart! and they are! :-)
1
boston_jorj
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boston_jorj 10/7/2020 9:23am
10/7/2020 9:23am
TxT0RKiT wrote:
Matt Lemoine was so fast on minis at Village Creek. Fun to watch him with bright orange hubs on a KX.
Makes me think of In The Ranks.
4
mx_563
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mx_563 10/7/2020 10:22am
10/7/2020 10:22am
Spudnut wrote:
Some made it, some didn’t, some still haven’t found out. Here’s a few riders I’ve watched and that have stuck out over the 20 plus years...
Some made it, some didn’t, some still haven’t found out. Here’s a few riders I’ve watched and that have stuck out over the 20 plus years I’ve been at dirtbike tracks Riding and Watching

Brandon Layton
Josh hill
Justin hill
Ryan Villopoto
Tommy Weeck
Ryan Breece
Carson Brown
Levi Kitchen
Landon Currier

Rick Simmet
dadofagun
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dadofagun 10/7/2020 10:29am
10/7/2020 10:29am
Gworm wrote:
I always thought Shan Niday was plenty talented enough to make it to the top.
Talented for sure..... known Shan my entire life. My Dad bought probably 15 or so bikes from his Dads shop. In fact, he accidently dented the tank on my Dads Husky 360 GP if memory serves. He was always cool to me when I was growing up. He even worked as a life guard at the local swimming hole one summer when I was around 12 or so.....
1

The Shop

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ga_pike
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ga_pike 10/7/2020 12:05pm
10/7/2020 12:05pm
Davey Yezek and Shane Lawson were 2 guys I looked up to...

Then several who I raced against weekly like Josh Sweat, Jarrett Tipping, Richie and Robbie Horton, JD Collins, Robbie Skaggs....
3
avidchimp
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EGL, MN US
avidchimp 10/7/2020 12:07pm
10/7/2020 12:07pm
Since he was never mentioned in this thread and even though he had a very good ride on mini's, Ronnie Densford. He would have been an amazing big bike guy if my Cousin hadn't ruined him with her good looks. Wink hahaha
centralcoastmoto 10/7/2020 12:18pm
10/7/2020 12:18pm
zookrider62! wrote:
Adam Chatfield. Watching him on minis was unreal
He was still battling up front for Vet A class titles at Mammoth, circa 2019.
1
Buckit
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Buckit 10/7/2020 4:12pm
10/7/2020 4:12pm
Darryn Durham
PJ Larsen
Justin Weeks (injuries are a MF'r)
Kyle Regal: has had a good career but watching him at 08 or 09 Red Bud regional, he looked on another level
1
1
Leeham
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Leeham 10/7/2020 4:18pm
10/7/2020 4:18pm
Cody Charboneu (Tristan C. younger brother)
Ian Smith (Cody's step brother)
Both super talented on a dirt bike. Cody had a huge crash that ended it all. Ian never was serious about racing, just wicked fast.
JustMX
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JustMX 10/7/2020 6:37pm
10/7/2020 6:37pm
sc961 wrote:
Billy Fosnock.. Not a local Mn guy, but saw him at Loretta's back in the 80's. Came out in mismatched gear, no gloves and won a...
Billy Fosnock.. Not a local Mn guy, but saw him at Loretta's back in the 80's.

Came out in mismatched gear, no gloves and won a moto. There was a big buzz after that race, he came out in some nice looking "Flame" racewear for the next moto..

Can't recall how the week ended up...
I believe fosnock ended up with an A class title that year.

It was something to see.
3
JustMX
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JustMX 10/7/2020 7:00pm
10/7/2020 7:00pm
I didn't even look at the op date on this thread.

I got caught up in reading so many names I recognized from the late 70's/early 80's following races in the southeast, and then years of working Florida winter ams and mini -o's, LL's, and victory sports.

A couple I didn't see any where

Kevin Foley - super nice guy, a smooth, smart rider that pulled down a lot of top ten finishes in 500 nationals. If I remember right he pulled down some top 5s in 1985, and really stood out because he was doing it on a 1984 model yz 490, which was still yellow, while the 85 models were red and white. After not getting any factory offers he stopped running nationals and became a rocket scientist (well, he went to work for NASA). He kept racing local stuff in GA and tn while in school and then became one of the vet legends at LL.

Also notably missing is tony haynes.

Stewart replicated his smooth, flowing style and broke barriers that haynes would have 10 years after tony's tragic accident.

cable
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cable 10/7/2020 7:19pm
10/7/2020 7:19pm
John Kitsch from michigan.
1
TG130
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TG130 10/7/2020 10:36pm
10/7/2020 10:36pm
mxracer666 wrote:
Iowa District 22. 1978 thru 1983+. Johnny Spaw. Just unreal speed. I have been watching/racing motocross for over 40 years and I don't think I have...
Iowa District 22. 1978 thru 1983+. Johnny Spaw. Just unreal speed. I have been watching/racing motocross for over 40 years and I don't think I have ever seen anyone with the corner speed he had! Wonder what he's up to these days?
Saw him race in the 1979 Amateur National Championship at Plymouth, CA. A majority of the riders there were from out of the area and I was unfamiliar with most of them. But, I remember Spaw very well. He was indeed lightning fast and made the podium. He also stood out being one of the few riders on a Honda 125 with the 23 inch front wheel.
mxracer666
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mxracer666 10/7/2020 11:19pm
10/7/2020 11:19pm
mxracer666 wrote:
Iowa District 22. 1978 thru 1983+. Johnny Spaw. Just unreal speed. I have been watching/racing motocross for over 40 years and I don't think I have...
Iowa District 22. 1978 thru 1983+. Johnny Spaw. Just unreal speed. I have been watching/racing motocross for over 40 years and I don't think I have ever seen anyone with the corner speed he had! Wonder what he's up to these days?
TG130 wrote:
Saw him race in the 1979 Amateur National Championship at Plymouth, CA. A majority of the riders there were from out of the area and I...
Saw him race in the 1979 Amateur National Championship at Plymouth, CA. A majority of the riders there were from out of the area and I was unfamiliar with most of them. But, I remember Spaw very well. He was indeed lightning fast and made the podium. He also stood out being one of the few riders on a Honda 125 with the 23 inch front wheel.
Sponsored by Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Honda! Probably the fastest that model CR125 ever went! LOL!
OT
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OT 10/7/2020 11:40pm
10/7/2020 11:40pm
Scott Elderfield. He was one of those kids who was given the gift from such a young age, he was incredible.
228YZ
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228YZ 10/11/2020 12:49pm
10/11/2020 12:49pm
Foo723 wrote:
Keith Watson, houma louisiana by way of tallahassee florida. the original tallahassee flash. Keith was james stewart fast and i thought he had some yamaha support...


Keith Watson, houma louisiana by way of tallahassee florida. the original tallahassee flash. Keith was james stewart fast and i thought he had some yamaha support back in the early 80's.

Keith was tragically killed at Hattiesburg Mx park in mississippi in 1981
brian burger wrote:
I was there that Sunday Keith Watson died. I won the 80cc class and my brother Barry Weinberger was racing pro class against Keith Watson. Keith...
I was there that Sunday Keith Watson died. I won the 80cc class and my brother Barry Weinberger was racing pro class against Keith Watson. Keith Watson was winning once again the first and second Moto but then lost control in the second Moto and went off the track and hit a tree that killed him instantly. We were all in shock and couldn’t believe it. Keith Watson was the fastest rider at the time from our region the south east Mississippi Louisiana and Alabama areas. I remember 1980-1981 Keith Watson started beating factory riders at the Florida gatorback pro winter series Nationals finishing second on his stock Yamaha YZ 125 right there with Mark Barnett and Johnny O Mara we were freaking out and excited to see him to start competing at a world class level. Keith Watson was world class fast and smooth and was definitely going to earn a factory sponsor if that tragedy didn’t happen. RIP and god bless!




RIP Barry! I loved hanging with Barry when he came over to race in Milton, Florida. I also, went with him when he tried to qualify for the 125 class at the 93 Orlando supercross.
228YZ
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228YZ 10/11/2020 12:56pm
10/11/2020 12:56pm
mississippihippie wrote:
Nathan Davenport
Did he get hurt in a hunting accident?

Pit Row

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DB505
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DB505 10/11/2020 4:15pm
10/11/2020 4:15pm
Steve Pate, late 70’s early 8’s Dfw area, was winning the pro class by at least 30 seconds every race!
Injured his back had to stop!
1
Ken202
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Ken202 10/11/2020 5:27pm
10/11/2020 5:27pm
#452 James Marshall! No telling how far he’d have gone if not for becoming paralyzed.
3
SBO
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SBO 10/12/2020 6:10am
10/12/2020 6:10am
MOTOCOACH wrote:
nick adams from michigan was on his way, then seemed to fall of the face of the earth. also, evan laughridge was super fast, got good...
nick adams from michigan was on his way, then seemed to fall of the face of the earth. also, evan laughridge was super fast, got good rides in canada, but not in U.S.
nick is now helping his dad run the contruction business and dabbling in the new legal substance shops. Wants nothing to do with even looking at a dirtbike
mx317
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TN US
mx317 10/12/2020 8:44am
10/12/2020 8:44am
Some I've raced against that deserved more: Gene McCay, Furman Gray, Kevin Foley, Tommy Watts
1
mississippihippie 10/12/2020 8:27pm
10/12/2020 8:27pm
That Milton Florida track was one of my favorites until a freak accident happened in 1999 to my close neighborhood riding buddy.
1
crashnuke
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Henderson, NV US
crashnuke 10/13/2020 12:48am
10/13/2020 12:48am
Any rider who had the balls to go fast at Maplehurst (Slowpokes) in the 80's should've earned a Factory ride:

Jim Veugeler(sp) would launch himself down the mountain in the back section and clip the tree branches.
Troy Bradshaw (DGY) smooth and fast
Rusty Ott
The Big balls award goes to Brian"Psycho" Malfredson(sp) not even an A rider but had no fear.
JayLay118
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Mount Airy, MD US
JayLay118 10/13/2020 3:15am
10/13/2020 3:15am
Nick Evennou on a KX60 and 85 was the most impressive local mini racer I've seen
JoJmoto
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JoJmoto 10/13/2020 3:47am
10/13/2020 3:47am
Kyle Bitterman 581

Kid has talent on a bike just always been held back by the money aspect. Babbitts Kawasaki has him as a factory arena cross rider finishing 2nd this year but I would love to see him in sx or mx with a ride.
228YZ
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Destin, FL US
228YZ 10/13/2020 4:08am
10/13/2020 4:08am
mississippihippie wrote:
I have no idea, please fill me in
I thought he accidentally shot himself in the leg if my memory is correct.
1
hbdesigns913
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Danville, IN US
hbdesigns913 10/14/2020 3:37pm
10/14/2020 3:37pm
Chad albritton
Aaron Lindsay
Matt walker ( made it but no title)
Shane lusk
1
hbdesigns913
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hbdesigns913 10/14/2020 3:40pm
10/14/2020 3:40pm
Matt shue
Andrew matusek
2

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