Damon Bradshaw Feature: Get Involved

So many questions, Bradshaw was probably my favorite rider of that era.  I would like hear his take on the '92 supercross series, from winning 9 (i think) races and losing the title at the final round.

Ask him how bad did he hurt his knee at Gatorback (I think that’s where he hurt it) before the sx finale in ‘92. 

What did he honestly think of the 97 cr 250 . I believe he was on the Manchester Honda team ?

How was he so dominant at High Point? What about that track suited him best?

Where does he draw the line on rough riding today? What is okay? What should be penalized or disqualified?

What would he like to see the industry do to get more people riding?

If he could change anything about pro racing, what would it be? (rules, format, safety, etc.)

Thanks Darkside!

I’d love to hear stories from the early days in NC, specifically the Metrolina racetrack, racing Larry Ward there, and any stories about riding with his brother, Zach.

I’m here for all the stories and memories from Damon—thanks for doing this. Pumped to see it when it’s completed! One of my favorite riders 👍🏻

How about his summer racing the WR 500

Ask I’m if he thinks (as I do) that there was a potential brewing rivalry with Johnson that could have been the greatest rivalry in the sports history (had Johnson not gotten hurt). Ask him what his real thoughts were in 1990, insofar as whether he would have see Johnson as an intimidating figure to get through, or if he was confident he’d mow them all down once he was in the 250 class.

Ask him what his real thoughts were on McGrath when he came back to Supercross after his hiatus. To what extent was McGrath a total surprise, and how did he process that at the time?

Would you let darkside ride your bike again?

Ask him how he got along with Jason frennete in 97. He's a canadian who I know.  And more importantly please tell him he should have stayed on the 125 in 90. He would have got the outdoor title. Imo. 

What did he and Jeremy McGrath argue about at that one SX race back in ‘93.

Does he remember giving his chest protector to a young lad at Kenworthy's back in 89 or 90? I still have it framed if he asks

Please ask him what he thought about this ad shoot.  I remember seeing this and thinking he was the epitome of cool!

The question we all want to hear. 

I know there was a LOT of bad blood between him and Chicken Matiasevich over the years with the blatant takeouts that would make Vince Friese smile.....

My question is after that recent BAD CRASH at Perris when Chicken came to his rescue and gave him a ride on his bike back to his truck...

Was there a conversation that day or later between them? 

Thanks

In 91 or 92, DB, in his convertible Vette with a Bradshow license plate on it, came into the bike shop that I managed in Charlotte, no shirt on, walks in the front door, and exclaims to no one in particular, but everyone in general, "I want the most expensive mountain bike you have". A few minutes later Brian Lunniss showed up in the box van to supervise the purchase.  Damon was buddies with one of my customers who later became a buddy and had referred him to our shop. So I sold him what was an exotic bike at the time, a custom built from the frame up Cannondale. He came back a few weeks later to buy a new heart rate monitor after he threw his old one in the woods when it didn't work right. Never saw him again in the shop after that, and I always wondered how that bike held up and if he totally beat the crap out of it. 

Old timers around my house tell me how Damon almost beat David Bailey at a race at the NC state fair, I wonder if it's true.

When he shows up to a local track to have fun, does he often have to put up with all of the local talent trying to put a pass on him for bragging rights? Does it ever get overly aggressive? I’d assume part of him still wants to shut everyone down, too.

How about som questions from his time on YZ80s in '85 & '86? 

How modified were those bikes compared to stock?

How many bikes did he go through per year? 

Bonus question: did he ever try Eddie Hicks' 1984 DMC alu framed bike?

Thanks for doing this.

I was at the 1988 Tokyo SX.  There was Osaka SX a week before, but none of us casual fans in Tokyo knew who won the race, because it was pre-WorldWideWeb, or no weekly newspaper like a Cyclenews here.  When they show the last week's result on the big screen of Tokyo Jingu Stadium, it said  "1st デーモン B.   2nd リック J."  or Damon B. and Rick J. in English. The whole stadium went Damon WHO???  

Anyway, I know what RJ told Damon on the podium at Osaka, but I would like to know what it was like in the week leading up to Tokyo SX, and what happend next weekend as well.

Thanks, Mr. Side. 

Ask him “in the nearly 50 year history of Supercross, you’re arguably the only rider who’s seen as an all time great, who never actually won the Championship in the premier class. Bittersweet as that may be, how does it feel, looking back, to have been so fast, to have been the most intimidating racer on the circuit, that even without a Supercross title your name is still firmly at the very top in many peoples’ minds?”

What he thinks of the current riders? 
Tomac, Sexton, Anderson, Roczen 

Theres a picture of him on an aluminum framed YZ250 in the early 90's, i'm guessing 10 - 12 years before Yamaha actually produced one.  I looked for the pic but cant find it, would be curious to know what some of the works stuff he saw that sticked out, things he prob couldn't run due to the production rule.  

Ask him about racing JMB in '97!?