former mini stars part 2

sickelgirl
Profile picture for user sickelgirl
Posts
4
Joined
11/17/2008
Location
San Pedro, CA US
sickelgirl 11/17/2008 10:01am
11/17/2008 10:01am
I remember all the racers from the 70's and 80's from socal. I was the best pit-mother and parts changer at all of the tracks. Anyone remember my "Blazing-Saddle" sandwiches? They were so hot with peppers you had to go fast. lol I am alive and well in San Pedro still selling little boys motorcycles and parts. I use to sell Kawasakis for 10% over cost and all the parts the young ones could buy. What a wonderful feeling going to the track and everyone knowing you. I often wondered how some of those mini=parents felt not going home with a trophy every week. I would always rub it in and put them in the front windshield of the van. Greatest site ever. I hope all of my boys are doing well. Come and see me at the shop Dec 14th 2008 I am having a big party. Century Motorcycles 1640 S. Pacific Ave San Pedro 90731. You might even see yourself on my wall of fame. You won't believe it, but I am racing a baby buggy now.
turbotim
Profile picture for user turbotim
Posts
2
Joined
11/16/2008
Location
San Pedro, CA US
turbotim 11/17/2008 9:12pm
11/17/2008 9:12pm
Making a new motocrosser he is still in the pits per say my ladies tummy but if the genes are intact this kid is going to roost. Anyone out there used to race in So Cal in the eighties and race against me at Ascot or Saddleback Carlsbad hit me up lets cut it up a lil. Tim Rutherford. Later.
lumpy790
Profile picture for user lumpy790
Posts
11246
Joined
9/18/2007
Location
York, SC US
lumpy790 11/17/2008 9:24pm
11/17/2008 9:24pm Edited Date/Time 4/16/2016 9:14pm
watty wrote:
Bader Maneh used to haul the mail as well!
Badder raced one of my preped bikes at the Buds 250 GP.



lumpy790
Profile picture for user lumpy790
Posts
11246
Joined
9/18/2007
Location
York, SC US
lumpy790 11/17/2008 10:20pm
11/17/2008 10:20pm Edited Date/Time 4/16/2016 9:14pm
ThePipe wrote:
How about Hammerin Hank Moree
After Hank destroyed his foot and had it all fused back together he was never the same. I wrenched for him when he was making his come back. Hanks dad Henry was a real piece of work but paid well.

After being there for 2 weeks Henry told me to have the wife quit her job start packing and move to SC. Then the next week he would say to wait. After 3 months of going back and forth like that I got Hank qualified for Lorettas in 125 & 250 A class at Gainsville and I preped his 8 bikes then packed my bags and went back to Maryland. I saw Hank a couple years later in Atlanta when I was working for Steve Herman and his dad had taken his bikes away so he could not ride. Hank took one of Larry Wards practice bikes (Larry lived across the street from the Moree's) and qualified for the main. I dont think Hank had ever ridden for him self like he did that night.

Billy Schlag was another fast 80 rider.

The Shop

See All »
LouDog
Profile picture for user LouDog
Posts
709
Joined
11/8/2008
Location
Wildomar, CA US
LouDog 11/23/2008 3:32pm
11/23/2008 3:32pm
Johner Kight was another fast kid back in the day that raced yamahas and raced with
Troy Blake.
UpTiTe
Profile picture for user UpTiTe
Posts
8319
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
CA US
Fantasy
1625th
UpTiTe 11/23/2008 6:19pm
11/23/2008 6:19pm
Johner kight was a good guy, he was one dedicated guy. He about killed himself at Saddleback one time.
DAYKIN17
Profile picture for user DAYKIN17
Posts
170
Joined
11/28/2008
Location
Calgary CA
DAYKIN17 11/29/2008 9:48pm
11/29/2008 9:48pm
andymoto wrote:
[quote="uptite":1exq0r0d][quote="lukaitis9":1exq0r0d][quote="andymoto":1exq0r0d]How about eddie warren? .[/quote:1exq0r0d] I think he went to Australian after his Kawasaki ride.[/quote:1exq0r0d] yea he did. I think that KTM ride ruined him. What...
[quote="uptite":1exq0r0d][quote="lukaitis9":1exq0r0d][quote="andymoto":1exq0r0d]How about eddie warren?

.[/quote:1exq0r0d]

I think he went to Australian after his Kawasaki ride.[/quote:1exq0r0d]
yea he did. I think that KTM ride ruined him.
What about Troy Blake Dominated 80x class for two years then dominate INTs and local pros then ridews for factory Yamaha for one year then gone.[/quote:1exq0r0d]


Unfortunately, the story with most.....Take Rick Reynard or even Damon Bradshaw; win every amateur national thing; Reynard wins first National he enters, but can't put full season together. Bradshaw, who I really thought was going to be dominating like RC was wins first one or two; breaks ankle. Then next year or following yr, only has to finish like 3rd and he like had that year he could start dead last and almost win; he decides to try park Chicken in Vegas(?) and takes himself out then chokes in LA to Stanton......Neither were riders that could stand the fire when they needed most. Bradshaw especially and when McG spanks him, babies out and quits. I was glad Bradshaw did win one more national on that Honda in '97; only race he wanted so bad IMO. Too bad couldn't do earlier at LA SX.
To me on national level, most gifted rider w/Reynard to be up front every race and nothing except maybe those lower level 125 SX championship. When it counted, you could've made a bundle on betting against. Wonder if any sports books take SX/MX bets.
Terry Bostard real fast mini. Got hurt couple times; No other comments.
Don't you mean Robbie reynard?
Wandell
Profile picture for user Wandell
Posts
7773
Joined
12/17/2008
Location
Cairo, GA US
Wandell 12/18/2008 8:18pm
12/18/2008 8:18pm
Anyone know what happened to Troy Blake? There was also a Kawasaki rider from the 80's that was supposed to be the next big thing. I think his name was Paul Dennis.
UpTiTe
Profile picture for user UpTiTe
Posts
8319
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
CA US
Fantasy
1625th
UpTiTe 12/19/2008 8:08pm
12/19/2008 8:08pm
Troy Blake got a yamaha factory ride thhen befriended Lechein and Terry Fowler, enough said.
andymoto
Profile picture for user andymoto
Posts
4771
Joined
11/28/2007
Location
Carmichael, CA US
andymoto 12/19/2008 8:19pm
12/19/2008 8:19pm
Wandell wrote:
Anyone know what happened to Troy Blake? There was also a Kawasaki rider from the 80's that was supposed to be the next big thing. I...
Anyone know what happened to Troy Blake? There was also a Kawasaki rider from the 80's that was supposed to be the next big thing. I think his name was Paul Dennis.
Paul Denis was very fast. Unfortunately, got hurt at the first National he entered and believe had to retire.

Wasn't Butch Smith a heck of a mini racer?
Wandell
Profile picture for user Wandell
Posts
7773
Joined
12/17/2008
Location
Cairo, GA US
Wandell 12/19/2008 9:14pm
12/19/2008 9:14pm
Anyone have any pics of these guys? I remember when Eric Kehoe turned pro and Blake and Denis were a few years behind him and were the hottest pro prospects.
vetarider
Profile picture for user vetarider
Posts
126
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
Charlotte, NC US
vetarider 12/21/2008 7:12am
12/21/2008 7:12am
Anybody remember Rodney Herring from AL? He kicked butt on local tracks in the SE but I'm not sure what success he had elsewhere. I used to watch him race at Flying Wheels MX track in Alabama back in the late 70's. Pic below is from the Enterprise Ledger (newspaper in Enterprise, AL) around 77-78. Rodney is on the right, Joe Tomlin on the left.

Wandell
Profile picture for user Wandell
Posts
7773
Joined
12/17/2008
Location
Cairo, GA US
Wandell 12/23/2008 7:42am
12/23/2008 7:42am
Anyone have any pics, or links to pics of Kehoe, Blake or Denis on mini's that you could post?
TPurdy
Profile picture for user TPurdy
Posts
47
Joined
12/22/2008
Location
Muscatine, IA US
TPurdy 12/24/2008 11:04am
12/24/2008 11:04am
I remember watching Junior Jackson at 11yrs old waxing the 125A class on his 80 at Tipton Hills in Ia. Him and Damon Bradsaw alway used to battle when they were kids. I belive his dad made the very first watercooled 60 back in 1981. Chad Pederson was also very fast here in the midwest. Larry Brooks was another fast minicycle racer in the early 80s. Also, Jimmy Button was really fast in 1987 on hondas as was Jeff Emig from Mo.
Dmoks
Profile picture for user Dmoks
Posts
69
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
Rockton, IL US
Dmoks 12/29/2008 3:42pm
12/29/2008 3:42pm
I have raced both Tipton and Springville qualifiers back in the mid-80's. Fun tracks
JSB
Profile picture for user JSB
Posts
54
Joined
1/20/2009
Location
Lancaster, CA US
JSB 1/20/2009 1:11am
1/20/2009 1:11am
I was a lil younger then most of those guys but it bring back memories, I grew up few miles from Eddie Hicks in Q.H. I remember Kyle Lewis tellin a few guys once, when Eddie showed up they all raced for 2nd.

My home track, I guess didn't produce any mini superstars. I'd say the fastest 80 guys who use to race our track at least few times a year woulda been a couple kids named, Dustin Evans and Terry Parsons, Tony Sulek

We had a few fast visitors, Joel Tarkarski, Ronnie Densford, Jesse James , Derek Natvig
JSB
Profile picture for user JSB
Posts
54
Joined
1/20/2009
Location
Lancaster, CA US
JSB 1/20/2009 1:15am
1/20/2009 1:15am
nicks dad wrote:
thanks,guys for the responses.i thought of a few more.joey dee,doug nicol,paul emerson,bobby sullivan.how about minicycle magazine test riders like john rudder,mike mcatee,billy keffer?also,those 80cc bikes were...
thanks,guys for the responses.i thought of a few more.joey dee,doug nicol,paul emerson,bobby sullivan.how about minicycle magazine test riders like john rudder,mike mcatee,billy keffer?also,those 80cc bikes were pretty short back then,why did so many guys ride them at 15-16 yrs old? what about the full size 100 cc bikes?who were the top guys on them?
Mike Pascarella railed my home track, I don't think I ever saw him lose there
viking24
Profile picture for user viking24
Posts
287
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
SEPA US
viking24 1/21/2009 4:59am
1/21/2009 4:59am
I raced the first LL event in '82 in the 100 B class. To this day, I still remember Danny Storbeck on a YZ80 just killing it. Him and Lechien were untouchable that year in TN.

Pit Row

See All »
Dmoks
Profile picture for user Dmoks
Posts
69
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
Rockton, IL US
Dmoks 1/26/2009 4:10pm
1/26/2009 4:10pm
I remember Willie Surratt dropping a rock off the bank and through a canoe and almost getting Dq'd.
mr50racer
Profile picture for user mr50racer
Posts
415
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
beaumont, CA US
mr50racer 1/27/2009 10:50am
1/27/2009 10:50am
Dmoks wrote:
I remember Willie Surratt dropping a rock off the bank and through a canoe and almost getting Dq'd.
yeah i remember that. My dad worked for Team Green back then. It took alot of talking by Dave Jordan and my dad to get him out of that mess
Sondy132001
Profile picture for user Sondy132001
Posts
4042
Joined
8/16/2006
Location
Mission Viejo, CA US
Sondy132001 1/28/2009 3:50pm
1/28/2009 3:50pm
UpTiTe wrote:
Troy Blake got a yamaha factory ride thhen befriended Lechein and Terry Fowler, enough said.
Don't throw Fowler under the bus, he was clean and the only sanity Ronnie had.

S
Sondy132001
Profile picture for user Sondy132001
Posts
4042
Joined
8/16/2006
Location
Mission Viejo, CA US
Sondy132001 1/28/2009 3:56pm
1/28/2009 3:56pm Edited Date/Time 4/16/2016 10:12pm
watty wrote:
How about Kehoe, Holland, Lachein, Blake, Meredith, Kurt Henrickson, Paul Denis, Shaun Kalos....those guys could get it done.
Kehoe Honda Team Manager still races, Holland grows a majority of almonds for all almond based products, Lechien runs Maxima Oils and rides still, Blake no idea guessing Idaho ? Kurt Henrickson runs schools and lives in the IE I believe, Paul Denis last time I heard lives in Orange area, doesn't ride and Shaun Kalos lives in Phoenix area and still hauls ass !!

S
Sledneck
Profile picture for user Sledneck
Posts
1201
Joined
1/23/2009
Location
Steamboat Springs, CO US
Sledneck 1/29/2009 4:00am
1/29/2009 4:00am
UpTiTe wrote:
Troy Blake got a yamaha factory ride thhen befriended Lechein and Terry Fowler, enough said.
Sondy132001 wrote:
Don't throw Fowler under the bus, he was clean and the only sanity Ronnie had.

S
Do you remember Suzie, I think her name was? Circa 1985-1986.
Dad Dunes
Profile picture for user Dad Dunes
Posts
26
Joined
12/26/2008
Location
Vancouver, WA US
Dad Dunes 1/29/2009 12:00pm
1/29/2009 12:00pm
Any of you guys remember King Richard Saxton,,I think from Vegas or Ariz.. He and His Grandfather would show up at the Dunes for most NMA races towing a 30 foot trailer behind a huge motorhome and tied down in this trailer were two little 50 cc Indian pee wee's. And that was all that was in this huge trailer "strange"
Sondy132001
Profile picture for user Sondy132001
Posts
4042
Joined
8/16/2006
Location
Mission Viejo, CA US
Sondy132001 1/30/2009 9:37am
1/30/2009 9:37am
His g-ma ran the mx track in Vegas for years...

S
mcphilly
Profile picture for user mcphilly
Posts
1245
Joined
7/29/2008
Location
Monroe, WA US
mcphilly 1/30/2009 11:55am
1/30/2009 11:55am
watty wrote:
How about Kehoe, Holland, Lachein, Blake, Meredith, Kurt Henrickson, Paul Denis, Shaun Kalos....those guys could get it done.
Sondy132001 wrote:
Kehoe Honda Team Manager still races, Holland grows a majority of almonds for all almond based products, Lechien runs Maxima Oils and rides still, Blake no...
Kehoe Honda Team Manager still races, Holland grows a majority of almonds for all almond based products, Lechien runs Maxima Oils and rides still, Blake no idea guessing Idaho ? Kurt Henrickson runs schools and lives in the IE I believe, Paul Denis last time I heard lives in Orange area, doesn't ride and Shaun Kalos lives in Phoenix area and still hauls ass !!

S
Hey Sondy . What ever happened to Rodney Barr and Jason Upshaw ?
Sondy132001
Profile picture for user Sondy132001
Posts
4042
Joined
8/16/2006
Location
Mission Viejo, CA US
Sondy132001 1/30/2009 1:49pm
1/30/2009 1:49pm
You know those guys weren't from california so I don't see them, wasn't Upshaw the guy who was in the SX commercials for year for his horrific crash that he didn't get hurt on ?? Wasn't he from TX ?? I didn't really know Rodney Barr couldn't tell you anything on him...

S
mcphilly
Profile picture for user mcphilly
Posts
1245
Joined
7/29/2008
Location
Monroe, WA US
mcphilly 1/30/2009 5:59pm
1/30/2009 5:59pm
nicks dad wrote:
thanks,guys for the responses.i thought of a few more.joey dee,doug nicol,paul emerson,bobby sullivan.how about minicycle magazine test riders like john rudder,mike mcatee,billy keffer?also,those 80cc bikes were...
thanks,guys for the responses.i thought of a few more.joey dee,doug nicol,paul emerson,bobby sullivan.how about minicycle magazine test riders like john rudder,mike mcatee,billy keffer?also,those 80cc bikes were pretty short back then,why did so many guys ride them at 15-16 yrs old? what about the full size 100 cc bikes?who were the top guys on them?
Yeah you are right about upshaw thats the guy in the commercials. Barr was a super fast mini rider and he did good in the 125cc class when he moved up back around 85 but he just fell off the map Smile
JSB
Profile picture for user JSB
Posts
54
Joined
1/20/2009
Location
Lancaster, CA US
JSB 1/31/2009 12:05am
1/31/2009 12:05am
Hey Sondy, do you remember Ronnie Densford? I saw him not to long ago in lancaster ridin, I guess he's still with the studio's and doing riding schools now
lumpy790
Profile picture for user lumpy790
Posts
11246
Joined
9/18/2007
Location
York, SC US
lumpy790 1/31/2009 2:33pm
1/31/2009 2:33pm
I ran into Bobby Barr today at Iron City and he asked me to stop by his shop this week to show him the Moto Hose kits and will get some details on Rodney.

Post a reply to: former mini stars part 2