Will we ever see another Jo Jo Keller?

I used to live and breathe the NESC back in the eighties. I know all the names here, but I don't see yours anywhere. Who are you?

Stew Baylor?

Josh Grant never looked in 'pristine shape', particularly his JGR 450 days. But he still absolutely ripped and beat some big names. Like the Millville race when he beat Reed in 2009

Alberto Forato is of Jo Jo's 'mold'.

A somewhat Solid bloke, that is bloody fast . 

Just been announced as having signed to the Standing Construct Honda MXGP team, alongside Pauls Jonass.

Always cool to see or hear about him settling the big guys can't ride a 125 dispute... Dude ripped on anything with wheels, but I bet he did have to work hard on a small bore 🤘

Would have been cool to see him on a modern 125 with their extra poke and new age suspension and brakes

My knowledge of JoJo comes from him being a regular Aussie SX Masters visitor back in the mid to late 80s.  He looked fighting fit from what I remember?

Davi Milsaps never looked in great shape either.

          I watched JoJo race an IT400 at Pepperell one year, against the best New England had to offer, and he won. Then he became a farrier later in life. Hannah loved JoJo.

Stu Baylor...........hold my beer 

Cooper Webb

I remember seeing him in the 89 winter ams.

if you are saying that is him in the photo he must have gone on Adkins or jenny craig in the months in between.

mx317 is correct about diamond back in Florida,

nothing like that place around anymore.

and watching Jojo hammer around that place in that distinctive purple jersey was something. Always untucked, and the only thing keeping it from flying over his head like Marilyn Monroe's dress on a street grate was that buddha belly. it had it stretched pretty tight in the middle.

The MX and SX crowd couldn't handle Stu....they'd get offended by his honesty.

Me and my buddies were at one of our first NESC races in '93. We were 15 and didn't know who the local pro's were yet. We were watching expert practice and we saw this fat dude on a Yamaha. We kinda laughed at him like dumb teenagers would do. Our jaws dropped and we proceeded to STFU when we saw Jo Jo just absolutely shredding. Pretty sure it was Southwick 

Marty Tripes. “Burrito”

McGrath used to like to have an extra 10 to 20 lbs for nationals, so he had something to burn off.

Jojo Keller wasn't overweight during his peak the way Marty Tripes was.  When he raced NECS and his early pro days, he was big, tall, but very fit in his youth. If that wasn't the case, he wouldn't have been able to swap his Bettencourt Honda and gear with Jim Meenan's Suzuki and gear at one April-fools day race at Waterville Valley, Maine. These guys were so much faster than anyone else, they we always pulling pranks at the races just to make it more fun.  What was special about Jojo, as that even after he got older and started putting on weight, he didn't lose as much speed as most normal humans would. He had such incredible natural talent that he could pull a top 5 at a Southwick National for many years after his physical and racing prime.  He was so nimble and strong, I watched him do many jaw dropping feats in his NESC expert races. Even when he was half of the bike, he never let off and he never let go. He could really manhandle a bike even when it tried to kick him off.  I am not so sure I have ever seen anyone else ride a bike that way.

I do remember there was an article in mxa about 1980.

It was about a race on an island somewhere and Jojo was one of the riders.

Had a picture of him with no jersey and he looked about like Rick Johnson did back then.

Pretty slim and fit.

Anyone who says they are too big for a 125 never saw JoJo on a CR125 with rounded knobbies beat some other fast NESC experts at Waterboro, ME. always entertaining.  
 

For one or two seasons NESC had races at charlemont  ski area in the berkshires.  I believe he rode his mountain bike on the streets from Plymouth to the track the day before. 

YES!!! 👍

Dude would go out and smoke Bob Hannah while looking like he was carrying a spare tire around his waist! 💪

Kevin Sherman 

I met Jo Jo at Southwick in the pits where he proceeded to eat an entire large pizza all by himself.  This was in August, at Southwick in the late 80s, with 800-900 riders.  Those of you who raced then know the Mass. humidity and how rough it got back then.  Fifteen minutes later he proceeded to destroy everybody in the 125A class, come back into his pit next to mine, pound 3 beers and light a cigar.  Nicest, funniest dude you could ever meet that would do anything to help in the pits.  I wouldn't want to meet him in a dark alley though.  Guy was unbelievably strong.   

I'd say one of the few non-factory riders who could man handle a 500.

I'm sure we've seen the Jo Jo Riding a wheelie pic holding Jimmy D right ? 

Respect. Back in the day in the Winter Series that place beat the shit out of me. Orlando Sports Stadium too.

Some of these tales are very entertaining. JoJo did train and was naturally strong and fit. He was like shrek, just brute strength and natural stamina but did do fitness training.  He also burnt more tanks of gas during the week doing motos and practicing than probably most guys who he was racing against and especially by today's standards. He also constantly year round play rode in sand pits, woods etc to work on his craft.. He also had some of the best natural talent on two wheels, could pick lines or create new lines that no one saw and was so driven on and off the track. Not just NESC, but the Nationals. He would NEVER give up. The hotter the day the better for him. Again, even if it didn't look it, he was very fit, was one of the most naturally talented riders we've seen and he never QUIT. It wasn't in him.

One of a kind and he wasn't fat, just big boned!! heh