Tell us about your very 1st Motocross race

Corona raceway, 1983, at a GP. They gave us a lap to practice, halfway through the lap as I hit a straight I saw a guy on the side of the track trying to start his bike, just as I got to him smoke shot out the back of his bike, he dumped the clutch and pulled out about 10 feet away from me, I plowed into him and the entire world went dirtskydirtsky. Crushed my gas tank and my ego, that was the end of my day. 
 

1975 Austin day track, mini SR class on a modified SL70. I remember hanging out at the rider's meeting with Kent Howerton and Steve Stackable and a few other notables.

It was a rubber band start and I was on the end and got popped in the helmet by the rubber band turning my helmet sideways.

I wheelied off of the line and got lapped twice by the big bore XR75s ridden by Bucky Houston and I think Sean Kelley.

I have been addicted since then.

My first mx race was REM in 250 beginner. I remember doing a 3rd or 4th gear whiskey throttle 6-12 standing wheelie right by the announcer stands, finished the race and also whiskey throttled off a big single after the finish line. 

my first off road race was the 29 palms Grand Prix on a 85 cr80. I went off the line thinking I was doing the kids race, then proceeded to the desert section after the mx. Can’t say I had any fun what so ever for the next hour 

Somewhere in Oregon I’m sure, don’t remember much from when your 4 years old.

Not sure of the year but it must have been 1973 or so. I raced my  Suzuki TS125 motored  Bultaco Sherpa S at Rawhide Cycle park. Close to Elsinore but to the east . 125 beginner class with a good amount of guys lined up. Not sure but 3rd out the group comes to mind riding through the natural track with plenty of water and rocks. Later in 1978 or so, I looped out my 1978 RM250 on the screw u type part of the track. The start of 5 decades of racing.

My first race was summer of 1978 at Argyll Park in Dixon, CA. Went with a riding buddy and some friends, was his first race too. Went out for practice and kind of liked the track, it was hard pack, disked up in spots. Most of my riding experience leading up to this was in sand and some hard pack. First moto : Got off the line and as soon as I got to the first turn I was on my ass along with numerous other riders - they had watered the living shit out of the first turn sometime after practice and I had never ridden anything that slick before. Got up and going again only to slide out twice more on the first lap in turns that were over watered and slick. Managed to finish out the moto without going down again and finished around 20th out of 25 riders. My buddy DNF'd, just quit (chickened out) after 2 laps, couldn't handle the slick track. Track was dusty as hell too. Moto 2 : Track had dried out and I took it easier in the slick stuff and managed to finish out the moto only going down once and finishing inside the top 20. My buddy meanwhile totally chickened out of the 2nd moto and refused to ride, but let his buddy Lou, who came along to party and watch, take the moto in his place. Well, Lou pulled a 2nd place start and held it for a lap or two before he tired out and DNF'd . Funny thing is that Lou had been drinking beer the whole time he was there and probably smoking some weed too. I might add that Lou rode regularly and had more riding experience than either of us, but no prior racing at all.

1977 at Indian Dunes on a Friday night. Riding a Maico in the Open Beginner class. I was a nervous wreck and did terrible. I think it was like a 9th and 10th for 9th overall. Took a couple of weeks till I settled down and starting getting good starts and finally went 5-1 for 3rd overall. My first trophy. After that moto win it seemed easier and the next weekend went 1-1. 

1997 Millville on an old KX60. My dad signed me up for Supermini. Couldn't get up the first hill. 

Now, 3 weeks out from my first race in 7 years and first race in Thailand. Still not sure I'll be signed up for the correct class 

I think I was there that same day Magoo. Looks like the same background. 81 YZ465. 😀

2002 85cc class on a 1999 KX80, I grew up in a small mining town I smoked everyone there including the adults, our family moved to the city, lined up for my first race thinking I'm king shit, almost ripped the holeshot, the leader went down first turn watched him get ran over twice, 2 laps later that guy blew by me like it was nothing and it was all down hill from there ending up crying like a bitch.

That's when I learnt I had to work for things.

1974, I was 10 years old. Village Park, near Encinitas. Rubber band start. XR-75 in the beginner class. Construction boots, foam knee pads, work gloves, jeans and a sweatshirt.

I remember being right behind another guy the whole race and thinking I got second. Then realized the first three guys had just gapped us and disappeared, so I got fifth. I also remember just being so fugging stoked after the race! I mean just pumped. It was a total blast. (photo is not from the actual race, but a mid-week ride day on the same track.)

Side note story: I remember me and my brother were doing the usual kid things; bicycles, skateboarding, soccer, surfing, and our dad wanted to see if we would be into bikes. He asked us and we talked about taking care the bike, it being heavier, more responsibility, etc. So one evening he came home with an XR75 for us to share. I remember we were looking at it all starry eyed. My dad starts it, puts it in gear and putts around the front yard. I mean a little, tiny suburban front yard. I'll never forget this . .. . ME AND MY BROTHER JUST FREAKED THE FUGG OUT!!!!!!! It was like we had just watched space aliens in a UFO or something! I mean we were going bananas screaming and yelling, going bonkers. Mom comes running out of the house to see what all the commotion was about. We couldn't even talk we were so spazzed out. hahahhahaha That was 50 years ago. Still into bikes!

I got a late start racing. My friends and I rode a lot in the hills behind San Clemente when we were teenagers and went to Ocotillo and rode in the desert a lot starting in 1977 when I graduated and moved out of my parents house. My first race was at Carlsbad in 1993, I was 34 years old. We were talking with a local guy we knew who raced every weekend. (Dennis Rosenberg RIP) He was listening to us yak about how fast we were in the desert yada yada and he called us out and said why don't you guys race Carlsbad this weekend ? We say sure why not it'll be fun. So we follow him down there and he's showing us how and where to sign up etc. I asked what class I should sign up for, he says 30 beginner.  30 beginner ? That's not right I'll smoke those guys, I'm not a beginner I've been riding for years. I'm always the first guy back to camp, I've outrun the marines in their jeeps when we poached the fire roads on Pendleton, shit I can ride a wheelie and row gears, no way I'm a beginner. "Sign up beginner" and he kind of smiled. Ok it doesn't seem fair but ok whatever you say.  So our race comes and I lined up for my first gate drop ever, pretty convinced that I was going to smoke everyone. The gate dropped, I let out the clutch and before I went 3 feet I was getting peppered with more roost than I'd ever experienced in my whole life. At the end of the start straight I was ahead of 2 guys, my other 2 buddies who also thought the 3 of us would be all alone out front. We battled by ourselves until we eventually got lapped and bombarded with Carlsbad clay dirt clods for the second time. I had welts on my chest and arms, my face was sore from catching some on the snout. The second moto was a carbon copy of the first. We got scha-moked. Dennis thought it was the funniest shit he'd ever seen of course and was laughing about it for days. Yeah haha wait till next weekend, and then the next weekend, and then I was hooked and raced once or twice a month for the next 28 years.       

1979, on a YZ80F. Small country town in western Queensland, Australia. Still at it. 

My first was an arenacross in Wilkes-Barre in 2003. They had an amature portion where if you qualified during the day you got to race your main in the night show. Was running second on the second to last lap and fixing to make a move in the whoops the next lap, but I rolled the catapult and stalled my bike like an idiot, ended up fifth. I was in 250C on a 1997 YZ250, first gate drop I ever did was on the front row of an arenacross in front of a crowd, and somehow I got my picture in the paper the next day (no name credited though)! 

My first race was down at the motordrome speedway near new stanton pa. 125c class on my honda cr 125. gate drops head into the first turn and a big pile up. got ran over which caused a big tear in my jersey and a huge tire track across the back. got up and finished the race mid pack. good times !!

Must have been around '75 I had a Suzuki TS 250 took lights and blinkers off had a used nobby tire on the rear a buddy was throwing out. I heard of a moto race prob 8 miles from our home in Wisconsin, had to see this so I rode the ditches to the track, I snuck in and was watching from the woods, bikes came flying by and I was Holy Shit this is cool! couldn't stand it I had to do this..So I just threw the bike in gear and started racing! Ha next thing I know I see guys running onto the track waving flags at me they grab my bike and I ran, I hid in the woods and after awhile I went looking for my bike. Found it in the concession tent by the grill, I snuck under the tent and when it started on the first kick I was lucky, I tore off down the road and never looked back!

Growing up I had dirt bikes for ripping around the farm and trail riding (CT 70, XR 100, IT 200) but no racing and just a bit of (very slow and careful) riding on an MX track with the IT. Sold the bikes in my early 20s and never touched a bike again until I bought a used YZ 250 in 2015 at 44 years old as the kids were growing up and I needed a hobby. Decided to give racing a try on the local sand track in 2017 and went 4-3 in the beginner class (5 riders). From there I was hooked and have been racing regularly since. The MX community is just so fantastic to be part of!

Ride at Possum often.  Went to college with the owners son.  Some of my best friends.  I grew up riding there too when the actual Possum was around.

I already talked about it in the mud thread and a got a down thumb, but whatever. 

1979 in Clay City KY.  I'm on a '78 RM125 (as was pretty much the entire 125 class).  I showed up Saturday afternoon to practice and camp all that good stuff.  Track owner disc'ed the track deep while we were practicing and then it rained all night long.  If you have ever raced in KY you know all about that... well, shoot... CLAY City, huh?

Practice is cancelled and so the first time we've seen the track is the start.  125's are first.  So... we line up and on the start, I immediately slip off in the other's guys rut and get _plastered_ with mud. I'm not sure if tear-offs have been invented yet but if they were, I sure couldn't afford them.  I stopped to wipe the mud off so I could see and the entire field is piled up on the first corner.  I skirted them and took off.  I'm leading my first MX race!!!!  Yee-haw!!!  

I made it 1/2 way around the track and my poor RM just stopped dead in the middle of the track.  I let the clutch out and it just slipped and smoked.  We're stuck.  I can't even budge the thing.  I can't lift it, I can't rock it, I can't roll it.   Left the bike standing up in the middle of the track and walked up the grassy knoll.  A bit later, another 125 comes around and passes me.  He gets stuck a little bit past me in a corner.  That's it.  I think 1-2 250's  made it past us.

Then the open class!!!!  Dude on a big bore Maico comes ripping around!!!  He's flinging mud thousands of feet into the air and sliding all over the place.  But he made it!!!  2 entire laps and then time was up.  The ONLY guy to complete a lap!!!

I figured I got 2nd place but nooooo....  have to complete a lap.  Oh well.  Later on the track owner came along and pulled us all out with his tractor.  My bike weighed 10,000 lbs and we tossed it in the farm pond to get some of the mud off so I could ride it back to the trailer.  Good times. 

Sweeeeeet!  

Oh man, 2005 racing in District 37 for the opening National Hare and Hound championship in California. Running a 1991 KX 80 against 2005 85s, my bike sucked so much. Somehow got a good start and ended up finishing 3rd. I blew those fork seals almost every race that year and ran that kawi to a couple engine rebuilds, it was great.

First actual motocross track race was at Glen Helen for the Big 6 GP series in '05. Racing the main track and then 9ish miles through those hills was one of the coolest things I got to do. Such a badass track.

1979, District 3, Broome Tioga. Had to be in April as it was a mudder.  0-200 Novice class.  First moto was so excited to be on that gate, forgot to snick it into gear and was last to the first turn.  Navigating those hills in the mud was a chore. Just tried to finish both motor, hooked for life! Plus no powerwashers then.  Literally took bikes to the small creek to wash off best we could.  Still riding with 4-5 of the same guys that were there that day 45 years later, crazy!  Had a '78 YZ125E purchased the  fall earlier that I rode the wheels off of in '79 and '80 and raced 4-5 times 

1993 Sleepy Hollow MX, 80cc 12-13 year old class on a 1984 XR80.  Ruts up to the handle bars, or so it seemed.  Bike didn’t make it through practice. Dad took pity and we came back a year later on a bitchin new KX80.

My first race was in 1989 at Maplehurst in northern IL. I was racing a 1983 CR80 as it was all I could afford at the time ($300). My parents never heard of motox before that day. 
I was way too tall to be riding an 80…

 

My first bike was also an 83' CR80, purchased used in 1988 for $500 and I was also too tall for mine. LOL!

I'll start at the beginning because I think it's worth telling.

I was just an 11 year old kid riding in the sand pits when my Mother said she wanted me to be a safer rider. She talked about sending me 3000 miles away to the Suzuki School of Motocross. In her research she found out that Gary Bailey was coming to a track in Rhode Island only an hour away from us. When she called someone to sign me up, the lady on the phone said well why don't you see if he likes racing before spending the money on a school.? Turns out the lady she called ran the NEMA racing organization.

Next thing I know I was outside sweeping the driveway when she came out and said "Hey you're going to the Gary Bailey Motocross school next month... and by the way, I also signed you up for your first race!... its in 2 weeks."

WHAT??!!

Anyway, I was 11 and was riding new 78 YZ100 that was way too big for me. At my first race, in Lunenburg Ma, I found out quick that kids my age were racing 80cc bikes. Everyone on 100s was 15-17. I got dead last. The track referee told my Mom I was going to get hurt out there and I should be on an 80. Well, next thing you know after 3 weeks, (2 races finishing dead last and 1 Gary Bailey MX school later) I showed up with a new 78 YZ80e in Claverack NY and got my first top 5.

Thanks Mom... RIP.

My buddy and I drove with no map or clear directions to a track an hour away. We found it luckily and had time to sign in. He was 18, but I was only 16 so I forged my dad's signature. I had on an ebay helmet, Fox gloves, Oakley goggles, blue jeans, tee shirt, hoodie, and lace up work boots. A friend's dad saw me and gave me a chest protector and a pair of used Tech 8's. My bike fouled the plug on the starting line and he came over and changed it for me. I only got 2 of 5 laps that Moto. The 2nd moto I crashed hard in the whoops, but got up and finished. I had just rebuilt my forks and I used 20wt oil because I thought that's what you needed for moto...  😅 I crashed several times from tank slappers before I figured it out. 

NEMA fall MX Jamboree 1980, Lunenberg, Ma. 1980 XR 80 in under 12 begginer class. Third overall out of maybe 1/2 dozen. Arctic Cat helmet and Full Bore boots.10 years old, raced until I was 42.

2002 at Steel City was the first race I signed up for. I was 9 years old on a KTM 65 in the 65 7-9 class and had barely been on a track before. We show up and couldn't believe how fast the kids were going. I practiced only and didn't race because my dad thought i'd get landed on (probably a good call).

First actual gate drop was a few weeks later at a track called Field of Dreams in Pennsylvania. Missed the gate drop becuase my dad didn't realize how early you were supposed to go up to the gate. We knew nobody, pitted out of the back of a Suburban, and completely winged it, electrical tape numbers and all. I remember how muddy it was that day, and my mom reacting to how muddy the inside of the Suburban was thanks to hauling the bike in it. 

Not long after that my dad had the full moto bug and was upgrading to a truck and trailer.

1st moto - Didn't know you had to hold the front brake with the clutch in. Crept forward and got stuck in the gate.

2nd moto - Was a contrete start. Didn't know to sit back and baby it off the line. Did a burnout and almost hit about 3 guys.

Finished both motos like 2nd or 3rd from last. Learned a lot though