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"At the end of 1979, DiStefano seriously injured his eye in a home construction accident. Despite being nearly blind in one eye, he made a valiant come back. Afterwards, injuries began to take their toll and DiStefano retired from competition after the 1981 season."
I would've bet the farm on that one 🥴
Blake Wharton (various) + guitar 🙂
Grant Langston (eye)
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James Marshall
Robbie Reynard
Trey Canard
Blair Morgan - paralyzed
Great on a snowmobile!
Fire fighter now.
Shane Lusk
Bobby Kiniry
Jason Ciarletta
Ben Townley
Michael Byrne
Bobby Bonds
Jimmy Button
Tim Aston
Brandon Hartranft
Bob Hannah
Didn't "end" his career, but that broken leg while water-skiing at Havasu with Tripes occurred at the height of his career (much like RJ) and robbed him of a fair amount of "what could have been".
Almost forgot - Brad Lackey ~ won 500CC World Championship (major resume' stain) and that was that
I was going to list him but I thought he came back stronger than ever after that. Was leading SX upon his return and hurt his wrist costing him the title. Always had bad ankles...
"Last season, Hannah had more injuries than victories. He broke his pelvis in two places, his wrist twice, an ankle and two ribs."
“In 1983, I won more races than anyone. In 1984, I broke more bones than anyone. If I have another year like last year, I’m through. The only rewards are winning and money. Winning is fun.”
Good old Bob 🙂
https://motocrossactionmag.com/flashback-friday-you-remember-the-ones-y…
Some interesting stories in this article...
To inject some light heartedness into this thread...
Nearly every 450 racer pre-2020 (burn out)
Either the retire in your mid 20's was a phase or now the retire in your mid 30's in a phase. Time will tell but I have a feeling we will be seeing more of the "exit in your 30's" moving forward.
Jeff Emig (Back)...
On December 30, 1999, at the track of fellow Yamaha rider and neighbor Stephane Roncada in Riverside County, California, Emig came up short on a triple jump, reportedly snapping both forearms above the wrist. The end of Emig's career came on May 4, 2000, when he was preparing for the National Motocross Championship later that year. Emig suffered another horrific crash where he crushed a vertebra in his back and compound fractured his right lower leg, forcing him into retirement.
His last ever win came at the 1999 US Open of Supercross. Just 2 years earlier, in 1997, Emig won everything. 250 SX, 250 MX, King of Bercy, MXON. I was a massive fan back in the day. A sad way to go out.
Another great rider who often slips through the cracks of these conversations...
Pit Beirer, now at KTM in Europe of course.
Pit Row
Ernesto Fonseca, paralysed
Brian Moreau.. Didn't even get the chance to really start his pro career..
Justin Weeks
Weston Peick. Damn we were there in Paris and I was just over watching dirtbikes for a while
Jake Weimer - went from 450 podiums to injury...injury...injury......
Broc Hepler
Adriana Chechik.
No sarcasm here…at least on my end, but why was winning the 500cc World Championship a “major resume stain” for Bad Brad? Did it stereotype him as a GP rider or make him too “Euro” for US factory teams (except for Kawasaki) to consider?
I know it's not funny if you have to explain it but maybe it's one of those "guess you had to be there" events.
It was meant as a joke because of how ironic it was that Brad finally achieved what he'd been after for all those years (and those who weren't around back then probably can't appreciate the situation and circumstance of being an American MXer attempting to win the 500 World Title and also be the first American to win it; Yanks weren't really considered a threat back then by the Euros), only to be out of a factory ride for the next season with no real offers from other teams. The joke was that by winning the title he ended his career.
I'll see myself out...
Henry was already retired from moto when he got hurt.
Our guys were beaten pretty soundly in the 97 MXoN , Emig in particular rode poorly in the final moto . Great year otherwise though and great career.
Correction, not paralyzed but (broken back) which led to brief retirement before subsequently returning and then becoming paralyzed.
Henry had his first major success in 1993 as a member of Team Honda, where he claimed the 125 East Supercross and the 125 National Championship. In 1994, he repeated as champion in the nationals. He moved to the premier 250cc division for 1995, where he was immediately competitive, winning Supercross mains and outdoor overalls, before a devastating injury at Budds Creek, Maryland ended his season. Henry was slipping off the back of the bike on the face of a hill, inadvertently applying full throttle, launching him off the hill, causing him to fall from nearly 80 feet in the air to flat ground. Henry's back was broken."
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