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Jermey Garges (spelling?). He was an A class rider, senior in high school while I was a freshman. He still said hi and pumped me up for doing the finish line double at Flying Dutchman. Funny the shit you remember
Nice!!
Tony Summey, Ashworth, and Sam had some battles.
Robby Neeley was part of that crowd too.
Yep. Saw some great racing during those years. Remember Sam leading the national at Metrolina?
In the mid 70’s as a kid I only cared about mini riders and from our area, South La., and Ben Theriot was the guy to beat. His photo recently popped up in the Healy thread. He had a rival named Fritz Haddoch (sp.) that would battle tooth and nail and jump the jumps at Ticfaw motocross farther than anyone on any size bike. Neither made big though. I think Ben qualified for a few nationals. Next would have been Don Hudson in the early 80’s. Then came Windham who could wax damn near any local A on his 80. Was a sight to see. Good times!
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Don’t forget Ricky Granville, Ellis was my first, The goal was not to get lapped in a six lap race.
I was wondering if I was gonna be the only one to name drop Jimmy Lauer! Man, he was good at all the D7 tracks, but at Big Berm he was untouchable.
Lance Johnson in the mid 80s, Oxnard Ca. He and his Mechanic Denis Chapman or Chatman (i think) would hook us up with chemicals and good used left over gear & parts. He'd take my cousin to practice with him and sold a friend a nice Bike for a good price.
Tommy Watts
Heh, I’ve met Randy Shekell a few times. Friends with my dad. Always heard stories about him growing up and I believe he has/had one of my dad’s restored CZ’s.
Brian Mason was the local guy coming up at the time I started riding. Stone brothers, Demuth, and Emig’s brother would all turn up too for some races in and around St. Louis.
Mine is (was?) a vital member. Joe Bruce.
This was circa 1993 and Joe worked at Dublin Kawasaki. After watching him race a few times I had to have some Dublin Kawasaki stickers on my bike too so I worked up a little resume and went in there looking to get "sponsored" (haha!). Joe gave me a sticker pack and a 10% discount. I was stoked!
Growing up at Saddleback Park, Gaylon Mosier was the local guy in the 70's with great style and attitude.
Brad Hagseth.
I was a B class new to racing nobody who got to practice and pit with him quite a few times. He was a class act. No ego. Super helpful and generous. Never missed his motos.
Jim Anderson tore apart my carburetor (fixed my jetting issue) on the side of the track between motos at Albany one time. That was pretty cool. Won my next race. Got a surly nod. Better than any trophy.
Around here it was Wyman Priddy, Bobby Pickard, Danny Doss, Tim Riddle, Jody Foust, Dickey Turnbo, Jeff Kring, Kirk Spencer, Kent Howerton, anyone on either the TLC or H&H Music teams including Steve Hackney and Lyle Lovett. (Yes. *THAT* Lyle Lovett). I left probably a couple of hundred out. The Texas MX Brotherhood is still going very strong.
YesSir !
Joe and I worked together and hung out at the races for a lot of years. He hauled ass!
I remember Larry back in 1983, had an orange seat on his kawi. Him and Lowell Thompson were absolute rippers at tracks like colville and sandpoint .they had some wicked duels.
I’d add Joe Burke to that list. And about twice a year Shan Niday would show up and haul.
Also, the first time I ever saw Guy Cooper was at an NMA qualifier at Possum Hollow.
You are right now that I think about it (dusting off the bong resin and hops off of my brain). When Larry was hucking that nutty double at Thurston County, he was on either an '86 or '87 YZ125. I guess I do not remember his old KX80s being that old.. Even the rear suspension on those bikes was funky early iterations of the uni-trak. Either way, local legend for sure!
Cheers!
Pit Row
Same, and also my buddy Joel Dengler.
The first for me would've been Dusty Emerson here in Missouri. Could go way fast, and had style for days. Always loved watching him ride. We also had Jack Jones around here that was never scared to send it!
Mike Brown, He was completely unstoppable at Muddy Creek in the 90's. On 125 or 250 either. I couldn't believe how fast he was at that place.
Indeed! A buddy of mine ended up with a Dengler UFO jersey, I think it was number 65 if memory serves correct. Suzuki days for sure
Brad Woolsey back in the mid 90s at Burleson MX. I still think about how insane his cornering skills were in the ruts on the night tracks (mosier, village, weatherford etc) Very talented and great guy
As others have stated above I will never forget watching the pro's at lake whitney hitting those sand whoops.. Woolsey, Billy Whitley, Roy Schellenburger, Dennis Hawthorne, Billy Akers, Reynard, etc were all a sight to behold hitting that section!! If memory serves me correctly Hawthorne did it best. Thanks op, great post!
Mike Treadwell. My dad used to talk like this about Jimmy Ellis, though.
No joke. I recall a race there where Mike, Neese, Lowe, Childress and maybe even Chester, beat Lusk and Buehl. Mikey beat RC there.... Carmichael came off the track crying. I saw it with my own eyes.
You want to talk legacy at Muddy Creek though, Wirehead has to be in the conversation. He was at or near the front of every race he entered there for 30 years or so. Well, everywhere else he raced as well.
I was lucky enough to race Spockets and Indian Dunes in the late 70s, I got to see a lot of local hero’s. Guys like Tim Locey, Mike Shoemaker, Steve Schmitz, Bobby Kline, Kenny Zarht and so many more.
But in 79 there was something special about about watching Donnie Hansen on a Can Am that I just loved watching.
Then in late 79 Johnny O, who was a great local rider at the time showed up on a white Mugen, that was as cool as it gets.
Kids today just have no idea how cool it was back then.
I believe Bradshaw beat him at muddy creek the year they ran the track backwards.
After leaving Team Green fall 86 He was on Yamaha support ride in 87 and 88 before getting Team Honda for 1989.
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