Amateur National Championship Series - The first year.

ferrellmc
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ferrellmc 12/11/2010 5:39am
12/11/2010 5:39am
Hi FLvet, I do remember Rock and Gary Bayus but don't recall Bobby Johnson. Pete Wolfe is in Wva. His mom and dad are in their 90's. I spoke with his mom about 3 months ago.

I have 3 daughters so motocross wasn't in the cards for the next generation. I have a passion for photography, did some shooting at Budd's for the last 2 years. Some pics are on my facebook of the pro nationals.

I also posted in the forum thread "Old Maryland Photos"

bulldog - you mentioned David Allan, I don't know him.
JimmyD123
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JimmyD123 12/12/2010 6:09am
12/12/2010 6:09am
Ferrell, I went to the Gary Bailey MX School in 1978 in Axton, VA. and while talking with David Bailey, I asked him who was his toughest local rival and he said Ferrell McCollough. He also stated, "I love racing that guy, he never shuts off for the corners" . Pretty good comment on your speed from the "Little Professor". By the way, after watching David circulate the track on his Bultaco, it looked like he never shut off either, he looked unbeatable.

Also, I am trying to restore a '76 CR125 with the FMF kit mods, any chance you could post of picture of your FMF tricked out CR125 that you rode to the '76 championship?. Thanks.
cloverdale
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cloverdale 12/12/2010 8:52am
12/12/2010 8:52am
Keep in mind the first year (75) was a big shock for a number of us... Most of us in Iowa had never really raced out of state. When we went to the first event in Milville, MN we had never seen someone with the speed of Barnett. We went from being able to win the expert class to not being able to stay on the same lap!!! I can still remember Barnett's rear fender (he used a white MR fender)!!!! The sand wash was also a big challenge compared to Iowa's black loam. It is still neat how this part of the track is still around 35 years later (I wonder if there are still TM nuts and bolts laying at the bottom of the sand)!!
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Highsider
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Highsider 12/12/2010 11:42am
12/12/2010 11:42am
What a great thread, guys!
Thanks to all for the memories and stories.

The Shop

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ferrellmc
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ferrellmc 12/12/2010 12:17pm
12/12/2010 12:17pm
David was up and coming back then, he really had the talent to take it all the way. He earned the respect of all in the sport.

Here's the bike I rode in the 76 Amateur National at Carlsbad. It went to Mac at FMF the week before, he bored it and put in the largest piston possible and jetted it. They rode it and said it was the fastest 125cc they worked on.

FMF head and pipe, Marzocchi forks (I loved them), I don't recall the name of the aluminum swing arm or the shocks (maybe Fox, anybody know?). I recall removing the stock number plate and putting on my own. I had Tony D boots on here.


TG130
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TG130 12/12/2010 9:09pm
12/12/2010 9:09pm
The shocks are Fox Airs.
over the hill
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over the hill 12/13/2010 7:06am
12/13/2010 7:06am
...and cross up swing arm (says so on the swing arm label). Very sweet looking bike.
I have always been very impressed by Ferrell McCollough wining consecutive AMA National Amateur titles in different classes.
FLvet
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FLvet 12/13/2010 11:20am
12/13/2010 11:20am
Hey Tommy good to see you in here too. Mike Menefee here.
NetMXer
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NetMXer 12/13/2010 2:06pm
12/13/2010 2:06pm
When I saw your location listed as Gainsville, I was wondering if that was you Mike. I had assumed you moved back to MD after graduating but I guess you stayed south.
FLvet
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FLvet 12/14/2010 9:49am
12/14/2010 9:49am
Nope still here. Martha is in Miami and mom and dad are in Sarasota. Nancy is in Baltimore.
NetMXer
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NetMXer 12/16/2010 11:17am
12/16/2010 11:17am
Ferrell, here's some pics of a bike another Vital member is selling. Looks fairly close to what you raced.







xnationalwrench 12/16/2010 11:54am
12/16/2010 11:54am
NetMXer wrote:
Ferrell, here's some pics of a bike another Vital member is selling. Looks fairly close to what you raced. [img]http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g152/tbteam11/IMG_8048.jpg[/img] [img]http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g152/tbteam11/IMG_8043.jpg[/img] [img]http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g152/tbteam11/IMG_8045.jpg[/img] [img]http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g152/tbteam11/IMG_8044.jpg[/img]
Ferrell, here's some pics of a bike another Vital member is selling. Looks fairly close to what you raced.







FMF used and sold Thor swingarms
ferrellmc
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ferrellmc 12/16/2010 1:11pm
12/16/2010 1:11pm
omg that's amazing, it sure brings back memories. That bike looks brand new, to nice for motocross. Nice to see the engine detail too, I recall those brake pedals with the bushings that would wear. It still was a bike ahead of its time. Congrats to the mx'er that restored it.
slowvet
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slowvet 12/16/2010 4:13pm
12/16/2010 4:13pm
Any of you Md. vets remember a guy by the name of Harris? I want to say Kevin Harris but I'm not sure that was his first name. He was the first "pro" I ever met from that area around the same era you guys are talking about.
FLvet
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FLvet 12/17/2010 11:51am
12/17/2010 11:51am
slowvet wrote:
Any of you Md. vets remember a guy by the name of Harris? I want to say Kevin Harris but I'm not sure that was his...
Any of you Md. vets remember a guy by the name of Harris? I want to say Kevin Harris but I'm not sure that was his first name. He was the first "pro" I ever met from that area around the same era you guys are talking about.
Kenny Harris out of Adelphi MD?
slowvet
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slowvet 12/17/2010 1:40pm
12/17/2010 1:40pm
Red haired guy, think he got his novice pro licsense in Virginia. I met him at a bar in DC where he was a dj. Not sure why he stopped racing. Early to mid 70s at the latest. Wish I could remember his first name.
GeorgeMcNamara 12/17/2010 10:45pm
12/17/2010 10:45pm
Hey all,

Photos of the 250cc start at Lake Suger Tree 1977.





David Bailey won the 250 class in Atlanta in 1978. I know this because he roosted on my face! - Number 40 on the outside...blue helmet, white visor, white sleeves.



More photos here

George
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ferrellmc
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ferrellmc 12/18/2010 5:54pm
12/18/2010 5:54pm
George, Very cool that you posted these, thank you, I'm on the far right #37 at the lake sugar tree. I do recall the heavy rains the night before made for a slick track but great berms as they dried.
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Pit Row

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GeorgeMcNamara 12/18/2010 10:06pm
12/18/2010 10:06pm
Hi Ferrell,

My pleasure. Glad you found yourself in the photo. Please feel free to download the photo and keep it. None of the photos on my site are protected or water marked.

I count about 20 guys in that photo. I seem to remember it was a full gate of 40+ racers who all wanted to be in that muddy first turn at the same time Woohoo

By the way, 33 years later, I can finally say, congratulations on the win!

George
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GeorgeMcNamara 10/10/2011 11:40pm
10/10/2011 11:40pm
I posted a dozen more photos of the 1977 Lake Sugar Tree Am-Nats,

Have a look



Thx, George
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lumpy790
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lumpy790 10/11/2011 9:07am
10/11/2011 9:07am
Great to see all the MD/VA guys posting.
TX24
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TX24 10/22/2011 10:06am
10/22/2011 10:06am
I grew up in Effingham Il. My friend the late Joe Bender finished 8th at that race in Carlsbad in the 250 class. He later finished about 12th at one of the East coast pro nationals in about 1978. He had a really nice bike with Simons forks, Fox Swingarm, and 17.5" Fox Shocks. He would put blue fenders on his Suz. so his mom could spot him on the track with all the yellow bikes.
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popwua
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popwua 10/30/2012 6:43pm
10/30/2012 6:43pm
CD wrote:
Don't know if you would remember me, Chip Didlake, hung with Ted Fischer, Tom Bellamy Gene Baehner, always ran into you and your dad at Winchester.
All I know is never pick you up early Sunday morning for a race after eating 15 white castles the night before! By the way you ran into a lot more than that! Smile . AND.........NO ONE wants to hear your famous story about wherever that track was! Smile )))). Hope things are good in CA!
CD
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CD 11/1/2012 9:16am
11/1/2012 9:16am
Lewisburg, how could you forget! And don't be hatin on those White Castle mornings, that took some serious work. Your number stll 0236?
ExD38MXr
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ExD38MXr 6/22/2019 8:24am
6/22/2019 8:24am
Raced the '75 & '76 Amateur Nationals representing District 38 250 class.(socal San Diego area) Made a road trip in '75 to Baldwin KS Championship with Ron Wesolak(open class) and Gene Foster(250 class). What an awesome experience it was! Met a lot of nice riders from all over, willing to help each other even if you were their competition. Had a partial sponsorship with KMC; rode a box-stock 1975 KX250A, same bike that is in my profile pic.(taken at 'The Ledge', Carlsbad Raceway qualifier race for AMA Amateur Natls 1975) I remember D38 250 class did pretty well with Mike McGowan 1st, Jeff Matthews 6th, and me 9th. Been so long, I can't remember where I put the results, maybe someone has them here. I believe Dave Despain was the AMA narrator/presenter at the Holiday Inn Awards Banquet after the race.(he had more hair then, like most of us!! Ha!) Raced the same bike in the 1976 Natl's, with different rear shocks laid down a little/Cerriani forks, and a little porting. Ended ed up 12th that year at the Carlsbad final. Almost went to the '77 Natl's but just bought a new house/got new job/about to get married to my first(and only)wife/and KMC was cutting back on their sponsorship's.......No regrets whatsoever! Still have that '75 KX250A that I bought from David @ Quincy Kawasaki in El Cajon; restoring it as we speak. You all have a BRAPPY day, thanks for sharing the memories!..Moto on!
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formermxer
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formermxer 7/31/2021 1:54pm
7/31/2021 1:54pm Edited Date/Time 7/31/2021 2:12pm
cloverdale wrote:
The very first National Amateur Championship was in 1975 (Magoo, Barnett, etc). Anyone else out there that rode the series.?Millville, Indianapolis Raceway Park and Effingham, Ill...
The very first National Amateur Championship was in 1975 (Magoo, Barnett, etc). Anyone else out there that rode the series.?Millville, Indianapolis Raceway Park and Effingham, Ill were the Midwest locations.
I was at the 1975 ama amateur nationals representing district 20 (DFW Texas area). Had the qualifiers at millville, indy and effingham. Was in the 125 class and have no paper trail of the qualifying but did place 5th overall at the nationals. Barnet was very fast, I do not think he lapped me, I had to start on second row in the first moto which netted me 13th, front row 2nd moto-8th ,front row 3rd moto- 5th. At this time Lynn Nickerson (famous announcer)was working at Honda of Marshall Texas and got me the sponsorship for my nationals experience.
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