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How many times did Bubba lap you?
84 CR500 and this was my 1st national. In 1985 I blew out my shoulder and knee so my body was all down hill after that.
Nice, man! How did you like Steel City? I’ve heard that was McGrath‘s favorite track.
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I have that shirt.
I ran the Hangtown qualifiers in 1980 and 1981. In ‘80 I was mid pack and didn’t qualify.
In ‘81 on my R&D RM125X (81 was my best year by far) I was running P2 in the qualifier and burned the water pump on the last lap. AMA pro #516.
Close but no cigar.
And damn, that was a LONG time ago.
What was your number, I rode the stock class and was number 114.
1986 here in Australia, I did sneak onto the starting line at a 125cc Championship event, I got black flagged on the 2nd lap, and got a stern talking to. ( I wasn't running last!).
I was #158 on a Yamaha. Worst week of my life, mod bike blew up, crashed and got hurt. Stock bike was a toilet, had biblical rain. Bought a Kawasaki as soon as we got home
Yea, I wasn't used to the Tennessee humidity and after practice I went and bought one of those Fox terry cloth ice vests (looked more like a flap jacket) and filled it up. Right before the first moto sitting on the line, we had that torrential downpour. I was sitting there freezing sitting in the rain with that vest loaded with ice, after that moto I was sick the rest of the week. Had a decent first moto, but moto two and three weren't very good.
Cool, what years?
No but I rode the pro tracks in California between SX and Outdoors when all the pros were preparing for outdoors, let's just say I had no business being on the track. Trying to learn a heavily watered track at 8am and Jason Anderson is wide open upside down looking back at me on the limiter
I know its not the question but in 1985 I made the 125 main event in Orlando Florida and the Rose bowl .I rode the YZ 125 which really sucked that year
Millville, Washougal and unadilla 2022.
I was the guy who hit Roger de coster in the first corner 😅
Than went to redbud and Southwick in 2023. I think 15 and 16th overall and raced the next day in gopher dunes Canada and podiumed.
Well, our litte punk rock privateer team "Moto XXX" not only qualified for and raced a lot of nationals but we actually WON the 2001 Red Bud National. Our rider Larry "Big Bird" Ward went 2-2 for the overall and we beat James Stewart! Insane to think about. And, we were the first team to get a national win on a 250f 4 stroke! We accomplished a lot as a team during our 13 years in existance.
You could read all about it right here if you're interested...
https://pulpmx.com/2014/07/24/moto-xxx-the-complete-oral-history/
If I remember right Larry was riding a yamaha 250f.and he really looked good on that bike .Of course I remember that team.Kenny something,maybe Watson. Kyle rode for you guys. Great team
1999, 2000 few other yrs one off events
Thumpernats for yrs too
SX series
Reedy, Byrner, Hurley, Ando, King bros, Dean Burt, Steven Andrews etc
Epitome of a Vital Forum Member. Can't qualify for a National - Spends the whole day behind a keyboard bagging on "whats his name".
Click Down vote here 👇
Pit Row
Awesome days, but you forgot Sharky! Aussie moto was in a good spot during that era.
I was involved then but only at a state level in Qld, though we may have crossed paths, cheers.
Raced Aus A grade (pro) up till 94. Was on the grid with Jeff Leisk from Jnrs to top grade Mr Mx. Back in 80-83 on the line when Glover, Smith, Bell, Staten, Sun, Gibson, LaPorte, Reid and a smattering of top euros including Rond.
I had lots of friends who I raced with in 125 B who beat me handily. They went on to the pros and got smoked. That crushed my dreams of ever getting up to national speed.
Where is Joel Dengler at? Jersey guy who had some impressive national, and supercross results.
And a lot of those results came on a DKNY Husqvarna 250.
I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure Zoom raced a few back in his day.
Bruceton Mills, WV. 1975 250 national 125 support race. I was riding a 75 125 Elsinore with the shocks moved up by laycock welding in Indianapolis. Rained like a mofo the night before but I have always ridden well in the mud. I made the program and had a killer start which I have been very good at. At 5' 3" and 130 lbs that really helps as well. Great start top 5 into the 1sr turn and got my front wheel taken out and broke my thumb when I fell. I finished the moto but was way, way back. I just couldn't hold on with the broken thumb and called it a day. Jon Leak won that day on a new in country Yamaha YZ 125 monoshock. Damn that Yamaha was fast and was great in a straight line. Experience of a lifetime but missed three months with the thumb and realized a life racing professionally wasn't going to happen. I was 17 at the time and had been on a 125 for 2 years. Raced nearly every weekend with Duane Dryer (finished in the top 10 of a 125 national along with Phil Alderton (same finish as Duane and owned Honda/Yamaha of Troy). Never beat either one but had some close finishes on my best track in Winchester, Indiana. Sorry for the dissertation, lol. Oh yeah, it was sick riding practice that day with the 250's and all the guys I had been reading about in the magazines. Did win several AHRMA regionals and won one AHRMA national in the 90's. Raced against Brad Lackey and Tommy Benolkin in Missouri at an AHRMA regional back then.
Awesome, vmx503. 503 was my rookie national number.
A few in 1986 and 1987. I figured out pretty quickly that I wasn’t going to make a living doing it, so I headed off to college. Best decision I ever made.
Thanks so much Mark. My number was 168 as you can see on my KRW helmet. That helmet is 51 years old! Ironically, my address was Box 168 lol. When I got my pro license, I was really excited after all the work to get it. Got the microfilm health info done and it was such an awesome feeling. I raced against Mark Barnett a few times in 1974. He rode a sleeved 100 elsinore and a 125. At Red Bud, he was to my right on the start line and we were inside as back then, it was a right hand first turn. He was a bike length ahead through the first turn, 1st and 2nd and then he was gone! I could not believe he could ride so fast. Keep in mind, I was racing against guys who made the top ten in the 125 nationals but man he was a true talent.
Love old moto stories like that! I also raced Mark Barnett later on in 1983. I also had 4 top 10 national moto finishes in 1983, a 6th, 8th and two 10's.
When I was at Pala this year watching the morning practice sessions I sent my brother a text message that said something like this:
“The talent level of the slowest 3 digit guy is insane! You would not believe how fast everyone on the track is going”
I’m not blowing smoke up your ass but if you are on the track in any form on a National race day you are an extremely talented rider.
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