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It really is insane to see the local fast guy try and qualify and not even make it! Mich respect for anyone that even holds a card
I did the 250 class that same year at Saddleback Park… I got 13th overall. I was probably the top finishing guy who bought his own tires and entry fee.
It was one and done for me. Back then, there were no satellite teams except for team Tamm I think it was.
2nd and 4th overall World Mini GP Saddleback 1981
3rd and 5th overall Ponca City 1982
Before Loretta’s was a thing.
My only claim to fame. Yep I’m old. One year at Ponca it was pouring rain for 2 days. Shortly before the gate drop, my mechanic brought a bed sheet full of dry dirt and dumped out on my gate. Worked perfect.
Qualified at Hangtown a few years in the early 90's. Qualified in 91, DNS either moto to save my bike from the river going through the track lol.
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My pops tried to qualify for Gainesville a few times, maybe another here or there but I can’t remember off the top of my head. Never made the motos though.
I used to ride with a guy on weekdays that qualified for a good amount of nationals and ran 30th-40th in the 450 class. There were times he passed me where I really couldn’t make sense of how you could go any faster or ask anything more out of a motorcycle. To think 30th for him at a national was a “great day” is pretty mind boggling. He was on a Yamaha and we rode at Florida Tracks and Trails that was all deep sandy loam. He sounded like ET3 on the Star bike with how wide open he was.
Nice! Thanks to Joeynovice and his killer website smxmuse, we know you rode a Yamaha and finished one place behind factory Suzuki's George Holland! That's awesome!
I qualified for the 500 class at the USGP at Unadilla in 1984. I went 18/19, but ended up 21st Overall and was so bummed they only put the top 20 in Cycle News. A couple went 15 and something to score a couple more points and knocked me back. I entered the national at Gaterback 1985, but didn't qualify. I remember lining up between Danny LaPorte and David Bailey in the qualifier feeling badly outtalented (if that is a word lol). I made it in the 500 lineup at the Six Flags national due mainly to attrition due to heat related dropouts. I dropped out also. That was the hottest race in my life. Eric Kehoe won one moto and ended up going to the hospital after it for heat prostration.
Raced only local money classes, & Muddy Creek Masters Of Motocross.on bikes...
BUT, I was first alternate at the 1986 GatorBack National, two day format - Three-Wheel 250 pro Class...Jimmy White's Factory Kawi teammate Steve Mendenhal on the Tecate broke his collar bone in front of me, I dislocated my shoulder in the semi... popped arm back in place to finish - made it as an alternate. Next day, main evet motos,,,, announcer introducing the racers one one by one, he introduces me and I was sitting in the stands. They failed to notify me of the vacancy...or I forgot to ask. :-/. So I made the mains ...kinda.
Team Honda's Marty Hart killed everyone.
Lawyers killed the sport thereafter...
83 250 National at Lake Whitney. Wadded up the first lap of the first moto. Got up a lap down and finished 30th. Second moto was running about 15th and tipped over at the 20 minute mark. Took all the wind out of my sale. Rode around for a lap or two still in the top 20, finally pulled off. Close to heat stroke. Still kinda regret it to this day.
Made 5 SX night shows and close to a main in the 80's in the 250 class.
Here is a rare shot David Bailey out of shape lapping me late in the first moto of the 83 250 National at Whitney.
If you always wanted to & never did. Just race the 125 open class guys with pro cards on the gate , kids that live at training camps. 125 cc only, the top 12 at bigger races hv national speed of yrs ago. You get to experience the intensity & there very clean riders, in control & it’s a Blast.
I'm friends with Felix Lopez (best finish: 16th at Pala in 2022), and I've ridden with him on the same tracks in Mexico. The speed differential was insane, I felt like a total squid. What's even crazier is that the top guys were putting gaps on him. Having that firsthand reference really puts into perspective how unbelievably fast the elite riders are. It's hard to wrap your head around it.
Millville twice on 125, and Red Bud once on 250
What's considered a "member"? Frequent the site often? Or just talk shit in the forums? Is there an official initiation with a patch I can wear at my local track... Asking for a friend
Road atlanta 1981 and 1982 250cc class, Buds creek 1996 250cc class.
Love your Brandon Layton tat 👍
I raced the 1985 500 class at Gatorback on the new 1st year single shock Husqvarna 500CR and it threw the chain going into the 1st turn in the qualifier. Pushing the bike back to the pits Dick Burelson the then new Husqvarna SX/MX team manger with Micky Diamond saw me and he took my bike and said meet me back on the line for the LCQ. They quickly put a new chain guide, chain and sprockets on it. I got my Usual mid pack bad start but quickly moved up into a qualifying position only for it to throw the dam chain again.
BTW in 1984 we were racing as a Pro-Am with red numbers where we had to race in the Saturday Am races (night at Red Bud) to qualify to then race the next day. I had raced at 1AM only to be back at the track at 7 AM to get into the pits in my old Krispy Cream van.
Pit Row
Does flat track count? Then yes
Lump, any truth that Pierre Karsmaker’s works RC250 is at the bottom of a quarry in gatorback?
Yes, in 1984 I was 942 with red numbers. In 1985 I asked for 117 and got that number because Billy Liles and I were kind of friends and had a lot of mutual friends. It was yellow plates with black numbers then.
Which one did you qualify for? Lol
This Sean Hamblin guy is such a jokester lol
At the time I was disappointed. My goal was top 10. But when I look back at it now…That wasn’t too bad! I remember feeling like I was at a significant disadvantage with my front drum brake, when all the factories had just switched to hydraulic/discs. George Holland probably crashed or had some mechanical issues.
100% you were at a huge disadvantage with those drum brakes vs disc.
Right!?…lol. Thanks for the vote of confidence. I could’ve done better. I could’ve been somebody!
lol! You are somebody
Front Drum brakes on both motorcycles and cars are merely a suggestion to stop. 😂
I have similar experiences with Carson Brown. Tough to wrap your head around guys like him getting lapped in a moto
I tried my hands at Unadilla, budds creek, southwick, red bud 2, Ironman and WW. As someone else mentioned earlier. I’m also not a one lap speed person so never made it. Was a surreal experience. Also did Canada and qualified skin of my teeth at times but best finish was a 26th in the 450s up there. Goes to show it’s not always about a speed you can’t maintain.
I raced at the Australian “Vets Nationals” 2009?. Run with the Nationals at selected rounds.
Got lapped by Jimmy Ellis!
Raced a National Championship round of road racing - SS300 2018. While I was slowest: it was an experience I’ll never forget. Racing as a support class at the World Superbike Championship meeting, on the legendary Phillip Island circuit.
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