The 70’s

oldnescVet
Posts
162
Joined
12/5/2023
Location
By The Sea, CT US
6/24/2026 1:35am
Kenny Banyan 1971 first year racing.

Kenny Banyan 1971 first year racing.IMG 0411 4.jpeg?VersionId=XG4dzD8WicIq4KfvLzkixLiwm

G-man wrote:

WoW you were the man back then, Kenny!

I begged my pops for a Honda 50. He would not give in to my requests...... 😬😥

My dad bought that mini trail for 160 dollars brand new, he got an extra $15 off ,cause it had a small tear in the seat...

My dad bought that mini trail for 160 dollars brand new, he got an extra $15 off ,cause it had a small tear in the seat. A few days later, my older sister told kids at school, a neighbor kid (Donnie) overheard, that lived about a 1/2 mile away, he  had a Briggs & Stratton mini bike and said he would smoke me. So a couple days later my sister told my dad. So my dad asked me if I wanted to race him, of course I said yes. So it got arranged and the kid came over with his mini. When he saw my 50 he said…… “That’s a motorcycle!!!” Anyway we went across the street in a pasture and had a race. I had only been riding for a few days. But my dad coached me up and I smoked him. Bout 2 months later he had a mini trail 50 too. Then several other neighbor kids got them and man did we have a blast. Donnie was over all the time , but he was a few years older than me , got interested in girls and quit coming around, eventually it ran its course but I kept riding. Eventually we moved.Sure was fun while it lasted.

I had a CAT mini with a 5hp Briggs and use to smoke mini trails all day. No comparison on top end. We still have our 1970 blue mini trail. I want to pop a  Chinese 110 in it with a four speed just for haha’s

1
evomx244
Posts
239
Joined
1/19/2008
Location
Morrow, OH US
6/24/2026 3:21am
skypig wrote:
1977Greatest day of my life  

1977

Greatest day of my life  

IMG 9452 3

my first new dirt bike was the same bike 1977 YZ80D-Back then we had tons of places to ride. Everyone in the neighborhood had something to ride. great time to grow up 

5
6/24/2026 5:10am
Dave v3.0 wrote:
July 4th, 1974 Southwick Member of Team South @ North vs. South RematchPublicity photo for Jackson's Honda in Andalusia, AL.  I had just won the Alabama...
Southwick 1974 0.jpeg?VersionId=.pvIKZY00GwyguFpLwgqPM3kdNN1rTU

July 4th, 1974 Southwick Member of Team South @ North vs. South Rematch

1975 Jacksons Honda 0.jpg?VersionId=J3jHUJqiJ8UOEU53r.WWuD

Publicity photo for Jackson's Honda in Andalusia, AL.  I had just won the Alabama High School Championship for 1975

Midlake enhanced

February 1974 Florida Winter AMA Amateur Day Mid-Lake Raceway in Tallahassee, FL

This was before my time but what a great thread!!!! Great pictures by everyone. Can you please give any details of this North vs South event...

This was before my time but what a great thread!!!! Great pictures by everyone. Can you please give any details of this North vs South event at Southwick in the 70's? Or anything on the North vs South MX events? I don't know if I have heard about this. Very intriguing. 

Dave v3.0 wrote:
The North vs. South race was an off shoot of all the time the riders from New England spent in Florida for the Winter Series in...

The North vs. South race was an off shoot of all the time the riders from New England spent in Florida for the Winter Series in the early 70's.  It started with a race at Blue Ribbon MX in Montgomery, AL in 1973 after the Winter Series and Daytona.  The race teams were made up of local pros from New England that had spent the winter in Florida and local pros from Florida, Georgia, and Alabama.  The South team was managed by a local dealer from Iron City, GA (about 30 minutes from Cairo) named Ward Gibbons and a school teacher from the Panhandle of Florida named Lance Stabler.  Ward sold CZ, Husky, and Montesa and promoted races locally, Lance was one of his CZ customers and promoted races at Sassafras MX in DeFuniak Springs, FL.  Some of the notable names at the first race were the Bettencourts for the North and Johnny Borders for the South.  The North eeked out a win at the first race.

In Spring of 1974, the guys from the NESC, Ward, and Lance came up with the idea for a rematch.  The South team would travel up to Massachusetts and we'd race a warm up race at Ossipee, NH, Waterboro, ME, and finish it off at Southwick which was on July 4th.  Then we had a bunch of guys get hurt or back out so I got a call asking if I'd be interested.  Talked to my Dad (I was only 14 and had just moved onto a 125 at the beginning of the year, got to the first race and learned we had to lie about my age😎) and he thought it would be a fun trip so off we went to Iron City to join the caravan to Southbridge, MA where we'd headquarter out of Bob's Honda.  The South team for that race was John Joyner, Greg Thornton, Billy Sexton, Howie Cole, Dave Garner (myself), and a couple of guys who I can't remember.  The North team was LOADED.  Jimmy Ellis, Charlie Iott, John Bettencourt, Rick Granville, Scott Desso, etc.  I managed to get myself run over at the Ossipee race and ended up with a bum shoulder that kept me from riding at Waterboro.  I was healed up enough to ride Southwick.  By Southwick, we had a couple of guys with other injuries and/or bum bikes so the North gave us a couple of riders to make the teams even.  We still got destroyed.  I was the only rider on a 125.  Finished both 20 minute motos at Southwick and Jimmy Ellis didn't lap me on his factory Can AM so I considered it a win.🤣. He went on to win a National the next week...

The North vs. South series continued for a couple of years after that, mainly at southern tracks after the Winter AMA concluded.  The South got better participation in a couple of the races mainly from Team Georgia that had Barry Higgins and Furman Gray as the lead riders.

Some of the best race stories I have came out of that trip.  I got to spend a week on the road with my Dad.  I got to race in front of a huge crowd at Southwick.  We got treated like celebrities by the crowd and the NESC guys.  All in all, just a great experience.

Here's the Cycle Sport group photo from the race.  Thanks to the photographer for capturing me wiping my nose🤣

 

Team north

Team South 1 6.jpg?VersionId=lWOTQzbfO54mn6juFlxz 6YpC7c
Team South

 

 

Now that is awesome!! Very interesting. Great memories. Too bad you couldn't ride Waterboro. That was one hell of a track!! Thank You for sharing

1
racerxx276
Posts
253
Joined
10/22/2015
Location
Boise, ID US
6/24/2026 6:48am
Dave v3.0 wrote:
July 4th, 1974 Southwick Member of Team South @ North vs. South RematchPublicity photo for Jackson's Honda in Andalusia, AL.  I had just won the Alabama...
Southwick 1974 0.jpeg?VersionId=.pvIKZY00GwyguFpLwgqPM3kdNN1rTU

July 4th, 1974 Southwick Member of Team South @ North vs. South Rematch

1975 Jacksons Honda 0.jpg?VersionId=J3jHUJqiJ8UOEU53r.WWuD

Publicity photo for Jackson's Honda in Andalusia, AL.  I had just won the Alabama High School Championship for 1975

Midlake enhanced

February 1974 Florida Winter AMA Amateur Day Mid-Lake Raceway in Tallahassee, FL

This was before my time but what a great thread!!!! Great pictures by everyone. Can you please give any details of this North vs South event...

This was before my time but what a great thread!!!! Great pictures by everyone. Can you please give any details of this North vs South event at Southwick in the 70's? Or anything on the North vs South MX events? I don't know if I have heard about this. Very intriguing. 

Dave v3.0 wrote:
The North vs. South race was an off shoot of all the time the riders from New England spent in Florida for the Winter Series in...

The North vs. South race was an off shoot of all the time the riders from New England spent in Florida for the Winter Series in the early 70's.  It started with a race at Blue Ribbon MX in Montgomery, AL in 1973 after the Winter Series and Daytona.  The race teams were made up of local pros from New England that had spent the winter in Florida and local pros from Florida, Georgia, and Alabama.  The South team was managed by a local dealer from Iron City, GA (about 30 minutes from Cairo) named Ward Gibbons and a school teacher from the Panhandle of Florida named Lance Stabler.  Ward sold CZ, Husky, and Montesa and promoted races locally, Lance was one of his CZ customers and promoted races at Sassafras MX in DeFuniak Springs, FL.  Some of the notable names at the first race were the Bettencourts for the North and Johnny Borders for the South.  The North eeked out a win at the first race.

In Spring of 1974, the guys from the NESC, Ward, and Lance came up with the idea for a rematch.  The South team would travel up to Massachusetts and we'd race a warm up race at Ossipee, NH, Waterboro, ME, and finish it off at Southwick which was on July 4th.  Then we had a bunch of guys get hurt or back out so I got a call asking if I'd be interested.  Talked to my Dad (I was only 14 and had just moved onto a 125 at the beginning of the year, got to the first race and learned we had to lie about my age😎) and he thought it would be a fun trip so off we went to Iron City to join the caravan to Southbridge, MA where we'd headquarter out of Bob's Honda.  The South team for that race was John Joyner, Greg Thornton, Billy Sexton, Howie Cole, Dave Garner (myself), and a couple of guys who I can't remember.  The North team was LOADED.  Jimmy Ellis, Charlie Iott, John Bettencourt, Rick Granville, Scott Desso, etc.  I managed to get myself run over at the Ossipee race and ended up with a bum shoulder that kept me from riding at Waterboro.  I was healed up enough to ride Southwick.  By Southwick, we had a couple of guys with other injuries and/or bum bikes so the North gave us a couple of riders to make the teams even.  We still got destroyed.  I was the only rider on a 125.  Finished both 20 minute motos at Southwick and Jimmy Ellis didn't lap me on his factory Can AM so I considered it a win.🤣. He went on to win a National the next week...

The North vs. South series continued for a couple of years after that, mainly at southern tracks after the Winter AMA concluded.  The South got better participation in a couple of the races mainly from Team Georgia that had Barry Higgins and Furman Gray as the lead riders.

Some of the best race stories I have came out of that trip.  I got to spend a week on the road with my Dad.  I got to race in front of a huge crowd at Southwick.  We got treated like celebrities by the crowd and the NESC guys.  All in all, just a great experience.

Here's the Cycle Sport group photo from the race.  Thanks to the photographer for capturing me wiping my nose🤣

 

Team north

Team South 1 6.jpg?VersionId=lWOTQzbfO54mn6juFlxz 6YpC7c
Team South

 

 

I lived a few miles from the Ossipee track. Loved that place. That looks like Joe Collins standing off to the side of team south..

1

The Shop

6/24/2026 7:38am
This was before my time but what a great thread!!!! Great pictures by everyone. Can you please give any details of this North vs South event...

This was before my time but what a great thread!!!! Great pictures by everyone. Can you please give any details of this North vs South event at Southwick in the 70's? Or anything on the North vs South MX events? I don't know if I have heard about this. Very intriguing. 

Dave v3.0 wrote:
The North vs. South race was an off shoot of all the time the riders from New England spent in Florida for the Winter Series in...

The North vs. South race was an off shoot of all the time the riders from New England spent in Florida for the Winter Series in the early 70's.  It started with a race at Blue Ribbon MX in Montgomery, AL in 1973 after the Winter Series and Daytona.  The race teams were made up of local pros from New England that had spent the winter in Florida and local pros from Florida, Georgia, and Alabama.  The South team was managed by a local dealer from Iron City, GA (about 30 minutes from Cairo) named Ward Gibbons and a school teacher from the Panhandle of Florida named Lance Stabler.  Ward sold CZ, Husky, and Montesa and promoted races locally, Lance was one of his CZ customers and promoted races at Sassafras MX in DeFuniak Springs, FL.  Some of the notable names at the first race were the Bettencourts for the North and Johnny Borders for the South.  The North eeked out a win at the first race.

In Spring of 1974, the guys from the NESC, Ward, and Lance came up with the idea for a rematch.  The South team would travel up to Massachusetts and we'd race a warm up race at Ossipee, NH, Waterboro, ME, and finish it off at Southwick which was on July 4th.  Then we had a bunch of guys get hurt or back out so I got a call asking if I'd be interested.  Talked to my Dad (I was only 14 and had just moved onto a 125 at the beginning of the year, got to the first race and learned we had to lie about my age😎) and he thought it would be a fun trip so off we went to Iron City to join the caravan to Southbridge, MA where we'd headquarter out of Bob's Honda.  The South team for that race was John Joyner, Greg Thornton, Billy Sexton, Howie Cole, Dave Garner (myself), and a couple of guys who I can't remember.  The North team was LOADED.  Jimmy Ellis, Charlie Iott, John Bettencourt, Rick Granville, Scott Desso, etc.  I managed to get myself run over at the Ossipee race and ended up with a bum shoulder that kept me from riding at Waterboro.  I was healed up enough to ride Southwick.  By Southwick, we had a couple of guys with other injuries and/or bum bikes so the North gave us a couple of riders to make the teams even.  We still got destroyed.  I was the only rider on a 125.  Finished both 20 minute motos at Southwick and Jimmy Ellis didn't lap me on his factory Can AM so I considered it a win.🤣. He went on to win a National the next week...

The North vs. South series continued for a couple of years after that, mainly at southern tracks after the Winter AMA concluded.  The South got better participation in a couple of the races mainly from Team Georgia that had Barry Higgins and Furman Gray as the lead riders.

Some of the best race stories I have came out of that trip.  I got to spend a week on the road with my Dad.  I got to race in front of a huge crowd at Southwick.  We got treated like celebrities by the crowd and the NESC guys.  All in all, just a great experience.

Here's the Cycle Sport group photo from the race.  Thanks to the photographer for capturing me wiping my nose🤣

 

Team north

Team South 1 6.jpg?VersionId=lWOTQzbfO54mn6juFlxz 6YpC7c
Team South

 

 

Now that is awesome!! Very interesting. Great memories. Too bad you couldn't ride Waterboro. That was one hell of a track!! Thank You for sharing

I believe there were also NESC match races against the Canadiens in the 70s, maybe even earlier.

oldnescVet
Posts
162
Joined
12/5/2023
Location
By The Sea, CT US
6/24/2026 8:08am
Rupert X wrote:
IMG 1924 2IMG 1821 2.jpeg?VersionId=qIio1s3HoGIMG 1795 2IMG 9576 1IMG 8830 1IMG 8962 2
IMG 7279
Forever a 70’s punk me

Nice Camino, was that a big block standard?

2
RDnutz
Posts
675
Joined
2/13/2021
Location
Dolores, CO US
6/24/2026 8:11am
G-man wrote:

WoW you were the man back then, Kenny!

I begged my pops for a Honda 50. He would not give in to my requests...... 😬😥

My dad bought that mini trail for 160 dollars brand new, he got an extra $15 off ,cause it had a small tear in the seat...

My dad bought that mini trail for 160 dollars brand new, he got an extra $15 off ,cause it had a small tear in the seat. A few days later, my older sister told kids at school, a neighbor kid (Donnie) overheard, that lived about a 1/2 mile away, he  had a Briggs & Stratton mini bike and said he would smoke me. So a couple days later my sister told my dad. So my dad asked me if I wanted to race him, of course I said yes. So it got arranged and the kid came over with his mini. When he saw my 50 he said…… “That’s a motorcycle!!!” Anyway we went across the street in a pasture and had a race. I had only been riding for a few days. But my dad coached me up and I smoked him. Bout 2 months later he had a mini trail 50 too. Then several other neighbor kids got them and man did we have a blast. Donnie was over all the time , but he was a few years older than me , got interested in girls and quit coming around, eventually it ran its course but I kept riding. Eventually we moved.Sure was fun while it lasted.

oldnescVet wrote:
I had a CAT mini with a 5hp Briggs and use to smoke mini trails all day. No comparison on top end. We still have our...

I had a CAT mini with a 5hp Briggs and use to smoke mini trails all day. No comparison on top end. We still have our 1970 blue mini trail. I want to pop a  Chinese 110 in it with a four speed just for haha’s

why not go big with the 125cc?

oldnescVet
Posts
162
Joined
12/5/2023
Location
By The Sea, CT US
6/24/2026 8:13am
My dad bought that mini trail for 160 dollars brand new, he got an extra $15 off ,cause it had a small tear in the seat...

My dad bought that mini trail for 160 dollars brand new, he got an extra $15 off ,cause it had a small tear in the seat. A few days later, my older sister told kids at school, a neighbor kid (Donnie) overheard, that lived about a 1/2 mile away, he  had a Briggs & Stratton mini bike and said he would smoke me. So a couple days later my sister told my dad. So my dad asked me if I wanted to race him, of course I said yes. So it got arranged and the kid came over with his mini. When he saw my 50 he said…… “That’s a motorcycle!!!” Anyway we went across the street in a pasture and had a race. I had only been riding for a few days. But my dad coached me up and I smoked him. Bout 2 months later he had a mini trail 50 too. Then several other neighbor kids got them and man did we have a blast. Donnie was over all the time , but he was a few years older than me , got interested in girls and quit coming around, eventually it ran its course but I kept riding. Eventually we moved.Sure was fun while it lasted.

oldnescVet wrote:
I had a CAT mini with a 5hp Briggs and use to smoke mini trails all day. No comparison on top end. We still have our...

I had a CAT mini with a 5hp Briggs and use to smoke mini trails all day. No comparison on top end. We still have our 1970 blue mini trail. I want to pop a  Chinese 110 in it with a four speed just for haha’s

RDnutz wrote:

why not go big with the 125cc?

Im ordering it now

3
RDnutz
Posts
675
Joined
2/13/2021
Location
Dolores, CO US
6/24/2026 8:18am
Kenny Banyan 1971 first year racing.

Kenny Banyan 1971 first year racing.IMG 0411 4.jpeg?VersionId=XG4dzD8WicIq4KfvLzkixLiwm

G-man wrote:

WoW you were the man back then, Kenny!

I begged my pops for a Honda 50. He would not give in to my requests...... 😬😥

I begged my parents for a Z50 cause all the cool kids on the block had them. Parents hated the idea of me doing anything other than school and playing a musical instrument like piano. My grades weren't ever great so they made me a deal if I got no less than B avg for a solid year they would get the Z50. I barely accomplished it and got the Mini Trail. 1 year later they bought my younger brother a Yamaha Mini Enduro 60 that he never asked for or cared about. Just to piss me off I suppose. He only wanted to surf, and I ended up riding the Mini more than him.

1
rbm33
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448
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Location
Duncan, OK US
Fantasy
6/24/2026 8:20am

Anybody remember these? yamaha.moto-bike-drum.brakes.jpg?VersionId=uAJ8pNqbaFDQ8PE

4
Kenny Banyan
Posts
4091
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Location
Seattle, WA US
6/24/2026 8:28am
rbm33 wrote:
Anybody remember these?

Anybody remember these? yamaha.moto-bike-drum.brakes.jpg?VersionId=uAJ8pNqbaFDQ8PE

Page 1……😎

rbm33
Posts
448
Joined
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Location
Duncan, OK US
Fantasy
6/24/2026 8:31am
rbm33 wrote:
Anybody remember these?

Anybody remember these? yamaha.moto-bike-drum.brakes.jpg?VersionId=uAJ8pNqbaFDQ8PE

Page 1……😎

How did i miss that???  🤔

1
anniebertmojo
Posts
726
Joined
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Location
California, CA US
6/24/2026 8:34am

 

IMG 5112 2
Saddleback - Webco Hill , 1978
IMG 0857 0
1976 - Southern California / my Dad built this bike for me
12
R66
Posts
1332
Joined
4/16/2021
Location
Atlanta, GA US
6/24/2026 8:35am
rbm33 wrote:
Anybody remember these?

Anybody remember these? yamaha.moto-bike-drum.brakes.jpg?VersionId=uAJ8pNqbaFDQ8PE

Mine came from Yamaha of Doraville. I remember the square edge on the crank chipping the skin off my ankle a lot. Still have the scars. Also remember the left crank arm having a little play in it. I remember how heavy they were. I had the less common orange colored moto-bike. I was about 8 years old and somehow managed to break the frame right at the neck. 

1
Village Idiot
Posts
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Location
MXoN - a term used by newbs, goobs and rubes, PW US
6/24/2026 8:57am
sumdood wrote:
haha😄😄 the hair and the 6 pack are long gone lol    Couple more vehicle pics

haha😄😄 the hair and the 6 pack are long gone lol    Couple more vehicle pics

LUV CAMO TRUCK T ST 1
Naaah... no weed in that truck
BAJA RIVER CROSSING 0

😄

Just tell 'em, "I still got a washboard... there's just a little laundry on top of it, that's all". 😁

2
Dave v3.0
Posts
686
Joined
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Location
Ozark, AL US
6/24/2026 9:46am
Dave v3.0 wrote:
July 4th, 1974 Southwick Member of Team South @ North vs. South RematchPublicity photo for Jackson's Honda in Andalusia, AL.  I had just won the Alabama...
Southwick 1974 0.jpeg?VersionId=.pvIKZY00GwyguFpLwgqPM3kdNN1rTU

July 4th, 1974 Southwick Member of Team South @ North vs. South Rematch

1975 Jacksons Honda 0.jpg?VersionId=J3jHUJqiJ8UOEU53r.WWuD

Publicity photo for Jackson's Honda in Andalusia, AL.  I had just won the Alabama High School Championship for 1975

Midlake enhanced

February 1974 Florida Winter AMA Amateur Day Mid-Lake Raceway in Tallahassee, FL

oldnescVet wrote:

I won the 100 novice class that day and made amateur. Man it was so hot and humid. Great memories.

Yeah, that was my memory of the weather too.  It was brutally hot and Florida humid.  Got to everyone that day.

1
Dave v3.0
Posts
686
Joined
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Location
Ozark, AL US
6/24/2026 9:52am
This was before my time but what a great thread!!!! Great pictures by everyone. Can you please give any details of this North vs South event...

This was before my time but what a great thread!!!! Great pictures by everyone. Can you please give any details of this North vs South event at Southwick in the 70's? Or anything on the North vs South MX events? I don't know if I have heard about this. Very intriguing. 

Dave v3.0 wrote:
The North vs. South race was an off shoot of all the time the riders from New England spent in Florida for the Winter Series in...

The North vs. South race was an off shoot of all the time the riders from New England spent in Florida for the Winter Series in the early 70's.  It started with a race at Blue Ribbon MX in Montgomery, AL in 1973 after the Winter Series and Daytona.  The race teams were made up of local pros from New England that had spent the winter in Florida and local pros from Florida, Georgia, and Alabama.  The South team was managed by a local dealer from Iron City, GA (about 30 minutes from Cairo) named Ward Gibbons and a school teacher from the Panhandle of Florida named Lance Stabler.  Ward sold CZ, Husky, and Montesa and promoted races locally, Lance was one of his CZ customers and promoted races at Sassafras MX in DeFuniak Springs, FL.  Some of the notable names at the first race were the Bettencourts for the North and Johnny Borders for the South.  The North eeked out a win at the first race.

In Spring of 1974, the guys from the NESC, Ward, and Lance came up with the idea for a rematch.  The South team would travel up to Massachusetts and we'd race a warm up race at Ossipee, NH, Waterboro, ME, and finish it off at Southwick which was on July 4th.  Then we had a bunch of guys get hurt or back out so I got a call asking if I'd be interested.  Talked to my Dad (I was only 14 and had just moved onto a 125 at the beginning of the year, got to the first race and learned we had to lie about my age😎) and he thought it would be a fun trip so off we went to Iron City to join the caravan to Southbridge, MA where we'd headquarter out of Bob's Honda.  The South team for that race was John Joyner, Greg Thornton, Billy Sexton, Howie Cole, Dave Garner (myself), and a couple of guys who I can't remember.  The North team was LOADED.  Jimmy Ellis, Charlie Iott, John Bettencourt, Rick Granville, Scott Desso, etc.  I managed to get myself run over at the Ossipee race and ended up with a bum shoulder that kept me from riding at Waterboro.  I was healed up enough to ride Southwick.  By Southwick, we had a couple of guys with other injuries and/or bum bikes so the North gave us a couple of riders to make the teams even.  We still got destroyed.  I was the only rider on a 125.  Finished both 20 minute motos at Southwick and Jimmy Ellis didn't lap me on his factory Can AM so I considered it a win.🤣. He went on to win a National the next week...

The North vs. South series continued for a couple of years after that, mainly at southern tracks after the Winter AMA concluded.  The South got better participation in a couple of the races mainly from Team Georgia that had Barry Higgins and Furman Gray as the lead riders.

Some of the best race stories I have came out of that trip.  I got to spend a week on the road with my Dad.  I got to race in front of a huge crowd at Southwick.  We got treated like celebrities by the crowd and the NESC guys.  All in all, just a great experience.

Here's the Cycle Sport group photo from the race.  Thanks to the photographer for capturing me wiping my nose🤣

 

Team north

Team South 1 6.jpg?VersionId=lWOTQzbfO54mn6juFlxz 6YpC7c
Team South

 

 

racerxx276 wrote:

I lived a few miles from the Ossipee track. Loved that place. That looks like Joe Collins standing off to the side of team south..

Yep, that's Joe.  He was one of our loaner riders to even out the numbers that day.

Ossipee was a really fun track.  I remember the uphill section that was almost straight up and was a 1st gear climb out of a tight turn and then the downhill that lead to the sandwash with Millville style sand rollers.  We had a free day to test and tune before Sunday's race out there so we all got in quite a bit of time riding the track.  It was actually cold that weekend (end of June) which surprised us all and then a few days later at Southwick it was around 100 and humid😳

ShellyMX
Posts
805
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Location
Smyrna, GA US
6/24/2026 9:53am
 

 

IMG 5112 2
Saddleback - Webco Hill , 1978
IMG 0857 0
1976 - Southern California / my Dad built this bike for me

Excellent form even on a BMX bike.👍

1
Kenny Banyan
Posts
4091
Joined
6/2/2024
Location
Seattle, WA US
6/24/2026 1:02pm
rbm33 wrote:
Anybody remember these?

Anybody remember these? yamaha.moto-bike-drum.brakes.jpg?VersionId=uAJ8pNqbaFDQ8PE

Page 1……😎

rbm33 wrote:

How did i miss that???  🤔

No worries, I’ve done the same many times.😎

6/24/2026 1:51pm
Kenny Banyan 1969.

Kenny Banyan 1969.IMG 0364 10.jpeg?VersionId=

That's funny. I wanted a Z50 (KO) first year 1968 when they came out. Like the Sting Ray I never got, I didn't get a Z50 either. There again 40 plus years later I got one. Paid way too much for it off eBay. Restored it and then sold it right before I retired. As usual I should have kept it. I wish I could of kept a lot of stuff.

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Kenny Banyan
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Kenny Banyan 1969.

Kenny Banyan 1969.IMG 0364 10.jpeg?VersionId=

mumbles wrote:
That's funny. I wanted a Z50 (KO) first year 1968 when they came out. Like the Sting Ray I never got, I didn't get a Z50...

That's funny. I wanted a Z50 (KO) first year 1968 when they came out. Like the Sting Ray I never got, I didn't get a Z50 either. There again 40 plus years later I got one. Paid way too much for it off eBay. Restored it and then sold it right before I retired. As usual I should have kept it. I wish I could of kept a lot of stuff.

E5C9A26E-69F8-4B7D-BE80-3A15F28F232E 1 105 c 0

Nice job on the resto!  Shame on you for letting that little jewel go!🤦‍♂️

motorick5052
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6/24/2026 3:27pm
IMG 1418 1
1978 Safety stocking hat in USE!

My younger brother & I were BMX crazy too in the 70’s! Not the best shot (what ya expect when your 12 year old brother uses mom’s instamatic to document our 70’s awesomeness!) but this was me launching my freshly purchased 1978 Mongoose (with my first job $$$!) in the folks backyard! We’d race down the sidewalk beside the house into the yard and launch Evel Knievel style off a set of Dad’s construction saw horses & walkboards onto the homemade plywood pingpong table Dear ol’ Dad made for us as a landing ramp! 
Man those were the BEST of times! 😎 👍❗️

 

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motorick5052
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IMG 1414 2
1972 safety hat! 🤪

My younger brother (RIP Lil’ Bud! 🥹) in the folks backyard on his 1971 (2?) Honda 50!

The folks bought it for us when we were 5 & 7, and Dad told us WHEN we could start it without assistance, we could ride it! 
He demonstrated the starting drill once & left us to it…my brother & I crawled that thing like a couple of monkey’s on a football until we figured it out & could start it on our own! 
We wore the ground down to bare dirt riding tanks of gas out of it in the same backyard!

The 70’s were a magical time! 😎 👍❗️

 

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MarkF
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Dave v3.0 wrote:
July 4th, 1974 Southwick Member of Team South @ North vs. South RematchPublicity photo for Jackson's Honda in Andalusia, AL.  I had just won the Alabama...
Southwick 1974 0.jpeg?VersionId=.pvIKZY00GwyguFpLwgqPM3kdNN1rTU

July 4th, 1974 Southwick Member of Team South @ North vs. South Rematch

1975 Jacksons Honda 0.jpg?VersionId=J3jHUJqiJ8UOEU53r.WWuD

Publicity photo for Jackson's Honda in Andalusia, AL.  I had just won the Alabama High School Championship for 1975

Midlake enhanced

February 1974 Florida Winter AMA Amateur Day Mid-Lake Raceway in Tallahassee, FL

oldnescVet wrote:

I won the 100 novice class that day and made amateur. Man it was so hot and humid. Great memories.

Here is a pic of me in a nesc 100 cc novice class race at Pepperell, MA. in 78'

rm100 0

Then a little later that year at Southwick in the 100 cc Amatuer class.

southwick 0

I think you had to have a zero in front of your number or the letter j after your number in the 100 cc novice and amatuer class in nesc back in the late 70's.

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oldnescVet
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6/24/2026 4:25pm
Dave v3.0 wrote:
July 4th, 1974 Southwick Member of Team South @ North vs. South RematchPublicity photo for Jackson's Honda in Andalusia, AL.  I had just won the Alabama...
Southwick 1974 0.jpeg?VersionId=.pvIKZY00GwyguFpLwgqPM3kdNN1rTU

July 4th, 1974 Southwick Member of Team South @ North vs. South Rematch

1975 Jacksons Honda 0.jpg?VersionId=J3jHUJqiJ8UOEU53r.WWuD

Publicity photo for Jackson's Honda in Andalusia, AL.  I had just won the Alabama High School Championship for 1975

Midlake enhanced

February 1974 Florida Winter AMA Amateur Day Mid-Lake Raceway in Tallahassee, FL

oldnescVet wrote:

I won the 100 novice class that day and made amateur. Man it was so hot and humid. Great memories.

MarkF wrote:
Here is a pic of me in a nesc 100 cc novice class race at Pepperell, MA. in 78'Then a little later that year at Southwick...

Here is a pic of me in a nesc 100 cc novice class race at Pepperell, MA. in 78'

rm100 0

Then a little later that year at Southwick in the 100 cc Amatuer class.

southwick 0

I think you had to have a zero in front of your number or the letter j after your number in the 100 cc novice and amatuer class in nesc back in the late 70's.

Yes my first number was 085 but when I turned expert it changed to 85. In 125/250/ open I ran #115. I aways ran a 250 in the open class.

JMCR250
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6/24/2026 4:28pm
Kenny Banyan 1969.

Kenny Banyan 1969.IMG 0364 10.jpeg?VersionId=

mumbles wrote:
That's funny. I wanted a Z50 (KO) first year 1968 when they came out. Like the Sting Ray I never got, I didn't get a Z50...

That's funny. I wanted a Z50 (KO) first year 1968 when they came out. Like the Sting Ray I never got, I didn't get a Z50 either. There again 40 plus years later I got one. Paid way too much for it off eBay. Restored it and then sold it right before I retired. As usual I should have kept it. I wish I could of kept a lot of stuff.

E5C9A26E-69F8-4B7D-BE80-3A15F28F232E 1 105 c 0

A friend got one just like this.  I wasn't sure what to say when he asked if I wanted to ride it -- a motorcycle?  I don't know how to ride a motorcycle.

About 18 months later I hectored my parents into letting me get my own Z50 (blue) with my paper route money, and that started some 50 years of motorcycling for me.

 

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KurtJ99
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6/24/2026 4:31pm
IMG 1086 6IMG 1087 2
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motorick5052
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6/24/2026 5:05pm
wwdiii wrote:
I may have been raised in red dirt oil patch Oklahoma.  But in the 70’s we had really good racing back then.  Saturday night racing under...

I may have been raised in red dirt oil patch Oklahoma.  But in the 70’s we had really good racing back then.  Saturday night racing under the lights at 59th and Douglas was a blast.

The 70’s was an all around blast, fast cars, good looking girls.  We hunted, fished, raced MX, played sports, drank beer.  Sometimes all in the same weekend.  You name it we did it along with having to go to church lol!

IMG 9603 4
My Brother @ 59th & Douglas!

I’m right there with ya wwdiii!

Born & raised right here in the land 0’ the Redneck, & have spent every day of my 60 years here! 

59th & Douglas was my where my brother & I did the vast majority of our racing! 
I am crazy thankful that my son got to ride/race there too & it was our weekly jam until the day it closed in 2006! 
Tinker AFB declined to renew the lease after a maintenance hanger was built on the EAST side of Douglas Blvd & they felt the track was too close to the B1’s & other kick-ass USAF aircraft that were in for overhaul! 
The day 59th & Douglass closed was a HUGE loss to Okla Moto & I miss that track to this DAY!

😎 👍❗️

 

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Village Idiot
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6/24/2026 5:13pm
KurtJ99 wrote:
IMG 1086 6IMG 1087 2

Kurt - what model is the Yamaha?

And way to pull the chicks early in life! 😄👍👏

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