At What Age, Did You Have Your Best Times, In Motocross?

Back then....
Hollister
Huron
Saddlleback
Marysville
Mammoth

Now...
Mammoth
Glen Helen
Marysville (3 tracks)
Gopher Dunes (Where real men go to ride sand)
Cahuilla
Pala

I would say probably age 13 thru 18 or so. My dad was divorced at the time and we rode our asses off. Wed. night practices at Albany (Oregon) and then either back to Albany on the weekend, or hit up some trails. During the week wore out any and all VHS tapes we could get our hands on. Crusty videos had just come out and i thought they were the shit! Some of the best times of my life still to this day! This was when i went to Washougal for the 1st time. Fell in love instantly with that place and was fortunate to be able to ride it a few times before moving to Texas. I will never forget the sights and smells as well as the first time you ever see pro's riding in real life. They looked fast on T.V., but holy shit - it was ungodly what they were able to make those machines do...…

I had a blast in my early teens. (2000) Some of My best memories with my dad.

But I just got back on the bike last year at 31 and I’ve been having some of the best times learning the sport and things I didn’t know back then with technique and fitness. Im faster now than I ever was.

My wife and I just took a 3 day trip so I could run Ironman GNCC. We had a great weekend and our first time away since our boy was born. Was nice to have some adult time. Probably one of my favorite moto trips to date.

With all that said I think my best times lie ahead as I watch my boy grow...if he enjoys two wheels as much as I do!

1997. 14 years old last year on 80’s. In that era Frozen Ocean was arguably the best track in New York if not the whole Northeast. Just about every weekend there was racing under the lights on the supercross track and it was LEGIT. Huge whoops, rythyms, and really technical. Lots of big name riders threw down there thru the 90’s. In the 80 class in 1997 it was a regular battle between Bobby Kiniry, Jack Carpenter, Gene “Sonny” Neighman, and myself for the series points and overall SX championship . We were a group of best friends and riding buddy’s. I had a year or two on those three though and about 4” inches taller so Frozen Oceans SX track was the one spot that I could put it too those guys regularly. They would hound me every lap but soon as we hit whoops I’d stretch it back out and hold them off. The championship came down to the last race and was able to claim the 80 SX championship and got a signed Kevin Windham Fox jersey the next day at intermission as the prize for taking the win. This pic is with my mechanic after the awards ceremony. He was a family friend that helped me out. A couple days after this picture I took off for Cooperland in Oklahoma for the Suzuki RM Cup to cap off my last race as a mini rider and placed a respectable 8th place there against all of Suzuki’s top mini riders. Every time I hear the band “Third Eye Blind” it takes me right back to those times in 1997. That was my soundtrack to that summer. Too young too need a job, summer before freshman year, wasn’t chasing girls yet, and not a care in the world besides dirtbikes and battling my best friends at frozen ocean. Good times!!!

When I was 13 and raced my first race at Barona Oaks...
Later that year when I took my first win...
Out practicing in the fields until dark with my best friends from age 13 to, well, now...
Winning a moto at The World Mini at 30...
Teaching my kids to ride at 42...
Later this year when I take my daughter to her first race...

I don't think the age matters.

13-17. Spent the Friday through Sunday at the races. Fucked off and just did dumb stuff Friday and Saturday then we all raced Sunday. Good times.

Is that a young Jeff Gibson in the top photo?

Every time I go riding I’m pretty sure it’s the most fun I’ve ever had. I’m lucky enough to have fox, Cahuilla, elsinore, barona, Perris and state fair as my local tracks

X2

2006 I peaked as a national level B rider. Don’t think I was ever faster before shattering my right wrist, spiral fracturing my scaphoid, separating my right shoulder, and breaking my right collar bone in my stadium whoops. A few surgeries and almost a year off the bike, I was never the same.

HRMC was basically my local track and still 2.5 hours away. I used to build tracks at anyone’s house that rode/would let me (farmers!).

1988-1998

That’s a ten year span.

I rode my first bike a Honda z50 in 1988.

In 1998 I qualified for my first 125cc National at Broom Tioga.

Man what a ten year span!!! Best years of my childhood!! Ages 8 to 18!!

Right now!

11. I got a 77 RM 125 for my birthday from my uncle.
I couldn’t touch the ground on it but, I had a crate I took everywhere with me to start off on. Back then my favorite number was five and I liked the Dukes of Hazzard. I thought it was cool to put the 05 on just like the General Lee had a 0 as the first number. Riding in Gorman comes to mind. I recall getting a lot of looks from adult riders being so small on that bike. I could barely see over the bars standing next to it. Sorry for the shitty pic. It’s all I have as a memory of that bike.

For me it was my 40's and early 50's. I got in shape, came to terms with riding 450's and really did well and had a lot of fun for a few years off and on. Baja Acres in Michigan was the track I clicked at the best but I loved racing at most of our tracks because of the great dirt. Polka Dots, Cadillac and Portland were also super fun. Polka Dots in Midland has a mix of sand and black river bed dirt that is just unreal unless it rains hard lol. The D14 crowd is an awesome bunch as well, couldn't ask for a better atmosphere and close knit family of like minded racers. I seldom raced enough to go for the points championship but in 2012 I gave it a shot in 50 plus.. I led the points most of the year and lost it in a winner take all final round at the last race. It took me a minute to get over it but honestly the grind of going every single week was too much for me and that was my last attempt at it. On a side note I also finished second in 45 plus in 2005 to D14 legend Scott Currie Scott was always the guy I was trying to hang with and I got good enough to beat him at a few races but again I didn't have the drive he had. The guy would race every single weekend all year and was good at every track. He would race every single weekend and in D14 they would count your 22 (I think) best finishes for the year towards the point title. He would have almost all wins lol. One of if not my favorite moment was qualifying for Lorretta's in 2013. The regional was at Baja and I was riding as well as I ever had in my vet racing days. A ton of D14 racers went down that year and it really stands out as my most cherished moto memory

49, which is now. I am in shape, able to ride pretty much whenever and wherever I want, and have gotten good enough to enjoy it. I enjoy moto'ing with my 19 year old, who is a perfect rabbit to chase. I've been riding since I was 12, but I get more satisfaction now than ever. I have a bike in Cali, and one here at home in Washington, and regularly enjoy trips south with my life long riding buddy, who moved down there 2 years ago. And I have a street bike too, so that's a nice little bonus.

I have many friends because of this hobby, and I am eternally grateful for all it's added to my life.

I've raced in 3 era's. 78-83, 90-95, and 2018 to Present. I learned long ago that you don't always realize how much fun you had until years later. What can seem like going through hell, years later you want nothing more than to to relive all that so called "Hell" again.
That said, when I started Vintage racing in 2018, I was totally reliving my 70's era. Bob Seger songs blasting on Pandora to add to the authentic feel while cruising to Budds Creek and Tomahawk among other tracks.. Now in 2019-20 I'm racing modern bikes in New England and I find myself listening to Alice in Chains, and Nirvana reliving my 90's race days when I won an Amateur Championship. I couldn't possibly pick my favorite era. I just love all my racing memories.. period..

In my 20’s for sure. My son was on 50’s. Had a tight nit group of dudes that rode. Was at the top of my game. Had several friends in my hometown that had personal tracks to ride. Some of the best days. I could party all night and still go finish top 3 of the local A class. Just wish I made the money I made now back then. Lol but really even now any day out at the track is a good one! Rode Austin motocross park last Saturday with my son and a friend and had an absolute blast! Track was mint. Weather was perfect. Cold beer in the cooler for after we rode our hands into submission. Doesn’t get much better.

Age 13-20..
Loretta's at 14 on a 250 2 stroke. Mini o's that year too with podium finishes.
The 2003 and earlier red bud track was the best it's ever been and will be. Gatorback was cool too when it had the elevator.
Racing the US Open in the MGM was an awesome experience too.

I think this question is really interesting, because I am a "never was" who only made it to B class. So I don't have a frame of reference for what it would have felt like to be a pro. The flipside of that is that it seems like I continue to enjoy and appreciate this sport more and more every year. I always try to work on my technique, I try to stay in shape, and I like learning new things. I will say that my first couple years racing vintage in the PNW 2017-2018 were pretty awesome, but racing and riding still seems to be getting better. I've raced on a lot of national tracks, I've gotten to be on the same track at the same time as quite a few of our heroes, it just feels like the longer I am in it the more of these special little experiences become part of my journey. All of the ages have been fun for different reasons, I just hope everything keeps going so that I can reach those +50 and +60 brackets!!!

Around 1997 to early 2000's for me. I was just getting into it and discovering all sorts of new things like moto magazines, videos (Crusty Demons, ect.), video games, watching the races, and making friends with kids at school who had dirtbikes. We had fun little spots close to home where you could just ride all day, and we didn't care how goony we were back then. Just a carefree fun time and I miss those days. Starting racing in 2005 which lasted up until 2007. Those times were great too. Just got my license and had more freedom. We would party at the track all night and race in the morning. Graduated HS in '07 and started college that year. Sold the dirtbike and didn't ride for 6 years while I went through a car guy phase. I still love riding, but being an adult with too much shit to do and having to drive 2 hours one way to ride takes away some of the fun.

Age 30-38 for me. It was the 90's, my son and daughter were both racing pee-wees, and my wife was racing the women's class on a 125. I had my own business then, and money was rolling in, so we'd stay at her Dad's farm in Ocala from the end of December thru February. We had a blast riding and racing at Hardrock, Reddick, Dade, Bithlo & the Ocala Nat'l Forest all the time, and we loved racing the Gold Cup and Winter Am Series races..

I got to win a few motos in that time period, but the most fun I ever had on an MX track was when my wife and I ran a doubles race at Hardrock one winter. Riding that track 2-up on a KX125 was total hilarity, and we still talk about it.

The early to mid 70s for me. At the boom of MX in the states. It was relatively cheap for the day and the tracks were super fun but safe.

My 73 TM250 Suzuki. Won a lot on that bike from 73 - 75 in NC.

One of my best friends and I each hired a couple of KTM's over this past weekend and took them to the local motocross track. First time since either of us has ridden a dirt bike since we were in our early teens (15+ years ago). We were pretty much the slowest two riders out there but it was one of the best weekends I have had in a long time, you couldn't swipe the smile off my face. Now trawling the local buy sell swap pages for something I can call my own.

1978 when I was 21 years old. Got on a Maico 440cc and won plenty of races.
Favourite tracks were Hutton Conyers Ripon, Bodfari N Wales and Barfield Bootle Cumbria.

Age 18-21 Carlsbad Raceway. I raced almost every weekend back then. Now practice day at the track a couple times a month if I am lucky.

I had a lot of fun in High school riding with friends nearly every day. But honestly I'm having a ton more fun now that I'm in my late 30's. I have two kids currently riding and my daughter starting next week. I love seeing their excitement when we load up and go to the track, it reminds me what I loved about this sport as a kid.

For me it was the years age 50 and 60. I raced and rode all over the country with a great group of guys my own age.
I also rode a lot with my son and my 2 grandsons.

The second best was between the ages of 30 and 40 when I also raced all over the country at many national events.

Paw Paw

I agree, great and tough question. For me, each season seems to get more enjoyable. Here in the midwest with the winter hiatus we take, its always a great feeling to get back in the swing of things every spring and pick up where you left off.

I have been riding since I was 10, and am 36 now. Like others, some of my best memories are of my dad taking me riding, and also racing some of the night races around here as a total beginner. The racing scene always seemed larger than life for some reason back then. I've progressed to be a decent rider, winning one state championship a few years ago, and several moto wins and overalls since.

Over the last 15 years I have mostly had 250F's, with a 450 in there as well. Last season I had a good get off and screwed up my shoulder pretty good...well, I went out and got some older (2000 and 2003) 125's to restore. This season, my 250F sat for the majority of the spring time...the 125 was just so much fun that I ended up selling my 250F and going full 125 Vet rider mode. This season on a 2003 YZ125 has been one of, if not the most fun I've ever had. It brings back some of the best memories, smells, sounds, etc. that made me fall in love with this sport 26 years ago. The satisfaction of pushing your bike and body, running with the bigger bikes, and especially beating them is so satisfying.

Dirt bikes are awesome.

For me 1978 -1983. Bikes were changing quickly and manufacturer’s were into it. People were cool. Tracks were natural. Gates were full, novice classes had 70-100 entries. I rode and raced yz 250 and 465. Yamaha yellow was everywhere. American riders were becoming great. It was just a really cool time in American moto.

At 13 I bought my 1st bike a 1972 CZ 250 I remember just staring at in the garage every night I kept thinking it was a dream. Then it was my 1st race at Carlsbad.
The best time for me was 1975 at 16. I was on my 3rd bike, a 74 125 Elsinore. in 6 months I went from novice to intermediate to expert racing Ascot, Irwindale and OCIR.