Jeff Ward

Mike D
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Mike D
Edited Date/Time 1/26/2012 9:27am
Could he qualify for an outdoor national?

Where would he finish?
|
Bigfoot
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Bigfoot 3/24/2009 8:53pm
3/24/2009 8:53pm
He'd talked about just that. Last season, maybe? Then something happened...maybe it was last year just before he had to have surgery for skin cancer.

As a past champion he wouldn't have to qualify. Could he? Probably. Where would he place? I don't think he'd be a back marker. Maybe mid-pack? Sure would be interesting if it ever came about.

How 'bout it JW? Come out and mix it up with the kids for old time's sake?

Bigfoot
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Mike D 3/24/2009 8:55pm
3/24/2009 8:55pm
Is there still a champions provisional for the outdoors?
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Mike D 3/24/2009 8:56pm
3/24/2009 8:56pm
or was ther ever?
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TerryK 3/24/2009 9:25pm
3/24/2009 9:25pm
I've been a HUGE Wardy fan since he was on XR75s i the mid 70's and I'd like to see it, but in all honesty I don't think he'd do really well. He is 47 years old after all.

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jeffro503 3/24/2009 9:31pm
3/24/2009 9:31pm
Mike D wrote:
Is there still a champions provisional for the outdoors?
There was two years ago anyways...i think it still applies. And former national champion can line up on the 40 man gate at any national of his choosing. Shit , Ol' Chuck Sun tried about 4-5 years ago up at washougal. I said "tried" because he refused to take the easy way and just line up....he tried to qualify but didn't make the main gate. Ward on the other hand.....still friggin rips....don't let his age fool you! two years ago at glen helen , a buddy of mine Mike hamness who rides really well in the +30A up here in the NW , got lapped by ward. Mike said he couldn't believe how fast he was going. I think he could still qualify pretty easy with some good starts. maybe be inside or just outside top 30.
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GIwasB4 3/24/2009 9:36pm
3/24/2009 9:36pm Edited Date/Time 4/16/2016 11:05pm
Ward and Burkhart going at it in Supermoto is much better than #7 & #1 in my opinion, but that would qualify this as non-moto?
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Mike D 3/24/2009 10:30pm
3/24/2009 10:30pm
Mike D wrote:
Is there still a champions provisional for the outdoors?
jeffro503 wrote:
There was two years ago anyways...i think it still applies. And former national champion can line up on the 40 man gate at any national of...
There was two years ago anyways...i think it still applies. And former national champion can line up on the 40 man gate at any national of his choosing. Shit , Ol' Chuck Sun tried about 4-5 years ago up at washougal. I said "tried" because he refused to take the easy way and just line up....he tried to qualify but didn't make the main gate. Ward on the other hand.....still friggin rips....don't let his age fool you! two years ago at glen helen , a buddy of mine Mike hamness who rides really well in the +30A up here in the NW , got lapped by ward. Mike said he couldn't believe how fast he was going. I think he could still qualify pretty easy with some good starts. maybe be inside or just outside top 30.
COOL!

It would be cool to see ANY legends come out and rip it up!
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andymoto 3/24/2009 11:49pm
3/24/2009 11:49pm
In the '90s, anyone over 40 had to have a complete Drs physical before being able to get your AMA Pro license and sign your life away; also think proof of competition if say you were 40 and beating much younger local Pros...I just remember a full docs physical once you are 40; most anyone could get a Pro license back then without going thru what they do now with the endorsements.

Be fun to see Jeff Ward on the line; but him and Burkhart are pretty darn entertaining in SM...

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Electro21 3/24/2009 11:58pm
3/24/2009 11:58pm
It would be cool, but I don't think he would do very good against the current riders. Just like I don't think Bradshaw would do very good if races the Nationals this year. They were/still are great riders, but I just don't see them being very competitive.
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Crash82 3/25/2009 5:26am
3/25/2009 5:26am
TerryK wrote:
I've been a HUGE Wardy fan since he was on XR75s i the mid 70's and I'd like to see it, but in all honesty I...
I've been a HUGE Wardy fan since he was on XR75s i the mid 70's and I'd like to see it, but in all honesty I don't think he'd do really well. He is 47 years old after all.
What if he wanted it? What if he made up his mind to win?
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KAMIKAZE 3/25/2009 5:34am
3/25/2009 5:34am Edited Date/Time 3/25/2009 5:35am
Bigfoot wrote:
He'd talked about just that. Last season, maybe? Then something happened...maybe it was last year just before he had to have surgery for skin cancer. As...
He'd talked about just that. Last season, maybe? Then something happened...maybe it was last year just before he had to have surgery for skin cancer.

As a past champion he wouldn't have to qualify. Could he? Probably. Where would he place? I don't think he'd be a back marker. Maybe mid-pack? Sure would be interesting if it ever came about.

How 'bout it JW? Come out and mix it up with the kids for old time's sake?

Bigfoot
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KAMIKAZE 3/25/2009 5:45am
3/25/2009 5:45am
andymoto wrote:
In the '90s, anyone over 40 had to have a complete Drs physical before being able to get your AMA Pro license and sign your life...
In the '90s, anyone over 40 had to have a complete Drs physical before being able to get your AMA Pro license and sign your life away; also think proof of competition if say you were 40 and beating much younger local Pros...I just remember a full docs physical once you are 40; most anyone could get a Pro license back then without going thru what they do now with the endorsements.

Be fun to see Jeff Ward on the line; but him and Burkhart are pretty darn entertaining in SM...

In the mid 80's everyone had to have a physical to get your AMA Pro license it was on the application. it's the only time i every had a physical..
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txmxer 3/25/2009 7:31am
3/25/2009 7:31am
that supermoto stuff is one reason Ward might be able to do it. He obviously still has that competitive fire and has to be training pretty regularly to be at the top of that sport.

If he got serious about racing, I think he would qualify. Beyond that, it's hard to say. All of the guys that make it into those races rip. I think he'd have a tough time with endurance at 47. Probably push him outside the top 30 by 2/3rds to 3/4 of the race.
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FastEddy 3/25/2009 7:37am
3/25/2009 7:37am
Mike D wrote:
Is there still a champions provisional for the outdoors?
jeffro503 wrote:
There was two years ago anyways...i think it still applies. And former national champion can line up on the 40 man gate at any national of...
There was two years ago anyways...i think it still applies. And former national champion can line up on the 40 man gate at any national of his choosing. Shit , Ol' Chuck Sun tried about 4-5 years ago up at washougal. I said "tried" because he refused to take the easy way and just line up....he tried to qualify but didn't make the main gate. Ward on the other hand.....still friggin rips....don't let his age fool you! two years ago at glen helen , a buddy of mine Mike hamness who rides really well in the +30A up here in the NW , got lapped by ward. Mike said he couldn't believe how fast he was going. I think he could still qualify pretty easy with some good starts. maybe be inside or just outside top 30.
I remember Hamness.
He was going pretty good back in the late 80's early 1990's from what I remember.

I think Ward could qualify and finish a National...no problem.
UpTiTe 3/25/2009 8:07am
3/25/2009 8:07am
I can tell you one thing in 84 he went by me through the sand like I was in reverse, then about 3 seconds later Omara followed.
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Scottzilla 3/25/2009 9:54am
3/25/2009 9:54am
I am sure Wardy might not be the fastest guy on the track but I am also sure he won't be the slowest either. I would like to see what he can do. I am sure he could qualify.
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jeffro503 3/25/2009 10:06am
3/25/2009 10:06am
Mike D wrote:
Is there still a champions provisional for the outdoors?
jeffro503 wrote:
There was two years ago anyways...i think it still applies. And former national champion can line up on the 40 man gate at any national of...
There was two years ago anyways...i think it still applies. And former national champion can line up on the 40 man gate at any national of his choosing. Shit , Ol' Chuck Sun tried about 4-5 years ago up at washougal. I said "tried" because he refused to take the easy way and just line up....he tried to qualify but didn't make the main gate. Ward on the other hand.....still friggin rips....don't let his age fool you! two years ago at glen helen , a buddy of mine Mike hamness who rides really well in the +30A up here in the NW , got lapped by ward. Mike said he couldn't believe how fast he was going. I think he could still qualify pretty easy with some good starts. maybe be inside or just outside top 30.
FastEddy wrote:
I remember Hamness. He was going pretty good back in the late 80's early 1990's from what I remember. I think Ward could qualify and finish...
I remember Hamness.
He was going pretty good back in the late 80's early 1990's from what I remember.

I think Ward could qualify and finish a National...no problem.
Yeah Eddy....mike can still go really well if he's in shape. Do you remember his brother Terry? He was still extremely fast just up to 3 years ago , but re-broke his same femur ( OOWW!!) and is out for good now. It was always cool watching Terry ride because he looked like 100% like it was Ezra Lusk on the bike. seriously , you could not tell the difference in any part of his riding style......just Lusk was faster.

I think a lot of guys on here would remember the rider that Jeff Stanton crossed over on the Chuck Sun jump at Washougal in 93'.......and the rider went cart wheeling all the way to the friggin' corner....that was Terry. Mike and terry did the nationals for a long time , and terry placed just outside the top 20 at quite a few of them. Mike earned national # 99 back in 94 , 95? raced a huge mud race down down in Hangtown and pulled out a 7th in one moto....got enough points from that one moto to get a national number hehe.

Both the hamness boys and their dad Terry Sr. are great guys.

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Bigfoot 3/25/2009 10:43am
3/25/2009 10:43am
txmxer wrote:
that supermoto stuff is one reason Ward might be able to do it. He obviously still has that competitive fire and has to be training pretty...
that supermoto stuff is one reason Ward might be able to do it. He obviously still has that competitive fire and has to be training pretty regularly to be at the top of that sport.

If he got serious about racing, I think he would qualify. Beyond that, it's hard to say. All of the guys that make it into those races rip. I think he'd have a tough time with endurance at 47. Probably push him outside the top 30 by 2/3rds to 3/4 of the race.
Actually I know folks who have first-hand knowledge that JW is an animal on a mountain bike, especially on long, long rides. So my guess is that some of the Supercross-bred younguns who might lap faster than JW early on would be the ones fading back late in the moto.

Bigfoot
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FastEddy 3/25/2009 11:13am
3/25/2009 11:13am Edited Date/Time 4/16/2016 11:05pm
jeffro503 wrote:
Yeah Eddy....mike can still go really well if he's in shape. Do you remember his brother Terry? He was still extremely fast just up to 3...
Yeah Eddy....mike can still go really well if he's in shape. Do you remember his brother Terry? He was still extremely fast just up to 3 years ago , but re-broke his same femur ( OOWW!!) and is out for good now. It was always cool watching Terry ride because he looked like 100% like it was Ezra Lusk on the bike. seriously , you could not tell the difference in any part of his riding style......just Lusk was faster.

I think a lot of guys on here would remember the rider that Jeff Stanton crossed over on the Chuck Sun jump at Washougal in 93'.......and the rider went cart wheeling all the way to the friggin' corner....that was Terry. Mike and terry did the nationals for a long time , and terry placed just outside the top 20 at quite a few of them. Mike earned national # 99 back in 94 , 95? raced a huge mud race down down in Hangtown and pulled out a 7th in one moto....got enough points from that one moto to get a national number hehe.

Both the hamness boys and their dad Terry Sr. are great guys.
Yep, I remember Terry also.


You know who was an older dude up that way that could go pretty good on a 500.... Don Boespflug. Remember him? Is he still racing up that way?
I remember him back when the 500 Nats were still part of series and from what I remember he would always qualify for Washougal.
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Clutchy 3/25/2009 12:13pm
3/25/2009 12:13pm
Wardy was one of the greatest mxer's of all time, but not really sure how much fun it would be to watch the guy roll the back of the pack at an outdoor national. Supermoto and outdoor nationals aren't comparable other then they are on motorcycles. The guys that roll in the top 20 at the outdoor nationals are NUTS... I think a guy as recent as Larocco would have a hard time with the top 20.. IMO. Seems like in another thread someone commented on Bradshaw running nationals, hopfully that was a joke "dude would need his monster truck" to keep from getting run over... Although he could borrow one of Hannah's planes, even with that MA would still probably holeshot..
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txmxer 3/25/2009 12:17pm
3/25/2009 12:17pm
Clutchy wrote:
Wardy was one of the greatest mxer's of all time, but not really sure how much fun it would be to watch the guy roll the...
Wardy was one of the greatest mxer's of all time, but not really sure how much fun it would be to watch the guy roll the back of the pack at an outdoor national. Supermoto and outdoor nationals aren't comparable other then they are on motorcycles. The guys that roll in the top 20 at the outdoor nationals are NUTS... I think a guy as recent as Larocco would have a hard time with the top 20.. IMO. Seems like in another thread someone commented on Bradshaw running nationals, hopfully that was a joke "dude would need his monster truck" to keep from getting run over... Although he could borrow one of Hannah's planes, even with that MA would still probably holeshot..
I don't agree with that. As long as these guys are not really out of shape, they can get most the speed back.

Bigfoot says Ward is in shape so he might just be able to run a respectable national.

But, BF, I don't doubt he's in world class condition for a 47 yr old. But, being young does have it's perks. Running WFO for 35 minutes is tough to do.
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Clutchy 3/25/2009 12:29pm
3/25/2009 12:29pm
Clutchy wrote:
Wardy was one of the greatest mxer's of all time, but not really sure how much fun it would be to watch the guy roll the...
Wardy was one of the greatest mxer's of all time, but not really sure how much fun it would be to watch the guy roll the back of the pack at an outdoor national. Supermoto and outdoor nationals aren't comparable other then they are on motorcycles. The guys that roll in the top 20 at the outdoor nationals are NUTS... I think a guy as recent as Larocco would have a hard time with the top 20.. IMO. Seems like in another thread someone commented on Bradshaw running nationals, hopfully that was a joke "dude would need his monster truck" to keep from getting run over... Although he could borrow one of Hannah's planes, even with that MA would still probably holeshot..
txmxer wrote:
I don't agree with that. As long as these guys are not really out of shape, they can get most the speed back. Bigfoot says Ward...
I don't agree with that. As long as these guys are not really out of shape, they can get most the speed back.

Bigfoot says Ward is in shape so he might just be able to run a respectable national.

But, BF, I don't doubt he's in world class condition for a 47 yr old. But, being young does have it's perks. Running WFO for 35 minutes is tough to do.
So true Wardy has always been one of the guys that was in great shape to the point of obsession, so was O'show.. But theres no way IMO He's crazy enough to try and run those speeds for any period of time on a 450.. Don't get me wrong I'm sure the guy could still haul hiney, but don't discredit just how fast these guys go on there 450's.
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Clutchy 3/25/2009 12:30pm
3/25/2009 12:30pm Edited Date/Time 3/25/2009 12:32pm
Thats because your an Oldfart...lol


P.S... NICE RACK
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Adam43 3/25/2009 12:54pm
3/25/2009 12:54pm
Clutchy wrote:
Wardy was one of the greatest mxer's of all time, but not really sure how much fun it would be to watch the guy roll the...
Wardy was one of the greatest mxer's of all time, but not really sure how much fun it would be to watch the guy roll the back of the pack at an outdoor national. Supermoto and outdoor nationals aren't comparable other then they are on motorcycles. The guys that roll in the top 20 at the outdoor nationals are NUTS... I think a guy as recent as Larocco would have a hard time with the top 20.. IMO. Seems like in another thread someone commented on Bradshaw running nationals, hopfully that was a joke "dude would need his monster truck" to keep from getting run over... Although he could borrow one of Hannah's planes, even with that MA would still probably holeshot..
Disagree. Depending on how much effort and preparation he put into it, I think Ward could do really well. Right now with no prep, I'm sure he could make the field but scoring points could be iffy. I'm not sure on his outright speed on a moto track nowadays.... is Doug Dubach still faster? He has been the fastest "old guy" for a long time I thought.
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FastEddy 3/25/2009 1:03pm
3/25/2009 1:03pm Edited Date/Time 3/25/2009 1:04pm
Clutchy wrote:
Wardy was one of the greatest mxer's of all time, but not really sure how much fun it would be to watch the guy roll the...
Wardy was one of the greatest mxer's of all time, but not really sure how much fun it would be to watch the guy roll the back of the pack at an outdoor national. Supermoto and outdoor nationals aren't comparable other then they are on motorcycles. The guys that roll in the top 20 at the outdoor nationals are NUTS... I think a guy as recent as Larocco would have a hard time with the top 20.. IMO. Seems like in another thread someone commented on Bradshaw running nationals, hopfully that was a joke "dude would need his monster truck" to keep from getting run over... Although he could borrow one of Hannah's planes, even with that MA would still probably holeshot..
Dowd seems to do just fine when he decides to line up at a National (top 10's),he was 6th over all last year at the wick.
I think Ward is 47 and Dowd is what 44?
Still pretty close in age and they both still race on two wheels often.
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Clutchy 3/25/2009 1:06pm
3/25/2009 1:06pm
Clutchy wrote:
Wardy was one of the greatest mxer's of all time, but not really sure how much fun it would be to watch the guy roll the...
Wardy was one of the greatest mxer's of all time, but not really sure how much fun it would be to watch the guy roll the back of the pack at an outdoor national. Supermoto and outdoor nationals aren't comparable other then they are on motorcycles. The guys that roll in the top 20 at the outdoor nationals are NUTS... I think a guy as recent as Larocco would have a hard time with the top 20.. IMO. Seems like in another thread someone commented on Bradshaw running nationals, hopfully that was a joke "dude would need his monster truck" to keep from getting run over... Although he could borrow one of Hannah's planes, even with that MA would still probably holeshot..
Adam43 wrote:
Disagree. Depending on how much effort and preparation he put into it, I think Ward could do really well. Right now with no prep, I'm sure...
Disagree. Depending on how much effort and preparation he put into it, I think Ward could do really well. Right now with no prep, I'm sure he could make the field but scoring points could be iffy. I'm not sure on his outright speed on a moto track nowadays.... is Doug Dubach still faster? He has been the fastest "old guy" for a long time I thought.
And I can appreciate your opinion.. and yes I think Dubach is 45 and still hauls ass, but they both get SMOKED at any outdoor national on a 450...
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txmxer 3/25/2009 1:08pm
3/25/2009 1:08pm
I think Dowd is closer to 34 than 44.
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txmxer 3/25/2009 1:10pm
3/25/2009 1:10pm
txmxer wrote:
I think Dowd is closer to 34 than 44.
I think you might be right...44...
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FastEddy 3/25/2009 1:11pm
3/25/2009 1:11pm
txmxer wrote:
I think Dowd is closer to 34 than 44.
http://www.johndowd.com
Says he was 42 at the last National at the wick.
I think he is 43 now.

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