Ross Rollerball?

ArmPumped
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CA
4/1/2022 7:58am Edited Date/Time 4/2/2022 12:34am
Found out through a random conversation with an acquaintance that Rollerball lives in my little southern Alberta city. He’s setting up a coffee between us to talk shop. My knowledge of the man is limited to passing remarks made on Pulp MX. Does anyone have any insight or stories I should be asking about? Can’t wait to meet him and get a peak into the moto life of yesteryear. Thanks.
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MPJC
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4/1/2022 9:13am
That's awesome! I followed his career in the magazines as a kid and teenager and would love to be able to pick his brain about what it was like to race against the best in the world - with whom he was very competitive. Enjoy!
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Moto76er
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4/1/2022 12:05pm
Med Hat? Ross is a Canadian motocross Pioneer and legend. Winningest rider of all time in Canadian racing. Awesome you get to meet him! Have fun and ask him if he enjoyed working broadcast with CMRC giving pro tips at the nationals. I remember he had a segment and provided actual good riding insight and track knowledge.
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The Shop

4/1/2022 1:10pm
Ross came to town a couple years ago to go snow biking. We had to do a minor repair on his bike. Ended up going for supper with him and the boys. Heard a few good stories about the good old days. Great guy
5
M1000
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4/1/2022 1:39pm
I raced that era. Ross was few years older than I. He was always fast, and in good shape. Ross would would come up to Saskatoon, and North Battleford to race locals (Brent Shury, Curtis Lawrence, Kevin Ferguson), and he would always win. Ross would sell Suzuki RM out of the back of his van. I raced in Medicine Hat against him (I was intermediate class, both expert, intermediate were run at same time), he lapped me. I could believe how fast he was going on those G-outs at bottom of hills. Ask Ross about his 1985 Saskatoon scrap at the bar. I believe there was a supercross race, and the boys met some Farm boys from Saskatoon area. Big Ross took a beating. Ross was a big guy for Mx racer (not the Bob Hannah, Jeff Ward, Johnny O build). More of the Jim Pomeroy build for a racer (I met Jim Pomeroy at a MX school in Calgary) big strong guy. Good luck in your conversation. 🥃🥃🥃
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JustMX
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TN US
4/1/2022 2:35pm
He was a regular at the Florida winter AMS in the late 80's/early 90's.

He was definitely a big guy. Built more like a hockey player than a motocrosser. Dude was not afraid to check somebody trying to pass him either.

He came by "rollerball" honestly...
7
UpTiTe
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4/1/2022 3:05pm
He was super aggressive and hard to pass.
2
Motoxdoc
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Steamboat Springs, CO US
4/1/2022 4:02pm
I'm pretty sure I raced with him somewhere. Maybe the 84 or 85 Golden State Series. I remember standing next to him in riding gear thinking to myself, "That guy is built like a brick shithouse. When he gets his momentum up, nobody is stopping him!"
5
4/1/2022 6:28pm
I don't think any other Canadian rider has had a career as Ross has had. He raced AMA outdoors, Supercross and even some GPs in Europe. Quite the legend
3
4/1/2022 7:01pm Edited Date/Time 4/1/2022 7:02pm
Had Labatts as a sponsor as I recall when I saw him race in florida. No silly energy drink sponsorship.
4
fullfloater
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4/2/2022 12:34am
Had Labatts as a sponsor as I recall when I saw him race in florida. No silly energy drink sponsorship.
You thinking Surwall?
4
Darrin Willis
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Red Deer County, AB CA
4/3/2022 11:31am
Had Labatts as a sponsor as I recall when I saw him race in florida. No silly energy drink sponsorship.
You thinking Surwall?
I dont recall rollerball being sponsored by Labatt.
2
M1000
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4/3/2022 5:10pm
Had Labatts as a sponsor as I recall when I saw him race in florida. No silly energy drink sponsorship.
You thinking Surwall?
I dont recall rollerball being sponsored by Labatt.
Agree don’t remember Pederson sponsored by Labatts.





3
TeamFlannel
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Ellsworth, IL US
4/3/2022 7:21pm
Do not remember ever seeing Rollerball look back over his shoulder.
Do remember him picking off riders near the end of the Moto’s.
I always cheered him on at the Nationals back in the 80’s.
4/3/2022 8:15pm
My fav memory of Rollerball was at the 1989 125/500 National in Moncton New Brunswick. They used to ride arena cross Saturday night then both classes outdoors on Sunday. Ross was riding for Suzuki and since they didn’t have a 500, they built him an RM 360 ( believe it was built by SCR?!?). Anyways he rode that thing so hard in practice that he blew it up.
He ended up borrowing a Honda Cr500 from local racer Dan Fahie ( yes Kawasaki USA’s current team manager) to finish the day. I can only imagine how happy Suzuki Canada was about that !
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