Tell Us About Attending Your Very First Outdoor National (or GP) ?

KX500
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5/21/2020 6:54am
1983, St. Louis the only time I can recall the national circuit racing there & too close not to go to.

Broc Glover won 500s, Hannah won 250s and Ward won 125s.

The 2 riders that stood out to me were Hannah and Magoo Chandler (3rd in 500s). Maybe it was the way they rode - incredibly fast, with a nothing is going to slow me down vibe. And maybe they weren't as smooth looking as other (excellent) riders who I don't even remember being there. Maybe smooth sometimes doesn't look as fast.

Obviously, I left there as a huge fan of both of these riders - but especially Magoo with his performance at Trophies and Motocross des Nation in 1982 - which I'm sure I had read about in Cycle News.

I hadn't raced MX prior to seeing this race, but knowing I had to, was another thing I left that race with.
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KX500
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5/21/2020 7:22am
And while I never really thought about it, I'd say the only national I ever attended had a huge impact. Most guys I knew back then had enduro or on/off road bikes (IT175, TT250, DT250) and I was on a 1982 PE175. I didn't know anybody who had an actual MX bike.

Big changes for me came shortly after that race.
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mxtech1
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5/21/2020 7:28am Edited Date/Time 5/21/2020 1:57pm
1990 Millville National, I believe.
I was about 3.5 years old.


RJ won the 500 overall


Ward came in 2nd


Stanton came in 3rd.


Bottom photo...This was just after I approached Stanton and said "Hey Ricky J. can I have your autograph?" I'm sure I had no idea I called him by name of one of his fiercest competitors. Obviously I was too young to remember this, but according to my parents, he was not impressed...as you can tell by the smug look on his face and that little dipshit to his left that was mean muggin me...

30-some years later, I still have all 3 of those signed posters tucked away in a binder in storage.
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KennyT
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5/21/2020 7:39am Edited Date/Time 5/21/2020 7:40am
I can’t remember the National...earlier 70’s and I was a bad teen back in those days. I do remember my first Pro race and that was a Trans Am at Saddleback and Ake Johnson dominated. I was 13 or so and that puts it around 1972-73 ish. Back then I was riding a little Yamaha 90MX and to see those guys on the big Maicos, Husky’s and BSA’s was mind blowing. It was like watching superhero’s....amazing!
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The Shop

5/21/2020 9:18am
91 Millville girlfriend and I went in my el Camino with no ac. 2nd 125 moto start at 30.32 I,m on the left with shirt off, blonde with yellow jack on my right, left of telephone pole. The 125 class was awesome, the peak bikes sounded Killer, with a quick pop cherp when hitting square holes. La Rocco won the overall on a RM125, Henry led the 1st moto on a DGy 125. The top 14 where flying, the rough straight after the start, La Rocco hit the Left berm at full speed dragging bars. Fastest anyone ever hit a corner.
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SWOHIO GUY
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5/21/2020 9:37am
I believe me and my dad went to Troy in 02 but I was too young to remember. My first pro race that I remember is 2018 MXofN, went there almost assured that the US was going to dominate. That thought started to spiral when Eli's bike expired in the first qualifier, then AP flew off the triple right in front of us while leading with 2 minutes plus a lap to go. The bad gate picks didn't help but the Americans were clearly off the pace most of the weekend. I thought moto 3 was a very underrated ride by ELI: out side the top 20 on the start, was charging into top 10 before he fell, fell back to 14th I believe then got up to 7th and was one of the only guys clearing Laroccos leap in moto 3.

Another thing I saw that was pretty cool. One of the Guatemalan riders was standing next to me and my dad with his wife and kids. They didn't come close to qualifying but I thought it was cool to see him taking in the experience with his family.
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motoxer68
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5/21/2020 10:12am
I'm pretty sure it was the 1976 Red Bud TransAm. The next year is the one that really stands out in my memory though. Cold, muddy....I'm pretty sure it snowed at one point. I talked about it with Decoster a couple of years ago---he remembered the miserable day.
2
5/21/2020 10:21am
My post locked anyway. The 500 class wasn’t,t as exciting, but very cool to see Jeff Ward, Lechien, stanton and Bayle. He was all the talk, I studied him all aspects of riding, he Looked very smooth and fast in the whoops. We watch all over the track, was at the finish 2nd moto bayle with his #1 in the air. Last lap he did a crafty pass on Jeff. Emig was the only rider visible in the pits. Big crowd of young Scandinavian blondes all quite and staring at him, with his shirt off. My chic is asking question like, is he fast, can he win today? I answer no that,s why kawi dumped him. He is doo for a moto win or Lead some. Is his bike fast? I say no, but there working on it. Jeff is looking at me, I was just talking the truth. My chic is asking questions and I don,t lie to her. I say he looks relaxed , he is from Mo. is hot state. Today could be his. Kinda weird where talking like he wasn’t,t there. prob worked he went 3-3 and looked fast , trying to show that he was a front runner. Wasn,t trying to pick on him or anything.
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Thor34103
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5/21/2020 10:25am
Thor34103 wrote:
October 1972 - Honda Hills - Trans-AMA - Winner Heikki Mikkola - Husqvarna
number six wrote:
Funny you mention the Honda Hills Trans-AMA .. Our 1st was a Trans-AMA at mid-Ohio, it must have been the initial race when the venue was...
Funny you mention the Honda Hills Trans-AMA ..

Our 1st was a Trans-AMA at mid-Ohio, it must have been the initial race when the venue was moved to Lexington.
1974 ?

We know this because we drove to Honda Hills under the assumption the race was still being held there, not the case so off we went to mid-Ohio. Lots of road time in a 1.1 litre Opel station wagon that weekend.
No recollection of the outcome but it was great to see the Euro-hero's we'd been reading about in magazines.
number 6, that is a memorable one for sure. I’ve been to Lexington for a number of good events too, but the most memorable one has to be when local Maico Meister Denny Swartz battled with DeCoster for a Trans-AMA win.
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Thor34103
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5/21/2020 10:34am
KennyT wrote:
I can’t remember the National...earlier 70’s and I was a bad teen back in those days. I do remember my first Pro race and that was...
I can’t remember the National...earlier 70’s and I was a bad teen back in those days. I do remember my first Pro race and that was a Trans Am at Saddleback and Ake Johnson dominated. I was 13 or so and that puts it around 1972-73 ish. Back then I was riding a little Yamaha 90MX and to see those guys on the big Maicos, Husky’s and BSA’s was mind blowing. It was like watching superhero’s....amazing!
Think that was 1972, the same year I attended the one at Honda Hills. DeCoster won the first race, Mikkola the second, then Ake won the remaining 9 rounds.
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cz2crf2wc
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5/21/2020 10:51am
I went to the 1973 and 74 USGP at Carlsbad with my cousin. the only 2 that I ever went to. Calrsbad was only 10 miles from where I grew up and the 1st track I ever raced on.
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Holigan
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5/21/2020 11:52am Edited Date/Time 5/21/2020 11:53am
Holigan wrote:
1983 at Lake Whitney, all 3 classes racing. Bailey, O'Mara, Ward, Lechien, Barnett, Hannah, Howerton, Glover, Chandler and more. A massive berm gets built up in...
1983 at Lake Whitney, all 3 classes racing. Bailey, O'Mara, Ward, Lechien, Barnett, Hannah, Howerton, Glover, Chandler and more.

A massive berm gets built up in the middle of the big right hand sweeper in the infield. About 20' down the straight from the exit of the corner, four of us are in lawn chairs with our feet about one foot behind the thin pickets holding up the ribbon at the edge of the track. Every rider is railing that berm at warp speed. Magoo had gotten a terrible start or was in a crash, so he was back in the field. In an attempt to pass a handful of riders in one corner, Magoo flat tracks that big bore Honda on the outside of the berm in that long sweeper. He has the bike sideways and pinned, and wipes out every picket down the straight with his rear wheel hanging out. He missed our feet by about 6 inches as the ribbon floated to the ground. We all looked at each other, picked up our lawn chairs, took one step back, and sat back down. Great day of racing!
SEEMEFIRST wrote:
My first was Whitney in the late 70's. I went to every one after, so they kind of run together. Notable moments, Hannah coming off a...
My first was Whitney in the late 70's. I went to every one after, so they kind of run together.

Notable moments, Hannah coming off a practice, not sure if he was pissed off or happy, but he wheelied all the way from the exit lane to the widow maker hill and bombed the hill on a 125. If you know the hill, you understand.

Another was Barnett finishing with a broken footpeg. He rested his foot on the clutch cover.
(Now stuck tear offs throw them off, pfft)

Got to see Howerton win at home. Him and Stackable out lasted every one in the Texas Heat.
Yes, home field advantage.

All great times. Finally got to take my son to his first there.
I remember all of the stories of Hannah riding a wheelie all the way up that hill and back down. A lot of people couldn't even ride up the hill with both wheels on the ground. Wish I had been there that day.

One Hannah story I forgot on that day in '83 at Whitney. The weekend before at Mosier Valley, one of the local pros had a stunning woman with him that everyone in the pits thought was a dancer. First time she had ever been at a track. The next week at Lake Whitney, she was walking around the track with Hannah holding his hand and hanging out in his pits. Old Bob was a legend.
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SPODEBOY
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Apple Valley, CA US
5/21/2020 11:56am Edited Date/Time 5/21/2020 12:48pm
April 5th 1981 Saddleback Nationals.

After loosing our mom to a car accident by Cooks corner in Nov 1980, my brother convinced my dad to take me to an MX national. We lived on Hamilton Trail in Trabuco Canyon and we all had dirt bikes. My dad gave my brother the money and the keys to our 1971 Chevy Shorty Van and off we went.

At the end of the road my brother went left instead of right. I said, "Hey Saddleback is that way". He said, "Bro we gotta make a small detour". He then picked up his buddy, stopped at the country store in The Oaks and bopught a case of beer with my money! LoL.

When we approached the gate my brother told me to slide under the couch and be quiet. We made it in and parked across the valley on the top of the hill over there. We walked down the the famous turn where Howerton and Hannah would have it out. Not once but twice. You can actually see me in the famous photo 10th from the left. My older brother and his drinking buddy are the two tallest guys standing side by side.

After this experience I became completely addicted to the sport. This has led to my entire life revolving around the sport. Locations I have lived, vehicles I have driven, and video games I have played.

Next chapter is this.



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5/21/2020 5:27pm
1978. Rhode Island’s only National. Pine Top ski area. Forecast was rain. Attendance was low. It didn’t rain. Wish I still had that Mr. Pibb MX National t shirt. I was 14. Smell the Castrol R. Great time.
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reynardfan1
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5/21/2020 9:21pm
Millville...walked across the bridge and looked to the right just in time to see McGrath break his foot...game over. 😔
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RandyS
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5/21/2020 9:50pm Edited Date/Time 5/21/2020 9:52pm
I don't know if my first national was Hangtown in Plymouth or a Trans AMA race at Sears Point. Actually my first national was probably either Sacramento or San Jose Mile, and I was probably still counting my life in months, not literally because my math probably wasn't all that good yet.
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motomike137
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Fenton, MI US
5/22/2020 4:32am
Delta Ohio Inter-Am 1974. Crazy fun party at night with a bunch of hooning happening on the flat track under lights. In the daylight I spotted Tony D's Dodge van coming into the track. Can Am had their superteam there with Jones, Tripes and Ellis. Mike Hartwig put on a clinic in at least one of the open motos leaving the Jammer in his dust. It was one hell of an indoctrination to pro moto!
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Rupert X
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5/22/2020 4:44am
Forgot that Rhode Island had a National. Pepperell Mass. went there in ‘72 for a local race. Lots of Bultacos and rocks. * Wow, some of you dudes are like super old ! Cheers.
1
rangot
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5/22/2020 5:14am
French GP at Thomer la Sogne in 1985. Strijbos, VDB, Pekka Vehkonen... I was 9, but i remember the speed still. Next year my father brought me to the 500 GP, and the top riders opened a big double, i was in awe.
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toddh
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5/22/2020 5:23am
1989 Troy Ohio. Saw Bradshaw in the hotel lobby. Blew my mind. Then in first practice Guy Cooper comes out first on his cr125 absolutely singing. Wow. Talk about speed.
1
5/22/2020 6:43am Edited Date/Time 5/22/2020 6:45am
Rupert X wrote:
Forgot that Rhode Island had a National. Pepperell Mass. went there in ‘72 for a local race. Lots of Bultacos and rocks. * [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2020/05/22/428794/s1200_9929E2DB_1CB4_429A_A45F_8AAC569EDFC0.jpg[/img] Wow, some...
Forgot that Rhode Island had a National. Pepperell Mass. went there in ‘72 for a local race. Lots of Bultacos and rocks. * Wow, some of you dudes are like super old ! Cheers.
Yeah - RI one and done. Dang weather forecasts. Believe it or not we actually have national and international trials events right down the road from where the MX was. Tried to find the old MX track on my mountain bike years later. Just found remnants of a ski area. In RI its not a ski mountain, its a ski area.


Pepperall - never got to ride it. I think it wound down around '82 or '83. A couple friends used to race the Trans AMA I think it was or some other series that Euros came over for in the 70s and even housed some of the Euro riders back in the day.
Rupert X
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5/22/2020 6:49am
Rupert X wrote:
Forgot that Rhode Island had a National. Pepperell Mass. went there in ‘72 for a local race. Lots of Bultacos and rocks. * [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2020/05/22/428794/s1200_9929E2DB_1CB4_429A_A45F_8AAC569EDFC0.jpg[/img] Wow, some...
Forgot that Rhode Island had a National. Pepperell Mass. went there in ‘72 for a local race. Lots of Bultacos and rocks. * Wow, some of you dudes are like super old ! Cheers.
Yeah - RI one and done. Dang weather forecasts. Believe it or not we actually have national and international trials events right down the road from...
Yeah - RI one and done. Dang weather forecasts. Believe it or not we actually have national and international trials events right down the road from where the MX was. Tried to find the old MX track on my mountain bike years later. Just found remnants of a ski area. In RI its not a ski mountain, its a ski area.


Pepperall - never got to ride it. I think it wound down around '82 or '83. A couple friends used to race the Trans AMA I think it was or some other series that Euros came over for in the 70s and even housed some of the Euro riders back in the day.
Wonder how many folks attended that Rhode Romp ? Pepperell is, I’d heard, regarded as America’s oldest /first Motocross track.....(?)
5/22/2020 8:29am
1987 San Antonio, Texas. 125cc/500cc

Rick Johnson won the 500's that day with Wardy taking second (split moto wins I think), it was HOT and rough. Rick Johnson said they DETUNED his 500 between motos. Local pro Danny Storbeck went 4-9, that dude would be riding on regular practice days and boy, was he fast. Veteran and local, Kent Howerton, went 17-16 for 18th. 17 years later at Cycle Ranch, I got to ride with Howerton many times, he was FAST still on a 125cc and he would play race/push us around the track for fun, until he decided to pass and run away.

125cc Micky Dymond and Guy Cooper both on Hondas, took 1 and 2 respectively. This was Dymond's peak and he made a 125 look beautiful!
1

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