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At that time and also during the 80's - the "golden era" of motocross - just 10 to 15 regulars would do all the GP's.
It was very common for most of the riders based in countries like France, Germany, Austria or Italy to skip the rounds in Northern Europe (and vice versa) as they did not have a budget to even get that far. And a few of them that had some budget were reluctant to drive 2000 miles from Spain all the way to Sweden just to try to qualify for the GP.
Here Fernando Muñoz in one GP in Holland I think...
But take the USGP out of it and saying only 10-15 did the full circuit isn't really correct.
The Shop
Seemed like there were a lot of riders that probably did 3-4 GPs, but that outside of the factory guys not too many "privateers" did. I always assumed that it was because there was enough money racing pro class events locally that it just didn't make sense for them to skip those races that helped them make a living. Sort of like all the local pros that earned a living in California in the 70s and competed well at some Nationals, but made better money staying closer to home most of the year.
Of course I'm talking about what it seemed like in the 70s, not sure if that was your "day" or not.
Those were some epic races the crowds were huge and very animated it was a time when Motocross was in its Glory Days.
Must have been awesome for Bobby to race in front of the mass sea of spectators, bummer about the rear tire. I can't imagine trying to race that track with a flat tire, the track was gnarly and very unforgiving.
As I mentioned, there were many 'lesser' riders (although that's unfair to call anyone racing those events 'lesser') who didn't travel to the more distant (expensive) races such as Sweden and Finland, (or GB if you were based in mainland or Southern Europe). But those were riders who, as I said, might not be qualifying regularly anyway, or, perhaps were Italian hard-pack specialists who didn't fancy their chances in the sand of Scandinavia or Hawkstone Park (and vice versa for Benelux sand flies who struggled on the concrete in Italy).
And yes, you did get unknowns racing just their local GPs. Brit Andy Nicholls won his first ever 250 GP race as an unknown at Newbury in 1984. And in the Dutch sand sand you'd see local guys you'd never heard of up the front, at least in timed training.
Certainly the '80s seemed to be the most popular era in terms of number of riders participating. In Britain there were perhaps more than 20 riders who raced all or most of the GPs across the three classes. The prize and start money structure back then meant that if you qualified you certainly covered the costs of getting there.
Compare that to today where we have just a handful of British GP riders. That has hurt the speed of the British riders in my view. Racing with the best in GPs brought on the speed of all the British riders in the eighties, and now, with so few GP riders the level appears to have dropped at home.
Great result, could have been so much better without that puncture!
Have you got any good photos from Carlsbad?
Let me know and I will work you out a great quote to get this finest moment captured in oils on canvas!
You can email to:
robakinsey@hotmail.com
Toni Elias, Derbi 125cc, Holland GP in early 80s
I think the Canadian GP may have ceased by your GP campaigns, but am probably wrong.
I assume you did the USGP the year you got 9th (if I remember correctly) in the World 500 Championships.
As to your points on local specialists - I've mentioned it before, but on one of the 86 to 90 World 500 Championships DVDs ( I Urge people that Don't have the set to get it - it cost's buggerall from Duke Marketing, and it's great - if a little frustrating that a few rounds each year are missing from them ) when Kurt N talks about the Dutch / Euro Sand Specialists, it's quite a chuckle. Mind you, the Brit commentator never seems to get tired of putting shit on Italian riders, rarely acknowledging how well they were doing, but gloating over any prangs they had.
Your comment :" The prize and start money structure back then meant that if you qualified you certainly covered the costs of getting there. "
They could do it then - Luongo needs to make it so again. The damage he's doing to the sport, by limiting participation whilst he 'grows the sport' - whilst lining his pockets and making it difficult for Riders / Teams, needs to be stopped. Fat chance of that ever happening, I fear, whilst he 'owns' the sport until, I think, 2026. Hell, I hope his son, David, can care for the sport better as he seems to play more of a role in his Dad's empire. But, that seems a slim possibility, as ever, it will probably turn out 'like Father, like Son'.
Back then the Italians were awesome on hard pack and the Dutch were awesome in sand. Put either of those guys on the other surface though and they struggled. Really, like they could top-five in their conditions and not qualify on the other surface. It's not like that these days!
The commentators on those tapes were truly terrible. Sorry about that.
Re Luongo, he's going to own the sport forever I'm afraid. Srb is manoeuvring himself into the frame for FIM president in the near future so expect a new contract for YS as soon as that happens.
But, he's still turning up. I've had words with him at a few GPs over the years, and the consummate Politician = Slimeball you could not invent better.
We still need that FB site that was set up to show the labyrinthine web of dishonesty and corruption that is the FIM / Luongo set up, but it's long since disappeared. High end Swiss Lawyers, or (less than) subtle persuasion from sinister people? - probably a combination of both, I reckon.
Pit Row
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