Your favorite SX/MX "I was there" experience

plowboy
Posts
11628
Joined
1/3/2010
Location
Norwich, KS US
7/17/2022 4:22pm
Farliegh Castle, Trowbridge England...the day Brad Lackey was the first American to win a 500cc GP. You would think the Euros were pissed...just the opposite...they said, "Welcome the Yanks". I was wearing a white t-shirt with the American flag on the chest. I never had so many free beers shoved in my face.
2
Motoxdoc
Posts
2628
Joined
11/8/2009
Location
Steamboat Springs, CO US
7/17/2022 11:48pm
I watched Jeff Wards last minicycle race in the race of champions at Escape Country/Racing World on the Marty Smith track; I also saw what may have been The Flying Freckles first professional race at the same park on the Desoto Moto track. I was standing at the Magoo double at Ssddleback when The Hurricane threw his bike at The Rhinestone Cowboy. I watched Moates win the Carlsbad USGP. I watched Deegan ghost ride his bike at The LA Coliseum. I watched the epic Johnson/Bailey battle at Anaheim. I witnessed the last National at Saddleback in 84 from mid pack of the 250 class (bonsai start, suicide double and all). I did the last race at Saddleback Park. I did the last race at OCIR. I witnessed the changing of the guard when The Goat first beat The King.
1
Richy
Posts
2896
Joined
7/18/2020
Location
UK GB
7/18/2022 12:24am
Not history book / career significant for anyone, but I'm getting the feeling these moments for me are coming up shortly. Seeing Eli, Kenny, Deano etc riding WSX for round 1 and before that watching Villopoto, ZachO, Mike Brown and a tonne of other good dudes firing some bitchin' two strokes around Foxhill over here in August, those will be pretty all time for me personally.
Richy
Posts
2896
Joined
7/18/2020
Location
UK GB
7/18/2022 12:25am
plowboy wrote:
Farliegh Castle, Trowbridge England...the day Brad Lackey was the first American to win a 500cc GP. You would think the Euros were pissed...just the opposite...they said...
Farliegh Castle, Trowbridge England...the day Brad Lackey was the first American to win a 500cc GP. You would think the Euros were pissed...just the opposite...they said, "Welcome the Yanks". I was wearing a white t-shirt with the American flag on the chest. I never had so many free beers shoved in my face.
Farleigh is literally 20 minutes from me, place has some history and has seen some fantastic racing 👍

The Shop

RG1
Posts
4663
Joined
7/12/2015
Location
GB
7/18/2022 12:52am
Couple of my favourites were being at Everts last race at MXdN in 2006. He was absolutely unbelievable that day and went out at the absolute top. Also, was at Lierop in 2012 when Herlings lapped everyone apart from 2nd, the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever seen on a motorcycle
TG130
Posts
1073
Joined
4/13/2008
Location
US
7/18/2022 10:41pm Edited Date/Time 7/18/2022 11:25pm
Whymee wrote:
I have been to many motorcycle events in my 62 years. MXDN, Nationals, SX and hybrid races like Atlanta Speedway. THE earliest motorcycle event I remember...
I have been to many motorcycle events in my 62 years. MXDN, Nationals, SX and hybrid races like Atlanta Speedway.

THE earliest motorcycle event I remember going too was when Bob Gill attempted to jump the 200 foot wide Appalachia Lake In Bruceton Mills, WV, both times.This was somewhere around '73ish. For the life of me I cannot figure out to this day, why my parents would drag the whole family for both tries, when said parents were not into motorcycles. Still baffles me to this day.

The first attempt it rained and there was no way he could jump. I remember people kinda rioting and port a lets burning, or something to that effect. I was very young, probably in the early double digits.

The next weekend was the second attempt. It was damp out. From my fading memory, I seem to recall someone broadcasting lime on the take off run in attempt to dry out the soil. As he was making his practice runs, traction was not the best. He made this one run, and I thought to myself there is no way he is going to make it at the speed he was carrying. To my disbelief, he hit the ramp.

I was standing in the lake, water up to my knees, and if I had to guess, maybe 50 feet from the soil landing ramp. I watched him sail through the air. I thought this is going to be close! And it was. He landed on the portion of the ramp that faced the water, did a flying W, and landed sans bike, on the landing ramp.

He was 3 feet short.

In all the commotion that followed, I got a good look at the bike. It was a Kawasaki 350 Bighorn enduro bike that was stripped of its lights. Green in color. It had a rotary valve motor and an air filter (K&N?) sticking out of the sidecover.

Bob never jumped, or walked, again.

Yes, I was there.
I remember this. It happened just before Evel tried the Snake River jump. Our local news sports guy did a story about it, basically stating that in his opinion, Evel should not try to do something so extreme. He showed film of Gill's crash along with another jump by a guy named Bob Pleso, who attempted to jump 30 cars, landed short and was killed in the process. I was a teenager about 13-14 at the time and remember just having a sick feeling in my gut after seeing those 2 jumps.

Lake jump starts about 3:25
https://youtu.be/q1nqZ93e9bU

Pleso's jump
https://youtu.be/DL2qKhQWrXU
TG130
Posts
1073
Joined
4/13/2008
Location
US
7/18/2022 11:21pm
Here's some of my "I was theres"

1979 Oakland Super X. My first live SX ever attended. Weinert wins with paddle tire and neck brace.



1991 Hangtown. Muddy mess. Wasn't just muddy, the track was flooded so bad that they ran only 1 moto in each class that day. John Dowd & Doug Henry, both privateers won their first nationals.


1979 AMA National Amateur Championship race at Plymouth, California. On the old Motodrive forum (I think) years ago, there was some doubt from a lot of the guys whether this race actually took place or not. Myself and one other poster claimed to have been there, everyone else said we were full of crap. Charlie Sexton, who was a former racer and race promoter called Eric McKenna and he verified that it did indeed happen. McKenna was the 500 cc champ that year. This was one of the best MX races I have ever been to IMO.

3
7/19/2022 1:19am
Badass. I didn’t realize they even had paddle tires back then. Weinert was a beast! Semics was my fav back then.
7/19/2022 1:45am


My dad got us killer seats at Oakland SX in 2014. Stew and Chad sized up a quad possibility during practice and I snapped a pic. They both started hitting the quad late in the main event. James used it to get the best of Chad. Podium for both. Awesome for me.
2
motofab36
Posts
1358
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
Cowden, IL US
7/19/2022 6:10am
1996 St Louis sx when Emig passed McGrath and held on for the win stopping the King's streak.
jmc2
Posts
1318
Joined
8/15/2006
Location
Gilbert, AZ US
Fantasy
1679th
7/20/2022 8:47pm
I was there when Marty Moates won the 1980 USGP and returned a few years later to look at what was left of the track and saw this.
2
jambalaya
Posts
943
Joined
1/16/2021
Location
Spring Valley, CA US
7/20/2022 9:27pm Edited Date/Time 7/20/2022 9:28pm
RV 1-1 at Glen Helen 2009 was wild.

But the big one is one of the most important races ever RC beating MC San Diego 2001
1
Phillip_Lamb
Posts
1924
Joined
12/14/2010
Location
ORANGEVALE, CA US
Fantasy
2447th
7/20/2022 9:34pm
oh man, theres a handfull from of the years of attending Hangtown

-2003 was one for the ages. Ryan Hughes, Mike Brown and Eric Sorby knuckle busting with Ryno going 1-1 in his 30's. then the 250/450 class saw Kevin Windham blow everyones doors off in moto 1 to end RC's moto win streak.

-2004 was where RC came back from knee surgery to start his 2nd Perfect season, and JS7 vs Roncada rd 2 (las vegas was rd 1) these two went back and forth hard for 20+ minutes in both motos

-2008 i got front row seats to the Jlaw vs RV fist fight

-2011 was the 3 way fight between Reed, Dung and RV with Reed winning

-2015 Tomac put the hurt on everyone nearly lapping Dungey who was 2nd place. His pace was unreal

linker48x
Posts
64
Joined
2/4/2015
Location
Anchorage, AK US
7/20/2022 10:58pm
1968 Inter Am at De La Veaga Park, in Santa Cruz. Joel Robert smoked the troops in the 250s.
1973-4 USGP at Carlsbad.
1981 Saddleback National, Hannah and Kent Howerton ram each other
A1 every year last 5 years

robkinuk
Posts
4202
Joined
5/16/2007
Location
Ashbourne GB
7/21/2022 5:58am
1987 Super Bowl of Motocross LA Coliseum. Rick Johnson gets taken down in first corner and stages an amazing comeback ride from last to first. passing leader Guy Cooper on last lap.
Prior to final someone stole Ricky’s helmet in the pits, so mechanic Brian Lunniss sent RJ to start line whilst he raced back to the truck to get his spare helmet. Ricky scared he might get robbed again asked me to wear his really trick RS Tachi leather Bad Boy Leather jacket and keep his wallet safe.
Watched his incredible comeback from stadium floor.
Following morning we all went for breakfast in Seal Beach as RJ read Shav Flick’s LA times race report.👍💪
Rupert X
Posts
10048
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
Newark, OH US
7/21/2022 7:01am
Me was thar…..for many, many of the magnificent 4 vs 7 slobberknockers….

str8line
Posts
3660
Joined
9/20/2018
Location
Sandy, UT US
7/22/2022 6:58am
Whymee wrote:
I have been to many motorcycle events in my 62 years. MXDN, Nationals, SX and hybrid races like Atlanta Speedway. THE earliest motorcycle event I remember...
I have been to many motorcycle events in my 62 years. MXDN, Nationals, SX and hybrid races like Atlanta Speedway.

THE earliest motorcycle event I remember going too was when Bob Gill attempted to jump the 200 foot wide Appalachia Lake In Bruceton Mills, WV, both times.This was somewhere around '73ish. For the life of me I cannot figure out to this day, why my parents would drag the whole family for both tries, when said parents were not into motorcycles. Still baffles me to this day.

The first attempt it rained and there was no way he could jump. I remember people kinda rioting and port a lets burning, or something to that effect. I was very young, probably in the early double digits.

The next weekend was the second attempt. It was damp out. From my fading memory, I seem to recall someone broadcasting lime on the take off run in attempt to dry out the soil. As he was making his practice runs, traction was not the best. He made this one run, and I thought to myself there is no way he is going to make it at the speed he was carrying. To my disbelief, he hit the ramp.

I was standing in the lake, water up to my knees, and if I had to guess, maybe 50 feet from the soil landing ramp. I watched him sail through the air. I thought this is going to be close! And it was. He landed on the portion of the ramp that faced the water, did a flying W, and landed sans bike, on the landing ramp.

He was 3 feet short.

In all the commotion that followed, I got a good look at the bike. It was a Kawasaki 350 Bighorn enduro bike that was stripped of its lights. Green in color. It had a rotary valve motor and an air filter (K&N?) sticking out of the sidecover.

Bob never jumped, or walked, again.

Yes, I was there.
Wow, check out 3:21. So sketchy!

Bill_Carroll
Posts
4574
Joined
9/15/2010
Location
Falcon, CO US
Fantasy
745th
7/22/2022 12:45pm
Rupert X wrote:
Me was thar…..for many, many of the magnificent [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2022/07/21/560517/s1200_4A4A2A0B_6B9D_4535_A516_645AE9E60B60.jpg[/img]4 vs 7 slobberknockers…. [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2022/07/21/560516/s1200_174C2258_2F45_4CEF_BAF3_D965D4DB6950.jpg[/img]
Me was thar…..for many, many of the magnificent 4 vs 7 slobberknockers….

Huh, I'm gonna start wearing my pants like that.
Who needs tattoo's and colored hair to get attention
7/22/2022 6:38pm
Being all the way from Australia I am very fortunate to have two experiences, and both lived up to every expectation.
2002 Glen Helen MX and 2007 Vegas SX.
pinchflat
Posts
9
Joined
4/28/2022
Location
Savage, MN US
7/22/2022 6:45pm
I got to see RC lap the field at Millville in the mud. Sat at the bottom of Mt Martin (before it was called that) where Reed got stuck and Stew took Three tries to get past Reed.
JustMX
Posts
4607
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
TN US
7/23/2022 9:39am
1983 gatorback national. First ntional that they ran all 3 classes the same day.

Watching magoo on a 500.

They had put a jump at the bottom of what they still use as the finish line coming out of the pit. He swings wide in practice and uses it to step up onto finish line,

Did it a couple more times in that practice.

The 125s comes out. O'mara goes all the way out to the pond, nails his 125 and jumps it by pancaking his bike to get over it. He didn't do again.

Magoo comes out and the jump has got beaten down. he still hits it as fast yet he isnt clearing it. instead he bounces off the hill about 10 feet higher than any other rider.

Watching o'mara, ward, and barnett battle at their peak was awesome, but watching magoo that day on a 500 was truly an unforgettable experience.

Both of the races at six flags were good too.
JMed651
Posts
176
Joined
12/23/2017
Location
Carmel, IN US
7/23/2022 9:56am
3 stand out to me.
1. Cheering Webb on with a group of buddies in the stands at the Charlotte MXGP as he started getting in the groove.
2. Standing in the infield in Daytona and seeing Stews wall jump first hand.
3. Being in the stadium in Atlanta and seeing Windham short a transfer big time during his practice tries before the races. He got very lucky that night.
7/23/2022 1:35pm
Probably 2011 Atlanta supercross. Everyone was in their feet the entire main, and I was fortunate enough to be right In front of the Chad reed attempted pass on stew. What a night that was. So much energy
2
7/23/2022 1:52pm
Not MX/SX but I was there when Pastrana landed the first double backflip. It was crazy! Packed stadium was going insane!
2
FastEddy
Posts
13364
Joined
8/3/2008
Location
., FL US
Fantasy
890th
7/23/2022 1:56pm
crfdude86 wrote:
Not MX/SX but I was there when Pastrana landed the first double backflip. It was crazy! Packed stadium was going insane!
Awesome - I remember watching it on TV!
He wore that logger looking jersey.
motomike137
Posts
6897
Joined
4/22/2010
Location
Fenton, MI US
7/23/2022 2:05pm
Another one I forgot about. The 1979 125 USGP at Mid Ohio.

Post a reply to: Your favorite SX/MX "I was there" experience

The Latest