john whelchel

nicks dad
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Oregon City, OR US
3/29/2008 4:20pm Edited Date/Time 1/27/2012 3:07pm
i recall reading j.w. was a factory suzuki rider in the 100 class around 1976,but i think he was riding minis,too.anyone remember?when did he graduate out of the 80cc class?
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3/29/2008 8:50pm
i remember whechel on an open bike...yamaha i think, faster than shit.
mx317
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TN US
3/29/2008 10:03pm
I remember racing Whelchel at Unadilla when he rode for Team Tamm. He won the 500 support class that day and I won my first real Pro money. Great memories from 1984.
MXPUNK511
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3/30/2008 8:49am Edited Date/Time 4/16/2016 6:29pm
[quote="Mini Elsinore":19d21eeb]Getting old, but here's what I recall. Whelchel rode a LA Collesium race on a factory 80. I believe it was '78. It was the first time I saw Burnworth and Welchel in the cool factory blue/yellow gear. Burnworth had been quick at R&D so he was no surprise on the factory dealio (Steve Schmidt had been the RM80 test rider), but Whelchel was a darkhorse for a factory mini ride. Burnworth and Kehoe (first year monoshock 80) had some epic battles that night. I got to see some of it first hand when getting lapped in the 105 class.... " title="Laughing">[/quote:19d21eeb]

i remember watching those guys when i was a kid racing 9-11 novice with ricky johnson back in '74 -'75 @ Escape Country during the "early" NMA days!
nicks dad
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3/30/2008 9:48am
the magazine where i saw whelchel raced a factory rm-100 was a 1976 minicycle that had little person billy keffer on the cover and featured a test on the italjet x-80 in which john was a test rider-photo model.i was 8 yrs old when i read this,but sometimes my memory still works

The Shop

nicks dad
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3/30/2008 1:13pm
now that i think about it,i recall seeing his name in the 80cc class at the world mini around1978-79,so i guess if he was around 13 in '76 he could have also been racing a 100cc bike
3/30/2008 1:25pm
I raced with John in the ROC at the '79 World Mini at Saddleback. We all raced box stock YZ80F's in 3 motos, back to back and swapped bikes each race to negate any mechanical advantage.
crashnuke
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Henderson, NV US
3/30/2008 7:48pm
Wasn't Whelchel a Team Tamm member in 1984. I remember watching Atlanta that year and they showed him taking a header over the bars in the whoops.
andymoto
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Carmichael, CA US
3/30/2008 9:42pm
Whelchel was a bad mo'fo on Open YZs...and mx317 mentioned he being on Team Tamm.
Steve Rhyan on think Maicos another tough SoCal Open rider.
Sendelbach(think name spelled correct) seemed another good Open rider.
UpTiTe
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3/31/2008 3:05pm
Johnny Welchel was one fast kid on a 125 in 1980. I raced 80s at edwards airforce base in 1980 and the wind was blowing like mad and John was still skying this downhill ski jump it was crazy. He was blown of the track and into the weeds one time but he just kept skying it.

When he moved up to 250s and 500s I think he got faster. I used to ride with him and another guy from Tamm in 83 and 84. He is a cool guy. He get pretty hurt in 84 or 85 and quit racing. That dude straight up hauled ass on a 500.

I watched an epic race with him and Peter Snortland on 500s in 82 at the Shadow Glenn track at Indian Dunes.
twizzler
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4/2/2008 9:55am
John lost his thumb in a mx crash in 84-85. He started riding again a few years ago. He's good buds with Eric Kehoe. John had/has a CRF 450 and was riding a lot at Piru, LA Raceway. He still hauls ass!! He did A Day In The Dirt in 04'. Then a couple years ago he was racing Mammoth and I think he tore his ACL. Not sure if he's still riding or not. He was a member of Team Tamm and put up some great results on the CR500. Unadilla was one.
andymoto
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4/2/2008 10:22am
We use to have a local expert Parry Klassen that Bobby raced against that had just stubs for thumbs and hauled ass.
im_tim
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Glendale, AZ US
5/17/2008 9:12pm
nicks dad wrote:
i recall reading j.w. was a factory suzuki rider in the 100 class around 1976,but i think he was riding minis,too.anyone remember?when did he graduate out...
i recall reading j.w. was a factory suzuki rider in the 100 class around 1976,but i think he was riding minis,too.anyone remember?when did he graduate out of the 80cc class?
I raced with Johnny Whelchel first at Valley Cycle Park in Simi Valley in early 76. As I remember he had a US Suzuki ride. Also remember in that same class was Johnny O'mara, Jim Cote, Stevie Schmidt was on a brand new RM80. These were AME club races. I actually still have the results from Cycle news west.
dr516
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Visalia, CA US
7/10/2008 2:53pm
was there any one faster at indian dunes than john whelchel man was he fast its the only place i say him ride yamahas and team tam hey up tite yeah i was friends with pete and raced indian dunes all the time in 82
7/10/2008 3:27pm
andymoto wrote:
Whelchel was a bad mo'fo on Open YZs...and mx317 mentioned he being on Team Tamm. Steve Rhyan on think Maicos another tough SoCal Open rider. Sendelbach(think...
Whelchel was a bad mo'fo on Open YZs...and mx317 mentioned he being on Team Tamm.
Steve Rhyan on think Maicos another tough SoCal Open rider.
Sendelbach(think name spelled correct) seemed another good Open rider.
Steve Rhyan raced Suzuki's for Cole Brothers then after the Nationals in 1979 switched to a Cole Brothers Maico, then switched to a Wheelsmith Maico ( and won the 500cc Pro Goldenstate series in 1980) later raced a Husky and then a Honda. I have heard that he is a trainer down in San Diego now.
G-man
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7/10/2008 4:07pm
Steve Rhyan raced Suzuki's for Cole Brothers then after the Nationals in 1979 switched to a Cole Brothers Maico, then switched to a Wheelsmith Maico (...
Steve Rhyan raced Suzuki's for Cole Brothers then after the Nationals in 1979 switched to a Cole Brothers Maico, then switched to a Wheelsmith Maico ( and won the 500cc Pro Goldenstate series in 1980) later raced a Husky and then a Honda. I have heard that he is a trainer down in San Diego now.
Hey it sounds like you knew the "Cole Brothers Gang" pretty good. I use to hang with those guys too at the shop.

Did you know Wes Sutton, Zap worked there too. Rick Maki raced for them for a spell as well.
7/10/2008 6:00pm
Steve Rhyan raced Suzuki's for Cole Brothers then after the Nationals in 1979 switched to a Cole Brothers Maico, then switched to a Wheelsmith Maico (...
Steve Rhyan raced Suzuki's for Cole Brothers then after the Nationals in 1979 switched to a Cole Brothers Maico, then switched to a Wheelsmith Maico ( and won the 500cc Pro Goldenstate series in 1980) later raced a Husky and then a Honda. I have heard that he is a trainer down in San Diego now.
G-man wrote:
Hey it sounds like you knew the "Cole Brothers Gang" pretty good. I use to hang with those guys too at the shop. Did you know...
Hey it sounds like you knew the "Cole Brothers Gang" pretty good. I use to hang with those guys too at the shop.

Did you know Wes Sutton, Zap worked there too. Rick Maki raced for them for a spell as well.
I knew the guys from Cole Brothers when I worked for Moto Meister, then worked for Cross Up as Steve Rhyans wrench on the National circuit and when they had money problems Steve hired me. Later I did Matt Devich's bikes and he was buddies with Maki.
Bill163
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7/10/2008 9:28pm
Rick Maki was a nut I was at carlsbad late 77 CMC day with a friend that raced 125 int.Rick won 125 int that day then changed into his friends gear that rode for Cole Bros in 125 JR he won the second moto for that guy to help him for 1st overall.I think Kelvin Franks knew something was up they were looking for Rick but he hid out in a porta potty for a while and changed out his gear in there.He was never caught.
G-man
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7/11/2008 6:23am
I knew the guys from Cole Brothers when I worked for Moto Meister, then worked for Cross Up as Steve Rhyans wrench on the National circuit...
I knew the guys from Cole Brothers when I worked for Moto Meister, then worked for Cross Up as Steve Rhyans wrench on the National circuit and when they had money problems Steve hired me. Later I did Matt Devich's bikes and he was buddies with Maki.
I remember Matt, was he the guy that had the trick all chrome bike?
G-man
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7/11/2008 6:29am
Bill163 wrote:
Rick Maki was a nut I was at carlsbad late 77 CMC day with a friend that raced 125 int.Rick won 125 int that day then...
Rick Maki was a nut I was at carlsbad late 77 CMC day with a friend that raced 125 int.Rick won 125 int that day then changed into his friends gear that rode for Cole Bros in 125 JR he won the second moto for that guy to help him for 1st overall.I think Kelvin Franks knew something was up they were looking for Rick but he hid out in a porta potty for a while and changed out his gear in there.He was never caught.
hahahah classic I recall a story like that, but for some reason I thought it was Saddleback?

Yep Rick was crazy fast for sure. I remember one National at Saddleback with Johnny O on his trick Mugen Honda and Rick threw the whole kitchen sink at him for two desperate laps or so to keep him at bay. Maki was on a painfully stock Suzy and we were going nuts!

He races cars now, I spoke with him a yr or so ago and asked him if he still rode. "Naw after eight knee surgeries and multiple concussions--NO!!!!!"
7/11/2008 6:48am
I knew the guys from Cole Brothers when I worked for Moto Meister, then worked for Cross Up as Steve Rhyans wrench on the National circuit...
I knew the guys from Cole Brothers when I worked for Moto Meister, then worked for Cross Up as Steve Rhyans wrench on the National circuit and when they had money problems Steve hired me. Later I did Matt Devich's bikes and he was buddies with Maki.
G-man wrote:
I remember Matt, was he the guy that had the trick all chrome bike?
When Matt raced for CrossUp he built a trick Suzuki RM125 that was on the cover of one of the MX magazines back in the day. When I helped him he had a Team Green ride and raced a KX250 that was modified to a rising rate and had a shock the Ross Maeda built for him. Later he was a test rider for Honda Research and thats how I got to be a contract mechanic for HRC.
Steiny
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Simi Valley, CA US
7/11/2008 7:51am Edited Date/Time 7/11/2008 7:52am
dr516 wrote:
was there any one faster at indian dunes than john whelchel man was he fast its the only place i say him ride yamahas and team...
was there any one faster at indian dunes than john whelchel man was he fast its the only place i say him ride yamahas and team tam hey up tite yeah i was friends with pete and raced indian dunes all the time in 82
dr516
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7/11/2008 11:22am
steiny looks like you joined right after me give some clues
UpTiTe
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7/11/2008 1:03pm Edited Date/Time 7/11/2008 1:04pm
Steiny
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7/12/2008 6:11am
dr516 wrote:
steiny looks like you joined right after me give some clues
You and I, if your who I think, used to ride together a lot mostly at Erringer. If your who I think, you almost broke your foot on my Honda 125 at Saddleback
Bill163
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US
7/12/2008 8:28am
Bill163 wrote:
Rick Maki was a nut I was at carlsbad late 77 CMC day with a friend that raced 125 int.Rick won 125 int that day then...
Rick Maki was a nut I was at carlsbad late 77 CMC day with a friend that raced 125 int.Rick won 125 int that day then changed into his friends gear that rode for Cole Bros in 125 JR he won the second moto for that guy to help him for 1st overall.I think Kelvin Franks knew something was up they were looking for Rick but he hid out in a porta potty for a while and changed out his gear in there.He was never caught.
G-man wrote:
hahahah classic I recall a story like that, but for some reason I thought it was Saddleback? Yep Rick was crazy fast for sure. I remember...
hahahah classic I recall a story like that, but for some reason I thought it was Saddleback?

Yep Rick was crazy fast for sure. I remember one National at Saddleback with Johnny O on his trick Mugen Honda and Rick threw the whole kitchen sink at him for two desperate laps or so to keep him at bay. Maki was on a painfully stock Suzy and we were going nuts!

He races cars now, I spoke with him a yr or so ago and asked him if he still rode. "Naw after eight knee surgeries and multiple concussions--NO!!!!!"
No doubt it was carlsbad I remember it was one of Jeff Ward's first races on a 125.My buddy was having problems with his fox airs Cliff Lett came over and was trying to help out Ward was with him and was so small and seeing him race a 125 was a trip.I remember him getting the holeshot going way wide through the first corner then Pete Wanket blowing him and everybody else away.

I know Rick raced suzuki's but in 1980 I bought a new yz 125 let my friend race it at a Bosh CMC race at Saddleback in late 1980 in 125 Pro Johnny O was there also Chris Heisser on a Mugen kitted cr 125 Magoo on a stock 1980 cr 125 and Rick Maki was on a yz 125G he had gotten a yamaha support ride.

The cool thing was my buddy holeshot everybody up start hill from the far left start gate in the first moto that was no man's land.He ended up finishing mid-pack not bad for someone that stopped racing for 6 months.
dr516
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7/14/2008 8:04am
dr516 wrote:
steiny looks like you joined right after me give some clues
Steiny wrote:
You and I, if your who I think, used to ride together a lot mostly at Erringer. If your who I think, you almost broke your...
You and I, if your who I think, used to ride together a lot mostly at Erringer. If your who I think, you almost broke your foot on my Honda 125 at Saddleback
See I told you I would visit you in the hospital when you crashed that street bike of yours and dislocated your hip and broke Chris’s foot

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