The Legends & Heroes of Motocross to Honor 3 Time National Champion Marty Smith Merced, CA ~ August 8, 2011: Three time motocross
champion, Marty Smith, will be honored at this year’s Lucas Oil AMA Pro
Motocross Championship at the Unadilla on Saturday, August 13th.
Marty Smith was the AMA’s first 125cc Motocross Champion. During the
1970’s, Smith won three national titles – the 1974 & 1975 AMA 125cc
Motocross Championships and the 1977 AMA 500cc Motocross Championship.
He won a total of 18 career nationals and was one of the few to score
wins in the 125cc, 250cc and 500cc AMA Motocross Nationals as well as
Trans AMA competition. In addition, Smith won the 125cc U.S. Grand Prix
of Motocross in 1975 & 1976.
“Marty Smith, the guy had it all!” states Tom White of the Early Years
of Motocross Museum. “Surfer good looks, talent, great style, and a
champion’s will to win! Marty really helped advance the sport of
motocross in American and was largely responsible for Honda selling a
heck of a lot of CR's in the late 1970’s” he adds.
Smith became known as one of the most stylish riders in motocross
history. According to his mechanic Dave Arnold, there was never a bad
photo of Smith. His riding style was textbook perfect. He won all his
championships with Honda and the company featured him in its
advertising, using his long hair and youthful good looks as a selling
point. He was on dozens of magazine covers riding the legendary Honda
Elsinore, donning the famous red, white and blue racing colors. Smith
became the first teen idol in motocross and legions of young fans
followed his every move.
Alex
Moroz, general managing partner of the Legends & Heroes Tour,
states “Marty is a great champion who has paved the way for many of us
in our sport. His three time national titles and induction to the AMA
Hall of Fame are a testament of his hard work and determination. As a
team member of the original JT USA Racing team, Marty was involved in
the early days of the brands development and continues today as an
advisor".
Professor Gary Bailey writes, “I remember Marty Smith well because he
was coming up as I was ending my pro racing career to focus on my
motocross schools. And, at that time, I was looking at what everyone
was doing to go faster and to be a great champion. Marty had it all -
the looks, the style and the personality. If you were looking for the
whole package, Marty had it”.
On Friday the 12
th of August at the Unadilla Amateur track (the U-2), the Legends & Heroes Tour in conjunction with
JT Racing USA will be “
Under the Big Top”
hosting Marty Smith along with an impressive list of invited former
champions including 3 Time National Champ Tony D., National Motocross
and Supercross Champion Jimmy Weinert, The Professor Gary Bailey and
former National Pro Mickey Kessler. Additional invited national
champions will be listed as they confirm prior to the event. This will
be a motivational presentation evening starting with a “Meet &
Greet” of the champs at 7pm, an “Open Mic” session with all the
champions followed by a “Silent Auction” and “Autograph Session”.
Congrats Marty, for a job well done!
For a PDF version, please click here. 
