Jimmy Weinert played mind games

Here's a shot of Jimmy Weinert wearing a leisure suit and cowboy boots...seems I remember that was requisite pit apparel for announcers.  As usual my mind is fading and I'm not sure why Weinert was announcing versus riding, but maybe we'll get that detail some other day.

Weinert was winding down his racing career when I was coming onto the scene in the early 1980's.  What I remember about him is that he acted like an adult while the rest of us were all kids.  My boss, Jack Mangus, loved Weinert and whenever the two talked (like at the Houston Astrodome) it was like watching any two other adults have a conversation.  That didn't have much to do with the rest of us who were moto dogs.

Most of my Weinert stories are second hand.  I was once told he knew about an upcoming emergency run off for trucks on a winding mountain road. Weinert had a bunch of rookie MXers in the car and on the way down the road, he went into wild theatrics about how the brakes had failed.  The Jammer screamed and swerved the car from side to side, terrifying the occupants.

Story goes at just the right time, Jammin' Jimmy came upon the truck run off and stuck the rental ride into the sand up to its axles.

True?  Who knows but I've been telling that one for years.  If anyone can verify or refute, drop a comment.

Hicks is fast and Serrano invents the stoppie

This image captures the essence of MX competition in the early 1980's.

Jeff Hicks (85) is on his game, gunfighter eyes focused and taking him into the next straightaway. But Carlos Serrano (62, someone correct me if I'm wrong on who this rider is) comes in hot and does a stoppie 25 years before stoppies were invented.

I loved bringing the excitement and magic of MX to Cycle News readers. Now, 30 years later, the excitement remains.

12,000 Retro Motocross images: Tell me how to use 'em

It's an amazing feat, but in just a bit of time we'll have all of my slides and negs digitized and backed up about three different ways.  What had been a plastic bin of contact sheets and negs has come to life and there are many, many excited images to share.

I plan to keep bringing you prime photos with a bit of running commentary...but is there another or better way? If you have suggestions or input on how I might bring the magic of motocross to others, please post a comment. No secret, I want to take this enjoyment to the largest audience possible. Please help me reach out and share with early 1980's era fans throughout the world!

Jeff Ward got 'er done and didn't say a lot about it

Jeff Ward was a major fixture on the National MX and Supercross scene for many seasons.  He wasn't a team-hopper and rode throughout his career for Kawasaki (editor's note, Ward later launched a successful Supermoto career on Honda).

I was covering many of the races during Ward's era of prowess.  He was always in the hunt, won races, then had little to say about the outcome.  I wasn't one to create reality-TV-like coverage of MX events, but as a reporter I was surely out to attain colorful quotes (thank you Bob Hannah and Darrell Shultz). When I attempted to interview Ward, there were seldom words that made it into print.  That's not a bad thing; it's just that Ward was more of a silent soldier in the factory MX wars - show up, do business, pack out for home.

I have a favorite saying that most things aren't better or worse, just different.  It was great to fully enjoy all the colors and flavors provided by motocross in the early 1980's. Jeff Ward was surely a big contributor to that period of time.

Ron Tichenor, Sr. was a legend in MX

I have to pay tribute to one of my greatest MX buddies of all time.

Ron, this post is for you.

Ron Tichenor was the good-times ambassador for the motocross community for several decades. He was a fixture on the circuit when his son Ronnie was coming up through the mini ranks and was  later seen at Tip Tipton's BBQ tent and hospitality area.

There's not enough I can say about Ron.  Whether it was a warm jacket or a cold beer, Ron always treated me exceptionally.  One of my favorite stories was the time I was en route to the Ponca City, Oklahoma mini nationals on a Honda CBX 6-cylinder.  I totaled the bike, took a bus the rest of the way to Ponca City, rented a car, and found Ron in the middle of the night...as usual, he took me in and let me sleep on his motel room floor.

Ron was owner of Cycle Springs Yamaha in Tarpon Springs, Florida.  When the Winter MX Series was making its way through the Sunshine State, I loved staying at Cycle Springs. It was a young man's dream, bikes and riders and party time 24/7. Most of the stories from my Tarpon Springs days can't be told, but that's the way some stories are meant to be.

Ron could be featured in his own blog and the content would go on for years. If you have a favorite Ron Tichenor story, leave a post...but keep it PG, please!

Hannah wears an open face

Here's a nice shot of Hannah showing form in the thick Florida sand.  Loved the body style and rhythm of the top riders.  They carried so much speed it all looked easy.

I realize open face helmets didn't offer the protection of full face models...but wasn't it great when we could see the facial expressions of our MX heroes?

A simpler time, retro equipment, retro attitudes but nothing retro about the pace and competition. A fabulous era in MX history.

Tribute shot: Marty Moates

Here's a nice shot to pay tribute to Marty Moates.

He's looking as factory as any guy will ever get, down to his custom embroidered Dunlop lid.

I could go on about Moates' on-track prowess, but there's one other fact I will share: The finest hell ride I have ever received in a rental car (upstate New York MX National) came while riding with Moates, while Lorenz Offner screamed "Faster Marty! Faster!"

It was all too good to be true.  A fantasy life on the National MX circuit. Thanks for being the wheel-man, Marty.

One of my greatest MX pics of all time

I don't have to add a lot of words.  A young kid came from California to ride the 1980 125cc USGP at Mid-Ohio.

We knew two things:

1) CA riders can't ride mud.

2) What's a Mugen?

Two motos later, John O'Mara was in the news. And for the photo op, he waved an American flag.

Priceless.

New York motocross in 1976 was very cool.

Retro Motocross reader Mick Fesko has graced our blog with an image from his racing past...that's Mick jamming the inside inside line, #511 on the Can-Am.

Mick writes:  "The shot as taken in 1976 at a track just east of Rochester at a facility called Alberta Park, in Macedon, NY (AMA District 4) ...I was riding a 1976 Can-Am 125 MX-2 at that time."

As with most retro images, isn't it fun to examine the fine detail in the photo?  How about #77, how low to the ground can that guy go?  No stinkin' 14 inches suspension for that rider. Things look so "fun" from that era.  Maybe the cryptic equipment and gear made it more earthy and real.

I'm hooked on yesteryear.  Thanks for sending, Mick.

Mike Bell looks like a rock star

Every measurement of cool in my life came from motocross. I'm a kid from Wisconsin; we were 1000+ miles east of cool.

But just take your queue from a west coast factory start and you're gold.  Here's Mike Bell sharing his thoughts on the day with a track announcer.  How about that rock star style?  I think I'd take Bell's look over Steven Tyler of Aerosmith...or are they one in the same?

I always took it as privilege to be on the national circuit.  Full pit access to the heart of the sport.  Good times and great exposure to rock star cool.

Hannah is chasing Keith Oelerich

You know I love back shots...with Hannah throwing some body English at the left hander he's setting up for.  But what's also fun is seeing a photo I haven't put eyes to in 30 years and feeling the old memory cells fire in my brain.  I had to barely glance at this photo and I remembered Keith Oelerich...wasn't he a Florida rider? Keith, if you're out there...drop a comment on the site.  If any other Retro MX fans know Keith, please forward this post so that he can have this photo for his scrapbook...when he's putting it to Hannah!

I love back shots: Hannah carries speed through the turns

What makes a motocross rider really fast?  One major component is how the athlete carries speed through the turns.  They brake later and come out faster.

Please see photo above for a teaching example.  Hannah has the wick on as he sets up for the next straightaway and has a bead on up-and-comer Kenny Keylon (I think that's him, the Trim riding gear makes sense).

I'm not of the era of the massive 4-strokes and in truth I'm glad.  Loved to watch these legendary pros wring out the 2-strokes.  Brrrrraaaapppp! and the smell of mix in the air.  Lovely.

Rio Bravo 1979 update: Why Hannah is #100

Here's a comment from reader Jim Zack, regarding Hannah running number 100:  "It was his come back year after breaking his leg water skiing in the times when each rider used the number they earned based on the previous year's points and he missed the whole year."


You are correct, Jim.

Thanks to reader Tony Pace, who dusted off several of his old photos from the Rio Bravo National MX in Texas, circa 1979.

Here's a typical hurricane warning coming through a turn.  Quiz for the day:  Why was Hannah wearing #100 that year?

The Czar of Motocross kept fans happy

When you're a top celebrity and factory team mechanic, there are many responsibilities that ensue on a race weekend.  Here's a shot of the Czar of Motocross, Bevo Forte, in action...taking care of as many fans as possible during a break in the action.

Bevo was a mainstay of 1980's motocross.  Here's another example on how the sport operated as one big, happy family.

Flying high: Memories from yesteryear

I know we all love the magic of National MX, the factory stars, and memories of the elite from yesteryear.

But much of the MX magic resides in our own personal experience.

Check out the photo above; this was submitted by my long-time buddy Shannon Kurek (who is now one of the top triathlon and endurance sport event promoters in Ohio and surrounding regions).

Shannon recalls this big air shot is from 1985, at his grandma's farm in Mansfield, Ohio. He's riding a 1984 Suzuki RM 100.

Can't we all remember how it felt to be young and free, flying a motocross bike at our local riding area?  How dynamic the senses were and how receptive we were to embracing the experience?

This is how we can all remember motocross; as a celebration of our youth and a pathway of life to come.

Danny LaPorte fans were amazing creatures

A big part of my job while covering races for Cycle News East was to tell the story both on and off the race track.  Here's a gem I just couldn't pass up - a rabid MX fan who modeled the "We Don't Care How the Hell They Do it it California" CN East T-shirt...and who also went all-out with his fabricating skills:  Check out the one off LaPorte tribute headwear.

That's one part of MX that was so great in my day.  I just couldn't get enough...of the bikes, the riders, the mechanics...and the fans.  MX glory days.  My time in the sport was rich and colorful and I'm glad I was part of the magic.

A mystery Can-Am rider? Can you name him?

I now have over 8000 of my retro negatives digitized...and in that entire batch, you won't see many shots of a Can-Am rider.  I think Can-Am was really an element of the mid-1970's and was on the phase-out by the time I hit the national scene.

Any idea who this is?  If you're a Retro Motocross fan with the answer, please post a comment!

It's Scott Burnworth...1981 USGP

Update: had a comment posted calling this rider out as Scott Burnworth...I'm currently working on a project with Scott, he confirmed it...1981 USGP.  Good stuff and thanks for helping!

Here's a hard one...I think this was a Mid-Ohio 125 USGP...but now I'm out of hints.  125 class? 250 support class?  And of course rider numbers were juxtaposed from what they would have been at a National.   I love these tight-cropped vertical shots, great opportunity to examine the equipment of yesteryear in action.

If you're good enough to help me learn who this is, drop a comment!