Number Cruncher Redux: #99
Last week's Shift MX Number Cruncher with the #99 was a thorough one, but DC wanted to make a few of his usual additions from the old school.
Way back in the day, Pennsylvania pro motocrosser John Ayers carried AMA #99, the lowest of his handful of AMA pro numbers. His best finish was eighth in the 1979 Atlanta Supercross, which was won by Bob "Hurricane" Hannah.
Another fast local Pennsylvania pro named Mark Garrison ran the #99 AMA Pro number while riding a Keystone Yamaha.
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And finally, this past weekend in Bercy Stadium, which is in Paris, France, British KTM rider Max Anstie wore the #99 to a three-night sweep in the 85cc class. Anstie is the current European champion, as well as the Dutch national champion. And on Monday, he and his father "Swervin'" Mervyin Anstie moved to Temecula, California, where he will be racing U.S. amateur motocross for the next two years. The kid is funny and he's fast, and in an interview with Racer X Illustrated, we asked him this question:
Racer X: Why do you choose #99?
Max Anstie: Normally, I would like to be #9, but when I was with my old Kawasaki team, their son used to ride #99, and they had all of the bikes and stuff done up in #99, and they were lending bikes to me. When KTM took me on, we just kept the #99 going, but when I am in America, I will be #9.
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