by Andy Bowyer
Thursday Rev-Up: Victory
Thursday, November 4, 2010 | 4:59 PM
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Hello, everyone, and welcome to the Rev Up. It was an easy decision for the title of this week’s column, what with the San Francisco Giants winning the World Series and my family getting to enjoy a big, big win of our own. I lived in NorCal for five years and have a lot of friends in the nearby Bay Area. They were pretty much out of their heads when the Giants won the series, especially my man Matt Story, whose name you surely recognize from Terrafirma, Air Raid, and Frezno Smooth fame. Most of you reading this are competitors in some way, and you can appreciate the reward of winning. And if you are a true competitor, you know there isn’t anything better than putting both arms in the air and claiming victory. That said, I wanted to go back into the history books and write about some of the more memorable motocross victories.
The following season saw a bunch of huge wins as well. Larry "Big Bird" Ward won a duel with Jeff Matiasevich to win the Seattle Supercross in front of his hometown fans. The Seattle Kingdome went bananas as Larry celebrated by standing on his seat and riding around the track. Later in the season, Guy "Airtime" Cooper nailed down the 1990 125 Outdoor National Championship. I grew up watching Coop at the local tracks in Oklahoma and remember the win being super special. If I remember correctly, the mayor of Oklahoma City gave him the key to the city.
Let’s fast-forward to 1993, when Jeremy McGrath won his first of seventy-two supercross victories at his hometown race in Anaheim. "Showtime" would change the sport forever from that point. Another huge victory came at the final round of the series as local Las Vegas native, Jimmy Gaddis, won the 1993 West Region SX title. I remember him jumping up and down and screaming in his little dwarf voice, "Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!" The final race of the 1993 season saw a memorable win as a young Robbie Reynard won his first outdoor win at the season-ending Steel City National.
One of the coolest wins ever came in 1997 when Damon Bradshaw rode like a wild beast to victory in the High Point mud. It would be the last of his career but one most folks will never forget.
The following season saw a bunch of huge wins as well. Larry "Big Bird" Ward won a duel with Jeff Matiasevich to win the Seattle Supercross in front of his hometown fans. The Seattle Kingdome went bananas as Larry celebrated by standing on his seat and riding around the track. Later in the season, Guy "Airtime" Cooper nailed down the 1990 125 Outdoor National Championship. I grew up watching Coop at the local tracks in Oklahoma and remember the win being super special. If I remember correctly, the mayor of Oklahoma City gave him the key to the city.
Let’s fast-forward to 1993, when Jeremy McGrath won his first of seventy-two supercross victories at his hometown race in Anaheim. "Showtime" would change the sport forever from that point. Another huge victory came at the final round of the series as local Las Vegas native, Jimmy Gaddis, won the 1993 West Region SX title. I remember him jumping up and down and screaming in his little dwarf voice, "Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!" The final race of the 1993 season saw a memorable win as a young Robbie Reynard won his first outdoor win at the season-ending Steel City National.
One of the coolest wins ever came in 1997 when Damon Bradshaw rode like a wild beast to victory in the High Point mud. It would be the last of his career but one most folks will never forget.
Damon Bradshaw in '97.
photo: Racer X archive
Moving through the years a bit, the 1999 season saw two very special championship victories. Derrick Shae Bentley won one of the tightest title fights in supercross history when he edged out David Pingree for the crown. He didn’t even know he won as he came off the track when his mechanic came running toward him with both arms up. I remember Shae screaming, "I stinking won the thing?!?" Then Greg Albertyn earned a very popular victory, winning the 250 outdoor title. Albertyn owns some of the gnarliest highlight-reel crashes of all time, one of which came at the Washougal round when he went off the track, then absolutely drilled a fence trying to get back into the fight. Those were two big wins by relative underdogs.
On to the 2001 Anaheim Supercross, when Ricky Carmichael took over control of the sport with a single whip over McGrath’s head during opening ceremonies. If that didn’t do it, RC’s charge from thirteenth place to the win certainly did.
Okay, I’m going to stop and you guys can take it from here in the comments section.
Before I go, I want to share what it was like to watch my little brother win Talladega last Sunday afternoon. My parents went to the Talladega 500 in 1985 for a vacation, and my pops still has the T-shirt and tells the story about when he watched Bill Elliot come from two laps down to win. Clint won his first pole at Talladega in 2004 in the Nationwide series. In spring of 2009 he suffered the worst crash of his career, breaking his tailbone after smacking the ‘dega safety barrier at over 200 mph. That place has always scared the hell out of me, and I almost don’t like watching. As he led the draft around on the last lap, I had my face in my hands, and only when I heard the announcer yell out his name as the winner did I take off in a dead sprint to victory lane. I think I set a 4.5/40 pace at least. The best way I can describe the feeling is: "It’s the effing Catalina Wine Mixer! Pow!" I kept screaming "POW!" until about 5:00 Monday morning.
Victory is what makes racing and all forms of competition so sweet. Some racers and sports teams get to experience victory a lot, but the racers like Shae Bentley and teams like the San Francisco Giants, they know the true essence of the term. There isn’t anything better than victory.
Thanks for reading, see you next week.
That's Shae Bentley pulling a holey at Loretta's.
photo: Racer X Archive
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I've got one. Brian Deegan ghostriding his bike over the finish line in 1997 at the LA Coliseum. That was the day he became the General and the Mulisha took off to become what it has become..for better or worse.
Doug henry's "come back" title!! Also winning at Washougal on his fare well ride...RV at the MXD winning by over 1 min on a 250f!!!.. I could sit here all night listing them.
Rick Johnson coming back to beat JMB at the USGP after his wrist injury. I believe it was the last race he won in MX.
I respected Deegan back then. That move was sick and unexpected. No one has pulled that one off since. That one will probably go down in the record books for a very long time.
Who is that in the last picture at Loretta's?
Christopher "Marty" Moates' 1980 history making ride @ the G.P. and Danny "Magoo" Chandlers' superlative performances in the '82 TdN & MXdN are at the top for me. After that, anytime an american won the Carlsbad G.P. (or Hollister, Unadilla, Budds, etc.) was huge and Ron Lechiens' '83 San Diego SX win on a privateer YZ was pretty cool. Ricky Ryan @ Daytona '87.....AH! Windhams Jet Ski Victory @ Daytona! ('08?)
Well, I hate to date myself but Hannah beating Kent Howerton at Saddleback in about 77 was awsome. and also the Unadilla Hannah vs. the man when hannah torpedoed him at the top of a hill knocking himself out of the race and Roger went on to win. Hannah still doesn't know how roger stayed on the bike. That was good stuff. I also was at the San Diego supercross when the GOAT passed MC for the first and final time and started his career win streak.
My Top 5 Greatest Motocross Races. 1. Marty Moates... USGP 1980 Wins as a "Privateer". 2. Trophy Des Nation 82, Magoo 3. Motocross Des Nation 82, Magoo 4. DeCoster and Hannah, Unadilla 1978 5. Battle of Atlanta SX, 1989
Bill, not only was Henry's title awesome, but his win that season at Budds Creek was epic. His last 2 races there was his horrific crash in 95 on Henry Hill when he broke his back and the his next race back there was in 97 and he broke both arms jumping down Big Gulp. I remember him walking over the fans to help with taking off his helmet. To come back in 98 to win Budds and then go on to win the title was incredible! Another victory to add to this rev-up is RC's Millville win in 06. Not only did he win, but he lapped the entire field in the 2nd moto in the mud! He rode slopfest like it was a perfectly groomed dry track!
Decoster, Luxembourg 1980, his last gp and his final victory. Lackey, Luxembourg 1982, "GOOD AS GOLD". Pomeroy, Spain 1973.
Bradshaw in 1997, his last lap pass was spectactular.
I was at Atlanta '89 -- it was my first SX and still one for the ages. The funny thing about winning as a vet... you realize each one could be your last. Makes it even sweeter!
John Dowd's '94 Milville win. He straight up beat LaRocco in the second moto. Greg Albertyn's '99 Mt. Morris win. It was like Greg had lines on that track that only he could see and use. Amazing. Grant Langston winning the 450 Nats after being a bunch of points down with only 4 races to go.
What about Doug Henry's SX victory on the YZF-400? Certainly a milestone.
Andy, what a great topic. It's been entertaining thinking about all these great races. Rainman, GREAT pull w/ Lackey '82 & "wrong way" Vromans!! "Good as Gold" was awesome! what a great time to be an American MX fan. We also had Laporte taking the 250 title and Magoo's aforementioned dominating performance that year. We really put it to the rest of the field!! And to think these riders weren't considered our "fast" guys at the time?!?!? The euros must've been crying into their mayonaise soaked french fries!!
Holy Smokes! Is it just me or are the kids on 80s back then a lot larger than now days? Look at number 37 on the yamaha. Someone check his birth certificate. He really wanted a championship, when what he really needed was a 125 or a 250!
This is easy. 1998 - Southwick. Henry won the 250 class and Dowdy won the 125 class. What other National had local heros win BOTH classes? Never thought the North East would produce two riders of that caliber in the same era. I'll never forget RC's 125 giving up just after Buckley's berm as he was about to pass Dowdy in the 2nd moto. The place ROARED as RC tried to jump start it and then kicked it until he was exhausted and just put his head down on his bars. And the year before Dowd won the 250 class at Southwick as a guy in a Yamaha shirt, with both arms in casts, cheered him on from the infield. Epic times!!!! I'll never forget Henry's smile when He and Dowd did a parade lap after the 338 National one time. Amazing times.
Oh yea, Henry winning Las Vegas SX on the White YZ 400 prototype! I went down to North County Yamaha and ordered my first four stroke the next monday. That truly was a win on sunday (Saturday in that case) and sell on Monday deal. And they said that doesn't apply any more.................
It was a prototype, you must have went on a long term waiting list.