by Davey Coombs
The List: Ten Best Walk-Off Rides
Wednesday, March 23, 2011 | 4:45 PM
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In baseball parlance, a “walk-off” home run means a player hit the ball out of the park to end a game or even a series. In our sport, a walk-off ride can be the last time a rider lines up in his career, or even for a certain class he's been dominant in. Here are 10 Great Walk-Off Rides.
10.) At the 1999 Steel City National, the retiring Doug Henry didn't win—he went 10-8 for tenth overall—but afterward he rode a lap around the track with his wife, Stacey, on the back of his Yamaha. It was pretty damned cool.
Broc Glover won his last Motocross and Supercross races of his career.
Photo: Kinney Jones
9.) After clinching the 2001 AMA Motocross title early in the 250 class, Ricky Carmichael decided to drop down to a 125 at Steel City one more time in order to break a tie with Mark Barnett at the top of the all-time 125 National wins list. RC won the overall, but only after Mike Brown helped him out by slowing to let Branden Jesseman into second so he would clinch the title.
8.) Another 125-class-only walk-off, though this one was a crusher: MX2 Team USA rider Ryan Villopoto absolutely devastated the field in both motos—and all sizes of motorcycles—at the 2007 Motocross of Nations at Budds Creek, which also happened to be the last race of Ricky Carmichael's career, but RC fell in the first turn in the moto he shared with RV. Carmichael did win his last moto going away.
DeCoster went 1-1 in his last GP.
Photo: Racer X Archives
7.) After battling with a wrist injury for more than a year and a half, Team Honda legend Ricky Johnson won the last AMA Motocross National he ever entered—the 1990 Unadilla 500cc National.
6.) Although he didn’t know it was his last race at the time, Jeff Emig rebounded from being let go from Kawasaki by winning the 1999 U.S. Open in Las Vegas on a privateer Yamaha, with help from FMF. Successive major injuries while preparing to race in 2000 ended Fro's career shortly thereafter.
5.) Broc Glover won his last professional moto of his career, the '89 250cc Grand Prix of Belgium on a KTM. It was his only win on a bike other than Yamaha. Coincidentally, Glover also won his final AMA Supercross, the '88 Los Angeles SX at The Coliseum.
Everts tops the list.
Photo: Simon Cudby
4.) Five-time 500cc World MX Champion Roger DeCoster went 1-1 in his last GP at Luxembourg in 1980. It was the only professional race he won on a Honda, which he rode in only the last year of his career after a decade at Suzuki.
3.) In his last AMA Supercross, Ricky Carmichael almost beat James Stewart in a thrilling twenty-lap duel at Orlando '07, the day after his twin sons were born prematurely. He would follow this with a dominant 1-1 ride in his last AMA Motocross race, the Millville National later that summer.
2.) Hakan Carlqvist celebrated his career and his last win in Grand Prix motocross by stopping for a beer in front of the Monument Cafe at Namur, Belgium. Don't believe it? Watch:
1.) Riding for Team Belgium, ten-time world champion Stefan Everts swept both motos of the 2006 Motocross of Nations, beating Team USA's James Stewart and everyone else in his last professional motocross race.
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@racer-x, I really like your articles, such as this one, where you include some historical references (both good and bad ones). Keep it coming, good work !
I wonder if that guy got in trouble for drinking on the job , ha.
Wasn't Roger 44 years old when he won his last race , I think that's more impressive.
Roger was born August 28th 1944 so that would make him 36 in 1980. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_De_Coster
Still impressive though. PWE
That's george foreman you are thinking of.
Don't forget to mention JSR won is last professional Supercross at the Montreal olympic stadium after winning 5 CMRC Championship in a row
Nice article Davey and refreshing to see this tribute to some true champions of our sport spanning multiple generations and multiple geographies. Our sport really is a global sport.
What about when Ricky laped everybody in that mud race outdors? Not sure what race that was.
Hey yeah that is a good article. I also just got my new race X Mag and when I saw the article about Marty Smith it gave me goose bumps cause he is a living legend. I like the Motocross history let the young pups learn somthing.
That was MIllville Don, he killed it that day in the mud. He lapped everyone, including Stewie who had a terrible day, and the mud specialist DV12, which is amazing because he is a great mud rider,
I think Jeff Stanton's sweep of the 1989 USGP 125 support class would qualify as one of the best walk-off rides. Stanton only rode 125's in his amateur career and never competed as a pro in the 125, so this one time appearance is all the more impressive. http://www.vitalmx.com/videos/member/89-Dilla-USGP,1347/ocscottie,405
DeCoster was a winner in the 60's riding street bikes with knobbies, he won all through the 70's evolution, and smoked 'em one last time in '80. that's why he is "The Man" you children
Thanks bd200 what a ride, nobody has ever done that. Only Ricky.
The Professor Gary Bailey's last race, winning the Loretta Lynn's 50 plus at age 50 almost 25 years to the day after he was the first American to beat the Europeans at age 25.
IS #8 ABOUT VILLOPOTO OR CARMICHAEL?
DC? Seriously? you really dropped the ball on this one.
" Orlando '07, the day after his twin sons were born prematurely"
He had twins, but a son and a daughter
Was Everts the one who said that he wished RC had been there because he would have tried his hardest to win? He was accusing JS7 of not really giving it his all.
Woops.sorry
When I saw this article, I immediately thought of Carla's beer. I found that on youtube about 3 weeks ago and loved it. I still think it is #1
Bob Hannah 1987 mxdn on a 125cc suzuki at unidilla to win the mxdn for team usa in the mud. He hadn't won a national in over 2 years. hadn't ridden a 125 in ages and went from suz-yam-honda and back to win again on a suzuki.
What?
No "Stewart winning by over a minute in his last lites motocross race, and his first on a 4-stroke?"
I mean, he slaughtered the class in 2004 and won by a shit-ton at Glen Helen that year.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nPuKkH9Foc&NR=1 awesome video of the 2nd moto from unidilla in 1987 also shows Johnny O mara in the 1986 race killing the 500's on a 125.
you guys crack me up. You mean someone sat there and calculated how old decoster was back then.!! Winning at 36 makes Windham look like a school boy.
I'll never forget Roger DeCoster's walk-off ride at Carlsbad. His bike was running a little ratty, so he threw the bike down in a temper tantrum and quit the race, walking off - back to the pits. Looks like his influence has even affected the 2011 SX series, where the top two riders in the series points quit a race when things didn't go their way. A lot of motocrossers would never quit if the bike would roll at all.
# 4, RD's last ride. I booked a flight to London to go to the Farleigh Castle MXdeNations in 1980. I wanted to see RD's last professional MX race. He wins the last GP of the year in 1980 and decides to go out on top. Result? I travel half way round the world to my first European Motocross and don't get to see the one guy I went there to see ride. Ha Ha. (the race was still great though, the first of 20 trips to Europe in the next 8 years (all the way from L.A.)
If not for the "Fastest man in the universe" beating the "fastest man on the planet" at his last race making the list, I'd definitely have made Carla's "beer stop" #1 by a long margin....too bad he couldn't have made that win on his old air-hammer 490, with pancake pipe no less!
I remember seeing Jimmy Weinert take drink from a spectator's juice jug that obviously had something potent in it...
jairtime, really? DeCoster was positively snakebitten at Carlsbad ("I am cursed here" to quote the Man himself). The guy couldn't catch a break in 10(?) times trying in the biggest market (U.S.A.), at the biggest race (500 U.S.G.P.) of his career and knowing he would never have another chance again, and you can't cut him some slack for being utterly frustrated??? Wow, tough crowd.
How about Bad Brad Lackey sewing up the 500 title in 1982? Always thought that it was a shame that he was unable to continue racing.
In my opinion, the Beer Stop is definitely the coolest of those on the list. I like to believe one day KW is going to pull off a pretty awesome one as well -- if anyone can do it, he can!
Bob Hannah 1987 MXDN at Unadilla winning against controversy, stacked field, and horrible conditions
Yes, Carlsbad, really. When DeCoster threw his bike down, it was earlier in his run of bad luck there. I was taught to never quit unless the bike wouldn't roll. He quit because it wasn't running 100% perfectly. I thought he was a quitter from then on.
How can you forget Hannah's last Unadilla USGP in 1988? If you listen to Matthes' recent podcast with him he references that one as the day he knew he couldn't win there as Ward Robinson had graded the track for the first time and it was way too smooth! (As we now know, this was the start of Unadilla's track going downhill to the smooth speedway that it is today) Any ways RJ dominated that day with Hannah battling through the pack. They both took a victory lap after the 2nd moto, slapping high fives to the 1000's of fans who ran onto the track.
MXJoe99 & Homer Simpson - I was at that MXdN at 'dilla in '87, you guys are definitely right about Hannah's ride that day!! The Suzuki was crap that year, there was a foot of sticky mud all over the track, and he killed it!! Epic is an understatement!!
I agree with several comments about Hannah at Unidilla. When I saw the title to this article, I expected that ride to be near the TOP of this list. Big omission.
Stewart beat Carmichael in his last supercross race?!...uh oh...
Every time 7 loses a bunch of tards on here want to say he isn't the FMOTP, so that logic would lead us to believe that since RC lost his last race, James is a better sx rider than RC, only a few wins behind in total and still has a couple years to match(provided he doesn't bury himself first)...interesting
jairtime, I'm not trying to make you see the difference between a pissed-off, spoiled child and a MAN that traveled the world as an ambassador of the sport, having a terrible run of luck at a place he maybe tried his hardest ever. I do think you have a very pessimistic viewpoint to consider Roger DeCoster a quitter but, hey, you are absolutely entitled to your opinion. I guess I was caught off-gaurd hearing someone call The Man a quitter. By the way, I never cheered for DeCoster @ the U.S.G.P, I always wanted an American to win (the same as my father, uncle and every beer-basted hippie at that race).
Hey halfe316, you ever notice any time somebody talks about a race JS didn't win, there's always some 'tard coming on telling eveyone about his imaginary title? Also, you MUST mean total SX wins because JS will never, not ever, come close to RC's TOTAL wins.
Everts 2006 MXDN swansong at Matterley Basin was the best. People will still be talking about how he stomped over everyone that day, Stewart included. "I was riding for the team" a piss poor excuse, when he wouldn't man up and admit he had nothing for Stefan that day.
They say you learn most by your mistakes! Looks like James still needs to take that onboard!
Hey Carlsbad, I don't mean to diss your hero, and I apologize for catching you off guard. When I saw him do that, I thought he was acting like a pissed off, spoiled child, when I would have given my left (choose body part) to have a factory ride. Before that, I had him up on a pedestal, thinking he could do no wrong. Even The Man is human though.
Well boys, right on about Hannah at the USGP on that POS 125.
Also, you can't hope to be in "the Mans" helmet when he tossed his bike down.
All the Euros hated Carlsbad. I was lucky enough to race motos there for the last ten years of it's existance and be at the last ride day ever on the track too.
I loved it but the place was slimmy and slippery and hard and dusty every day.
It was a aquired taste and the Euros never had enough time there to get it.
Roger is the man and hannah beat him on several occasions. DC I guess you better put that Hannah ride at dilla in as an accidental deletion. :-) Braaaap
For sure RapidRod! People used to come in the morning and wonder how the heck there could be blue-groove by mid-morning! Visitors would ask us "are you sure this is the same place?". I recently saw youtube footage called "the race nobody won" (or something like that). All those guys slithering around and wondering how they were going to continue forward (heaven forbid navigating the "freeway") brought back the memories big time! By the way, as for Hannah, Unadilla's gain was certainly Carlsbad's loss. I always wondered why "Hi-Desert Hillbilly" Hannah never wanted a piece of "the Rock" (figuring local terrain knowledge and whatnot) but, 500's loss was 250's gain.
Eric Geboers 1990, USGP win (ahead Johnson, Ward, O’Mara, and Bradshaw?) and the GP 500cc title, I don’t know if he ride the MXoN after that, the great (yes the great) André Malherbe finished his career at the top level with a second place at the 500GP in 1986, Georges Jobé wins two titles in 1991&1992; (yes in the 90’s he has the worst riding style ever and the 500GP class was a b class but he beat Kurt Nicoll) DeCoster is overrated, Joel Robert and Heiki Mikkola were better than him, Broc Glover career finish is impressive (he was not at this best between 1986 and 1989), SORRY FOR MY BAD ENGLISH and for my politically incorrect view about DeCoster!!!
jairtime, DeCoster wasn't / isn't my hero, I just have the utmost respect for what he's done and could not consider to comprehend what he was thinking at that time. I was happy & sad. Happy one less Euro in the way, sad knowing how badly he wanted it. Before '80, I was usually flat pissed-off (as much as a sub-10y.o. kid could be) a dang Dutch sand-rider had everyone's number there.
Being a Kiwi, I have to include Josh Coppins ride at the '10 MXDN on the v-twin. Not at the pointy end of the finishers, but a gusty ride on a road bike
Zundapp! Holy Smokes, now you & jairtime ganging up on The Man! I'm kidding of course, he was beatable as several have proved. Geobers race at Hollister was pretty outstanding. He really wanted to throw down against the Americans and his bike was flat-out awesome!! One of the last full-works RC500's (still want one). Mikkola was actually kinda scary to look at and he always beat DeCoster at Carlsbad but, then again, who didn't, Ha!
what was the career ending injury that emig had? and why was he "let go" from kawi? was it the marijuana?
what was the career ending injury that emig had? and why was he "let go" from kawi? was it the marijuana?
Yeah it's all well and good about complaining about a guy acting spoiled...what are they? Spoiled! They have a team of technicians making their bikes perfect and it needs to be as they are counting on it out there. Still I bet all kinds of things were going on behind the scenes leading up to roger doing that. Ever hear the story of Hannah coming in from testing and being asked what he thinks of the forks....and preceding to take a set and throw them off a cliff? (rumor or real?) Anyway, yeah none of us would EVER quit because our bike wasn't working right. Every single rider has a moment he probably isn't proud of. RJ punching Lechien, Kiedrowski ghosting his bike into teammate Larocco, Bailey ghosting his bike into some in anger.....Canard being pissed at Dungey a few weeks ago for no reason.....James pushing Reed's bike off the stand and bangin on the hauler door.
Emex, Emig had one or several bad crashes resulting in bad injuries getting ready for 2000. I forget what they were, I just know they were very bad.
Carlsbad, first, the Carlsbad’s GP was not the only GP of the year :), he was one of 10 or 12 GP per season, he was not The World Championship!!! Mikkola was on a Japanese bike the first time in 1977 and he beat DeCoster fair and square in 1977 and 1978, and he also beat your man in 1974 on a Husqvarna when DeCoster was riding the best bike, the Suzuki! sorry for my very bad English!
you know what i love the most out of all the old races..im a bit of a mullet enthusiast,lol..if you have a mullet,your a bad A..if you race motocross with the mull flappin under the helmet...your a legend,no matter if you suck or not..mulls make the world go round,a guy in hooters lastnight lemme take pics of his kentucky waterfall for our website,lol..hes a trooper..if anyone..i mean anyone you know has a mullet,id greatly accept some snipes of it for our website, [email protected]...help us gather mississippi mudflaps from across the world! :) yours always..the mully man
The O'Show at the The mxdn 1986. After being fired by honda he went out in style by smoking The best in the world on a 125. He did go ride Suzuki's after that. Anyone remember him leading the Anaheim sx. on the rm250 he was smoking the field only to have his steering lock up with a few laps left. That was heartbreaking!
Hey Davey, Can I proof read the next top ten? Just kiddin...
How about Magoos rides, de nations ect talk about walk off even Baileys those should be on the list !
Guys, thanks for reading this and thanks for the feedback. I didn't include Hannah's '87 MXdN ride because he didn't quit after that, but his '88 USGP ride should have been in there, my bad. And Stewart's last 125 National on a KXF 250 at Glen Helen was complete and utter destruction and also should have been on here somewhere!
DC
MX Spirts
Carlsbad you are a funny poster, and you make me laugh, i enjoy your comments, but what do you mean by 'imaginary title"?