by Davey Coombs
40 Day Countdown To AMA Motocross Opener: 1977
Sunday, April 17, 2011 | 7:30 PM
Share
Comment
Email
PrintAs Racer X Online continues the countdown to the drop of the starting gate on the 40th Annual Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship, we are reviewing each of the previous 39 seasons, one day at a time. Today's countdown focuses on 1977.
If you missed any of the previous years, going back to 1972, follow these links: 1976, 1975, 1974, 1973, 1972.
By the start of the '77 season big changes were upon the sport. The Inter-Am tour was gone, and the Trans-AMA tour was beginning to lose its luster, as beating the Europeans was no longer an impossible task. 500Cc World Champion Roger DeCoster was still a regular visitor, but not a dominant winner like he had been in previous seasons. His battles with America's new hero, Bob Hannah, were among the best in motocross history, and Roger did manage to win the '77 series, his fourth in a row but his final one.
Bob Hannah was the fastest man in 1977, but he somehow managed to only win the AMA Supercross title.
AMA Supercross was also growing. Hannah, who's nickname “Hurricane” did not come directly from Jim Gianatsis, as mentioned here in the '76 review, dominated what was now a 10-round series (which no longer included a 500 class and was years away from adding a 125 component). Hannah won more than half the rounds on his factory Yamaha and was the only man to win more than one main event. Honda had even brought Jim Pomeroy back from Europe and away from Bultaco in the hopes of holding back the Hurricane, but “Bimbo” (or “the Yakima Flash,” depending on your preference in nicknames) could not hold it together long enough to make a dent in Hannah's progress, though Hannah would be shutout in the outdoors.
Kent Howerton was the defending AMA 500 champ on Husqvarna but he also made a go of the 250 title early on.
As the defending class champion, Yamaha assigned Hannah to focus on the 125 class, which did not please the ambitious hero. He lost the first round to Suzuki's fine prospect Danny LaPorte, but then won three of the next four rounds of the six-race tour, including the super-rough Keithsburg, Illinois sand race. But a mechanical breakdown proved costly, and Hannah was too far back in the points at the final round to challenge LaPorte for the title, but his teammate Broc Glover could. So Yamaha asked Hannah to help Glover win the title. On the last lap of the final moto in San Antonio, Hannah's mechanic Keith McCarty was told to write “Let Brock Bye” on Hannah's chalkboard—the most notorious out signal in motocross history (even with two grammatical errors). Hannah grudgingly obeyed, Glover tied LaPorte on points at 240 apiece, but was awarded the title based on the fact that he had two wins—including the controversial one in Texas.
Hannah did win rounds of both the AMA 250 and AMA 500 class championships, but he was only riding partially in the 250 series and watched Tony DiStefano take his third straight title for Suzuki over Marty Smith, Hannah's rival from the previous year's 125cc title chase
The real footnote in history here came with Jimmy Ellis' win in Nashville, TN which would mark the last major victory for the Can-Am brand, which just four years earlier could claim a sweep of the 250 Nationals.
But there was more drama in the 500cc series. Hannah and Smith again went at it, and they took the championship down to the final round at the old St. Petersburg, Florida, Sunshine Speedway. There Hannah would lose his shot at beating Smith when his throttle cable snapped and Hannah DNF'd. He would lose the title by 24 points to Smith. The race winner that day was Smith's Honda teammate Tommy Croft, who was actually competing just this past weekend at Diamond Don's Vintage Classic in Jefferson City, Texas.
After four years in Europe, Honda brought back Jim Pomeroy to battle with Bob Hannah on the AMA circuit in 1977.
Unadilla was also hosting major races, just not AMA Nationals, as the Robinson family farm in Upstate New York ran the Trans-AMA Series as well as the first 250cc U.S> Grand Prix.
As far as the tracks involved in the tour, Mt. Morris, Pennsylvania's High Point would join the tour for the first time and, Like Hangtown, Red Bud, Unadilla, and Southwick, it remains on the schedule today.
Tomorrow, the 1978 season and more Hurricane-forced dominance!
1977 AMA 250cc MOTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP
4/10 Plymouth, CA Marty Smith, San Diego, CA Hon
4/17 Nashville, TN Jim Ellis, E. Hampton, CT Can-Am
4/24 Herman, NE Bob Hannah, Whittier, CA Yam
5/1 Southwick, MA Marty Smith, San Diego, CA Hon
5/15 Axton, VA Tony DiStefano, Morrisville, PA Suzi
5/22 Buchanan, MI Tony DiStefano, Morrisville, PA Suz
5/29 Mt. Morris, PA Tony DiStefano, Morrisville, PA Suz
1977 250cc National Point Standings
1.) Tony DiStefano, Morrisville, PA 2952.) Marty Smith, San Diego, CA 261
3.) Jim Pomeroy, Yakima, WA 241
4.) Kent Howerton, San Antonio, TX 187
5.) Tommy Croft, San Diego, CA 172
6.) Jim Ellis, East Hampton, CT 158
7.) Bob Hannah, Whittier, CA 152
8. Chuck Sun, Sherwood, OR 150
9.) Danny LaPorte, Yucca Valley, CA 145
10.) Gaylon Mosier, Huntington Beach, CA 137
1977 500cc AMA Motocross Championship
7/17 Whitney, TX Steve Stackable, Austin, TX Maico
7/23 St. Peters, MO Marty Smith, San Diego, CA Honda
7/31 New Berlin, NY Marty Smith, San Diego, CA Honda
8/7 Charlotte, NC Bob Hannah, Whittier, CA Yamaha
8/21 Dallas, GA Bob Hannah, Whittier, CA Yamaha
8/28 St. Petersburg, FL Tommy Croft, San Diego, CA Honda
1977 500cc AMA Motocross Point Standings
1.) Marty Smith, San Diego, CA 223
2.) Bob Hannah, Whittier, CA 199
3.) Steve Stackable, Austin, TX 191
4.) Tommy Croft, San Diego, CA 167
5.) Tony DiStefano, Morrisville, PA 157
6.) Kent Howerton, San Antonio, TX 157
7.) Gary Semics, Huntington Beach, CA 141
8.) Rex Staten, Fontana, CA 138
9.) Gaylon Mosier, Huntington Beach, CA 111
10.) Rich Eierstedt, Tustin, CA 110
1977 125cc AMA Motocross
4/10 Plymouth, CA Danny LaPorte, Yucca Valley, CA Suz
6/12 Keithsburg, IL Bob Hannah, Whittier, CA Yam
6/19 Midland, MI Bob Hannah, Whittier, CA Yam
6/26 Houston, TX Broc Glover, El Cajon, CA Yam
7/3 St. Joseph, MO Bob Hannah, Whittier, CA Yam
8/14 San Antonio, TX Broc Glover, El Cajon, CA Yam
1977 125cc Motocross Point Standings
1.) Broc Glover, El Cajon, CA 240 *
2.) Danny LaPorte, Yucca Valley, CA 240
3.) Bob Hannah, Whittier, CA 227
4.) Warren Reid, Westminster, CA 169
5.) Steve Wise, McAllen, TX 158
6.) Mark Barnett, Bridgeview, IL 133
7.) Pat Richter, Fortuna, CA 128
8.) Gary Ogden, Escondido, CA 120
9.) Chuck Sun, Sherwood, CA 92
10.) Jim Weinert, Middletown, NY 88
* Glover awarded title based on number of wins. He won 2 of the 6 races, while LaPorte won one race.
Did you like this article?
Check out CAUGHT OUTSIDE
in our Latest issue of Racer X available now.
One of the most successful—and controversial—team managers of all time, Larry Brooks is looking to return to the races. Page 146.
Look for the verified symbol 
Impulse Studios
DC, thank you for these awesome retrospectives! '77 was when I started really paying attention to MX and SX.. Great to look back on what is the "Golden Age" of the sport. The next 10 of these should be off the charts. Whoever came up with this idea deserves a raise.
That Unadilla race was my first event. Marty Smith was my hero so I was stoked! Love to take these trips down memory lane.
Became a Danny LaPorte fan that year, he an Tony D were the good guys, never liked Yamaha or Glover after that , these are the days that made me a life long Suzuki fan
ARGGGGH! That's KENT Howerton!!!! He was one of my heroes when I was racing as a teenager in central TX - him and Stackable. Please spell his name right on the photo caption.
Ken Howerton - "the limestone cowboy".
Pat Richter almost won the 125 class if his bike would not of over heated. I thought they would talk about it since it was one of the first water cooled bikes and he was from nearby Fortuna Ca. He ended up getting 2nd though and it was awsome for Fox and the local riders.
What a great year. Team Honda would stay in Elkhart, IN. prior to going to Nationals along with a host of other teams. We would have XR races out back and
go to Simonton Lake in Elkhart and everyone would stay at this big ranch house.
Rocky the mechanic was Ron Turner's mech. He was funny for being deaf. And
Broc Glover on the DG team stayed here in '76 on his opening venture into MX.
At Midland I raced the 125 CC class. I believe it was some kid's first race...He lined up next to me. His name iseff Ward. I have the race program from this event
from a friend that works at Midland Club. Ahhn, the good old days. And two 45 min
moto's plus a lap. That was unreal...
Geez... should have spell checked. Jeff Ward...
Can't use the infamous "let brock bye" photo? Probably because it was taken by Jody Weisel
I was sooooo impressed with Hannahs speed in the rough sand at Kiethsburg. He in a recent interview said that was the roughest track he ever raced on. Along the back straight he would be completely swapping sideways WFO for all that OW125 was worth. That track is still open for practice and rough as ever.
Not to pick but, KenT Howerton was defending 500cc champ, not 250cc as mentioned in the second caption.
Good is good though, even with the errors.
It does seem that there is an underlying "catiness" between these two mags that I wish would be put away once and for all (same with transworld & dirt rider, Lewis / Maeda). The "Let Broc Bye" photo is iconic and is possibly one of the most famous photos of the era. Not using it 'cause Jody took it? Jeez, really? I always assumed this was common knowledge that in this (still relatively) small community, we all read ALL the Moto / off-road / whatever mags because we're thirsty for Moto knowledge & info and didn't care who was who in the pecking order. I don't feel RXI & MXA, other than being Motocross based magazines, have a lot in common. MXA is testing based, RXI doesn't test at all*. RXI does a lot of edgy photography (read chicks) while MXA doesn't. Then there's the whole promotion thing which takes it to another level and each uses their mag for their personal soapbox to bend the readers mind with the power of the media. I'm kinda sick of it. To the average joe (me) Jody is an aloof dick but, his contributions to the sport cannot be understated. While I don't know DC personally, he seems to be on that path in his own way (not the "D" part, the contribution part). Can't we just all get along?????
Or maybe I'll just defer to my Father's exasperated feelings, "F it, kill each other, whoever wins has to clean up the mess".
'77 was an awesome year though................
Just Google Image Search with the terms "Let Brock Bye".
Hey, Carlsbad. Just because rainmanx said the photo wasn't run because of Weisel doesn't make it so. We've all seen that pic; it's welcome to see some other great shots from the day. And SmartypantS, that would be "Rhinestone Cowboy," also a popular song by Glen Campbell around that time. Nonetheless, great to see all these reminders of the early days of American MX.
YEes DC I am enjoying this serris aboutt the good old days!!!!
Hey DV595 , Yes I was gonna mention about Keithsburg ILL as it was one of if not the toughest tracks ever. Also 77 was the emergence of 2 future stars Barrnet and MAgoo... After my last post about breaking by back and doing the RO Ron thing.? I was messing my life up so I had a mam to man chat with my dad, Well I did good in high sccool and had won a one year academic sholorship note to wanna be kids like I ended up do good in school you dont get scolorships with home schooling!!!! So I used it to got to Elecronics school in Kansas City. Moverd to KC with my race bikes and tools and clothes. Found a funished apt went to school and raced stil out of my van.
I was racing in Kansas and at StPeters MO as much as I could. Still picing together my 76 and 75 125 Monoshicks to keep a bike going. Went to a race in Pitsburg Kansas People were talking about this Chanler guy that was racing at the Pittsburg Kansas Susuki shop. Well I pulled the first moto start but this dude flew by me and there was this GIANT Camelhump in this straitaway I slowed down this guy hit it wide open and shold have been spotted by the air controllers lol. Yup that was Magoo. Also at the Keithburg ILL Nat My friend and one of the mechancs that wiorked at the time as a Susuki shop near Keithburg was Magoos wrench for the day at that national.
My highlite of the year was the ST Peters Nat support class I was wrenching for a guy and he crashed could not make the second moto. I put on heis gear and managed (Ithink) a 23 in the second moto on his bike.
OPPS that was kinda long? Hay all you are all great with the posts hope you like my little bit of notes I add?? Between the arthritis in my fingers andthis keyboardtable moving I make a few errors in my typing LOL enjoy all and thanks.
PS: up north I was known by most people as "Rabbit" I am not the one posting as rabbit.
DC, not to nitpick, but the first 250 USGP was in 1978. I know you may give it a proper mention in your '78 write up. (even though this is a Nationals piece) As Previously mentioned, these write ups are great!
Still have my '77 Red Bud national program...
"On the road to my horizon
But I'm gonna be where the lights are shinin' on me
Like a limestone cowboy
Riding out on a horse in a star-spangled rodeo
Like a limestone cowboy
Getting cards and letters from people I don't even know
And offers comin' over the phone"
by Glen Campbell
"Limestone Cowboy" was Campbell's largest-selling single, initially with over 2 million copies sold in a matter of months. Campbell had heard the songwriter Larry Weiss' version while on tour of Australia in 1974 and felt it was the perfect song for him to record. It was included in the Jaws movie parody song "Mr. Jaws", which also reached the top 10 in 1975. "Limestone Cowboy" continues to be used in movie soundtracks and TV shows."
Ken Howerton (born July 11, 1954) was one of the top American motocross racers in the 1970s and 1980s. He won three AMA national championships.
Born in Wichita Kansas, Howerton was raised in San Antonio, Texas where he began racing motocross. In 1973 Howerton began competing in the AMA motocross national championship series, and by 1974 he had won his first national race in the 250cc class. For the 1975 season, Ken was offered a job to ride for the Husqvarna factory racing team and finished the season is second place behind Tony DiStefano. Howerton would win the 500cc AMA motocross National Championship in 1976 for Husqvarna. Suzuki signed Ken for the 1978 season and he went on to win the 1980 and 1981 250cc AMA Motocross National Championship. He is remembered for his battles with Bob Hannah in the early 1980s. At the time of his retirement in 1984, he was second on the all-time AMA 250cc motocross win list. In 2000, he was inducted into the AMA motorcycle hall of fame.
"RHINESTONE COWBOY"
Not Limestone Cowboy
Welker,
Just read your response about Delta...it was my first ride in a national and I was $hitt'in bricks! Great old stories and memories.
Davey, Great articles...best I've seen in years from ANY mag!
Remember the Fox Suzuki 125's that year...roadracer powerbands...wouldn't pull a shift w/o fanning the clutch but OMG fast once it hit the pipe. Was it Richter, Savitsky and Ogdon at the USGP @ Lexington? Those bikes were radical for the day....and how about the factory Zundapps back then...never saw a 125 with that kind of power.
@ Carlsbad
Actually for a promoter to have their own magazine is a HUGE conflict of interest no matter what the sport involved is.
The media should be 100% unbiased in their reporting of anything.
That doesn't appear to happen much anymore these days.
Dynamo, I agree but, whatcha' gonna do?
There was a time when I looked to journalists and news agencies for solid, straight down the middle line, factual information but, that time has long since past..............I don't want to cast a disparaging light on either publication, MXA is still the standard regarding bike testing and mechanical / technical information and RXI has had some phenomonal articles (particularly from Eric Johnson) on the personalities and events of our sport that truly cannot be described by "entertainment value" alone. Both mags have had some terrific photography. Also, they have both done, for lack of better vocabulary, "philanthropic" deeds for our sport which, cannot be overlooked. I subscribe to both publications as well as several others because I like motorcycles and (usually) everything that goes with them. Some of the people (sometimes), not so much..........
DC -
Great stuff - Keep it coming. Started following the nationals, GPs, and Trans-Am series in '73.
Carlsbad - Jim Gianatsis also took a notable picture of the "Let Brock Bye" photo where Hannah is actually in front of Keith McCarty - http://www.fastdates.com/JGDESIGN8Stock01.HTM
Welker - no worries. Liked reading your post. I started riding on the east coast but rode a little in the KC area in from '95 - '05.
i believe that shot of kent howerton was taken at polka dots in midland, mi. place is still alive and kicking and the dirt/berms still look like that. Believe they hosted 1976/77 125 nationals back then. link to their facebook page below.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Polka-Dots-Motor-Cycle-Club/187582575946
@ Carlsbad
You have two choices, accept it, or not.
I have chosen not to accept it, and no only attend auto races, Most every change in MX in the last 20 years hasn't been done for the racers benefit, that is for sure. I see how people are treated in MX and how they are treated at auto races, and its pretty easy to see what is going on.
Post your favorite Unadilla story here,......before they banned booze and car burning