by Davey Coombs
The List: 10 Best Cameo Rides
Thursday, April 28, 2011 | 2:35 PM
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A cameo appearance, as you probably know, is when a non-regular shows up to participate in something. While they’re common in movies and TV shows, they also happen all the time in motocross—like when the Grand Prix circuit visits other continents, or when international riders come here to race SX or the nationals. So who had the ten best cameo rides in the sport’s history? Here's our list—and we left off USGP wins like Marty Moates, Johnny O'Mara, and so many others because there's just too many to include!
Jeff Stanton won the USGP at Undaill in 1989.
Photo: Kinney Jones
10.) Johnny O'Mara at the '82 Swiss 125 GP. Team Honda’s O’Mara was not quite at the peak of his career when he went to Europe to race a single Grand Prix in 1982. He ended up beating multi-time world champion Eric Geboers and everyone else while wearing what became his trademark: JT Racing boot gators!
Roger DeCoster showed up at Daytona in '74 and won the 500cc class.
Photo: Gary van Voorhis
9.)Mickael Pichon at the '93 San Diego 125cc SX. The Frenchman wanted to test the waters in America, so with help from Mitch Payton and Pro Circuit, he entered the #112 Honda CR125 in the San Diego SX and promptly won the main event, setting himself up for the big move here.
8.) Micky Dymond at the '86 Brazilian 125cc Grand Prix. The globetrotting Dymond thought it might be fun to race a GP while on his way to his second straight AMA 125cc National MX Championship. It was. Dymond won the 125cc GP of Brazil at Belo Horizonte, establishing himself as the fastest 125cc rider on the planet at the time.
7.) Donnie Hansen at the '82 Swedish 250cc GP. “Holeshot” Hansen was coming off a sweep of both the AMA Supercross and AMA 250 Motocross titles when he went to Europe a couple weeks before that year's Motocross and Trophee des Nations to warm up. He beat world title contenders Danny LaPorte and Georges Jobe fairly easily and appeared headed for domination of the upcoming races, but then he crashed while practicing in West Germany, effectively ending his career.
6.) Roger DeCoster at the '74 Daytona 500 SX. DeCoster loved to travel and race all over the world, and in doing so he became the sport's all-time greatest ambassador. He came to Bike Week in '74 to check out the “stadium motocross” race going on there and ended up winning the 500cc class, earning him the eternal right to remind his athletes that he was pretty damn good on any track, any time, any place in the world!
Eric Geboers (left) shares the Argentina podium with future GNCC legend Rodney Smith in 1987.
Photo: World Cross
5.) Kevin Windham at the '97 Charlotte 250 SX. Riding for the Yamaha factory team, Windham was a 125cc West Region rider when he asked to try the 250 class at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Yamaha okayed the attempt and Windham responded by winning the main event!
4.) Mike Healey at the '92 Steel City 125 National. After struggling on his Bieffe Suzuki in the 250 GPs in 1992, Healey decided to drive across America on his own for the second-to-last AMA National that season, held at Steel City. Riding a borrowed RM125 with help from Cernic's Racing, and weighing maybe 20 pounds more than anyone else in the class, Healey somehow went 4-1, winning the second moto over title hopeful Jeff Emig. It was a surreal moment to say the least!
3.) Rodney Smith at the '87 Brazilian and Argentinian GPs. When things didn't work out for Smith here in the States at the factory level, he took a job racing in South America. He became a big deal in Brazil, riding a Hollywood Cigarettes-backed Honda, and when the GP tour visited for a fortnight, he entered as a wild card and took it to Europe's best, winning three of four motos and earning a ride for the next couple of years on the Grand Prix circuit on the mighty Chesterfield team. Here's a YouTube video of Smith the following year at the British GP. Check out the video HERE.
Jeff Stanton won the USGP at Undaill in 1989.
Photo: Kinney Jones
2.) Jeff Stanton at the '89 Unadilla 250cc USGP. Okay, we said no USGPs, but this one is different because Stanton actually raced the 125cc Support class! Having just been crowned AMA Supercross Champion, Stanton still knew that the injured Rick Johnson was the top dog at Team Honda. In order to get on Team USA for that year's MXoN, Stanton might have to race a 125—something he’d never done before in his professional career. So he signed up for the GP in the support class, then went out and whipped the top Americans entered in the race, including Damon Bradshaw!
1.) Jean-Michel Bayle at the '89 Gatorback 250 National. One of the all-time cool motocross moments, JMB came to America in the winter of '89 with hopes of getting a deal to race here full-time the following year. He got some limited help from Honda but lots of help from Mitch Payton and Pro Circuit, including a minivan. After struggling in the early SX rounds, Bayle found his comfort level and entered the opening round of the AMA Motocross Series at Gatorback Cycle Park in Gainesville, Florida. In practice that morning, Rick Johnson broke his wrist. That left everyone scratching their heads, waiting to see who would step up. Turns out it was Bayle, who went 1-3 to take the overall from teammate Stanton (2-2).
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Holeshot!
Sweet article!
NOT moto but the year Doug Henry was down in Daytona for bike week and someone said why don't you do the GNCC?? Doug said i don't even have a bike to ride, Someone gave a an older CR and he went out and beat them all, No one had anything for Salmin (sp) that year but a retired Henry spanked him!! he could not even stand up after the race he was so shot, Won that race on HEART!!
I was there when Stanton won the 125 suprot class, No one knew he was even doing it till that day I don't think.
Hey RacerX, You forgot about Sebastian Tortelli coming over and wining Round 1 of the SX series in 1998 and he came through the pack to pass everyone to do it to !!
Bayle's victory was BIG news back then... Listened to his podcast and read on one of the many websitres dedicated to Bayle how that deal came about back in 89'. Amazing!
Are those dents in Stantons pipe or is that some sort of cover?
Those are dents !! Unadilla is loaded with big Rocks !
Those are dents from all the dilla' rocks. Nasty roost!
YZF125, good call. I had Sebastien in there at first but remembered he had been over a time or two before that and raced AMA Supercross.... Still, he had an amazing race. I was the ESPN pit reporter that night and no one in the truck or in the booth realized that #103 was battling for the win when he was with Henry -- they thought Sebastien was getting lapped! If I remember correctly, didn't Emig and McGrath go 2-3?
DC
MX Sports
BillC, good call on Henry, that was incredible. I remember that he could barley sit upright after that, he was so exhausted. Chatted with Rodney Smith in a hotel parking lot on his way to the Nathan Woods benefit ride a couple months ago. What a nice guy... so humble and good natured. Great article BTW
John dowd southwick!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DOWD has to be a record for oldest dude to still be a bad arse!!! should be number one
Didn't Bradshaw nab a win over RJ in J-pan back in '88.......Fukuoka or something?
I think that was his pro debut before 125's even........or not.
Sheesh! those 'Dilla rocks, brutal!
What about the H/Y/K/S factory riders in the 125 / 500 class dropping down / moving up to the 250's in '85 to help their teammates win the title, ha ha! That's got to be the one-time biggest assembly of cameo racers ever!
Maybe not top-10 but, RC dropping to 125's to nab the all-time win record (@ the time) was pretty darn good.
Carlsbad, when those guys all packed the 250 class for the last round it made for two one-time-only AMA National winners in the 125 and 500 class. Do you remember who they were?
DC
MX Sports
I was going to site brain-fade but, you guys just did '85 a couple days ago and I remember reading E. Eaton / 500 & Myerscough (?) / 125.
CRUD!!! A.J. Whiting / 125 @ Washougal.........had to go back & check.
Well, they say the mind is the first thing to go..........
In my defense, Suzuki absolutely flooded the 125's with riders back then and they all kind of melted into the same one in my memory banks. Holland/Kehoe/Whiting/Myerscough/Surratt/Schmit/ and some more I'm certain I'm forgetting.
There's also something to be said about coming into a race without any real pressure and nothing to lose. You can just ride for fun and let it all hang out.
I was at Unadilla to watch the GP that year. I was amazed at how Stanton just motored away from everyone, Bradshaw included. He was clearly on a mission that day. An impressive ride to say the least.
I dont remember donnie hansen getting injured in germany effectively ending his career, I remember that he took a year off to train, and then never came back, going out on top. My braincells must be failing me
Everts, 2003 ISDE, Brazil. His first enduro and he won the biggest event in the sport.
What about Hannah on the RM125 at 1987 MXdN?
Hey DC, Great article we both and most of the posters here love old time MX There are too many things to list. Like Welkers first First lol. I still have seveal pairs of boot gators I was still using them in 94 when I had to retire, I loveved them. Got plenty of laugh's from still wearing them though ,who cares.
Remember the catagory, cameo, a one off race, alot of riders mentioned raced those series and just won a race, not the same.You really can`t even include the MXD Nations, those are selections, if you did then Johnny O dropin down to a 125 and beatin all the euros would be my pick. Hanson ate it just before the MXD Nations, while holding out for a bigger contract....lost everything.
Word up.......
Agree with a few guys above, Henry's cameo at the GNCC on a borrowed bike beating the series leaders on thier turf is at the top of the list.
Read a story once about DeCoster that year in Daytona. The factory roadrace guys at Suzuki asked if he had ever tried roadracing He said no and they put him in (I think) Grants leathers and sent him out in practice on Sheen's bike. He did like 4 laps and came in. When asked what he though about it his statement was "it's like driving down the street at 100mph and turning into your driveway." ....his lap times would have qualified him for the 200.
Although he raced the bike a few races, Rex Staton on the Honda 440cc four stroke in the 1974 TransAMA at Honda Hills was an incredible display of actually riding the bike until it disintigrated under him...he was way faster than that bike should have been.
The '86 Brazilian GP, which Micky Dymond won, was held in Campos do Jordao, not Belo Horizonte. Belo Horizonte held the '85 125 GP, and years later, the 250 GPs.