by Bad Billy
The List – Amateur Cover Boys
Thursday, May 19, 2011 | 11:15 AM
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It’s not too common that you’ll find an amateur rider on the cover of a major magazine, but that doesn’t mean it never happens. For this week’s installment of The List, we dug out ten notable instances where an amateur rider (or riders) graced the cover of a major publication.
American Motorcyclist – November 1989
American Motorcyclist is the official magazine of the AMA, and they always feature a big story on the annual Loretta Lynn’s Amateur National Motocross Championships. This particular year covered the 1989 season and had Team Green Kawasaki’s Ryan Hughes on the cover. The photo was even shot by our own Davey Coombs. We checked the record books, though, and Ryno didn’t even win a championship that season. However, in 1990 he took two A-class titles at the Ranch before turning pro full-time.
Ryan Hughes 1989.
Motocross Action - February 1995
The February 1995 issue of Motocross Action featured four different riders on the cover, one of which was airing out a KTM 50 with an AXO jersey and Fox pants, illustrating a story about Pee Wee racing. That rider? Tyler Keefe, who is currently the team manager of the Lucas Oil/Troy Lee Designs Honda team. Keefe had a few good years on the professional circuit as a privateer before decided to following his father’s footsteps and take on team management.
Tyler Keefe 1995.
Racer X Illustrated - Fall 1997
In the fall of 1997, back in the days when Racer X was still a newspaper, a Honda-supported minicycle racer got the cover of the 100% PURE racing issue, which featured extensive coverage of Loretta Lynn’s. Can you guess who #30 is? That’s a young Chris Gosselaar, who finished runner-up to Justin Buckelew in the 85cc (14-15) class.
Chris Gosselaar 1997.
Moto Playground - 2001
Back in 2001 this particular rider was decimating the amateur ranks in his last full season before turning pro. Number 30 was his assigned number for Loretta Lynn’s where he took two championships in the Schoolboy (12-15) Modified and 125 A classes aboard his Team Green KX125. If you didn’t already guess, that rider is James Stewart.
James Stewart 2001.
Racer X Illustrated – March 2003
The first amateur to be on the Racer X cover after it transitioned from a newspaper to a magazine was longtime Suzuki ace Davi Millsaps, who was touted as the next big thing. This image came from the 2002 Winter Olympics in Florida.
Davi Millsaps 2003.
Racer X Illustrated – November 2003/Moto East Mag
Later that same year Racer X featured another amateur on the cover—actually, two amateurs—brothers Mike and Jeff Alessi. It was a good time to be the Alessi brothers, as they were dominating amateur races from coast to coast and this image was one of their first days riding big bikes. They were also heavily supported by Honda and both appeared to be on the fast track to winning championships on the pro level. Mike also nabbed the cover of Moto East Mag that year, too.
Mike and Jeff Alessi 2003.
Moto Sports – 2004
In 2004 there was a young amateur starting to turn some heads in the NESC. Number three on a YZ80 was Massachusetts’ Jimmy Decotis, who currently rides for the New England-based GEICO Powersports Honda team.
Jimmy D 2004.
Moto Playground – 2005
The hotshoe in the minicycle ranks in 2005 was Colorado’s Eli Tomac, who was a Suzuki-support rider for several years before switching to Factory Connection Hondas.
Eli Tomac 2005.
Amateur MX – 2006
It was his last full season as an amateur, and he recently made the switch from Kawasakis to Hondas as he was offered a ride with the Factory Connection team. For being named the 2006 Amateur MX Rider of the Year, Trey Canard was awarded the cover.
Trey Canard 2006.
Did you like this article?
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in our Latest issue of Racer X available now.
The James Stewart Freestone AMA Spring Classic in Texas has quickly earned a place on the list of must-attend springtime amateur events. Page 182.
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Holeshot! Man having trouble pushing submit just cause it feels so gay!
I just saw that Motosports in my garage last night. Weird.
I thought playground was pretty much all amateur stuff and the same with amateur mx.... of course those have amateurs on the cover haha
haha yea @wes, thats what i was thinkin
Wow, can't believe Goose was on 80s in '97. Less than a year later I remember him hauling ass at Washougal. Surprised RC a little bit if I remember.
HAHa, Factory Connection was sponsored by Napster
Man, that Alloy gear looked totally sano! Alessi's w/ Alloy gear & Bell helmets was a really great look, Sean Hamblin too!
That shot of Ryno looks very Lechien-ish
As far as Milsaps and "next big thing", ummm, still waiting.............maybe that ship has sailed. Still not too late to show us something Davi......
Next big things-- Eddie Hicks, Eric Kehoe, and Millsaps.
I was thinking I'd be seeing more guys like Daniel Sani, Justin Bucklew, Billy Payne, Jonathon shimp
Didn't Windham grace the MXA cover on a KX125 when he almost nailed his first ever national as a Team Green rider?
Why is it that they always say "You made history" when James Stewart wins something, like that magazine cover above with the mechanic's pit board message?
Any time a black person does something, they're making history. It's soooooo important to say those words, just to encourage them to do something.
A while back, there was a 100 yard dash during an important track and field event full of world class competitors. All of the competitors were something like 6'4" tall or whatever, and they were all black. Except one. A white guy who was a foot shorter than the rest of the pack. I was like, "What the hell is he out there for? He's going to get smoked!"
The race started, and that little, skinny white guy SMOKED the pack. I was standing up, cheering him on, dumbfounded, and he won the race by a large margin. I was screaming. The announcers wanted to be more politically correct, and acted like it was an everyday ho-hum thing. My joy turned to rage. This should have been front page news! When a white guy smokes a bunch of black guys in a foot race, THAT'S FRONT PAGE NEWS! They should have been saying, "You made history!" What did he get? Nothing. How utterly demoralizing.
What a retard, your story can not be true, just like your dumb a s s reply about blacks and white. No college would ever allow you to attend any program other than basket weaving because that is all your little pea brain can handle, RETARD
Hey Tommy Tampon, you forgot the standard way to take away any legitimacy of my comments by including the words "ignorant, redneck and hick." Points will be deducted and sent to the NAACP for your enrollment in the remedial comebacks program.
@jairtime, you really are a moron. go brush your tooth. Motocross is about heart and determination, has not a damn thing to do with the color of your winners" (remember them?) or skin. I've referee'd amatuer motocross after racing over 20 yrs, and ya know who i cheer for? you guessed it the fat kid in last that doesnt quit......why???? becouse I have some idea what it takes to do well and finish, I dont think my heart was big enough to get lapped and hang in there. but leave the racial shi* at your chicken coup "jdumbtime"
you crack me up with your stabs jairtime, especially that mesocephalic head shape comment you made awhile back, you just threw it out there like you were the only person that would know what that meant. i can only wonder what comes out of your mouth in real life.....
well anyways...yea...shut up girls,hes black,yea,he needs to atleast be a good role model,not bein arrested and crap,yea hes human bu tif your graced with the talent and money hes got,you have to give up a few things,like your immaturity..his whole lifes a gift,if we wanted another peice of s h i t role model,j-law would be begged back,lol...bubbas like the black j-law,lmao..im just ready for motocross now,i was once a stewart fan,til this season,i wanna see him get smoked,then cry to his dad,and his dad turn away and go assist malcolm..lol..he ruined windhams best season in years,and really put off a bad vibe,id love to see windham sandbag him but hes more classy than that,i want k-dub to come back and just smoke him..
stewart did make history with those two wins, is anyone in here truely a fan of the sport?!?! he set the record for most lorreta lynns championships beating carmicheals old record, so hence he did make history
Joemotocross589, it's chicken coop, not chicken coup. A coop is a cage or small enclosure. A coup is a brilliant, sudden, and usually highly successful stroke or act. I've never seen a chicken coup, unless it was when a chicken got its head cut off with a meat cleaver.
As for Bangmyhead, I didn't say mesocephalic. I said his glabelloalveolar line was sloping, which means that although his maw is protruding, the area where the frontal lobe is located is missing. This means there are physical reasons why his judgment is flawed and he makes bad decisions and splatters consistently.
I give you props for finally speaking about something you know about . attaboy.
the chickin coup thing.
Go watch 2nd moto of 03 Budd's Creek and appreciate arguably the best 125cc ride ever from last to first. It's a shame Bubba isn't a part of the Great Outdoors. SX is a great show. But the Nationals are the real deal...moto at its finest. 3.5 hr until the gate drops!