by Davey Coombs
The List: Fight Club
Friday, November 4, 2011 | 4:20 PM
Developed in the USA and tested on the toughest tracks in the world, Maxima Racing Oils are proven to increased horsepower, prolong engine life and offer unsurpassed engine cleanliness. Maxima has been committed to MX & SX for over 30 years and is used by more factory teams, engine builders and racers. Know you’re running the best with championship winning products. Maxima – Race Grade Formulas.
Tweet
Advertisement | Advertise with Us
Share
Comment
Email
Print
Last Saturday night at the Bercy Supercross, things got ugly. Sorta. Justin "Bam Bam" Barcia, no stranger to aggressive and entertaining racing, took umbrage with French rider Gregory "No Cool Nickname" Aranda after a crash off the start of an elimination race. Barcia waited for Aranda, did some stop-and-go stuff, and nearly caused a riot in the Palias Omnisport.
7.) How about RC vs. Tim Ferry at the '03 Salt Lake City SX? Carmichael was feeling the pressure from Chad Reed, then on a Yamaha, late in the AMA Supercross season. After the race, which Reed won, RC felt Reed's teammate Ferry was slowing him up. They got into a fairly heated shouting match after the race, with Carmichael supposedly telling Ferry, "I'm going to go home and get my gun and shoot you!" Good times.
3.) The Slap: David Vuillemin and Stephane Roncada grew up racing together in France, then both moved to America to chase their moto dreams. Unfortunately, they got into a little scrap at the Atlanta SX one year that both would probably like to forget:
By Fight Club standards it was pretty tame, but Barcia was booed and whistled at loud enough to get everyone's attention, and fines of 500 euros were soon handed out to both riders. (The fines were later dismissed). It was over before it really started, and the two even addressed the crowd jointly in a Kumbaya moment of Franco-American moto diplomacy. No matter, it brought to mind enough other on-track scuffles between helmeted combatants to generate this list for kicks (and some unfortunate slaps). If we missed any good ones, send us a reminder: [email protected].
10.) Mike LaRocco and Mike Kiedrowski at RedBud. Following one rather testy moto between the then-Kawasaki teammates who were battling for the 250 National Championship, they got into it just after the checkered flag when one Mike basically ghost-rode his bike into the other after they went 1-2 in a moto. It was the most embarrassing moment in motocross history for a team that went 1-2 in a championship moto!
9.) At the 1994 Steel City 125 National, Doug Henry had already wrapped himself up a second straight title, but his teammate Steve Lamson was battling with Ryan Hughes for second in the final tally. Henry got into an aggressive session with the then-Splitfire/Pro Circuit Kawasaki-backed Hughes, dropping Ryno in an off-camber right. How did Hughes respond? With a right cross. How did Henry react? With a tackle and takedown that was immortalized in one of those Fox Racing Terrafirma films that our man Aaron Hansel found on YouTube (fast-forward to about 2:15):
8.) While it seems like Chad Reed and James Stewart have really gone at it a few times, the two rivals haven't actually thrown any punches at one another. But after one particularly exciting race in Jacksonville back in 2009, supercross did witness "The Neck Grab" by Reed on Stewart...
7.) How about RC vs. Tim Ferry at the '03 Salt Lake City SX? Carmichael was feeling the pressure from Chad Reed, then on a Yamaha, late in the AMA Supercross season. After the race, which Reed won, RC felt Reed's teammate Ferry was slowing him up. They got into a fairly heated shouting match after the race, with Carmichael supposedly telling Ferry, "I'm going to go home and get my gun and shoot you!" Good times.
6.) Jaroslav Falta vs. the Russians. Back in 1974, Czech CZ rider Jaroslav Falta was battling with the Soviet Union's Gennady Moiseev for the FIM 250cc World Championship. Moiseev was leading going into the final round in Wohlen, Switzerland, but he had a knee injury, opening the door for Falta to gain enough points to win the title. But then Moiseev's teammates from Russia, including Victor Popenko, basically assaulted Falta with their motorcycles, ramming the popular Czech rider time and again. He got knocked down, kicked around, but kept fighting back, earning enough points to take the title ... or at least he thought he did. When the dust settled, the FIM penalized Falta one lap for jumping the starting gate, but they didn't do anything to the Russians who kept blocking him and knocking him down. Eric Johnson detailed it all in an epic Racer X feature called "Stolen Glory" (July 2003).
5.) Rick Johnson vs. Ron Lechien at the California Golden States race. This one is the stuff of legend. No video exists, but apparently the two rivals from El Cajon got mad at one and other at a warm-up race. Punches flew, security was called, and the resentment seemed to linger for years to follow.
4.) Doug DeHaan vs. Tyler "One Punch" Evans at the Detroit SX. Watch the video and, like us, you probably won't be able to figure out what exactly triggered Evans to attack DeHaan with a forearm shiver, but Canadian responded well. It happens about 50 seconds into this clip:
3.) The Slap: David Vuillemin and Stephane Roncada grew up racing together in France, then both moved to America to chase their moto dreams. Unfortunately, they got into a little scrap at the Atlanta SX one year that both would probably like to forget:
2.) Vic Allen vs. “Rocket” Rex Staten on ABC's Wide World of Sports at the Carlsbad USGP. This was the first famous fight in motocross, as it happened on network TV! Unfortunately, it didn't have the same effect on the growth of the sport that the big Daytona 500 fight between Cale Yarborough and Donnie Allison did right here:
1.) Ryan Villopoto vs. Jason Lawrence at the Hangtown opener. This one actually took place in practice on the day before the race. The two rivals got in each other's way, basically ruining their fast laps for the session. When Lawrence came to a full-block brake-check on the defending AMA Motocross Champion, Villopoto launched his bike up over him and then it was on!
Did you like this article?
Check out ON TOUR
in our Latest issue of Racer X available now.
The Monster Energy Supercross tour is staffed by an intensely dedicated group of sponsors and support staffers. Here’s what life is like on the SX road. Page 136.
Look for the verified symbol 
Impulse Studios
This is awesome. 'Nuff said. Might remind people that the heroes of the sport (RC and Henry, for example) weren't above controversy and flying tempers either.
i was @ that race when lechien and johnson went at it..johnson punched the dogger as he rode by after he got stuffed with a cpl corners to go..dogger rode back to the pits,mw ans my brother ran over there,hw threw all his muddy gear off and went over to rj's boxvan and the badboy didnt do much..we still have the gloves and vented jt jersey the dogger wore..it happend at sunrise cycle park in adelanto,ca...also a young donny schmidt broke his collarbone that day on a 125...brings back memories
i was @ that race when lechien and johnson went at it..johnson punched the dogger as he rode by after he got stuffed with a cpl corners to go..dogger rode back to the pits,me and my brother ran over there,he threw all his muddy gear off and went over to rj's box van and the badboy didnt do much..we still have the gloves and vented jt jersey the dogger wore..it happend at sunrise cycle park in adelanto,ca...also a young donny schmidt broke his collarbone that day on a 125...brings back memories
I believe #4 is Keith Johnson of New Mexico fame. Not Dehaan
#4 - Vancouver SX - Not Detroit - I see those white jumpsuit Canadian officials.
Buddy Antunez vs I believe Brian Deegan at the world minis. Circa 1985ish. There was a picture in the old magazine Super/Moto Cross.
whatever guys, BEST LIST EVER
Barcia is no fighter,he ran away from Aranda like the little 100 pound b*tch he is....
@bones - That was Antunez and Brian Swink at 88 World Mini I think....then the next year Joel Albrecht and Tommy Clowers got into a scuffle as well I think.
Dudes punching each other in helmets is just as funny as football players fighting......sometimes guys lose their cool and and want to fight for no reason, but its still fun to watch ....The clip of Reed and Stewart is just another example of what Reed is allowed to do, but you better not do the same to him....He was pissed JS7 was stealing his title (again) and went under, into or across James the entire season......yes, it was a close call, but nothing Reed didn't do throughout the season...in fact, in 09 I think Reed crashed more than James
Remember Reed calling foul on Chisolm slowing Reed up ( i think it was chizz) back in 09 when he was with Stewart at L&M....Hmmmmm sounds like 03...karma?
I heard RJ vs. Lechien started over a girl.
@Trend Killer - You really don't like Reed do you, any chance you get to bad mouth someone it's always Reed.
tim_e_g I have a video tape with highlights from the race you are talking about. It was a mud race. The crash of Schmidt was pretty nasty. As for the Johnson Lechien incident all they showed was Johnson in his box van after the race. The cameras didn't catch R.J. clocking Lechien. I video taped this off a show on WTBS (now tbs) called Motorweek Illustrated with Dave Despain. I have a bunch of MX highlights on video from that show,including Keith Bowen falling out of the sky on a jump and landing on Bob Hannah's wrist at the Six Flags National MX in Atlanta,GA. Also many highlights of CMC and Florida Winter Series races from That same television program. Wish I could put them on dvd.
kinda sick and tired of hearing how barcia is a little b!tch that ran away from a fight,i think he was smart in what he did,he was in another country and if he did throw and land a punch(while the cameras where on)thats assault and he could have been arrested and held over there or released on bail and have to go back and forth for court,so i think he used his head on that one,,now im sure ill get cruicified on this comment but just sayin...
Tyler evans is such a dirtbag piece of $h!t. what a loser with no friends
Shouldnt Hughes vs. LaPaglia be on this list? That was a better fight than Evans and DeHaan.
I've seen a lot of tempers fly at local races.
Doug Henry just shot to the top of the hero list AGAIN....hilarious... maybe this year we'll get to see 'the drova' and 'havoc7' go all pacquiao/marquez as frustration from eatin' the new sheriffs roost sets in. It's motorcycle racing not synchronized ribbon dancing....who cares they got helmets on...well except for ryno v lapag.
Man, that was a vicious neck grab that Reed put on Stewart. I see how that made the list. That was MMA stuff right there!
And I seriously doubt Barcia was thinking about Assault charges and made a "smart decision" by taking off. He tried to tough guy Aranda and when Aranda stepped up, Barcia got nervous and split. It wasn't thought thru on anybody's part except for Barcia pulling his little on track stunt.
Barcia the Barbie, not Bam Bam.
What about Matt Walker physically throwing Mike Alessi to the ground to remove him from standing on Tedesco's front wheel at Glen Helen in 2005? Not really a fight, but Alessi lasted longer than I thought he would.
Tyler Evans was such a prick, I'm glad he retired.
I was at that race when johnson and lechein went at it. it was a total mud race and lechein was brake checking johnson all day finally doing it one too many times at the finish line. johnson walked across the pits (with a crowd walking behind him) and called out lechein while ron hid in his box van and wouldn't come out... classic
Japan sx in 86 when Bailey ghosted his bike into Rick Ryan..
1. Say what you want about lawrence; he's a champion. He beat RD5 for a championship. MX needs J-law.
2. Barcia a pu$$y? nottt. He, too, is a champion. He basically told Aranda that he's not worth his time. which is cooler than a lame mx fight.
Anybody else notice Matthes in the second picture under #7 RC/Ferry?
nvm just watched the vids
those 2 messages should be switched, know idea what happend
Pug your a pu$$y, and what about RV and J-Law
Tough guy Hughes gives Henry a love tap to the back of the helmet. Henry looks at him like "WTF?" then throw his ass on the ground. 1990s,125s, Terra Firma, Alice in Chains; doesn't get much cooler than that.
I think Emig got into some sort of wrestling match at the side of Supercross track once. I remember because every time SX came to town, they'd always included the clip in the TV ads, long after he retired.
I sorta think i remember a larocco pastrana fight, or a shove, or maybe just an argument, anyone remember this?
barcia is no wus for one he can out ride everyone on this page lol but i like bench RACING TO he was totaly in control he is not going to wreck is great career over somthing tha stupid all it was was a little racing problem fyi he makes millions of dollars period i say full throttle barcia u the man
oh and ROCKET REX STATEN he is still a great guy one cool dude he put out some good scraps
My favorite is when Vuillemin took Kdub to the ropes (like he's done to so many other riders) and a few turns later Kdub absolutely KO'ed the Cobra clear off the track. Awesome!
@thepeopleschamp, I remember that too. I think Larocco was just pissed and yelled at Pastrana for landing on his bad wrist. Can't remember much else but I believe it was early in a Supercross series.. oh yeah it had to be cause Pastrana rarely made it past the first few rounds...
I remember being at the Atlanta SX in i think 08, and in the LCQ I watched Eric Sorby stop in the corner before finish line and waited for another rider and hit him when he came by, and i beleive they got into it.
also what about the fight that was at i believe mammoth mtn. last year in the A class? there was a video on it going around. that one was pretty good.
i just dont see the point in fighting in full gear..
I think the KDub takeout of Villy was at the Phoenix SX in 04? One of the best ever.
Trend Killer............you maybe think Reed was pissed because Stewart jumped across on him mid-air and hit his front wheel hard enough to almost tear his fork guard right off? I would have done more than just grab his neck.
mighty wrote: "Man, that was a vicious neck grab that Reed put on Stewart. I see how that made the list. That was MMA stuff right there!"
What? I guess you didn't notice the "fairly heated shouting match" between RC and Ferry that was HIGHER on the list than the neck grab? At least there was some contact. jeez.
Also......in typical JS-fan fashion you say Reed rode JS dirty all year without looking at any negative moves by your hero. Funny how JS fans expect people to lay down and move for that ticking time bomb when he doesn't have the slightest consideration for anyone but himself. It's pretty clear when you look at the list of injuries to other riders he is responsible for. Reed was on the gas that SX season and was challenging for wins, get over it, your boy isn't untouchable.
Gee this has been going on in every type of compitition since the begining of time. I have saw some things even I did not belive? How about at this chamionsip race (iwont say where) someone pulling the throttle cable out of the guys bike at the top of a giant downhil. I just had caught up to them and saw the guy do it! That is about as low as it can go!
How do you pull a throttle cable out from a guy's bike, in the middle of a "championship" race, at the top of a giant downhill? Did the guy have his rival pull over and stop first so he could get out his bag of tools he was carrying with him mid-race? That would explain how he would've been able to take apart the throttle and pull out the cable (after he disconnected it from the carb slide of course). I'm not sure if I believe your story. Maybe you meant the guy tried to reach over and grab the guy's throttle, or throttle cable or something. Please elaborate on your story, unless you were really just making it up. If that's the case, then don't bother.