This Week in Yamaha History: Daytona 1980
Thursday, March 8, 2012 | 12:30 PM
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Daytona is known as the supercross track that favors the tough guys—it’s a man’s supercross track, a motocrosser’s supercross. Considering that, the track has evolved as of late and no longer serves as the outdoor preview that it once was. But the old days, when Gary Bailey designed the Daytona track with seemingly-sinister intent, yeah, those days, only the most rugged in the field could win.
Proof comes with the 1989-1995 dominance at Big D from Jeff Stanton and Mike Kiedrowski, two riders who specialized in fitness, endurance and toughness instead of scrubbing jumps and blitzing supercross-style whoops. Proof comes with Bob Hannah winning at Daytona in 1983 and 1985. The Hurricane was getting up in years, but on a rough track, he could still show the kids how it was done. Heck, proof comes from 2000, when Ricky Carmichael, still too rough around the edges to win a stadium-style supercross, collected his first career 250 SX win at Daytona.
Staten leading Broc Glover en route to his only win at Daytona in 1980.
Photo: Paul Buckley
But maybe the best proof of all came in 1980. Yamaha entered the season without its three-time (1977-1979) SX Champion Hannah, who had broken his leg in an off-season water-skiing accident. But the team was still stocked with talent and good equipment. Mike Bell and Broc Glover reeled off a bunch of wins for the YZ crew, with Bell winning the title and extending Yamaha’s SX title streak to four.
But at Daytona, a different Yamaha rider busted through, and he may have been toughest of all. “Rocket” Rex Staten was never known as a finesse guy. He would find the roughest lines and pin it through it. He raced with sheer determination. He was fierce. And while Rex had no problem muscling a 500cc bike around an outdoor track, he collected exactly one AMA 250 SX victory in his career—at Daytona in 1980. If the tough guy is going to win one, Daytona is usually going to be that one.
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Don't hold back, Weege. Who's it gonna be?
Oh, yeah.....HOLESHOT!!!
Before reading the caption, I thought, "when did Hannah ever have the #16?
Wrong picture..., can't be Staten"? Then I saw the Fox logos and the black around the bottom of the helmet and realized... it was Rocket Rex.
Keep the old pix coming Racer-X!
So #14 will win this year ...Go K Dub
You forgot the part about Rex being a Golden Gloves champion before he came to MX. He was definitely on another level of tough.
It's always so amusing how some people try to predict the winner, in the absolute unpredictable sport of Motocross/Supercross. When there are more (unknown) variables in a single whoop section than most sports have collectively, and they think they have license to (claim) who will be top box. More like, who will finish period, and that is slim to none, in itself. Especially in Daytona. Smart to hold off, Jason.Ha!
Jason - did DC ghost write this for you? I thought 1980 was way before you started following the sport. lol
If not, you get an A+ as a student of the sport. Rocket Rex was one of the original animals on a motocross bike. He had to be to do so well on the CZs he was riding.
This also brings to mind a race when Marty Tripes broke off a footpeg and he used the clutch cover instead to finish out the race. I can't imagine too many of today's generation gutting out a finish under the circumstances.
What about Wayne Boyer.... That guy could ride the wheels of a bike
All this talk of "old school Daytona" makes me really want to see the old format: Daytime qualifiers, 40 man gate, brutal course, etc, etc. Daytona used to be a good time to test the outdoor settings and usually a guy running MX-spec would win. The Hannah / Stanton / Kiedrowski era was epic and while there have been some tremendous Daytona battles since, those are some of the all-time greatest races the sport has seen. Can't wait for the weekend.....
100% agree Carlsbad. The old format should be reinstated. Very unique and classic if you will. Daytime and rough spell Daytona SX. At least RC and I think Bomber are involved with designing and building the track now. When Bailey was let go, the whole program went down hill. It should be different and true to its roots. Unfortunately, the powers that be just don't get it. The only thing that should be groomed is the start area and jump faces/landings. Kills me when the equipment heads out between races and cleans everything up. Somewhere, Hannah/Stanton/MXKied etc. are shaking their heads and laughing.
Shultz was the man to beat in 81 & 82. That bastard was as tuff as they came. Rode like he wanted to die that day! I love the Old School stuff
@Laker23. Totally agree with , especially on the grooming of the tracks. Fast riders had switch lines four or five times in the same corner in the same moto. Starts did not count as much as motos , yes motos , were longer. I will not go to a an AMA Supercross because 20 lap races X 50 second lap time = 17 minutes of racing. Ticket price figures about $4 a minute. Oh forgot about the fireworks. But I go to he 4th of July for that. I wonder how many fans Nutscar and the Daytona 500 would have if they had a 20 lap main. Track time would be about the same. Total race time would be about the same. Try to sell that one. Laugh when a new generation rider talks about arm pump. How is another way to spell kitty. Clue - first letter is a P
I think G. Bailey was dropped because of some legal issues that reflected poorly on the Daytona establishment and this opened up the door to others. While the dirt wurx crew doesn't do Daytona, which is a good thing in my opinion simply because of the diversity, it still is kind of going the way of the cookie-cutter. I understand that the SX promoters may want a measure of sameness but, I would enjoy seeing a "old-school" track that makes the non-trainers squeal and the hammerheads salivate.
Can you imagine a movie like Back to the Future done with a motocross theme? Somebody get to work on that right now!!!
the rider in the background looks like one of the morrison brothers from mass. his jersey is a pawtucket cycles one
Rocket Rex was definitely the toughest motocross racer of all time - - with Heikki Mikkola & Hakan Carlqvist likely 2nd and 3rd. Also, Daytona 1980 was significant in that it was Marty Smith's last great pro result, finishing on the box in 2nd. Jim Myerson from the O.C. P.S. Hey Racer X, how 'bout doing an article on the toughest MXers of all time?
Rocket Rex was definitely the toughest motocross racer of all time - - with Heikki Mikkola & Hakan Carlqvist likely 2nd and 3rd. Also, Daytona 1980 was significant in that it was Marty Smith's last great pro result, finishing on the box in 2nd. Jim Myerson from the O.C. P.S. Hey Racer X, how 'bout doing an article on the toughest MXers of all time?
Is it just me, or does anyone else notice that the comment sections of any of these "old school" pieces on Rx contain the least amount of controversy, badmouthing and self-inflated egos and the most amount of passion, understanding and respect for the sport and ALL of its competitors? It's not totally clear cut, but definitely noteworthy. Sometimes when I read these comment sections, I want to scream about the ignorance displayed by some so-called fans, but with these types of articles, I say to myself "Oh, here are my people. Still alive and well." Apparently just not as vociferous as the young and (sometimes) dumb. We've got nothing left to prove. Already did it.
Now I'll go read this week's "Bench Racing Ammo: Stewart's Stats" and prove my point.
@RyanD; I could not agree with you more. Thanks for making that clarification, as subconsciously, I was getting that impression as I was reading down through each and every comment. It's not too late to get into the presidential race and campaign, you know! ;~}}}.
This article mentions Hannah winning in '83 & '85 but forgets to mention his first win at Daytona in 1977.
@RyanD - yes, clearly remembering the past seems to be a more positive aspect of moto fan-dom for most ... or maybe it's the younger people who are doing most of the bashing and they just don't have much to say about the history of our sport. Just a theory.
I was attending AMI in '79-'80 - just a stone's throw from the speedway - and I remember this race well. It was a bit of a shock to see my moto hero, Marty Smith, in Suzuki colors - and no longer battling for wins ... and losing Hannah for the year after three years of SX dominance. I don't recall hearing anyone pick Staten for the win beforehand either. He was definitely a tough dude! I also attended the 200 the next day ... I think it was a huge mistake to separate the two races. How many people have that long to hang out in FLA to see both? The 200 isn't what it used to be, though, so choosing one is pretty easy. Daytona SX still rocks!