The List: Big Title Streaks
Thursday, April 5, 2012 | 3:30 PM
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Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto just became the fourth rider to ever win back-to-back AMA SX titles, which is darned impressive. And who is to say he can’t continue that streak next year? And what about going for two-straight in the Nationals this summer? We could be witnessing the start of something big.
In honor of that, we’re digging through the past and listing the best title win-streaks ever. How far up the ladder can RV eventually go?
Broc Glover/Mark Barnett/Ryan Villopoto: These boys all won three-straight in the AMA 125 MX or Lites class. Glover won in 1977, 1978 and 1979. He then went for four-straight, but ran into the next big star of the small-bore class, Barnett, who finally broke through in 1980. Barnett followed with the 1981 and 1982 125 National titles. Johnny O’Mara finally ended Barnett’s streak in 1983. RV already gets on this list thanks to three-straight Lites MX titles from 2006—2008. Villo has yet to lose an AMA National MX title in a year in which he made the full season!
Mark Barnett won three-straight 125 National titles in the '80s.
Photo: Dick Miller Archives
Gaston Rahier/Harry Everts: The late Rahier won the 125 World GP Crown from 75-77, and Everts won three-straight from 79-81. What’s funny is that now many know Harry simply as Stefan Everts’ dad! And while we’re on the subject of streaks, Rahier and Everts were part of a 10-year streak of Suzuki 125 GP Championships.
Tony Distefano: Pennsylvania’s Tony D is the Rocky Balboa of motocross, taking a similar tough-guy status to three-straight 250 National Championships in 1975, 1976 and 1977. He did it all on Suzukis, and his Tony D Suzuki riding school became a fixture for the brand for decades.
Gary Jones: The record books say Jones won the first three AMA 250 National Motocross Championships (1972, 1973, 1974 on three different brands!) but many consider him a four-time champ. The actual AMA National Motocross tour didn’t begin until ’72, but in 1971, Jones was the Top American in the Inter-Am Series for 250cc bikes. Yes, Top American was a real award back in the early days of the sport, and by winning it, Jones became the de-facto AMA National Champ. So, consider it four-straight.
Ever wondered why they called DeCoster The Man? Now you know.
Photo: Dick Miller Archives
Roger DeCoster: Why do they call him The Man? Three-straight 500 World GP titles in 1971, ’72 and ’73 back when the 500 GPs were the unquestioned top level of the sport.
Antonio Cairoli: This one is still going, with AC222 winning three-straight MX1 GP titles, and starting his quest for a fourth in a few days. This streak could be really, really impressive before it ends.
Joel Robert: Robert won an amazing five-straight 250 World GP titles from 1968-1972, a few on CZs and a few on Suzukis. He and DeCoster formed one heck of a Belgian/Suzuki tandem in their prime.
Bob Hannah: The Hurricane dominated American racing in a way no one had ever done before, with three-straight AMA Supercross Championships from 1977-1979. And he did it all in spectacular fashion. To put that all in perspective, it took eleven years for another rider to even win back-to-back SX titles (Jeff Stanton in 1989 and 1990). In fact, the three-in-a-row deal in supercross seemed unapproachable. Until….
The Hurricane dominated American racing during the late '70s.
Photo: Racer X Archives
Jeremy McGrath: MC had two ridiculous SX title streaks—four-straight from 1993-1996 and then three more from 1998-2000. Only a rough year with Suzuki in 1997, where he lost the crown to Jeff Emig by a handful of points, prevented MC from winning an astonishing eight-straight SX titles.
Stefan Everts: The record books say Everts won four-straight MX1 GP Championships (2003-2006), but that’s only because the class wasn’t called MX1 until 2003. He also won the 500 GP title in 2001 and 2002, so he really went for six-straight!
Ricky Carmichael: RC’s outdoor streak is so long we’re not even sure how to categorize it! His three-straight 125 National Championships match the all-time best streaks in that class, but then he immediately followed it with seven-straight in the big-bike class. No one else has ever won five-straight titles in any AMA class, let alone seven! Add in those three 125 crowns, and Carmichael went a ridiculous 10-0 during his career outdoors. GOAT!
The GOAT! That is all.
Simon Cudby photo
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Nice little bit of information
Miss those days of Ricky on the 125!!
The Goat !! You will never see dominance like that ever again, Glad I was able to see it !!!
GOAT FOREVER!
not that am is as big as pro but what kind of streaks did Stew, Alessi, Kevin Walker, etc have at LL?
10 - 0 ! truly impressive. That's tall mountain to climb. Can it be climbed? or is it so tall no sherpa will touch it?
kind of hard with them moving around in bike size i guess! sorry. mabey Kevin Walker?
GOAT FOREVER!
not that am is as big as pro but what kind of streaks did Stew, Alessi, Kevin Walker, etc have at LL?
@biker143 I couldn't even believe it when I was witnessing it
G O A T
Ricky just had more heart and determination than any other rider in his era! To this day even though he is retired, he stilll has that! Now I have always wondered if it was ever possible to put all the greats together while in their prime, Decoster, Hannah, Magoo, Glover, Bailey, Johnson, Ward, O'Mara, Lechien, Holland, Kehoe, Bowen, The MX Kied, Stanton, Emig, Larocco, Mcgrath, Henry, Carmichael, Windham, Stewart, and Villopoto! I know Im missing others but if we put these guys all together on todays equipment and let them go at it being in their prime, who would be number one? Amazing!!
looks like Walker has the most titles in 1 class but no streakage
10-0.Is CRAZY!!
What about BUBBA??? Oh Yea. He became a TV reality star with two straight years with Bubba world.
Hannah did it by bangin' and Carmichael the G O A T did it without letting off the throttle.....ever!!!!.10-0, 2 perfect....KNOCK OUT.....and RV is workin' hard on gettin there. I took my gilfriend to her first MX at Glen Helen years ago and heres a real question she asked me ..."whos the little guy who never shuts off the gas?" and anybody (ride111) who never saw Havoc on a 125 should shut up about him not being any good as he was flat out amazing.
Doug Dubach has won how many World Vet. Titles? 18 or so, That is crazy too!
I'd KILL to have that RH Suzuki that DeCoster is leaning on.
RC is the best ever, and they dont even mention his supercross titles. Which in a way is 4 in a row, Even though he sat out 2004 with a knee injury. He never participated in that series at all. So he never lost, so he really won 4 in a row, that he challenged for.
I hate when people say he won with working hard.. Sure he did, but without loads of talent that hard work will only take you so far. Carmicheal is also one of the most talented too, otherwise you dont win 15 titles on work alone.. He was the total package when it came to racing dirt bikes period.
Those splitfire pc bikes were always so cool.
bd200 you're right - they didn't mention RC's SX streaks . . . they forgot that he was the 4th back to back SX champ, making RV the 5th . . . impressive list: Hannah 77-79, Stanton 89-90, MC 93-96 (all on a '93 bike with BNG), MC 98-00, RC 01-03, RC 05-06, RV 11-12. Here's to hoping for a great summer of battles at the Nationals to decide the champ because this SX season didn't go down to the wire like it should have. Problem is we are already starting without TC41, CR22 (go BT101!), and JS7 is a wildcard at best. Crazy to think how RC would do at Hangtown based on the current list of injured racers . . .
@ride11mph.. the article was about title streaks , Your comment about JS shows your lack of knowledge of the sport , JS has good company in the all time win list , and quite a few championships , and shares the only perfect season outdoors with RC , and is tied for second , with some guy named McGrath.. and had the only tv show of the bunch .. 89 wins dude ..... now say your sorry for such a poor post , just kidding , you dont have to say your sorry , I know you are lol lol !!!
I wonder if there will ever be a dominant rider like RC was. RV could be dominant, but not like RC was. The older I get, the more I appreciate what he did in his career.
I was flagging the big gulp at Budds Creek , for Rickys last national there , which he won , and on his victory lap , he stopped right on the top of the hill , to wave to the fans , right next to me , Then he gave me a high five , I patted him on the back , and he rode off , When I got home , and was watching it on TV , that was the parting shot , at the end of the show , The camera man was on the next hill , but i had know idea he was filming it , Thats my RC story , I have flagged a dozen or so nationals , but that one was my favorite . got it on vhs , and watch it from time to time , he was flying that day ..
Anyone that is going to say anything bad about Ricky, and bag on him is an idiot!!! It aint even questionable who was the greatest! I will never forget the day at steel city where he stepped down to ride the 125 after wrapping up the 250 championship. That was the baddest a $$ memory I will ever take away from mx/sx. It was trully a treat for anyone in attendance that day! AMAZING!!!!
I feel RC was good for 6-8 more titles if he wanted them, not sure RV could take him yet if he had stayed in it. He struggled a little more in SX but had gotten to where he ran JS pace and was more consistant, the best.
i remember when RC lapped the field in a mud race. dv12 got 2nd that day. when interviewed at the end of the race they asked dv12 in a smart a$$ way,"so how did it feel to get lapped by ricky." still with a big smile and proud of his second place he said" oh, that is just ricky". everyone knew when ricky raced, 2nd place ment the 1st place for us mortals
Scrub-This - That is a very silly statement... you made the RX staff laugh on that post for sure..... You ever attend a outdoor National when James rode a 125cc....nobody faster, even RC would have had a hard time beating James on a 125....RC even stated that himself...
@scrubthis ... yes , you are keepin it real ...... Real Dumb !
Prestons new website is up!!!
http://www.prestonlovesbubbles.com
ooppsss..Here it is....
http://www.prestonluvsbubbles.com/ - He will be taking 'members' soon.
Whats your point , @redneckrider , Pretty sure you are walking on thin ice Redneckrider ... You actually seem to be Obsessed with Me , and thats pretty scary , I will look into this , I am sure there is Stalker fine for what you are doing . Maybe you are trying to get your own Mugshot . My advice to you Sir , is to remove it , you are crossing the line , its not even creative , kind of childish , and delusional.
Killomoto, RC always said JS was faster then him even on a 450 but you know he was snickering to himself as kept beating him. I still have the tape of RC lapping tJS in the famous mud race in an off camber turn where JS was sideways with feet dog paddling, struggling and crawling as RC went by flying feet on pegs.
I also remember JS's first MX1 race on the KX250 at hangtown in practice throwing roost reving to the moon, the crowd going wild. I started to time them and then I said to people around me, you won't believe this but RC is 2 seconds a lap faster. The crowd calmed down and RC put it on him in the first moto then JS quit in the 2nd one. THERE IS ONLY ONE GOAT.
Streaks are fun to talk about, but in reality, they are very boring to watch. It is more interesting when different guys are winning every week and every year.