The List: Jumping Classes at the MXdN
Friday, September 21, 2012 | 10:40 AM
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
PrintThe current Motocross of Nations design (Motocross des Nations for you purists) debuted in 1985. That year launched the three riders/three classes/three motos format. Until then, two separate events ran on consecutive weekends, with the Motocross of Nations featuring four-man teams all racing 500s, and the Trophy des Nations, which featured four-man teams on 250s (super trivia question: there was once a 125-only event, too. Do you know the name?).
Since 1985, teams have played a strategy game to find the best rider and bike combinations. Pick the best talent and just stick them on whatever bikes are needed? Keep the riders on equipment they know? It's an annual debate, and it went on again this year when 250 Class rider Justin Barcia was tabbed to race a 450 in the MX3 spot.
It's something Team USA is familiar with. For The List, we present some other great stories of class jumping for American riders at the Motocross des Nations.
7. Ryan Hughes on a 500 in 1995: Team USA was in trouble during the 90s. The AMA 500 National Series had ceased, but the des Nations still required someone to race a 500. Kawasaki was the only brand with a 500 around, so a green guy had to go. In this case, it was Ryan Hughes, who had raced the 125 Nationals that year! Of course, tough-man Ryno was up for the challenge and rode it well, but he, Jeff Emig (250) and Steve Lamson (125) were just edged by the Belgians.
6. Jeff Ward on a 125 in 1988: The U.S. had a definitive Big Three in '88, with Team Honda's Rick Johnson regularly battling Kawasaki's Jeff Ward and Ron Lechein. No one else was close. Although Team Honda's George Holland was the new 125 National Champion, the AMA went with the best talents in RJ, Wardy and The Dogger. But which of these 250/500 riders would have to ride the 125? Since Ward was the smallest and lightest, he got the nod. In his first 125 race since 1984, Ward rode well, battling '88 125 World Champion Jean-Michel Bayle all day. Lechein and Johnson took the 500 and 250 classes, and Team USA won again.
That's Jeff Emig skying through the air on a KX500 en route to a Team USA victory in '96.
DC photo
5. Mike LaRocco on a 250 in 1992: LaRocco was leading the points in the 125 Nationals, locked in battle with Jeff Emig for the title. With the pressure of Team USA's massive win streak building, riders like Jeff Stanton, Ward, Damon Bradshaw and Mike Kiedrowski passed on making the trip to Australia, as did Roger DeCoster (leaving Team USA Manager duties up to then-AMA official Roy Janson). LaRocco jumped up to a KX250 for the race, Emig rode his 125 and American 500 GP contender Billy Liles took the big bike. The so-called B Team won the sandy affair to keep the win streak alive--then LaRocco and Emig went back to battling each other on 125s!
4. Jeff Emig on a 500 in 1996: In Spain, a similar problem and similar solution as 1995. Emig, fresh off the 1996 125 National Championship, hopped on the same KX500 Hughes did the previous year. It's one of the only times Emig ever raced or rode a 500, but he delivered a superb performance to win the class. Jeremy McGrath (250) and Lamson (125) won their classes, too, adding up to one of the most dominant (and underrated) Team USA performances ever.
Ryan Dungey made the leap to the 450 in 2009 to help lead Team USA to the win.
Steve Cox photo
3. Dungey on a 450 in 2009: In 2009, the top 450 motocross rider in the U.S. was not from the U.S.--Chad Reed claimed the 450 National Championship. The U.S. was in a jam. Ryan Villopoto and Mike Alessi were injured. James Stewart had not ridden outdoors in a year. So up came 250 Champion Ryan Dungey to the 450, and, he was tabbed for the MX1 Class (against Reed and MX1 World Champion Tony Cairoli), while Ivan Tedesco, a full-time 450 rider, was given MX3 duty. Dungey couldn't match Reed or Cairoli in their first moto, but a first turn crash snagged the two big-bike champions in their next race. Dungey picked up the pieces and rode to the moto and overall win for the day, leading Team USA to victory.
2. Bob Hannah on a 125 in 1987: Possibly the most controversial des Nations pick ever. Hannah was the winningest American racer ever back then, but he was well past his prime, having not won an AMA National or Supercross in two years, and not won a title since the 70s! He wasn't even racing the full schedule anymore, settling into an R&D role with Suzuki. And yet, with the des Nations coming to the U.S. for the first time ever, at Unadilla, the AMA wanted Hannah on the team. He might be old, but he still hauled ass at 'Dilla, winning the 250 USGP there. But with big hitters Johnson and Ward sealed onto the big bikes, Hannah would have to ride a 125, which he hadn't done since 1982 (with little success). The 1986 and 1987 125 National Champion Mickey Diamond got the shaft, and was really never the same rider after that. Meanwhile, it rained like crazy at Dilla, but Hannah, incredibly, came through, going 4-1 to win the overall in the 125 Class. Team USA reigned supreme again.
Hannah returned in 1987 to help lead Team USA at Unadilla.
Racer X Archives photo
1. Johnny O'Mara on a 125 in 1986: The 125 ride all 125 rides are judged by. O'Mara's days at Honda were up at the end of the 1986 season, but he was still tabbed for Team USA in one last ride on red, alongside teammates Johnson (250) and David Bailey (500). O'Mara had not raced the 125 Class since 1984, but he was fired up, and beat ever single rider at the event sans for his teammates. Along the way to finishing second overall in both of his motos, he powered his CR125 past 250s and 500s. Ten years later, Lamson took the first-ever des Nations moto win on a tiddler, but O'Mara's performance still stands out in MXdN lore.
Bonus: There is no greater jump in classes than in 1983 when Team USA consisted of Ricky Johnson, Mark Barnett, David Bailey and Jeff Ward. These were the days of the Motocross and Trophy des Nations, with everyone racing 500s one weekend and 250s the next.
But, the real interesting part was that Barnett and Ward, two of the premier 125 riders in the world, both raced 500s and both did pretty well at that. Although Bomber had shock issues one moto on the antiquated RM500 both smaller tiddler riders showed that they could ride anything, anywhere and anytime and still kick ass. America, heck yeah!
O'Mara put together one of the best performances on a 125 in des Nations history in '86.
Jack Burnicle photo
Did you like this article?
Check out CAUGHT OUTSIDE
in our Latest issue of Racer X available now.
One of the most successful—and controversial—team managers of all time, Larry Brooks is looking to return to the races. Page 146.
Look for the verified symbol 
Impulse Studios
Not sure O'Mara's 1986 performance will ever be out done, not in my books anyway!
If my often concussed melon serves me correctly, it was the Coupe des Nations. But I could be wrong, been almost 30 years and countless beers.
Always happy with the results but man picking the team has more politics than a Washington Soap Opera. Feel kind of bad for the riders that won a chapionship and then were passed on like they had a disease.
I think Villamoto's 250 ride in the US a few years back where he smoked everybody both moto's trumps O'Mara's ride.They made a big deal about O'Show beating Thorpe the 500 world champion on a 125 he didn't be Johnson or Bailey in the moto's.They also leave out that Thorpe's front brake wasn't working.I think O'Show's ride is a bit over rated.Villomoto killed everybody on a 250 including RC.
I also think Magoo's 4 moto win's in the MXDN and TDN wins also trumps O'Show's ride as well.
Magoo was the top ride in MXDN History because no one ever accomplished that before including DeCoster or Robert.
The Coupe des Nations was for 125's I think, or maybe had an age limit.
Coupe des Nations
Way too late....................poached by Jim123 & endoman38. Good one guys!
Hughes & Emig's rides ('95 & '96) are underrated (I feel) as that KX500, like all 500's, were mothballed in America and zero development or improvments occured. Basically, that KX500 was a '93 model competing against (at that time) full-on G.P. works bikes.
Like most collector items (automotive / motorcyle in particular), the first series or model are usually the most sought after. I feel the same way about the des Nations performances in that, while Villopoto's feat was a tremendous one (beating the GOAT is always record-worthy and that performance may be an "MXdN all-time-best" performance in and of itself), O'mara's performance was the first and so unexpected and mind-blowing, that it will stand the test of time. Also of importance is the context in which this happened. Same goes for Magoo's '82 trip to the record books.
Also, I feel the "class jumping" status for Ward & O'mara is a little misleading as, for the longest time, these riders were considered "125 specialists" but, it's "the list" and that's that.
That pic of Emig and the crowd looking straight up gives him even more credibility as a bad dude.
But.... "Emig, fresh off the 1996 150 National Championship...."
@ yamalink, that was DC's fruedian slip. MXSports will be adding a 150cc two stroke class to the nationals next year................................and in other news, a pig was spotted flying alongside the shuttle today.
Danny "Magoo" Chandler wins all four motos ( 250 and 500 ) and doesn't get any press? WTF?
I absolutely love that pic of Emig from Spain in 1996. There were 4 jumps going down that massive hill, and only Team USA was clearing all 4 in a single bound. The other countries protested, so the promoters took out jumps 2 and 3, making for one massive double. I am stunned by how high Emig, McGrath, and Lamson were in the air. I've only seen pics of this race. I would love to see any kind of footage. 16 years later that jump still blows my mind.
RV in 07 get's my vote too but O'Show's ride is close. 07 RV was crazy fast, The fastest I have ever seen anyone go!!! I rememeber the 222 waited for him to come by and tried to hang with him, after 1 lap he could not even see RV!!!
By far, the 4 moto sweep by "Magoo" on both a 250 and 500 is the best Des Nations performance by any racer.
But this article is about jumping classes, so, as stated earlier my vote goes to Hannah on his Suzuki 125 at Unadilla in the mud. Totally unreal race by the Hurricane. Which top 5 racer (250 or 450) could move down to a tiddler and beat the track (unadilla) the way Hannah did?
I too, would like to see the video of the Spanish race with the massive jump that only the Americans were able to do. Anybody have a link, please pass it on......thanks
@fred i think your right, well that and RD5s 2009 ride,were probably two of the greatest rides id seen, or heard of, in a long long time.
p.s. RD5 is gonna take it for USA this year, BB12(or 1,4,6,or 8) is gonna be close behind and maybe even JB20 (should be Tomac).
That's a awsome pic of Emig. That's the same jump the euros were complaining about so Lamson did a heel klicker off it on his 125.
What Rv did in 07 was unbelievable! I watched that race last year again, tell you what, my jaw stayed dropped the whole time. By the end of the 1st lap he was up front by 4 sec and he kept that pace through out the race. Crashed, lost some time, then charged again. More of the same in moto 2(no crashing). At the end of second moto he was either 50 sec our 1:10 from second place! All of the best riders in the world on 450s looked in reverse compared to him right off the start! Looks like his throttle got stuck WFO:) don't know how that poor bike survived...
The thing about Oshows ride was the track. Killer hills. 500 had a huge advantage. Classic statement was they could go twice as fast as me up the hills. I went three times faster down them. Magoo's shut out will never be repeated
WStewart34, the 96 MDdN is on youtube somewhere, I watched it not too long ago. That pic of Emig on that 500 beast that high is insane.
Fred, RV's ride at Budd's was awesome, one of the best rides I've seen. But as far as beating the GOAT in that race, remember RC crashed int he first turn and was dead last though.
Why would rv's performance in 07 be on this list? This list is about people jumping from different bike classes that they don't usually ride. Yeah it was a great race but maybe you guy's could have your lil rv moment if he rode a 450 that day, but it was a 250 so yeah. Emig is such a boss haha.
Sorry, beating every euro 500 on a hill track on a 125 trumps beating 450s on a 250f anyday. RV's ride that day was historical but not as shocking as O'Mara's. People now think a 250 2-t should be allowed in the 250f class, stop and think how much more powerful the 250f's are compared to the snapping and popping tiddlers were. To have RJ and Bailey crush them all was expected but to have O'Mara on his little 1-2-5 take 3rd in both motos was beyond incredible and really was a dagger in every euro's heart as to how dominant the US riders were. The 500 World Champ being overcome by that little 125 with no answer must have been completely and utterly deflating to the idea of being "World Champion".
I'm surprised today that RacerX deleted my post when I mentioned that the Americans are probably going to give the euros a thrashing next week? That sure was strange? Anyway, that sure was a nice photo of Emig flying high on his KX500
When O'Show beat Thorpe in '86, it was amazing but Thorpe had no front brake and he was carrying an injury. A lot of people forget that Thorpe beat David Bailey at the '85 Des Nations.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66ouxdYYYZE
there you go .....Emig rips the quad first lap 1:28 in
Some good points made here. While Magoo's and RV's performances were spectacular, neither qualifies to be on this list which, as the title clarifies, discusses class jumping.
@B-KR, O'Mara was second in both his motos, not third, because only one teammate was on the track with him at a time. RJ and "the Little Professor" were on top of the world that year, having pushed each other to greater heights during the Nationals. O'Mara was in on those battles as well before jumping down to the 125 for des Nations. And why do so many comments seem to suggest that Thorpe was the only rider O'Mara beat? He beat every representative from every other country, on 125s, 250s, and 500s, on his CR125. Time tends to fade memories sometimes, but that was a BIG DEAL.
Also, Hannah's performance was spectacular because of all the elements that were against him. Besides racing a 125 for the first time in years (the same bike Eric Kehoe had won the USGP at Steel City with earlier that year, btw), he was, as Weege mentioned, winding down what had been a phenomenal career, and he was a choice that brought extremely mixed emotions. (Having seen him ride Unadilla since '77, I was in favor of the move, but still a bit nervous.) Then race day came, and the conditions were horrendous! This, in itself, was thought to be just the thing to allow the Europeans to snap the American win streak. Just standing out there in that weather was an experience! (And the mud people were a spectacle in themselves.) Despite trailing after two motos, the three American legends - with Hannah on the tiddler - pulled through and extended the streak for another year.
All of these stories above are noteworthy and part of our great past.
@Ripdown......thanks for the link!
It wasn't the Trophy Des Nations or something like that?
What was that race?
@ripdown....lol any questions about EMIG's bad ass-ness have now been put to rest...most guys today could'nt start that thing let alone rip that jump on it.....500's ruled......and..1987 ...just Bob being Bob.
Great link ripdown, thanks!!!
BK-r those 125's were works bikes and far from lo powered popping and snapping little bikes....the handling and motor on those bikes was to say the least spectacular ...and as o'mara himself put it ..he rather eat a cowpile than ride a 500....they were brutal. RV's ride doesn't need anyone to defend it ...on home soil in front of the world and the best riders he blew up bales ..pinned it and crushed everyone ..end of story
Thanks for the correction Sef154.
I can only think that anyone thinking what RV did, as amazing as it was, is more incredible than what O'Mara did either is a complete RV guy, an O'Mara hater, or wasn't around back then. Works 125 or not, it's a 125, against works 250s and 500s on a track with gigantic hills. We have since seen plenty of guys on 250f's take it to top dogs on 450's at MXdN.......so many times that I couldn't sit here and list them. I think we've seen a 250f win the US Open. Stop and think, last year Roczen after dominating the GPs got on a 125 and could only get a 4th against the field he had dominated. I'm guessing Thorpe's team chose not to fix his brake between motos?
This 96 team was underated in what they did, especially Lamson. He beat all 500's in the first moto. Emig also rode very well for the first time trying to manhandle that 500.