Number Cruncher Redux: #18

Here are some other famous #18s....

Great job guys on the #18. I do have some pictures of Mike "Too Tall" Bell from the 1983 season aboard his Factory Yamaha. And here’s a photo of Emig with the #18 holding off the famous #4 that RC made so famous. But back then the #4 was on the MX Kied's factory KX125. I'll never forget the sound of those factory two-stroke 125s. Mean, throaty--you just heard the difference.

Rob Harris

Mike Bell photo: Rob Harris

Mike Kiedrowski chasing Jeff Emig photo: Rob Harris

Jeff Leisk rode number 18 in 1989 GP season
Geoff Meyer

Any old-school east coast MXer worth his or her salt knows that National #18 was represented by Mickey Kessler on a Montesa back in the late 80s. Mickey was a factory Montesa rider for at least one year and raced pretty much every conceivable brand of motorcycle over his lengthy career.
 
No disrespect to Barry Carsten, Joel Dengler, Mark Butler, Jason Lawrence, Jim Kapitan and others, but Mickey is NJ MX!
 
All of us here in the Garden State (and you can ask Jason if you don't believe me) are and will always be in awe of what Mickey accomplished in his MX career. His accomplishments are the stick by which all NJ MXers careers are and will always be measured.
Mark Griggs

How about one of NESC's most Jim Meenan winningest riders, .
Randy LaPlante

You missed Jimmy Meenan from New England. Most championships won with N.E.S.C. He was a force in the 70s and 80s.
Dave

Here's Jimmy from Southwick in 1996. Interesting Meenan factoid: his first race was on a four-stroke Honda (a 1971 SL 100).
Paul Buckley

Jim Meenan in '96 photo: Paul Buckley

Any New Englander that has been around NESC for, well, a lot of years, knows that Mr. Clean himself… Jim Meenan… ran #18 for many years and multiple NESC championships. I’m sure Paul Buckley has a good picture or two of Jim around somewhere! Jim is one of the nicest, most down to earth champions I ever met. When I first started racing I admired his style on the bike and tried to emulate it. As I recall, he earned the nickname “Mr. Clean” because of his riding style--clean. He was very fast and smooth, yes, but he would not resort to ramming, stuffing, blocking or knocking anyone down to win a race. He didn’t need to as all of his championships prove!

I’ve attached a scan from the 1982 Southwick 250 & 500 National program. Jim ran national #86 that year.
Travis Loucks

This week I’m coming to the table with weak info. The only thing I’ve got is that Shane Watts was using #18 while winning all those GNCC races on his KTM. I also thought you’d like to see this really cool image of Dirt Track hero #18 Terry Poovey, feet up and full powerslide, while waving to the camera.
Rick Conley

Terry Poovey

Correct me if I am wrong as it happens all the time, but didn't Jeff Leisk wear the number 18 in the 1989 world MX championship where he finished in second overall? Don't forget us down here!
Tom Day

Ron Lechein rode #18 at the San Diego SX (CMC race) in late 1983. He won on a Yamaha he bought himself with Bevo as his mechanic. It was his last ride on Yamaha before going to Honda for ‘84.  
Steve Coventry

In 1979 there were actually three #18s. That year the AMA assigned numbers 1-20 to the top 20 riders in each class from the year before (1978).The three riders that wore the number 18 that year were:
 
125cc Gregg Toyama     250cc Scott Lester    500cc Steve Stackable

Bob Hannah wore #18 at his final race, the 1989 Unadilla 250 USGP where he finished 9th overall.
 
Jeff Leisk also wore #18 in 1989 during the 500 GPs where he finished 3rd in the final standings behind Dave Thorpe and Eric Geboers. 
James Rolland

Danny "Magoo" Chandler wore 18 for Team Honda in 1984. Any day you got to see him ride was a great day! 
Josh Heintz
Chester Springs, PA

Mike Bell

Fred Andrews wore the #18 photo: Davey Coombs