The Fox Fifty: Colorado
2010 is a big year for this state. Not only will it host a round of the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship, but in September the top riders from around the world will converge here to do battle in the 2010 Red Bull Motocross of Nations. Today’s featured state for The Fox Fifty is the Centennial State of Colorado, which is still basking in the glory of the big Hangtown victory by native son Eli Tomac last weekend. That win puts him in the running for the top five fastest riders ever from the state of Colorado.
You can vote for your five fastest from Colorado below, and we’ll tally them up and post them online next week. (And if we missed anyone you’d like us to mention, please email us at letters@racerxonline.com).
In no particular order, here our nominees for the Fox Fifty all-time list of Colorado's fastest
- Arlo Englund (Factory Yamaha Support rider in the late ‘70s/early ‘80s; finished fouth in the 1979 500 AMA Nationals - Factory Husky rider famous for racing the automatic transmission Husky in the Nationals in mid ‘70s.)
- Andrew Short (Multi-time Lites SX/MX winner; current Honda Red Bull factory rider)
- Josh Hansen (Four-time Lites SX winner; finished sixth overall in the 2010 Western Regional Lites SX Series; Back-to-back X Games SX winner)
- Stacey Cook (Multi-time Colorado state champion; long time national privateer in the ‘80s; earned national #31 in ’88 by finishing 11th in the 125 AMA national series)
- Boo Stichter (Winner of Trans-AMA race; famous for leading Bob Hannah and others for 30 minutes – in both motos - at the 1979 AMA Lakewood 500cc national, eventually finishing sixth)
- Kip Sandell (Multi-time Colorado state champion; long time national privateer; earned national #44)
- Eli Tomac (Multi-time Loretta Lynn’s Amateur national champion; won the 2010 AMA Hangtown national in his rookie debut last weekend)
- Mark Flesia (Multi-time Colorado state champion; long time national privateer; earned national #50 in 1983)
- Shawn Morgan (Multi-time Colorado state champion; finished fourth in the AMA Arenacross series twice – winning the Denver round)
- Andy Atkins (Multi-time Colorado state champion; finished 8th in the 125 class at the Denver AMA Supercross)
- Mike Loeffler (1980 AMA Rookie of the Year, long time national privateer in the ‘70s)
- Dave Newell (Multi-time Colorado state champion; raced many nationals in the ‘80s; earned national #67 in ’88)
- Paul Lindsey (Three-time Colorado state champion; long-time national privateer, made a name for himself racing twenty-three different countries, winning three national titles)
- Mike Knupp (Colorado state champion; earned national #79; finished 3rd one moto at AMA 500cc Lakewood national)
- Travis Riley (Long-time Team Green rider throughout the ‘90s; multi time Colorado amateur champion)
Honorable mentions: Stacy Smith (Colorado hero/national privateer in the 70s); Gary Duncan (one-time Colorado state champion; national #50 in the ‘70s)’ Matt Karlsen (long time national privateer; winner of National Hare and Hound race in Colorado); Chad Wallaston (raced many nationals in the ‘90s); Corey Cope (long-time national privateer in the ‘80s); Derek Brown (Four-time Colorado State champion in the 500cc class; had some top 3 finishes at the Golden State nationals in the 500cc class in the early ‘90s); Keith Campbell (Multi-time Colorado state champion and long considered “the iron man” of Colorado for racing multiple classes on the same day); Travis Bannister (Multi-time Colorado state champion – holds the record for most total titles in SRAC history; current national privateer); Derek Anderson (current fast up and coming pro; finished 22/21 at the 2010 AMA national Hangtown opener in the 450 class); Kyle Summers (current national #71; top 5 regular in WORCS series); Bobby Fitch (2-time Colorado state champion; current national #97)
How will Eli Tomac fare in the voting?
photo: Simon Cudby
