Forty years ago: looking back at the first Hangtown National. We found these photo contact sheets in the Dick Miller Archives and have never been seen before.
![The Dirt Diggers North Motorcycle Club hosted events well before 1974, but the race that year marked it's debut on the AMA Motocross schedule.]()
The Dirt Diggers North Motorcycle Club hosted events well before 1974, but the race that year marked it's debut on the AMA Motocross schedule. No Author ![Defending AMA 250cc Champion Gary Jones piloted his new Can-Am to a third-place finish at the old Plymouth track.]()
Defending AMA 250cc Champion Gary Jones piloted his new Can-Am to a third-place finish at the old Plymouth track. No Author ![Riders await the start of the first-ever 125 National, as 1974 marked the first year for a 125 National Championship class.]()
Riders await the start of the first-ever 125 National, as 1974 marked the first year for a 125 National Championship class. No Author ![Husqvarna made big news last week with the announcement of their return to racing with #17 Jason Anderson... Well, this is what #16 Marty Tripes' Husky looked like in 1974!]()
Husqvarna made big news last week with the announcement of their return to racing with #17 Jason Anderson... Well, this is what #16 Marty Tripes' Husky looked like in 1974! No Author ![Working in the signal area back in the day was a little more grassroots than it is now...]()
Working in the signal area back in the day was a little more grassroots than it is now... No Author ![Not sure who the man leading is, but following are Montesa factory rider Peter Lamppuu (10) and the Suzuki factory rider Rich Thorwaldson (3), both of whom have since passed.]()
Not sure who the man leading is, but following are Montesa factory rider Peter Lamppuu (10) and the Suzuki factory rider Rich Thorwaldson (3), both of whom have since passed. No Author ![Another Husqvarna factory pilot, Gary Semics, placed third in the 500cc class. Gary's still around, still very fast and still teaching people how to train and ride: www.garysemics.com]()
Another Husqvarna factory pilot, Gary Semics, placed third in the 500cc class. Gary's still around, still very fast and still teaching people how to train and ride: www.garysemics.com No Author ![And this man is still in the industry too: Matrix Concepts' founder Eddie Cole was a Kawasaki 125cc factory rider back in 1974. He told us the bike was good, but only good for two and a half motos!]()
And this man is still in the industry too: Matrix Concepts' founder Eddie Cole was a Kawasaki 125cc factory rider back in 1974. He told us the bike was good, but only good for two and a half motos! No Author ![California motocross legend]()
California motocross legend "Rocket" Rex Staten raced a Honda CR370 overbore but only managed a 13th place overall. No Author ![Tim Hart was Yamaha's man to stem the tide of young Honda riders in the 125 class -- Marty Smith, Chuck Bower, Bruce McDougal, Mickey Boone -- but trouble in one moto cost him dearly.]()
Tim Hart was Yamaha's man to stem the tide of young Honda riders in the 125 class -- Marty Smith, Chuck Bower, Bruce McDougal, Mickey Boone -- but trouble in one moto cost him dearly. No Author ![Forty years ago the Hangtown Classic was held in Plymouth, not far from today's Rancho Cordova track but a world away as far as the sandy soil compared to the current hard pack. (#45 Billy Grossi was your 250 winner.)]()
Forty years ago the Hangtown Classic was held in Plymouth, not far from today's Rancho Cordova track but a world away as far as the sandy soil compared to the current hard pack. (#45 Billy Grossi was your 250 winner.) No Author ![Team Honda's teenaged superstar Marty Smith surveys the crowd from above his box van. He won the first 125 National as well as the '74 championship.]()
Team Honda's teenaged superstar Marty Smith surveys the crowd from above his box van. He won the first 125 National as well as the '74 championship. No Author ![Honda's Rich Eierstedt and Billy Grossi sandwich Penton factory pilot Buck Murphy in a 250 class battle.]()
Honda's Rich Eierstedt and Billy Grossi sandwich Penton factory pilot Buck Murphy in a 250 class battle. No Author ![]()
"Rocket" Rex flashes past the Hangtown faithful. It was a big and loyal crowd back then, and even bigger today! No Author ![Local Maico pilot Billy Payne Sr. rolls past a sweet Ford Ranchero! Payne finished 12th in the 500 class. He is the father of future Pro Circuit Kawasaki rider Billy Payne.]()
Local Maico pilot Billy Payne Sr. rolls past a sweet Ford Ranchero! Payne finished 12th in the 500 class. He is the father of future Pro Circuit Kawasaki rider Billy Payne. No Author ![CZ rider Tony DiStefano leads Bultaco's ace Bryar Holcomb, who is still at work today at Factory Effex!]()
CZ rider Tony DiStefano leads Bultaco's ace Bryar Holcomb, who is still at work today at Factory Effex! No Author ![Our favorite photo of the bunch: the late]()
Our favorite photo of the bunch: the late "Gassin'" Gaylon Mosier, Jofa mouthguard hanging in the wind below his Carrera Goggles, leading Gary Jones with some roost! No Author ![It was a much different vibe of racing and professionalism back then... And probably a whole bunch of fun.]()
It was a much different vibe of racing and professionalism back then... And probably a whole bunch of fun. No Author ![Steve Stackable rode his U.S. Sports' Maico back to the pits after finishing fourth overall in the 500 class.]()
Steve Stackable rode his U.S. Sports' Maico back to the pits after finishing fourth overall in the 500 class. No Author ![Somewhere online Nick McCabe is smiling, thinking, 'I'm going to have to find that trike and add it to my ATC three-wheeler collection!']()
Somewhere online Nick McCabe is smiling, thinking, 'I'm going to have to find that trike and add it to my ATC three-wheeler collection!' No Author ![Rich Eierstedt was one of Honda's three factory riders in the 250 class that were hoping to knock off Honda's old captain Gary Jones for the 250 title after he went to Can-Am during the off-season.]()
Rich Eierstedt was one of Honda's three factory riders in the 250 class that were hoping to knock off Honda's old captain Gary Jones for the 250 title after he went to Can-Am during the off-season. No Author ![Who knew that they had Chupacbras way back then?!]()
Who knew that they had Chupacbras way back then?! No Author ![Tim Hart on a prototype YZ125 Monoshock.]()
Tim Hart on a prototype YZ125 Monoshock. No Author ![A man truly born before his time, the great Dick Mann showed up on a Triumph!]()
A man truly born before his time, the great Dick Mann showed up on a Triumph! No Author ![That's Bryar Holcomb practicing starts on his Bultaco. He would finish fifth overall in the 500 class.]()
That's Bryar Holcomb practicing starts on his Bultaco. He would finish fifth overall in the 500 class. No Author ![This is for #810 Jeff Greenberg, longtime moto enthusiast who drove out from Ohio in 1974 to race Hangtown at age 17 to race his Suzuki. He once told us he never knew of any photos of him that existed; now he knows there's one. Check your email later, Jeff!]()
This is for #810 Jeff Greenberg, longtime moto enthusiast who drove out from Ohio in 1974 to race Hangtown at age 17 to race his Suzuki. He once told us he never knew of any photos of him that existed; now he knows there's one. Check your email later, Jeff! No Author ![Marty Tripes before going out and finishing second overall on his 250 Husqvarna. Like Gary Jones he was a Honda rider in '73, only to switch brands (and he would switch again later that year, finishing the series on a Can-Am like Jones).]()
Marty Tripes before going out and finishing second overall on his 250 Husqvarna. Like Gary Jones he was a Honda rider in '73, only to switch brands (and he would switch again later that year, finishing the series on a Can-Am like Jones). No Author ![Gary Jones works his way through traffic on the #1 Can-Am. Gary was out at Glen Helen all last week and even had a chance meeting with another multi-time champion, Ricky Carmichael. Gary still rides, and he's still fast!]()
Gary Jones works his way through traffic on the #1 Can-Am. Gary was out at Glen Helen all last week and even had a chance meeting with another multi-time champion, Ricky Carmichael. Gary still rides, and he's still fast! No Author ![The]()
The "Jammer" himself, Kawasaki factory rider Jimmy Weinert, leads Holcomb at the first Hangtown National, forty years ago. No Author
