Tell Us Your Favorite Budds Creek Story Responses
Let's try something new here and let you tell us what makes the races so fun. Let's start here: We want your favorite Budds Creek stories. Have a tale of an epic pit party you’re willing to share? Did you meet your favorite rider at the event? Did you watch a rider do something unforgettable on the track? Did you attend the Motocross of Nations and have a great story? We want to hear them all. If this works, we'll bring it back again next week. Hmmm, you think anyone has a cool RedBud story to share?
Leave your best stories in the comment sections or if you’re not fond of commenting email Chase Stallo at chase@racerxonline.com and we will add below. We want to hear you’re best stories, but we will want this to be family friendly—no cursing, no trolling or just generally being an ass hat. Be cool and don't blow this for everyone else. Now, lets start some bench racing!
Thanks!
From reader Jason:
As a local Maryland man, I have many Budds Creek stories from getting flown out with a broken back to getting Ricky Carmichael's "4 dads day" pants and jersey signed. I would not be a true motocross fan if I didn't say that one of the best stories came at the 2003 national. It was James Stewart's first race back from his Vegas Supercross crash. Mike Brown and Ryan Hughes tangled in practice and Hughes already had a broken leg from Southwick and chose not to race. Stewart gets taken out on the start and is dead last. The man rode the wheels off his KX125 and scrubbed Henry's Hill that would leave the fastest racers speechless. Came back to pass Brock Sellards for the lead and win by over 30 seconds. I was able to meet him after the race and he was so down to earth and positive. A very great person to talk with. I was able to get his shroud from the race bike when they were washing it.
Unfortunately the last national I attended was in 2013 with my father. Unfortunately he was suffering from cancer at the time and the heat really wore him out that day. We used to go to the fence line and cheer on the racers but he didn't have any energy during the second set of Motos so I sat next to him and kept him company. We bench raced and talked about both of our racing careers. We couldn't see much but it was one of the best moments of my great life. He was my mechanic, my best friend, my father. He passed away later that year from a heart attack and I haven't gone back to watch the Nationals since. The last time was such a great memory and I am scared to go without him.
From reader John:
Mine has to be the Doug Henry saga. Starting with the infamous leap on his Honda to his first comeback attempt and breaking both arms and coming back from that to win the next year.
From reader Josh via Twitter:
@racerxonline caught dungeys hat in 2011, chased him down after moto 2 last year got him to sign it! @RyanDungey also got the overall!!
From reader Ray via Twitter:
@racerxonline SoCal boy in MD on a business trip and got to visit and walk the Budds Creek track, too cool, so stoked
From reader Mark:
The most memorable Budd's Creek national for me had to be 1998. This year was Doug Henry's farewell tour and he clinched the overall that day with a 2-1. It wasn't just the racing that stood out, although the fans were clearly behind him during the race. What happened after the checkers is what really stood out to me. Henry took what seemed like the longest victory lap ever around pretty much the whole track, and it seemed like EVERY FOOT of the track edge was lined with people waiting to high five him and cheer for him. Timing would never allow a moment like this in today's age of television, but on that day Doug was able to put the terrible injuries he suffered there in previous years behind him with a victory. What a great way to say goodbye!
From reader Dan:
I would say that this year will be my favorite Budds Creek story. I started taking my son to Budds Creek when he was 3 years old and we started it as a one day trip from Central Pa. It eventually turned into a long weekend adventure every year, staying in hotels, enjoying the swimming pools, seeing the big rigs at hotels, getting, MC's autograph, etc, etc. but this year my son will be trying to qualify for the 450 class and I couldn't be more proud that after all those years ago we've come full circle and he's now a Pro rider sharing the track with his heroes both past and present, can't wait!!
Dan Greenawalt proud Dad of Sam Greenawalt #402
From reader Don:
I took my three boys to the 2007 MXoN at Budds Creek. We camped the entire weekend. The Boys were ages 26, 20 and 17.
I went for a walk on the Saturday night to find some friends and I was gone for about two hours. When I returned to the camp I found that my 17 year old son Ryan was drunk. When I asked the oldest brother what happened to his little brother his reply was ...Vodka !
We bonded well that weekend.
From reader Shannon:
Being a Marylander I've raced at Budds and gone to the National for a very long time. I remember one of my first Amateur days I think in 1993 My stepfather and I are pitted just across from "The Barn" when a fellow just pulls up from no where in this rusted old Tow Truck with a old CR250 strapped to one side of the car hook. I later learn he's a regular from DC and is nick named "Tow Truck Willy". He gets out throws the full bench seat of the old truck forward where 2 really big Subwoofers are sitting and he proceeds to turn on the tape deck with AC/DC just blaring to distortion. Shirt off, cut off jeans and work boots that aren't tied and proceeds to just throw things including his bike from the truck In a manner I've never seen. This went on for like 20 minutes when right around the time "High Way To Hell" comes on this big red 4 wheeler comes flying up to a dusty stop with this really big, hyper man jumping off( who I later find out is track owner John Beasly) points at the man yelling "Willy I've told you at other racers to not turn your radio up so load and I'm already getting complaints, now turn that $!&t off or your out of here" he gets back on his 4 wheeler and races off. Tow Truck Willy only left the radio at a modest tone for minutes before he cranks that AC/DC back up. Not even 5 minutes goes by and here come the 4 wheeler with "Big John Beasly" flying up to a sideways stop. He jumps off and is yelling "I warned you Tow Truck" and walks vigorously over to the truck reaches in and grabs a subwoofer and yanks it out with wires hanging and gives it a toss to the ground and points to Tow Truck Willy and says "load up and get out of here". I can't make that story up.
Years later in 1999 I am now a local pro trying to qualify into Sunday's program on Saturday. I ended up having to go to the last chance and I'm in 2nd place and I believe they took the top 4 from there into Sunday. It's the last lap and the last hill to the top where the house is and the checkered flag and I'm right behind the leader with maybe 80 feet to go and I'm in! when he hits a hole and high sides, I have no where to go and I hit him and go down with him. As I'm trying to get going on a 125 smoker on that really steep hill 3rd 4th, 5th and so on just zing on by. I was watching Sunday's qualifiers from the fence. So close
From reader Brian:
As a gift for earning my master's degree, my father and a family friend went to Budds in 2010. I have always wanted to walk an outdoor track because being completely blind, I am never completely sure how big the hills and jumps are when they are just being described. I had walked the Atlanta supercross a few months prior but wasn't quite as overwhelmed with the whoops and the steepness of the jumps. However, I was completely wowed by the size of the hills and jumps at Budds. I'm no skinny guy who's in tremendous shape, but I don't sit on the couch eating potato chips and drinking root beer all day. But I couldn't even walk the whole thing because it was so hilly. And to top it off, I did miss a great opportunity. I met Davey Coombs and he told me that I could stand at the starting line for all of the four motos that day so I could get the complete rush of the start. Since I rely on sound, the start is most important to me. But trying to compromise for my father and our friend and knowing they couldn't see anything but the start, I regretably decided not to take Mr. Coombs up on that offer.
From reader Todd:
I have been to many of the Nationals and every GP/MXON that has been held there and have raced many…many laps on the Budds Creek Track myself. There are so many amazing stories here but the ones that stick out in my mind are the Doug Henry downhill and uphill crashes (and what an amazing individual to come back from those injuries) and a young RV2 on a KX250F at the MXON pulling a holeshot and just walking the dog on everyone that day! The sign of things to come!
From reader Tom:
the year was 2007. My friend Damien and I decide that we couldn't miss the des nations race, so when packed up and drove from Michigan Thursday afternoon. We drove all through the night and showed up at the track at 5am. At this point after driving all night we should have been tired but the excitement of the weekend was to much for us to sleep. Shortly after dawn we set out to do some exploring, and that we did! When we found our way to the track, it was the most pristine, freshly groomed track I had ever seen (beside redbud). The best part was that we were the only people around that early, so we hopped the fence and walked most of the track! Add in all of the foreign people we met (the British are nuts!), the crazy parties we seen including a 60+ foot slip n slide and Ricky's last race. It was the most memorable weekend of my life!
Oh and the no fear movie: 60 years and a day. Im the guy towards the end carrying a hay bale!
From reader Justin:
3 QUICK BUDDS CREEK STORIES/MEMORIES
1ST was my 1st ever hare scramble there on a atv what a eye opener, i was just happy to finish best part of the loop was riding on about 3/4 of the dirt oval at WOT
2ND i went to the motocross of nations. setup chairs at the big gulp and proceded to watch villipoto smoke every rider there on a measly kawi 250 4 stroke he was unstoppable that day it was wild to the soccer hooligan style fans from across the pond at 1 point about 7 of them ran the track shirtless with flags flying & heinikins lol
last but not least I'm not sure if it was a atv or mx weekend but the owner/promoter J beasly got married i believe on henry hill? all will go down as my fav times there
From reader Steve:
The best budds creek event ever was MXON my dad paid my trip for my 21st birthday and i went down from about as far upstate NY as you can get on the canadian border to watch a rider i had been following since 60's mr. RV2 go on an absolute tear and demolish everyone on the track. And also got to meet and spend time with people from country's all over the world it was an epic weekend and one i will never forget
From reader Mike:
We have had a lot of memories at BUDDS as I my son races there several times year. The best was 2012. We did not have too much experience at MX and it was our first race. It rained most of the night and all morning. We were called to the gate and I put his goggles in my jacket, what a mistake. The tear offs were completely fogged up. I pulled them off and informed him to stay way back as the mud was a foot deep. Well as kids do he did not listen and went to the front until the first turn where he was pummeled by 18 two strokes throwing mud everywhere, came out of the turn and pulled his goggles off. On the 3rd lap I stood at the bottom of Henry hill and shouted you ok? as he motioned his head yes and then mud squirted from his eyes as he attempted to clear them by squinting. I was amazed at his courage and determination. He finished in 8th position that day with no goggles after starting at the back. I knew at that moment I was destined to sell off my race car, trailer, spare engines and such to support him in his new venture. Well ,three years later and he is on the big bikes and what a blast. I am going on line and get tickets for this week’s race. Forecast is for rain and we are not going to miss it.
From reader Doug:
Budds has provided many racing memories...from Doug Henry 20 years ago, RV issuing a work class whipping at the MXoN on a 250 to Bubba's debut of the Scrub (on Henry's hill going the opposite direction by the way). However, I've got 2 off-track memories that still make me laugh.
Jonathan Beasley is everywhere during the Pro Nationals, and does what ever it takes to make the day go smooth. Many years ago, there was a pretty good back-up of traffic trying to get in to the track race morning. Jonathan grabbed a few of us locals to get things moving. We’re directing all the spectators to the overflow parking when this one car tries to enter the track. The driver tells me “I’m a close personal friend of Jonathan Beasley. He told me we could park inside”. I wave Jonathan over and repeat what I was just told. He glances in the car and say “I don’t care who he is, he’s blocking traffic and spectator parking is that way”. As Jonathan is walking away, the indignant driver tells me he wants my and that person’s name because he was going to let Jonathan know how he was treated if I didn’t let him in. I can still see his face when I told him “That’s your close personal friend, Jonathan Beasley. Spectator parking is that way”.
Our club was running a Dist. 7 Gold Series race at Budds. I recruited my then 13 y/o daughter to run staging. She was perfect for the job because she won’t take crap from anyone. Must be her mother’s side. Apparently one rider didn’t agree with the staging order and started giving her a hard time. She called Jonathan on the radio and asked him to come to staging. He asked what the problem was and then told her to put her radio headset on the rider with the issue. She told me she couldn’t hear what was said, but the rider quietly got in line. I was rolling because I did hear the transmission. Jonathan got on the radio and told the rider “you do what that pretty little girl says, because if I have to come to staging it will be to tell you to pack your $#!* and get the #*%& out of my racetrack!”. Classic Jonathan Beasley right there!
