With RedBud looming large, we've dug into the archives to see what the race looked like twenty years ago when we were shooting black and white film for Cycle News and Racer X Illustrated, which was still a newspaper back then! Here's a glimpse at the 1995 RedBud 125/250 National.
(All photos by Davey Coombs.)
In his first visit to RedBud, three-time FIM World Champion Greg Albertyn went 5-3 to finish third overall in the 250 Class.
Team Honda’s Jeremy McGrath split moto wins with Yamaha’s Jeff Emig but got the overall via 2-1 scores.
Defending 250cc Champion Mike LaRocco finished second in the first moto but a crash off the start in the second moto ruined his chances for a home-race win.
By 1995 Jeff Emig had replaced Damon Bradshaw as Yamaha’s main man after the Beast from the East went on a hiatus in the middle of the ’93 season.
Art Eckman, the Ron Burgundy of motocross on TV, interviews Jeremy and his mechanic Skip Norfolk after his second moto triumph.
Jeremy McGrath (3) leads Jeff Emig (6) and Mike LaRocco (1) off the start of the first 250 Moto.
Mike LaRocco grew up in Indiana but he was practically raised racing at RedBud.
Former 125cc rivals Mike LaRocco and Jeff Emig dueled for the runner-up spot in the first moto, with the Rock holding Fro off.
Mike Kiedrowski leads Greg Albertyn in one of the old RedBud rhythm sections.
Remember Team Honda of Troy? This is Mike Craig, father of current GEICO Honda rider Christian Craig, riding a Honda of Troy CR125. He finished eighth overall in the 125 Class.
That’s a young Timmy Ferry, riding for Team Suzuki back then. Ferry won his first national earlier in the summer at High Point and finished sixth at RedBud.
That’s Elizabeth LaRocco, the Rock’s Mrs.
McGrath celebrates his RedBud overall win with a subtle no-hander. Jeremy had dedicated himself to proving his outdoor abilities in 1995, and he came through with the AMA 250cc National Championship, adding to his three straight AMA Supercross crowns.
Having come out of his self-imposed retirement one month earlier, Damon Bradshaw looked like his old self at RedBud, finishing fourth overall in the 250 Class with 4-4 finishes. He then stopped after the finish line, took off his jersey and waved to the fans. Classic Bradshaw!
By 1995 Jeremy McGrath had become the biggest star in the sport, based on his dominance in supercross, as well as his overall charisma and showmanship.
Back in 1995 Racer X Illustrated was still just a newspaper!
Jeff Emig clears LaRocco’s Leap, which he once referred to in his next career as a color analyst for TV as the “parking lot jump!”
Emig was riding in McGrath’s shadow for much of 1995 and ’96, but he turned the tables the next summer and beat Jeremy for both the ’96 AMA 250 Motocross title and then both the SX/MX titles in 1997.
Michigan’s own Todd DeHoop rode for Honda of Troy in 1995 and scored ninth overall at RedBud.
Even back in 1995 Jeff Emig was building a broad fan base, including at places like RedBud, where Mike LaRocco was the favored son.
That’s none other than Davey Castillo, the people’s champ and future anchor for the following year’s Great Western Bank team.
McGrath chases Emig across the old supercross section that sat at the bottom of the valley at RedBud.
LaRocco had to come from dead last to seventh in the second moto after crashing off the start.
Robbie Reynard and his father chat following the Kawasaki factory rider’s runner-up ride at RedBud.
These RedBud faithful brought out the ladders in order to see above the infield fray.
The LaRocco for President sign hung for several years in the nineties back by the starting gate.
One year into retirement, Jeff Stanton worked for Honda as a riding coach, tester and whatever else he could do to help out Jeremy McGrath, Steve Lamson and Doug Henry (before his epic Budds Creek crash).
Splitfire/Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Ryan Hughes (9) leads Suzuki’s Timmy Ferry (23) and Xtreme Yamaha rider Cory Keeney (96) and Ohio privateer James Eickel (700) and the rest of the 125 Class.
Cool shot of Mike Craig coming out of a RedBud berm.
The old double-double that used to be a staple of the track’s infield section.
Future FIM World Champion and two-time AMA 125cc SX Champion Mickael Pichon leads Cory Keeney. Pichon would finish seventh at RedBud, Keeney eleventh.
Team Honda’s Steve Lamson leads Denny Stephenson (18), Ryan Hughes (9), Robbie Reynard (22), Buddy Antunez (31) and Damon Huffman (12) off the start. Lammy would win the 125 Class at RedBud and later the 125cc National Championship.
This photo just screams “the nineties!”
Team Honda’s Steve Lamson would win two AMA 125 National Championships and go down in history as one of the best 125cc riders of all time.
The RedBud fans went hard back then, and they go just as hard now, a generation later! Reeddddd Buddddd!
