Jason Anderson getting landed on after winning the moto outright (and when was the last time a Husqvarna won an Motocross of Nations moto?) might just be the strangest thing ever to happen at the MXoN, but this race has produced quite a few strange occurrences that left the motocross world scratching its collective heads. With that in mind, we thought we would list some of the most bizarre moments we remember.
1. GREG ALBERTYN AND THE DEER
In the 1994 Motocross des Nations, (it was still “des” back then, not the anglicized “of”) South Africa’s Greg Albertyn was leading the first moto on his Suzuki RM250 in Roggenburg, Switzerland. As the three-time FIM World Champion came down into the valley at speed, a small deer sprinted out of the woods, hopped the fence, and crossed the track directly in front of Albee. He drilled the deer and cartwheeled in a horrific crash. Albertyn’s day was over, and so was the little deer’s life!
2. THE CHEESE WHEEL
In 2007, when the MXoN was held at Budds Creek, many were anticipating a Tony Cairoli-versus-Ryan Villopoto matchup in the MX2 class—especially since they battled the year before in England—and this time it would happen in front of the American fans at Budds Creek, Maryland. But in the days leading up to the race, Cairoli’s bike was held up in U.S. Customs for unexplained reasons. At the very last minute, promoter, Jonathan Beasley, was able to get Cairoli’s crated motorcycle released. After it was released, the Customs officials explained that they held the bike because one of the mechanics apparently slipped a giant cheese wheel into the crate with the motorcycle so the Italian team could enjoy their favorite cheese! Cairoli’s game was thrown off by the whole fiasco because they never got the bike setup properly and he never really looked comfortable that weekend.
3. THE RED FLAG
Anyone who was at the 1998 MXdN in Foxhill, England, would likely list it as one of the muddiest motocross races ever. They would also probably list Stefan Everts as the best mud rider ever, given how badly he trounced the competition on his Honda CR250 (but Doug Henry did win the moto Everts wasn’t in). They might also remember that so many people got stuck on the one steep hill in the middle, that the track became impassable for all but seemingly Everts. With a traffic jam at the bottom of the hill, an official opened an infield gate and the riders began riding through the crowd of spectators, Tour de France-style, then through another gate and back onto the track! After a couple of laps of this someone pulled out the red flag, and the race was scored from just before the detour was opened.
4. NOBODY HAD A WATCH
At the 1993 MXdN in Schwanenstadt, Austria, Team Italy had the Americans on the ropes after the first moto. With Italy right next door, the park was full of Italian fans who were eager to see their country win for the first time. The second moto would feature Alex Puzar on the 250 and Andrea Bartolini on the 125, going up against Jeremy McGrath (250) and Jeff Emig (125) for Team USA. But as the clock ticked away to the shutting of the parc ferme gate, Puzar still wasn’t in the mandatory staging area—he got a late start and couldn’t get through all the fans crowding the gate. He still wasn’t in when time ran out, and as a result he was turned away. Team USA went on to win, and Italian supporter, Franco Acerbis, said something to the effect of, “We have 70 people working with this team and nobody has a watch?!”
5. CHUCK SUN TO THE RESCUE
At the 2012 MXoN at Lommel, Team USA had their hands full in the deep sand, even on Saturday before it got really, really rough. It was in qualifying that then-Honda rider Justin Barcia got out of control and crashed, sticking his bike in the fence. He couldn’t get the bike free, but standing nearby was none other than AMA Hall of Famer and member of the 1981 Team USA squad that won for the first time at Lommel, Chuck Sun. Sun went to Barcia’s aid, lifting the fence and allowing him to free the bike. But when the race was over, Barcia wasn’t in the results—he had been disqualified for outside assistance!
6. THE BIG SKI JUMP, THE BROKEN NOSE AND THE LAST TURN
At the 2000 MXoN in Saint-Jean-d’Angely, France, Team USA got back on top after a three-year run of defeats. But it was no cakewalk, and it almost didn’t happen. Travis Pastrana was battling Stephane Roncada, and making up big ground on the downhills. Pastrana would soar off the big ski jump in the infield and land halfway down the hill, then practically G-out in the banked left-hand turn at the bottom. At one point he practically jumped over Roncada’s head! But another time he jumped too far, couldn’t stop, and went over the fence into the French crowd. That was the bad break for Team USA, but we got a good one at the end of the first moto when British rider, James Dobb, stalled his big thumper in the last turn, effectively handing the win to Team USA’s Ryan Hughes. An even bigger break came a day earlier when the heavily favored French team’s leader, Frederic Bolley, caught a big rock in the face, breaking his nose. He gamely raced, but he was not up to the challenge of running with Ricky Carmichael after that.
7. COMPETITION PARK IS CLOSED BY THE INDIANS
In one of the stranger episodes in MXoN lore, the 2002 race was surprisingly handed to a non-existent track in Southern California called Competition Park. It was to be built on an Indian Reservation in Hemet, but as the race drew closer, it was not coming together. Rumors swirled that the Indians weren’t happy with the promoter or the whole idea of motocross, especially after one of the tribe’s favorite sons was killed riding a dirt bike. Less than two weeks before the race was to be run, and with Racer X’s own Eric Johnson there to give us a track update, the tribal leaders rolled up in a big black SUV, jumped out and padlocked the front gate. Just like that, the 2002 MXoN was canceled, and EJ had one of the all-time scoops.
8. FOX RACING/JT RACING’S DAVID BAILEY
Back in 1982, just prior to what used to be two different races—the Motocross des Nations (500s) and Trophee des Nations (250s)—in Europe, AMA Supercross and 250 Motocross #1 Donnie Hansen was hurt while practicing in Germany. It was a career-ending concussion that nearly cost him his life. Team USA’s Roger DeCoster had to call another rider to replace Hansen in his four-man lineup, and it had to be a Honda rider—the bikes were already shipped and the whole team was made up of Honda riders. Fortunately, DeCoster had David Bailey on his bench, and the future SX/MX Champion flew straight to Europe to take Donnie’s place. When he saw how rocky the track was, he decided to use a chest protector, but his sponsor, Fox Racing, didn’t have one in their arsenal at the time, so Bailey got one from JT Racing’s John and Rita Gregory, who were there to support the Americans. It ended up being a big deal between the gear companies, especially after Bailey raced in a Fox kit but with the JT Racing chest pro, the kind of mix-and-match riders don’t do in this day and age! Bailey ended up signing his next contract with JT instead of his longtime sponsor Fox, and Team USA, led by Danny “Magoo” Chandler, ended up as the winners of both the Motocross and Trophee des Nations.
9. OVER THE TOP
Team USA seemed to have a pretty decent shot at winning the 2013 MXoN in Teuschenthal, Germany, despite an off day for team captain, Ryan Dungey. GEICO Honda’s Eli Tomac was having a stellar day, battling with Germany’s own Ken Roczen lap after lap. But then Tomac pushed it too far, scrubbing the big hill that took the riders into the back portion of the track. In fact, he scrubbed it too hard, cross-rutted, and launched off the bike in one of the most sensational crashes in MXoN history, as you will see here:
10. THE HEEL-CLICKER
Finally, Jerez, Spain, in 1996. After losing for two straight years following 13-straight victories, Team USA’s Jeremy McGrath, Jeff Emig, and Steve Lamson were back with a vengeance, and the track in Jerez, Spain, played right into their hands. Built on the infield of a Formula 1 racecar track, the track designers built in a few supercross-style jumps, including a massive downhill quadruple that had the vast majority of GP riders up in arms—doubles and triples were banned from their circuits back then, let alone quadruples! While all of this hand-wringing was going on, Lamson went out in the first practice on his factory Honda CR125, rode around to the big quadruple and launched the whole thing, throwing in a heel-clicker for bonus style points! It blew the collective minds of the GP guys, and the race for that year’s Peter Chamberlain Cup was basically over before Lamson completed the first lap of practice.
Got some other bizarre moments from the MXoNs of past? List yours in the comments section below, we would love to read them!
