February 7
1987
Kawasaki's Jeff Ward won the Houston Astrodome Supercross over Yamaha's Keith Bowen (a career-high finish) and Suzuki's Johnny O'Mara, who was making his debut on the brand after his departure from Honda. Reigning series champion Rick Johnson was fourth on his Honda CR250.
O'Mara's podium finish was a much-needed lift after not only being let go from Honda, but in having a front row seat to his best friend and former teammate David Bailey's career-ending back injury. In an interview with the Orange County Register about Bailey's crash, which happened in early January, O'Mara said, "David's accident changed my attitude on life. I used to let little things stress me out when they didn't go right. I didn't know they were little things until David got hurt. I know now I have tomorrow, why should I complain? For David, he hopes tomorrow comes and he can get up and walk."
The 125 Class was an East/West Challenge, and the winner came from the East: Georgia's Keith Turpin of Suzuki topped his California teammate Willie Surratt for the win. Kawasaki Team Green's Eddie Hicks, formerly a child prodigy with Yamaha, finished third. And fourth place went to Robert "Fig" Naughton!
Here's some TV footage, featuring the voice of Larry "Supermouth" Huffman, who also still graces the PulpMX.com answering machine message:
Meanwhile, in a Long Beach court, a federal bankruptcy judge ruled against Mickey Thompson's bid to take the approximately $600,000 in gate receipts from the previous summer's Superbowl of Motocross at the LA Coliseum that was run by Mike Goodwin's Stadium Motorsports Corporation (SMG). Thompson won a $400,000 judgment against Goodwin following the breakup of Mickey Thompson Entertainment Group (MTEG)/SMG in 1984. Goodwin argued that Thompson was trying to freeze the gate receipts to put him into bankruptcy. Their legal war intensified as it became personal between Thompson and Goodwin and control of the exclusive right to run stadium motorsports in Southern California's major stadiums.
2009
After crashing out of contention for the win in the season-opener back in January, San Manuel Yamaha's James Stewart continued his march across the Southwest, winning a fifth straight round (Anaheim 3) aboard his YZ450F. Incredibly, Stewart still hadn't reeled in Suzuki's defending champion Chad Reed in the points, because while Stewart was winning five straight, Reed was getting second five straight times.
The Anaheim 3 track was designed by Jeremy McGrath, and Mother Nature added even more of a twist.
In the Lites class, Rockstar/Makita Suzuki's Ryan Dungey topped Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki teammates Ryan Morais and Jake Weimer.
In the AMA National Arenacross Series in the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Nathan Skaggs won the AX Class while Mike McDade topped the AX Lites class.
1976
It was discovered that Saddleback Park, the riding mecca of Southern California, was being sued by a rider named Vince Balch after he was bitten by a rattlesnake. Reported Cycle News, "No one told him at Saddleback that he might be bitten so he is suing. This is only the start of suits of this nature. There is a track in Louisiana that does not warn about mosquitos, one in Colorado with vicious jackrabbits, and thousands in California with squids."
2018
And today in moto, Davi Millsaps announced his retirement. A former 125cc AMA Supercross Champion and winner of multiple AMA Motocross and Supercross overalls, Millsaps went from being a top amateur prospect to a factory-backed professional rider for a dozen years. Here he is in the record books, both his professional career and his amateur results from the AMA Amateur National Motocross Championships at Loretta Lynn's Ranch.
