April 18
1982
Lake Whitney Cycle Ranch hosted a round of the AMA 125/250 Pro Motocross Championship. Team Honda's Donnie "Holeshot" Hansen emerged as the 250 Class winner—his first National win—ahead of Yamaha's Broc Glover and his Honda teammates David Bailey and Kyle Keylon. Yamaha's 17-year-old Rick Johnson placed fifth.
In the 125 Class, it was also a milestone moment for Team Kawasaki's Jeff Ward, as he took his first professional win in what would be a Motorcycle Hall of Fame career. Suzuki's Mark Barnett, the reigning two-time AMA 125 National Champion, placed second, with Honda's Jim Gibson third and Yamaha's Bob "Hurricane" Hannah fourth.
Meanwhile, over in Europe, Suzuki's Georges Jobe started out the 250cc FIM Motocross World Championship with a 1-1 finish in the opener in Switzerland, topping Finnish rider Matti Tarkonnen and Belgium's Jacky Martens, who ran second and third, respectively. American interloper Danny LaPorte, making his Yamaha debut in 250cc GP motocross, finished second in the second moto right behind Jobe, serving notice that he would be a force to be reckoned with.
And in Southern California, the 1982 NMA World Mini Grand Prix went off and the big winners were Yamaha riders Ron Lechien and Lowell Thompson, Kawasaki Team Green's Paul Denis, and Suzuki rider Bruce Bunch. Other names that pop up atop the results in the myriad of minicycle and schoolboy classes are Larry Brooks, Kyle Lewis, Willie Surratt, Johner Kight, Larry Ward, Jimmy Button, Hank Moree, and Rick Hemme. (Oh, and future MotoGP superstar Colin Edwards won the pee-wee class.)
2015
Red Bull KTM's Ryan Dungey took the 450SX main event in Santa Clara, California, topping the Honda of Eli Tomac and the JGR Yamaha of Weston Peick. Rockstar Husqvarna rider Jason Anderson and Team Honda's Cole Seely rounded out the top five.
In the 250SX Class, Yamalube/Star Racing Yamaha's Cooper Webb took the win ahead of three fast brothers of other fast brothers: Justin Hill, Alex Martin, and Malcolm Stewart.
2009
Monster Energy Kawasaki's Ryan Villopoto won the Seattle SX, his home race, for his first 450SX AMA Supercross win. RV would be followed at Qwest Field by Yamaha-mounted James Stewart and Honda-mounted Davi Millsaps.
Coincidentally, the Lites SX West Region main event was won by Ryan Dungey, RV's future rival. The Rockstar/Makita Suzuki rider was trailed by Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Ryan Morais and GEICO Honda's Trey Canard.
1998
On a cold and rainy night in Charlotte, on the infield of Charlotte Motor Speedway, Team Yamaha's John Dowd earned the one and only AMA Supercross win of his career. Dowd topped Honda's Ezra Lusk and Suzuki's Larry Ward in the mudder to become (at the time) the oldest first-time AMA Supercross winner.
In the 125 class, Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Ricky Carmichael kept his perfect series going, despite not being considered much of a mud rider at the time. RC outpaced Suzuki's Robbie Reynard and FMF Honda's Brock Sellards for the main event win.
