July 18
1978
After adding the AMA 250cc Motocross Championship to the AMA Supercross title he had already won, Team Yamaha's Bob "Hurricane" Hannah and his mechanic Keith McCarty landed on the cover of the July 18, 1978 issue of Cycle News. Both are now in the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame.
1971
Czech CZ rider Vlastimil Valek won the 250cc Inter-Am at Orlando Sports Stadium in Florida. Second went to Swedish rider Jan-Eric Salqvist, who would soon end up racing in Canada for Kawasaki. And third (and top American, even though he was originally from Sweden) was Gunnar Lindstrom on a Husqvarna.
The 500 National class was won by Gary Bailey with perfect 1-1-1 moto scores. Coincidentally, Bailey was, of course, known as the Professor of Motocross, as he taught schools all over the country between races, while Valek, the Inter-Am rider, taught motocross schools for the CZ factory.
Check out the Cycle News images of the styles of the day, via Gary Bailey and Barry Higgins.
1975
The new FMF catalogs were out early, featuring Team Honda's Marty Smith.
1973
What made rising dirt track star (and future FIM Road Racing World Champion) Kenny Roberts so cool? Moments like this...
1976
At the 500cc National at Cycle World USA in St. Peters, Missouri, Honda rider Pierre Karsmakers took the win with 1-4 moto scores. Suzuki's Steve Stackable was second with a 4-3 score, and Kawasaki's Gary Semics third with 7-2 scores. The winner of the second moto, Suzuki's Tony DiStefano, DNF'd the first race.
2009
Rockstar/Makita Suzuki rider Ryan Dungey won the 250 Class at his home race at Spring Creek in Millville, Minnesota, finishing 1-1 and topping Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Christophe Pourcel's 2-2 and GEICO Honda's Justin Barcia is third. Eleven-10 Mods Honda privateer Alex Martin finished 11th in what was truly his backyard race.
Dungey's older teammate Chad Reed won the 450 Class with 2-1 moto scores. Reed was on his way to his one and only AMA Pro Motocross Championship in 2009. CR22 topped Honda's Ivan Tedesco and Suzuki's Michael Byrne.
2015
Another July 18, another home win for Ryan Dungey, though much had changed since 2009. Dungey was then a Red Bull KTM 450 rider, as well as a multi-time AMA Supercross and Pro Motocross Champion. He racked up a 1-1 score. JGR Yamaha rider Justin Barcia was second in the 450 Class and Suzuki-mounted Blake Baggett third.
It was even more of home race for defending AMA 250 Pro Motocross Champion Jeremy Martin, but he was toppled by Star Racing Yamaha teammate Cooper Webb. Coop went 1-2 to Martin's 3-1 on the track that was literally in Martin's backyard. Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Joey Savatgy ran third overall with 2-4 motos.
