When the motocross world lost Marty Smith earlier this week, we lost one of the most remarkable and charismatic talents the sport has ever known. A teenaged hotshot from San Diego, he turned pro with Team Honda in 1974 and won the first-ever AMA 125 National at Hangtown, as well as the first AMA 125cc National Championship. He repeated the following year in even more dominant fashion. He also became the first American to win a 125cc Grand Prix. He would eventually add AMA Supercross wins, 250 National wins, Trans-AMA wins, and finally the 1977 AMA 500cc National Championship. All the while his stardom grew, and by the time he was at his zenith he was the most recognized American motocrosser of all.

With his laidback demeanor and matinee-idol looks, he became the poster boy of that early era of American motocross, helped along by the classic “Bionic Motocrosser” poster that Motocross Action created when they named him their 1975 MXA Rider of the Year. Even as injuries began to derail his career in 1978, he remained one of the best known and most marketable riders, right up until his relatively early retirement at the age of just 24.

For this week’s List, we wanted to document the career of Marty Smith, who perished on Monday, along with his wife Nancy, in a dune buggy accident in the southwestern desert, through some of his win ads and covers from back in the day, up until the end of his AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame career.

1974-1977 Cycle News Win Ads

1974

The April 23, 1974, issue of Cycle News.
The April 23, 1974, issue of Cycle News.
The July 9, 1974, issue of Cycle News.
The July 16, 1974, issue of Cycle News.
The July 23, 1974, issue of Cycle News.
The August 6, 1974, issue of Cycle News.
The August 20, 1974, issue of Cycle News.
The October 1, 1974, issue of Cycle News.

1975 and 1976

The July 8, 1975, issue of Cycle News.
July 15, 1975, issue of Cycle News.
The July 22, 1975, issue of Cycle News.
The July 22, 1975, issue of Cycle News.
The July 22, 1975, issue of Cycle News.
July 29, 1975, issue of Cycle News.
The September 9, 1975, issue of Cycle News.
The September 16, 1975, issue of Cycle News.
The April 13, 1976, issue of Cycle News.
The July 20, 1976, issue of Cycle News.
The July 20, 1976, issue of Cycle News.
The July 20, 1076, issue of Cycle News.
The December 14, 1976, issue of Cycle News.

1977

The April 20, 1977, issue of Cycle News.
The April 27, 1977, issue of Cycle News.
The April 27, 1977, issue of Cycle News.
The May 18, 1977, issue of Cycle News.
The June 8, 1977, issue of Cycle News.
The June 22, 1977, issue of Cycle News.
The June 22, 1977, issue of Cycle News.
The August 17, 1977, issue of Cycle News.
The August 17, 1977, issue of Cycle News.
The August 17, 1977, issue of Cycle News.
The September 7, 1977, issue of Cycle News.
The September 14, 1977, issue of Cycle News.
The September 14, 1977, issue of Cycle News.

Covers, programs, ads, other

The October 1975 Modern Cycle.
An ad in a 1975 Motocross Action issue.
A 1975 ad.
The 1975 USGP.
The April 1976 Motocross Action.
April 1976 Cycle World.
June 20, 1976, Midland, Michigan 125cc National Motocross souvenir program.
The 1976 Trans-AMA International Motocross program.
The 1976 Delta National Moto-X program.
An ad from 1976.
Team Honda ad in 1977.
The June 1978 Motocross Action issue.
The July 1980 Motocross Action issue.
Motor City Supercross April 28-29 at the Pontiac Silverdome program.
A painting of Smith from 1974.
Marty Smith T-shirt.
Marty Smith PR kit.
Marty Smith book.
MartySmith DVD

Stickers

Don’t Miss a Moto!

The List Marty Smith Win Ads and More

Recommended Reading