Racer X - Motocross & Supercross NewsRacer X

  • Subscribe Now
  • Latest
  • Features
  • Breaking News

Racer X - Motocross & Supercross NewsRacer X

  • One Click Sign-In

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    OR

    Sign in with your username and password

    • Sign In
  • Features
    • 10 Things
    • 30 Greatest AMA Motocrossers
    • 3 on 3
    • 250 Words
    • 450 Words
    • Arenacross Report
    • Between the Motos
    • Breakdown
    • Deals of the Week
    • GNCC Report
    • Great Battles
    • How to Watch
    • Injury Report
    • Insight
    • In the Mag, On the Web
    • Lockdown Diaries
    • Longform
    • MXGP Race Reports
    • My Favorite Loretta Lynn's Moto
    • Next
    • Next Level
    • Observations
    • On This Day in Moto
    • Open Mic
    • Privateer Profile
    • Race Day Feed
    • Racerhead
    • Racer X Awards
    • Racer X Redux
    • Rapid Reaxtion
    • RX Exhaust
    • Saturday Night Live
    • Staging Area
    • The Conversation
    • The List
    • The Moment
    • Things We Learned at the Ranch
    • UnPhiltered
    • Wake-Up Call
    • Where Are They Now
    • 50 Years of Pro Motocross
  • Multimedia
    • Podcasts
    • Photo Galleries
    • The Weege Show
    • Racer X Films
    • Video
    • SX Preview Shows
    • Factory Tech Tip
    • MX Preview Shows
    • Behind The Bars
    • Racer X Rapid News
  • Races
    • Series Schedules
    • TV Schedules
    • Results
    • Champions
    • 2023 Numbers
    • Teams
  • Results
    • Points Standings
    • Race Results
    • Riders
    • The Vault
    • Loretta Lynn's Vault
  • Shop
  • About Us
  • The Mag
    • Digital Magazine Bookstand
    • Customer Care
    • Current Issue
    • Newsletter
    • Store Locator
    • Subscribe
    • Free Stickers
    • Sell Racer X
  • Table of Contents
  • Subscribe Now
  • Latest
  • Features
  • Breaking News
Results Archive
Motocross
Fox Raceway
Articles
450 Results
  1. Jett Lawrence
  2. Chase Sexton
  3. Dylan Ferrandis
Full Results
250 Results
  1. Hunter Lawrence
  2. Haiden Deegan
  3. R.J. Hampshire
Full Results
GNCC
Mason-Dixon
Articles
Overall Results
  1. Craig Delong
  2. Layne Michael
  3. Ricky Russell
Full Results
XC2 Pro Results
  1. Liam Draper
  2. Angus Riordan
  3. Ruy Barbosa
Full Results
Motocross
Hangtown Motocross Classic
Articles
450 Results
  1. Jett Lawrence
  2. Dylan Ferrandis
  3. Cooper Webb
Full Results
250 Results
  1. Hunter Lawrence
  2. Justin Cooper
  3. Haiden Deegan
Full Results
MXGP of
Latvia
Articles
MXGP Results
  1. Jeffrey Herlings
  2. Jorge Prado
  3. Romain Febvre
Full Results
MX2 Results
  1. Kay De Wolf
  2. Roan Van De Moosdijk
  3. Thibault Benistant
Full Results
Upcoming
Motocross
Thunder Valley
Sat Jun 10
Articles
Upcoming
MXGP of
Liqui Moly Germany
Sun Jun 11
Articles
Upcoming
Motocross
High Point
Sat Jun 17
Articles
Full Schedule
50 Years of Pro Motocross: 1987
Davey Coombs

Davey Coombs

50 Years of Pro Motocross 1987

April 26, 2022 12:45pm
by: Davey Coombs
  • Home
  • 50 Years of Pro Motocross
  • Recapping the Full 1987 AMA Motocross Season
Millville, MN Spring Creek Motocross (Millville) AMA Pro Motocross Championship

We are now up to 1987 in our MAVTV+ 50-Day Countdown to Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship and the 2022 season opener, which is set for May 28 at Fox Raceway at Pala, California. This summer will be a celebration of 50 years of AMA Pro Motocross and today the countdown takes us back to one of the more complicated years for the sport.

It all started on a very somber note when Team Honda’s David Bailey, the reigning AMA 500cc National Champion and runner-up in both the ’86 AMA Supercross and ’86 AMA 250 Pro Motocross Championships, as well as a Team USA hero at the Motocross des Nations since 1982, suffered a broken back during morning practice for a CMC Golden States MX Series race in Huron, California. He would undergo emergency back surgery to stabilize his spine, but he unfortunately would never race motorcycles again. Fortunately he did stay within the sport, promoting events, working as a designer and then becoming arguably the greatest color television analyst SX/MX has ever known. He also became one of the world’s greatest triathletes.

Jeff Ward
Jeff Ward
Rick Johnson
Rick Johnson
Ricky Ryan
Ricky Ryan
Rick Johnson
Rick Johnson
George Holland in Cycle News.
George Holland in Cycle News.
Micky Dymond
Micky Dymond

There was also a war between old supercross business partners-turned-enemies Mike Goodwin and Mickey Thompson that was starting to get more and contentious. More on that in 1988.

When the series did start on January 31, defending champion Rick Johnson got knocked out, and laid motionless on the track. In light of what had just happened three weeks earlier to his friend and teammate Bailey, it definitely dampened the night. Johnson would be okay, but he would start out the series 25 points behind Kawasaki’s Jeff Ward.

After Wardy also won the second round at the Houston Astrodome, Johnson rebounded to win round three at San Diego. But the night was marred by another tragedy, as 125cc race winner Kyle Lewis would find out after the checkered flag that his father Matthew Lewis had suffered a fatal heart attack during the race. It was the first win of Kyle Lewis’ career, and it came in only his second start.

Also of note was the fact that Honda privateer Ricky Ryan shocked everyone at the Daytona Supercross, putting it to all of the factory riders on a muddy, slightly miserable day. It was the only time in AMA Supercross history that a true privateer won a premier-class main event.

In the end Johnson could not make up the early deficit on Ward in AMA Supercross, and the Kawasaki rider ended up clinching his second SX #1 plate in three years. But Johnson would turn the tables in both of the outdoor championships they ran together, the 250 in the first half of summer and the 500 class toward the end. This marked the first time in AMA Pro Motocross history that a single rider won two outdoor titles. The young Yamaha rider Jeff Stanton from Michigan would finish second in the 500 class while Ward would be the runner-up in the 250 class.

1987 Southwick National:

The 125 class once again went to Micky Dymond of the Honda team, who topped Suzuki’s George Holland by 22 points to join Marty Smith, Broc Glover, and Mark Glover as a back-to-back AMA 125 National Champion.

1987 Spring Creek National:

As the season ended the FIM Motocross des Nations was held for the first time in the U.S., at Ward Robinson’s Unadilla in New York. There, the American trio of Johnson, Ward, and the veteran Bob “Hurricane” Hannah on the 125 earned a popular homeland win.

Rick Johnson, Bob Hannah, and Jeff Ward
Rick Johnson, Bob Hannah, and Jeff Ward

1987 125 Class Points Finish

Motocross

125MX Standings - 1987

PositionRider Hometown Points
1Micky Dymond Micky DymondYorba Linda, CA United States454
2George Holland George HollandKerman, CA United States432
3Guy Cooper Guy CooperStillwater, OK United States386
4Erik Kehoe Erik KehoeGranada Hills, CA United States365
5Donny Schmit Donny SchmitBloomington, MN United States344
Full Standings

1987 250 Class Points Finish

Motocross

250MX Standings - 1987

PositionRider Hometown Points
1Rick Johnson Rick JohnsonEl Cajon, CA United States279
2Jeff Ward Jeff WardMission Viejo, CA United States240
3Ron Lechien Ron LechienEl Cajon, CA United States218
4Keith Bowen Keith BowenPontiac, MI United States160
5Jeff Stanton Jeff StantonSherwood, MI United States155
Full Standings

1987 500 Class Points Finish

Motocross

500MX Standings - 1987

PositionRider Hometown Points
1Rick Johnson Rick JohnsonEl Cajon, CA United States289
2Jeff Stanton Jeff StantonSherwood, MI United States221
3Mike Fisher Mike FisherSantee, CA United States173
4Ron Lechien Ron LechienEl Cajon, CA United States173
5Tommy Watts Tommy WattsShelbyville, KY United States160
Full Standings
Micky Dymond, the 1987 125cc Class AMA Motocross champion.
Micky Dymond, the 1987 125cc Class AMA Motocross champion. Thom Veety
Rick Johnson, the 1987 250cc AND 500cc Class AMA Motocross champion.
Rick Johnson, the 1987 250cc AND 500cc Class AMA Motocross champion.

  • Open Mic: The Process Open Mic: The Process 11:35am
  • Gallery: Foxborough Gallery: Foxborough 1:00pm
Read Now
July 2023 Issue Now Available
Get Racer X on your iPhone
Check out all the exclusive content this month on any device!
Read Now
The July 2023 Digital Issue Availalbe Now

Motocross & Supercross News - Racer X

122 Vista Del Rio Drive, Morgantown, WV 26508 | 304-284-0084 | Contact Us
©1999 - 2023 Filter Publications LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy
designed at: Website DesignImpulse Studios