In our countdown to the 2022 Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations at RedBud this weekend, we already told you about the one and only time Bob “Hurricane” Hannah was on a winning version of Team USA. That was at the 1987 Motocross of Nations, the first one held on U.S. soil at Unadilla. However, Hannah was on a few earlier incarnations that did not win, as the veteran was already passed his prime when Team USA started winning in 1981.
Hannah rode in four Motocross (500cc) and Trophee (250cc) des Nations races in the 1970s. The most memorable had to be the ’78 MXON race in Gaildorf, West Germany. That’s when the brash Hannah, America’s top rider at the time, came against Heikki Mikkola, Europe’s top rider at the time. While Hannah was outspoken and aggressive, Mikkola was a quiet, relentless champion. Both were on Yamahas that year, though during that era Yamahas in America were yellow, while the ones in Europe were white. Both also rode for John Gregory’s JT Racing gear company. And both were multi-time champions, as Hannah by this point had five AMA titles in SX/MX, and Mikkola had four world titles in 250 and 500 Grand Prix racing.
Yet they had never really raced together, as Hannah raced the 125 or 250 USGP each summer, and Mikkola rode in the 500cc USGP at Carlsbad. In fact, before 1978 the one time they did race together was the ’76 MXON on the sandy St. Anthonis course in Holland. While Mikkola went 3-2 in the motos, Hannah was a lowly 16-21, though he was just two years into his professional career. (Editor’s note: Right behind Mikkola in each moto at St. Anthonis was Dutch rider Peter Herlings, the future father of Jeffrey Herlings.) When asked if he remembered anything about this initial match-up by Eric Johnson when he wrote about the early versions of Team USA, Hannah admitted, “I don’t remember a thing about those races!”
Come the ’78 MXON and their second engagement, Hannah was confident that he could beat the “Flying Finn,” even on an old-school GP track like Gaildorf. The Hurricane even told Mikkola that he was going to beat him. Heikki replied, “Let's see if you ride as good as you talk.”
Hannah ended up grabbing the first moto holeshot over a massive field of 56 total riders. Unfortunately for him, Mikkola also got off to a good start, setting up the one-on-one motocross battle the world had been waiting for. According to Cycle News, for ten minutes the Finnish rider “harassed” Hannah before passing him, and then that was it—Mikkola pulled away for the win. Afterwards Hannah told Cycle News reporter Charles Morey, “I didn’t know it was him! I thought it was just some joker on a Yamaha!”
Hannah again started up front in the second moto, with Mikkola again right behind him, and again soon past him. Hannah knew that Team USA had no chance after his Yamaha teammate Rick Burgett suffered a broken collarbone earlier, Chuck Sun got caught up in a starting gate melee that saw him start in nearly 50th place in the first moto, and Tommy Croft’s Honda broke down. So, the American upped his pace a notch or two to go after Mikkola. A battle for the ages was brewing, but then Hannah made a mistake and ended up crashing and stalling his bike. He would recover for fifth, but the day had been won by Mikkola. (The Nations win would go to the Gennady Moiseev-led Soviet Union team.)
Mikkola and Hannah would never race one another again in the MXON, as Hannah passed on the team in ’79, and then broke his leg waterskiing that same weekend. He would be out of action in ’80 as well, but it didn’t matter—Team USA did not attend in either year, and Mikkola retired following the ’79 season.
There was one other moment in the ‘78 race that deserves mention. Chuck Sun, riding a Husqvarna, actually rode a superb race the second time out and finished second to Mikkola, matching Hannah’s first moto ride, but without nearly as much fanfare. But unlike Hannah, Chuck Sun would be ready and willing when Team USA returned in 1981, and everything changed.
