Doug Henry Named Grand Marshal of Budds Creek National Finale

A native of Connecticut, Henry began his pro career in the late 1980s focused on regional events but made a move to full-time competition during the 1990 season. He captured his first career 125cc win as a non-factory rider at the 1991 Hangtown Motocross Classic, which eventually led to an opportunity with Factory Honda ahead of the 1993 season and resulted in both a 125cc East Supercross title and his first 125cc Pro Motocross title, beating out the likes of Jeff Emig and Jeremy McGrath. Henry successfully defended his Pro Motocross crown in 1994, outlasting teammate Steve Lamson.

Henry embarked on his rookie 250cc season in 1995, where he claimed victory at the Irving, Texas, round of Supercross. He carried that momentum into Pro Motocross, with a win at the third round at High Point Raceway. At the following round at Budds Creek, Henry was in a battle for second against McGrath. A combination of factors caused Henry to lose control of his Honda and carry too much speed off the track’s biggest and steepest downhill descent. He soared through the air, estimated by some to be 70 feet high and 120 feet in distance, and crash landed at the bottom of the hill. He suffered a broken back, but miraculously never lost feeling in his legs. An innovative surgery not only healed Henry’s back but allowed his racing career to continue. The spectacular incident was captured on film and to this day remains one of the most talked about moments in the history of the sport. The hill became the focal point of Budds Creek’s dynamic layout and has been known simply as “Henry Hill” for the 30 years since the moment took place.

Despite the severity of his injury, Henry shocked the world with a return to action for the 1996 season, now a member of Factory Yamaha. It was a challenging comeback but was all worth it when he finished on the podium in front of family and friends at the Southwick National, his home race. He returned to his winning ways in 1997, capturing a trio of Supercross victories, and then made a historic move for the 1998 season that saw him become the first rider to compete aboard a four-stroke motorcycle full time. Henry made history aboard the prototype 400cc Yamaha by winning the 1997 Las Vegas Supercross, but his legacy within the sport was solidified with a historic 1998 campaign in which he piloted the four-stroke to the 250cc Pro Motocross title on the heels of five victories. It proved to be a turning point for the sport as four-strokes eventually became the bike of choice for every manufacturer, ushering in the current era of 450cc competition.

Henry stepped away from full-time competition following the 1999 campaign but raced select Pro Motocross Nationals through the 2006 season. He also raced snowmobiles, mountain bikes, and even captured a Grand National Cross-Country Racing Series victory in 2005. However, he found a new home as a Factory Yamaha rider in the AMA Supermoto Championship, where he battled alongside fellow Pro Motocross legend Jeff Ward. Henry captured an X Games Gold Medal in the discipline at the 2005 event. Unfortunately, a supermoto crash in 2007 left Henry paralyzed from the waist down. Despite the life-altering accident, Henry’s passion for racing never wavered and he became a star of adaptive racing, earning multiple X Games Medals in adaptive SnoCross and Snow BikeCross competitions. He was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2005.

The Yamaha Budds Creek National Finals will serve as the 28th and final round of the SMX World Championship Regular Season this Saturday, August 23, from Budds Creek Motocross Park in Mechanicsville, Maryland.

Tickets are still available and can be purchased by visiting www.ProMotocross.com.