Twenty-five years ago, Team Yamaha’s Doug Henry became the first rider in AMA Supercross history to win on a four-stroke, marking the beginning of a huge paradigm shift that—for better or worse—still resonates to this day

WORDS: DAVEY COOMBS
PHOTOS: CHRIS HULTneR & JOE BONNELLO

The history of supercross, which goes back to the early 1970s, is full of significant races. From 16-year-old Marty Tripes’ first win in 1972, to superstar Jeremy McGrath’s last win in 2001, to privateer Ricky Ryan’s only win at Daytona in 1987, there have been plenty of remarkable events over the years. But if one were to ask what was the single most pivotal race in the history of supercross, it has to be the 1997 Las Vegas race. No, it’s not the night the lights went out in Vegas. Rather, it’s the night the four-stroke era began.