Reason For Being
If you’re a student of the sport, you know the story of Team USA 1981. That’s the year a group of four relatively unknown American Honda riders—Donnie Hansen, Danny Laporte, Johnny O’Mara, and Chuck Sun—shocked the world by winning the FIM Trophee and Motocross des Nations. They were chosen after most of the top riders at the time passed on representing the U.S. at the annual Olympics of Motocross, just as they did in 1979 and ’80, when Team USA didn’t even bother to send a team to a pair of races they had never won. The riders were inspired by a grassroots effort to just get Team USA back in the competitions—no one thought they would actually win, with the possible exception of Team USA manager Roger De Coster. Their stunning and historic victories in Belgium and Germany would mark the beginning of the golden era of American motocross and supercross.
He put all of his color slides and black-and-white negatives and contact sheets in huge plastic tubs and sent them to his brother’s house in Delaware.
We are deeply rooted in Moto—We’ve been here all our lives. Back in 1998 when we turned an underground newspaper into a shiny color magazine, it immediately changed the game with its unprecedented depth of coverage, sense of humor, and access to the sport’s biggest names. Today, our readers know they can go to Racer X Online for all the news, race results, and event coverage they need, and then enjoy even more detail and perspective in the pages of Racer X Illustrated. The mag offers a chance to learn something new on every page and stay connected with the people and personalities that shape our sport—the competitors out on the racetrack, as well as the ones behind the scenes—through our exclusive deep-dive stories and columns.
Our trademark has always been insider knowledge from the experts who are at the races and around the sport. We have long prided ourselves on our unparalleled race reporting and detailed storytelling. We go deep with the riders and teams to provide comprehensive coverage you won’t find anywhere else—all with first-class photography and design. It’s a full education in motocross past, present, and future.
Davey Coombs
Editor-in-chief & Founder
Racer X Illustrated
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