Your first race?

wavslide1
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Oceanside, CA US
1/11/2019 1:49pm Edited Date/Time 1/11/2019 10:24pm

That was Cycle Haven on Terminal Island, Los Angeles, CA and was a great spot for beginning.
3
Bret
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Mission Viejo, CA US
1/11/2019 1:54pm Edited Date/Time 1/11/2019 1:56pm
1981 Or 1982, Corona Raceway, CRC Unleap Year Grand Prix. I was 16 yrs old. This was my first bike after a Trail 70, a 1979 Maico 400. All the gear except for the jersey was donated by neighbors so I could race. My dad bought the Maico jersey for me as a surprise. The leathers are really leather. The boots are MXL plastic boots that could have doubled as ski boots. The gloves were ripped and had holes in them. I got lapped twice but still had a blast. Been hooked ever since.

3
1/11/2019 3:38pm
First race was for sure one to remember. It rained and rained and rained. I went from holeshot to 9th out of 20 riders. It was a absolute mess out there. All the mini dads were helping us little guys get up the bigger jumps since the little bikes just didn’t have the power in the mud lol. I was super happy to be muddy! Haha



3
mattyhamz2
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So Cal, CA US
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1/11/2019 3:47pm
First race was for sure one to remember. It rained and rained and rained. I went from holeshot to 9th out of 20 riders. It was...
First race was for sure one to remember. It rained and rained and rained. I went from holeshot to 9th out of 20 riders. It was a absolute mess out there. All the mini dads were helping us little guys get up the bigger jumps since the little bikes just didn’t have the power in the mud lol. I was super happy to be muddy! Haha



Awesome dude! Sounds like my first time at Washougal. 60 Beginner class in 99 and it POURED for 30 straight minutes before our race. Stopped just before we staged and it was so bad. Being from So Cal I had never ridden anything like it. I was a fish out of water that tangled with a kid off the start. His dad and mine came running out to help us and his dad slipped and completely landed on his ass in the mud! Have it all on video somewhere haha! Came back from second to last all the way to top 5 before falling in the mud again and dropping back to somewhere just in the top 10. Not bad for a kid from So Cal that had never ridden in the mud before haha!

Riding in the mud as a kid was absolutely the most fun ever, wasn't it??

The Shop

1/11/2019 3:54pm
First race was for sure one to remember. It rained and rained and rained. I went from holeshot to 9th out of 20 riders. It was...
First race was for sure one to remember. It rained and rained and rained. I went from holeshot to 9th out of 20 riders. It was a absolute mess out there. All the mini dads were helping us little guys get up the bigger jumps since the little bikes just didn’t have the power in the mud lol. I was super happy to be muddy! Haha



mattyhamz2 wrote:
Awesome dude! Sounds like my first time at Washougal. 60 Beginner class in 99 and it POURED for 30 straight minutes before our race. Stopped just...
Awesome dude! Sounds like my first time at Washougal. 60 Beginner class in 99 and it POURED for 30 straight minutes before our race. Stopped just before we staged and it was so bad. Being from So Cal I had never ridden anything like it. I was a fish out of water that tangled with a kid off the start. His dad and mine came running out to help us and his dad slipped and completely landed on his ass in the mud! Have it all on video somewhere haha! Came back from second to last all the way to top 5 before falling in the mud again and dropping back to somewhere just in the top 10. Not bad for a kid from So Cal that had never ridden in the mud before haha!

Riding in the mud as a kid was absolutely the most fun ever, wasn't it??
Hahah awesome. Yeah that was always a blast. I never minded how bad it was I just wanted to ride. My dad has a bunch of videos of me just doing lap after lap on my little back yard track with a bunch of snow on the ground. Ohio’s crappy winters didn’t stop me like they do now lol. Looking back at it I feel bad that my dad always had to clean my muddy bike up for me because I know what a pain it is today hahaha
1
mattyhamz2
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1/11/2019 4:12pm
First race was for sure one to remember. It rained and rained and rained. I went from holeshot to 9th out of 20 riders. It was...
First race was for sure one to remember. It rained and rained and rained. I went from holeshot to 9th out of 20 riders. It was a absolute mess out there. All the mini dads were helping us little guys get up the bigger jumps since the little bikes just didn’t have the power in the mud lol. I was super happy to be muddy! Haha



mattyhamz2 wrote:
Awesome dude! Sounds like my first time at Washougal. 60 Beginner class in 99 and it POURED for 30 straight minutes before our race. Stopped just...
Awesome dude! Sounds like my first time at Washougal. 60 Beginner class in 99 and it POURED for 30 straight minutes before our race. Stopped just before we staged and it was so bad. Being from So Cal I had never ridden anything like it. I was a fish out of water that tangled with a kid off the start. His dad and mine came running out to help us and his dad slipped and completely landed on his ass in the mud! Have it all on video somewhere haha! Came back from second to last all the way to top 5 before falling in the mud again and dropping back to somewhere just in the top 10. Not bad for a kid from So Cal that had never ridden in the mud before haha!

Riding in the mud as a kid was absolutely the most fun ever, wasn't it??
Hahah awesome. Yeah that was always a blast. I never minded how bad it was I just wanted to ride. My dad has a bunch of...
Hahah awesome. Yeah that was always a blast. I never minded how bad it was I just wanted to ride. My dad has a bunch of videos of me just doing lap after lap on my little back yard track with a bunch of snow on the ground. Ohio’s crappy winters didn’t stop me like they do now lol. Looking back at it I feel bad that my dad always had to clean my muddy bike up for me because I know what a pain it is today hahaha
Haha he probably didn't say anything because he knew you'd have to do it for yourself and your own kids one day Laughing

I love reading all these stories. Brings up so many memories of my own as I'm sure it does for others.
WCRider
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BE
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1/11/2019 4:22pm
Heerzele in Flanders in 1993 with a CR 125 1991 at the MCBBLB federation. It was with the name of my dad because a was too young (12 years old). I finish 23 and 19 on 30 riders +. Steve Ramon on a Kawi won both race with the name of his dad also Laughing
1
1/11/2019 4:33pm
mattyhamz2 wrote:
Awesome dude! Sounds like my first time at Washougal. 60 Beginner class in 99 and it POURED for 30 straight minutes before our race. Stopped just...
Awesome dude! Sounds like my first time at Washougal. 60 Beginner class in 99 and it POURED for 30 straight minutes before our race. Stopped just before we staged and it was so bad. Being from So Cal I had never ridden anything like it. I was a fish out of water that tangled with a kid off the start. His dad and mine came running out to help us and his dad slipped and completely landed on his ass in the mud! Have it all on video somewhere haha! Came back from second to last all the way to top 5 before falling in the mud again and dropping back to somewhere just in the top 10. Not bad for a kid from So Cal that had never ridden in the mud before haha!

Riding in the mud as a kid was absolutely the most fun ever, wasn't it??
Hahah awesome. Yeah that was always a blast. I never minded how bad it was I just wanted to ride. My dad has a bunch of...
Hahah awesome. Yeah that was always a blast. I never minded how bad it was I just wanted to ride. My dad has a bunch of videos of me just doing lap after lap on my little back yard track with a bunch of snow on the ground. Ohio’s crappy winters didn’t stop me like they do now lol. Looking back at it I feel bad that my dad always had to clean my muddy bike up for me because I know what a pain it is today hahaha
mattyhamz2 wrote:
Haha he probably didn't say anything because he knew you'd have to do it for yourself and your own kids one day :laugh: I love reading...
Haha he probably didn't say anything because he knew you'd have to do it for yourself and your own kids one day Laughing

I love reading all these stories. Brings up so many memories of my own as I'm sure it does for others.
Lol yep what goes around comes around haha. One of these days I’ll be able to do that when I have kids of my own
1
cz2crf2wc
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Solona Beach, CA US
1/11/2019 6:09pm Edited Date/Time 1/11/2019 7:07pm
This is about 1973 on my 72 CZ 250 at Carlsbad. I didn't weigh half as much as the bike. Money was tight so that's why no goggles gloves or front brake lever. I can't believe I would race like that now.
1
wpark89
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Mattawa, WA US
1/11/2019 10:03pm
Great thread. Cool to see all the 80 class pics from my era. After a few years of riding around the desert my first time lining up was in the Spring of 89...had just got a brand new leftover 87 YZ 80.

2
VetMX.com
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Magnolia, TX US
1/12/2019 9:14am
Austin day track on a SL70 in about 1974-75.

Remember the old rubber band starting gates?
Never start on the end because to this day I remember the "WHACK!" sound of it hitting my helmet and turning it sideways as I almost wheelied off of the back of the bike.

The XR75s were the bikes to beat and I remember Bucky Houston lapping me twice on his XR105 big bore running race fuel and a few others like Shaun Kelley and Scotty Crowder.

I remember sitting on the hill in the shade for the racers meeting with Howerton, Jody Wiesel, Steve Stackable, Joey Height and Mike Slagel.
The next year I got a 1976 Y80C and started collecting trophies.

I still have my brother's race bike in the garage, Jeff Ward XR75 with Betor forks and Fox airshox that I need to restore.
Thanks for this thread OP. Those were the "good old days"..
1
langhammx
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Santa Clarita, CA US
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1/12/2019 9:32am
First race was a 2hr GP at Indian Dunes in 1978. (Viewfinders GP) 80 beginner class. I won it by luck, there were 20 guys in my class. Water crossings, water jump and lots of sand wash and up and down the hills, behind the wash. Such a gnarly 1st race
2
mooch
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OH US
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1/12/2019 10:27am Edited Date/Time 1/12/2019 10:31am
A not so exciting non-action shot of me on my first mx bike at my first race in 1978 at Madera Lakes in Central Ca.
Could barely afford the bike, boots and helmet so made do with corduroy pants for awhile. Knees still have scars from slide outs without knee guards Smile

Memorable part?

Somehow ended up getting the holeshot in my first ever moto in 250 beginner class that had about 20 riders. I was stoked, until my bike bogged and stopped heading for second corner. Turns out my buddy had done me the favor of turning off my gas after practice. First race lesson...always check for gas turned on.
slipdog
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Nor Cal, CA US
1/12/2019 6:17pm
NvHermit wrote:
Hahaha, The video caught my eye and I didn't really look at your avatar. Long time no see, how's life up on the mountain?
1/12/2019 6:25pm
I gotta try and find pictures of it, but my first race was a hangover marathon race put on by Over the Hill gang when I was like 18 at Hollister Hills GP track. Became so muddy they had to shut down the off-road section.

I had no idea how chain slack worked so I ran it super tight and detonated the engine after about 3.5 laps Grinning

Also @Slipdog, lemme know if you're ever out at Diablo, be sick to actually ride with somebody from Vital for once!
NvHermit
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Poeville, NV US
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1/12/2019 6:45pm
NvHermit wrote:
slipdog wrote:
Hahaha, The video caught my eye and I didn't really look at your avatar. Long time no see, how's life up on the mountain?
Hahaha, The video caught my eye and I didn't really look at your avatar. Long time no see, how's life up on the mountain?
Life on the mountain couldn't be better, have your little buddy tell you a story.

BR8ES
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Bennett, CO US
1/12/2019 7:28pm Edited Date/Time 1/12/2019 7:29pm


1985 on a KX125 at Thunder Ridge in D-3 CNY... never been on a proper track before this day, first moto I ended up going ass over tea kettle and breaking the clutch perch, DNF!!! Really thought/hoped that we could go home, but the Old Man was having none of that and found a replacement and made damn sure I went back out. Glad he did and here I am today, still at it. Cool thread.
Tarz483
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Mankato, MN US
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1/12/2019 8:47pm
My First was Grantsburg Wisconsin 1991 on a CR80
I got 9th place out of 30 riders i was pretty happy with that
I had a couple tip overs but its like beach sand and the whole track would get wooped out even around the corners so i think half the field did lotta fun i love riding sand.

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