First Real moto Track?

March 22nd, 1987. Muskingum Valley (Weavers). 1986 Suzuki RM 80. 25 riders, 12th place finish. How's that for a memory! Credit my Dad for that one, he has notes for every race and practice we ever done! If you would like to know what the weather was for the day, he has that too. Looking back at his notes we raced a few that made it further. McGrath, Buell, Grahm, of course Weav, Not sure if we raced with Reynard or watched him. I miss the glory days!
 
July of 2005. My wifes quote "not a good sport to take up when you are 39". A group of Fire & Policemen rented out Dirtworld. They invited me and said they had a 125(clapped out) for me to ride. Oh the joy.
 
You'll be even more jealous when you find out that I still have my 1974 MR50 Elsinore at the shop with me. I fire it up every couple of years and spin a few laps on it around the shop........... a lifetime of memories due to that bike!

Your original MR50, wow !!! that is so so cool !!!
 
My first track was nemx in 2009. Loved it. I guess my first real experience on a outdoor track was apple cabin in august 2010. It was disced up deep and I did not make it past the first corner without falling. I was traumatized after riding the nice smooth dirt at ram jam over the winter I had no clue what outdoors was like.
 
Crash and Burn in North Lawrence. Later he changed the name to Gran Prix raceway. Steve Wagner always giving the " I'll hang you in a tree if I catch you cheating " speech

Wow, I just dated myself back far. That place closed in the 80"s


You forgot my favorite- "Use a rider for a berm and I'll rip your head off!".

I first raced there in 1980 or 81 on my 1977 RM125 loaded in my '76 F100. I had to wait until I was old enough to sign the waiver since my parents wouldn't cooperate. :)
 
1973 at Barn Hill in Streetsboro (I think). I know the year is right, not absolutely sure on the track. It was around Streetsboro for sure. On my '72 TS90.
 
1987 at the original mid ohio motocross track on a 1981 XR 80. With Tom Ballinger and my old man. the one and only time ever saw my dad hitting double jumps. Didn't have any idea of the history of that track at the time.
 
What a mix of ages this post has shown! I started more in the woods/trails of Bear Creek back in the late 80's and had no intentions of anything else until my first time at Broken Spokes in '92-'93. After that it was on! I basically lived at Broken Spokes in the mid 90's and remember so many good times there - especially the first time seeing anyone hit those 2 big tabletops on the top track - crazy!! But as far as a real motocross track goes...the first time on my 125 at Beans and the tunnel jump - that was the ticket. Thats when the track used to have like a 8 or 10 pack along the front and then go up a hill behind the front parking and then shoot you down and up a little hill before hitting the straight to the tunnel jump. I thought I was thie s*it the first time pinning that on my 125 -I made my self cut the track (oh no) and jump that same jump 15 times over until I got the scared nerves out of my body.....sorry for such a long post..good memories :)
 
Back in the day....age 15 at Hi-Point 1978 on my 1975 RM 125 & my buddies 1975 Maico 250.
A friends dad took us as I was always telling him I wanted to race & he said we will take you to a real race track.

Just being a trail rider my jaw dropped when we pulled in! The track, the bikes, the atmosphere!
Ah the memories....I was hooked for life.

First time I rode a 250 was when the gate dropped that day.

Fast forward to 2011 & full circle as we have a house use full of those old bikes.

My daughters first race was at OIR’s mini track in 2003 on a KTM 50.

Maico Mark
 
1977 Hornet Hills in St Louisville on an XR 75 Honda. Great Old track. Lots of elevation and good flow. Didn't last long, had to compete with Honda Hills.
 
Amherst Meadowlarks Motorcycle Club, Brown's Valley outside of Lodi, and Smith Rd Raceway all in 1974 on my 1974 Honda Elsinore MR50 that I got for my 5th Bday. Brown's Valley was owned and run by Bud and Bob Brown, 2 brother's who farmed and worked the land and had a gun shop at the location too. My dad used to practice there all the time during the week and would take me with him to ride on my Honda 50. Many memories from that place that I never hear about from anyone else......... must not have been that popular back in the day.

I raced a hare scramble at Browns.....I remember a looooong straight and I made a mistake of getting behind Brown Warner on his Husky automatic. ONE long PAINFUL roost.
 
Took my son to Quicksand MX Park 2006, in Newark, Ohio. Place was pretty much closed, but allowed people to practice with a donation. Was way cool for us at the time. He was just learning to ride a 2002 Cr125. had MX boots and a Red MX Jersey, Big time MX'er!!!
Later saw our first REAL LIVE MX race at the Cliff, With Local Pro Jeff Gibson winning by a mile. Thats also were he raced his first race in the 2007 spring series.
GOOD STUFF.
 
Crash and burn gotta love the rubber band start it ate many front fenders.my first track was at mathis raceway flat tracking on a Jr 50
 
My first mx track was at blane deucaters in burghill oh. probably about 1997. i think he had open practice every thurs nite and it was free. can u imagine that FREE. Great track with over three min lap times.
 
My first race was in 1982 at the Wattsburg County fairgrounds,it's just south of Erie,Pa...They used to have races every Friday night,it was cool!
 
I used to go there, probably '82-'83. Got support from Nagares Maico. Art Nagare was good to anyone on a Maico.
 
Back
Top