MXDN Flashback - The Good Old Day's UPDATE 10/08/04

[JohnnyOfast]

Remember when the MXDN was an important race?

? :cry: ?

[HrcRacing]

Yep, I sure do. I remember that one and being shocked that O'mara, Sun, Laporte and Hansen won.

I remember it being the Motocross des Nations and the Trophy des Nations. Separate races on separate weekends in different countries (one on 250's and one on 500's).

I remember the AMA selling T-shirts to fund sending the riders over and us sending our best every year.

I have the races from 1982 through 1986 on VHS and I dust them off from time to time. The anouncers are from England and are great. "Oh, there's a nice high flyer". ?

[JohnnyOfast]

The anouncers are from England and are great. "Oh, there's a nice high flyer". ?

"And the crowd is going crackers!" ?

[chipwich]

Awesome cover. Here's the story after all of these years, still a great read.

[Rickzz]

I'm 17 so obviously I wasn't around when the MXDN was at its peak. I think last year was a really great event, one of the best MXDNs in years. I guess people lose interest when their team isn't participating. I'm Dutch so I was excited when The Netherlands got second place last weekend. ? For those who don't know, Belgium got 1st place. I do agree that the MXDN is not the greatest against the greatest any more. I feel it has been ruined by the corporate side of MX, too bad... I still have the 1996 MXDN on tape from the race in Spain. The team consisted of Steve Lamson on a CR 125, Jeremy McGrath on a CR 250, and Jeff Emig on a KX 500, and they took home first place! I watch that tape all the time!

[chipwich]

I feel it has been ruined by the corporate side of MX, too bad...

Very astute observation young man.

Most of the current US pros are too young to remember the 70s, when we were the lap dog of the Europeans, especially the Belgiums. When the US team brought home both trophies in '81, US MX fans found it hard to believe, so much so that it was our "miracle on ice". My memory of the time is that being beaten up by the Euros was so common that it was hard not to think of the '81 MXDN as a fluke, and it would be another long time before a US rider stood on top of the podium.

Then in '82 as Lackey and Laporte charged for their respective World championships, we started to believe that we were finally becoming competitive in motocross, probably due to the fact that we raced supercross in addition to the outdoor series, and with that came new found proficiency.

Roberts, Spencer, Lawson, Rainey, and Schwanz had already set their dynasty in motion, and now for another 12 years the supercross boys would rule the MXDN. I was lucky enough to attend the last of that run.

That’s why it’s referred to as the good old days.

Edit: hehe, I was looking at the photo in the RacerX article and found a pleasant surprise.

[DoctorJD]

Man, Johnny O'mara was so freaking stylish. His gear was always so cool and...well...neat. I was riding Yamaha's back then but I had the yellow JT equivalent of the gear you see on the MXA cover, leg "gaiters" and everything. Anybody remember the all-white Mugen stuff?...sweet.

[JohnnyOfast]

Man, Johnny O'mara was so freaking stylish. His gear was always so cool and...well...neat. I was riding Yamaha's back then but I had the yellow JT equivalent of the gear you see on the MXA cover, leg "gaiters" and everything. Anybody remember the all-white Mugen stuff?...sweet.

Remember what? (sorry for the black and white.)

?

[JohnnyOfast]

Chipwich, that is totally cool!

Along those same lines, it's the RedBud National 1997, They didn't have all the Nazi fencing up yet and you were allowed to ride pit bikes anywhere except the track.

I'm watching ESPN, 1st moto goes off and Emig has the hole shot. As the pack moves to the far section of the track in the background you can clearly see me and 2 of my buddys riding the side of the track on our dualsport bikes watching the race. ? :cry: ?

[JohnnyOfast]

O.K. I found a color picture, it's from california CMC golden state series 1980.

[HrcRacing]

I used to have the 1994 USGP (the only one I was fortunate enough to attend) from Budd's Creek on VHS. In one of the turns at the bottom of one of the big downhills, my brother and I were standing there rooting Vohland, Schmidt, Emig, Dowd, etc, on and we were actually on ESPN's coverage of the race. We started calling it "The seal corner" because we looked like we were seals clapping for fish. ?

My only other claim to video fame was on a Gary Bailey video of a Gatorback National. I think it was 1985, the year that Glover spanked (early in the year at least) Bailey after his "I know I wouldn't want to have gotten beaten like that" comments in regards to Bailey winning almost all of the 1984 500cc Nationals. Just a little bit of me doing the seal routine. ?

PS: One other note on the USGP weekend. Not trying to be crude but during the GP a woman, I'm assuming a European woman, took her shirt off (bra-less) and, taking her time, put a tank top on. ? It was so weird because it wasn't for show (or beads ?), it was just due to it heating up and her wanting a cooler shirt. Different culture without the hangups I guess. ?

[JohnnyOfast]

Three cheers for Europe! ?

[YZ250F_Rider]

hahaha he's wearing disco boots

[JohnnyOfast]

Those are NOT disco boots. They are Leg-Ators, and I still have a pair in the closet. ?

[YZ250F_Rider]

great pics man. ?