jaylael Posted June 5, 2007 Report Share Posted June 5, 2007 (edited) Pacific Northwest motocross has been a very colorful scene for many years, and a central part of the motocross season has been the AMA national motocross at Washougal mx park. This pastoral setting has been the scene of many an epic battle featuring dozens of spectacular characters from the early days around 1973, to present day riders such as Ricky Carmichael, Kevin Windham etc. bellowing around on huge four stroke machines, but just recently the hallowed hills of Washougal MX park heralded the return of vintage racing on it's dark brown earth and loamy berms. Saturday May 19th the track was set up expecially for the older machines with most of the whoops and jumps smoothed out so saner (older) folks could get around without breaking their necks. I raced the open evolution expert class and the over 40 evolution expert class on my trusty 1979 Suzuki RM 400. In my first race, Just the slightest bit of hesitation from me to let the clutch out resulted in me being mired in the mid pack at the first corner, where I was subsequently boxed in on both sides and had my front wheel cleaned right out from under me at 30 mph. I was lucky I wasn't hit as I was thrown through the air and landing squarely on my head and getting stunned pretty badly. When I tried to stand it became apparent that I had also sprained my left knee, although I wasn't really sure how badly. The big problem at that moment was getting my bike un stuck from within the back wheel and swingarm of a nice 1981 YZ 465. My left handlebar was jammed right down through the guys swingarm in such a way that it were a bit like a puzzle. After several minutes we got them untangled, and set off after the long gone pack. That moto I was 11th place and not too happy. I sat in my van with an ice pack on my knee and tried to make a rational decision. I really had nothing to prove to anyone, but I really did want to ride on that awesome track! After gobbling down 3 ibuprofen, which made my stomach burn like hell, I saddled up and raced with a sprained left knee. In the end I guess really it's cheapness that won out. I had spent plenty enough money just getting to that point, that I wouldn't have wanted to miss the riding. I raced three more motos that day, so ended up with 11/5 for ninth place in open evo expert. There were twelve guys in the class. Here are two good photos from that race. Edited June 5, 2007 by JayLael Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigdamo Posted June 5, 2007 Report Share Posted June 5, 2007 Sounds like you had alot of fun anyway even with a bunged up knee.Are they leather pants your wearing there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaylael Posted June 5, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2007 (edited) Sounds like you had alot of fun anyway even with a bunged up knee.Are they leather pants your wearing there? Yep. Hallman goatskin made by the same old ladies in sweden who made them originally, only nowadays it takes quite a bit longer and costs a bit more, but the quality is top notch. Got them from Vintage Iron USA. - Vintage Dirt Racing NW web site link Click on the above link to see alot more details of this fabulous event Edited June 5, 2007 by JayLael Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigdamo Posted June 6, 2007 Report Share Posted June 6, 2007 (edited) No offense but should you not be riding a TM 400 with that gear?Can i come and ride that track next time I'm over that way?But not sure if my Maico would like to travel that distance. Edited June 6, 2007 by bigdamo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaylael Posted June 6, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2007 Bigdamo: I used to have a nice TM 400 almost like a works bike, but had to sell it. It was a bit unfriendly anyway. The enclosed photo is the pattern from which I have molded this graven image of "the Man" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulthistle Posted June 7, 2007 Report Share Posted June 7, 2007 I think you look more like Gerritt Wolsink. Wow, I'd really like to ride there, bit of a drive though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaylael Posted June 8, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2007 Paul. I'll take that as a compliment. I will never forget the Carlsbad USGP where G. Wolsink smashed into a dirt bank while winning the race at the finish line. I have been a fan of Willi Bauer ever since he won the usgp in 1973 on a Maico. He was an underdog and he won with authority! That was an awesome moment in mx history. Enclosed is a photo of me and Jubal Brown, who has been my apprentice for several years and he has been getting very good, winning a few races here and there. Jubal and I were embarrased in a Mcdonalds restaurant late one night when I was trying to pee with a badly broken foot, and he was trying help me from falling down. An unfortunate young guy came in and thought we were doing something else. I wrote a hilarious story about this which some of you may remember. There is an excellent DVD available called Suzuki GP. I got my copy on E bay. It shows works Suzuki bikes and riders from 1969 to 1974. There are scenes which show Sylvain Gebors, Joel Robert, etc... Jubal and I got to meet Roger at the Washougal national last year and I showed him pictures of me, posing as him. Not really sure what he thought about that. He was nice, but I was so awestruck that I couldn't form a coherent sentence, and I think it freaked him out. I hope to try again and maybe act more normally next time. He is definitely high on my list of heroes. When I told my buddy Jim Pomeroy about meeting Roger, he thought that was the funniest thing in the world. He was having a hard time not just cracking up, but was trying to be nice. He never had a hero worship complex for anybody he was figuring on beating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigdamo Posted June 9, 2007 Report Share Posted June 9, 2007 Here's a vid i like although abit before your time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaylael Posted July 13, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 (edited) Yes it is a bit before my time. My first race was in 1975, and your video link is from 2006! My parents refused to allow me to participate in motocross because they said it was far too dangerous. I was told if I insisted on following this foolhardy path, they wouldn't be a part of it. That just spurred me on and I proceeded to hatch a plot to race my fist mx at age 16. After fettling a borrowed Hodaka 100B with a grafted on low pipe from a giant 340cc snowmobile, and porting the tiny cylinder via Hodaka's own hop up sheet, I was ready to do battle. (God it was loud) A friend's dad agreed to haul me and the poor old Hodaka out to the local mx track, Corvallis Montana's "Huls ranch" MX. For those not familiar with this long gone track, it was the site of many glorious races over the whoop infested grassy valley which was normally home to several hundred Holstien dairy cows. Foolishly I signed up in the 100cc expert class, because my only other option would have been the 125 beginner class, and I thought why try to beat 125s on a measly 100? Needless to say I got thouroughly smoked! The best part was just as I was lining up for the big race, the first moto of my life, who showed up at that exact moment but my parents! I thought surely my mother would drag me off the Hodaka and beat me senseless right there if front of everyone, but apparently she had seen the fire in my eye and decided to relent, allowing me to "race" at Corvallis. The following spring 1976, I returned with my own bought and paid for 1972 Maico square barrel 400, and proceeded to holeshot and win both "large ametuer" motos. I still have the trophy and more importantly, the memory. It was a muddy day and I was so excited I forgot to take off my ski jacket, so styling I definitely was not! Still winning became my primary objective after that, until after six wins I became an intermediate. That was a whole new ball game. It took another year before I could get top 3 in that class, and two more years before I graduated to the A class, starting in 1979. Then the whole process started over again, gradually getting better and smarter until I could run up front on days when luck was with me. By 1982 I was ready to go pro, garnering a Honda support ride through the local Honda dealer. One time I actually won the open pro class and got a check for $300.00 My racing friends and I had a beer drinking barbque and bs fest that night,. spending most of my first "pro" payback. I cooked the steaks for everyone and there was alot of smiling and laughing that night. In the end I think it really is about the memories and the friends you meet along the way. The rest is just the trappings of the sport. Edited July 13, 2007 by JayLael Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john b Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 Great story, and great photo's ! I got into trials after 13 years of Moto-X. The best two years were the last two, in 1997 and 1998 when I rode twinshock. Boy was that fun ! In 97 I rode a 76 Elsinore 125 in the pre-77 class against Maico 400's etc, and finished 3rd overall. That was such a good bike. It didn't have a throttle, just an on-off switch ! - but so much fun to ride and lay down speedway style flat out on fast smooth corners. 98 brought the arrival of a 75 Elsinore 250 imported from California - virtually brand new. Loads of bottom end now ! A great season, until................an argument with a CZ at the Twinshock Grand Prix. My foot got sucked into the spinning back wheel, resulting in a the swinging arm having to be cut, and the underslung pipe bent out of the way to release me. The resulting 5 weeks in hospital, numerous operations and 6 months on crutches put paid to MX - but racing those bikes was so much fun. The track looks excellent to ride on - would love to get a little Elsinore 125 round those corners flat out !!!! So - I had a few years off bikes - then took up trials This will be easy I thought - I've won loads at MX - nothing phases me - this looks a piece of p*ss!!! 5 years later and Im now breaking into top 3 - on the easy route !!! But - like my wife says - we must have petrol in our veins to keep going at it ... cheers John. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaylael Posted July 14, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 14, 2007 Oh, Man! You have had some tough knocks, I can see. Dang, that must'a hurt. Back in '78 or so I was working at a bike shop in Montana and this sort of Hawaiian looking dude came limping in carrying a CZ rear wheel with a conical hub and a ridged akront rim, which was horribly bent and multiple broken spokes sticking out everywhere. He said it was to a black frame 400 CZ he had bought brand new. One day he was trying to climb a really big hill and the throttle stuck wide open and it gobbled him into the back wheel and killed the motor on his leg with a sickening crunch. He was one of the lamest limpiest guys I ever saw. Now I am one of those guys to a certain extent. I wish I had a dollar for every time someone asked me what happened to my leg. It's been in various states of brokedness since 1976. I own crutches and inflateable splints custom made for my left foot and leg. I am in no hurry to use them, that's for sure. My x ray looks like the solar system, and it hurts a bit from day to day, but I'll bet I had it good compared to you lad. The worst part is probably not racing anymore. For that pain is sometimes harder to endure. ok I've blabbed enough, time for bed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john b Posted July 14, 2007 Report Share Posted July 14, 2007 Thanks Jay That's exactly what happened to me with the guy with the CZ - It was the first corner - I almost holeshot, was top 6 and had a choice of lines - (boy - do I wish I'd chose a different one !) - guy with the CZ T-boned me, we went into a heap and my foot got pulled into his back wheel and stopped his motor dead. Happened really quick - never really hurt at that moment but when I tried to stand up and realised I had a CZ attached to my foot (and the direction my boot was facing me was a medical impossibility) - then it started to hurt ...........!!! Sad as it sounds, when I got some of theh titanium screws out a yar or so later, I keep them in a jar next to the best of my trophies ! I'll see if I can dig some photo's of my twinshocks out..... cheers John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atomant Posted July 14, 2007 Report Share Posted July 14, 2007 The only thing I remember from watching the scrambles at Ringwood from late 70's was the noise of the CCM (was it Vic Allan/John Banks?) and the smell of Castrol R . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigdamo Posted July 14, 2007 Report Share Posted July 14, 2007 What i meant when i said a bit before your time was you are riding a 1979 evolution bike and the video is on vintage 1975.sorry about the confusion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaylael Posted July 14, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 14, 2007 Oh, but it reminded me of a great story. I am usually confused anyway. What i meant when i said a bit before your time was you are riding a 1979 evolution bike and the video is on vintage 1975.sorry about the confusion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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