THE WEEKLY FEED: THE LAST ONE OF 2022 • THE YEAR IN REVIEW

Because this is the last Feed of the year, I'm throwing a boot load of random pics, thoughts
and news that made a difference...to me! Happy Holidays all and to all 
"Drive fast, take chances and roost hard!"

BACK IN THE DAY

Here’s a smattering of my favorite BITD’S

Bengt Aberg won the FIM 500 World Motocross Championship in 1969 and 1970 racing for Factory Husqvarna. Aberg won his final 500cc GP in Luxembourg on a highly modified Yamaha TT500 built by Torsten Hallman and Sten Lundin. Bengt rode for the Bultaco factory in late ’74, 75 and 76. Years after retiring from racing he won he won the Swedish Ice Speedway National Championship in 1995. We lost Bengt in 2021.

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A wicked shot of Bob Hannah at the 1988 USGP at Unadilla. Kinney Jones captured the action.

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Danny ‘Magoo’ Chandler set the world on fire with his stunning performance at the 1982 USGP at Carlsbad and then his sweeping moto wins at the Trophee and MX des Nations Des Nations where he dominated on his Factory Honda. At this point in time he was the fastest man on the planet.

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At 20 years old Joel raced a non-factory backed CZ and won the 1964 250cc World Championship for the Czech marque. They signed him the next year and Joel won two more titles before being signed by Suzuki. He dominated the 250 class for almost ten years—and in 1976 he raced a short time for the Puch factory in 1976. As you can see, he was not characterized as a training guru but relied on his natural talent. Joel passed away in 2021.

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Jack Burnicle’s hand written caption tells the story here, Broc Glover winning the first moto at the 1983 Czecho Trophee des Nations

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Billy Grossi was always one of my favorite racers. He was the epitome of pure motocross form.

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Carl Cranke matting the throttle during an ISDT special tests- the drag race. Skunk helmet, tee shirt, Hallman desert leathers and Hi Points highlight one of the heroes and characters from the wild west days of off-road racing. An off-road legend, Carl passed away in 2020.

One of America’s best off-road racers ever, Larry Roeseler was gifted in a variety of disciplines- desert-enduro-ISDE and Baja where he still factors in the overall racing trucks.

It may never get better than RD. A class act, a classic style and perhaps the most important man in motocross at the beginning, and now!

Rodney Smith, touted as an American off-road racing legend was pretty decent at motocross. In 1988 Rodney Smith was a Factory Chesterfield Suzuki rider. This photo was taken at the 1988 Masters of Motocross race in Maggiora, Italy. Rodney bested the likes of Ron Lechien, Johnny O and Rick Johnson with moto scores of 2/2/2 in the three moto format event.

THE YEAR IN REVIEW

North America’s best Hard Enduro pilot: Trystan Hart

Trystan Hart has leap frogged Cody Webb and Colton Haaker as the top Hard Enduro/Endurocross racer in North America. Adding to his ammo belt is his competitiveness in Europe where he’s battling the elite of the Extreme racers.

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JORDAN ASHBURN: GNCC Numero Uno

Jordan Ashburn has always been known for his technical riding skills, but this year he put together an effort that had him not only winning his first GNCC event, but the championship! This is America’s toughest closed course off-road racing format.

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BOLT OF LIGHTNING

Billy Bolt is at the top of the food chain in Super Enduro and Hard Enduro racing. A wrist injury took him out early into the 2022 Hard Enduro series (he was World Champion in 2021) but he came back and dominated the first round of the stadium Super Enduro series. He is the most feared man in this arena.

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JONNY WALKER U.S. ENDUROCROSS CHAMPION

What a story! Walker was a former World champion racing for the powerhouse Red Bull KTM team. Injuries hurt him for several seasons and without a ride he started his own program, racing a Beta 300RR in the American EnduroCross series. In a field dominated by Factory 350 Four-strokes, Jonny took the only 2-stroke to podium in years to the championship in a fierce and close series.

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MANUEL LETTENBICHLER- FIM HARD ENDURO WORLD CHAMPION

Coming off of knee surgery at the end of last season and six months recovering, no one had an inkling of how competitive he’d be. He dominated the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship winning 5 of the 8 rounds, while missing round one because he wasn’t fully recovered yet.

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GRAHAM JARVIS- THIRD IN THE WORLD AT 47 YEARS OLD

Graham Jarvis (Husqvarna): “ To finish third overall in the championship is brilliant. I started out this season with my own team and also coming back from injury. But we made the podium straight away in Israel and then won Red Bull Romaniacs. For an old guy, I think we’ve done pretty good, and I’ll be back for more!”

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BEN KELLEY- SIX WINS IN A ROW AND BAM!

Ben Kelley, the reigning GNCC champion started off 2022 with six straights wins (only accomplished one other time by Juha Salminen) only to badly break his leg after slamming it into a tree at the Lead Belt National Enduro. A dislocated shoulder and a compound fracture to tibia/fibula took him out of contention. The Lead Belt Enduro also took out Steward Baylor who ended up with a broken eye socket, cheekbone and jaw.

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Ken Roczen 2016-2022-2023

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KING ELI

It appears that the Yamaha deal worked out decently for Tomac…

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JO SHIMODA- GOTTA LOVE HIM!

Pro Circuit’s Jo Shimoda brought some fresh wind to the Supercross and Outdoor MX series. He overcame drama, battled with the big dogs and came out a fan favorite and an athlete with an appetite to win. His SX results improved and during the 250 Outdoor National’s he won twice and was in the hunt for the championship until the final round.

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ADAM CIANCIARULO-HURT EARLY BUT PROVED EXCELLENT AT COMMENTATING

Adam Cianciarulo got hurt at the third SX round, but made it to the commentating box and was flat excellent. He’s smart, speaks well and offers great insight to the machines and riders.

IN REMEMBRANCE…

Jaroslav Falta

Sadly, we lost one of the top GP racers and early Supercross stars Jaroslav Falta. Falta won the 1974 Superbowl of Motocross at the Los Angeles Coliseum aboard a CZ, he campaigned in the early Inter-Am Series here in the U.S., and was a top star in the 250cc World Championships. In 1974 he had the World Championship won (and fending off multiple attempts by Russian riders to crash him out of contention), only to later be penalized for jumping the starting gate, which cost him the title. Jaroslav Falta was 71 when he passed away

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Andre Malherbe

Andre Malherbe was a three-time 500cc Motocross World Motocross Champion (1980, 1981 &1984). After his motocross career ended, he races the 1987 Spa 24 Hour in the World Touring Car Championship and turned his attention to Rally racing. Unfortunately, while competing in the 1988 Paris-Dakar Rally he crashed and suffered a serious spinal injury and was paralyzed. Despite being confined to a wheelchair, Andre returned to motocross to run the Johnson Honda private 500GP team with George Jobe as the team rider in 1989. Andre died on 24 November 2022, at the age of 66

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Coy Gibbs

Coy Gibbs was the owner and controller of the Joe Gibbs Racing MX team which competed from 2008 through 2020. Coy was one of the most liked team leaders at the races and was just 49-years old when he passed.

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Dietrich Mateschitz

The co-founder of Red Bull, Mateschitz was committed to sports, with a passion for racing. He was heavily tied to the motocross industry with Red Bull’s long standing support of fellow Austrian brand KTM. The list of athletes/ teams he supported was monumental from Factory KTM to the World Championship winning Red Bull F1 team. He was 78 years old.

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C.H. Wheat

C.H. Wheat had a successful career first as a Class C racer, then as a business owner who raced, and finally as a business owner/sponsor who gives back to the sport and industry he truly loves. CH recognized a need for better performance parts that were racing-oriented where he founded IMS Products in 1976, a leading designer of aftermarket off-road motorcycle racing products. Wheat introduced high-performance parts and accessories that revolutionized the competitive scene, including high-capacity quick-fill fuel tanks for distance off-road races; wider, more ergonomic footpegs; and more durable shift levers.

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Gary Gallagher

Gary Gallagher was an industry icon, working for Metzeler in 80’s before moving to EBC brakes where he worked for years as Technical Customer Service and a Racing Rep. He passed away on November 13.

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Stig Pettersson

Stig was the younger brother of Olle Petterson, a successful Grand Prix motocross racer. Stig was also a GP rider, then moved over to the suspension world. He was 500 World Motocross Champion Brad Lackey’s mechanic before becoming the suspension technician for Yamaha’s Motocross and Road Racing teams. He handled the Ohlins suspension for the Yamaha motocross team in the 1980s, worked with Noleen, who was an Ohlins distributor before opening his own Pettersson Pro Suspension (PPS) in 1990. Stig worked everything from road racing to Supercross. He passed away onDecember 21.

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Preston Petty

Preston Petty made his name early on a racer, competing for Team USA in three International Six-Day Trials ISDT (now known as ISDE) events and was one of the early proponents of bringing European-style motocross to America. But he is best remembered for his ground-breaking plastic motorcycle components, most notably his fenders, but also his skid plates, Hex grips, enduro front number plates, starting gate and No-Dive. Preston was 81 when he passed away in January.

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Ron Fry

Ron is second from the left (next to the Wolfster). He was a friend, an incredible rider well into his 70’s and we had parked at his place in the high desert since the mid 80s. A good desert racer and known for starting J&R silencers, Ron will be missed.

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Loretta Lynn

Loretta Lynn was a legendary country singer and songwriter who became a symbol of rural resilience with her powerful voice and inspiring life story. She influenced scores of musicians as one of the most beloved performers of her generation, and also influenced thousands of motocross athletes, hosting the AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship at Loretta Lynn Ranch since 1982. Lynn passed away on October 4. She was 90

ONE OF MY FAVORITE SHOTS OF THE YEAR

Mary at MJS Motophotos captured Taylor Robert and Dalton Shirey battling it out on the start of a National. Hare and Hound. Taylor would lead the series until getting hurt badly when he hit a ditch shortly after the start of the Jericho National. Dalton went on to win the H&H Championship for his 3Bros/Hatch Racing Husqvarna team. This was Dalton’s second H&H Championship.

THAT’S ALL FOLKS! C YA NEXT YEAR!!

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