This Week in Kawasaki SX History: St. Louis 1996
Thursday, April 7, 2011 | 1:50 PM
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PrintWith the 2011 Monster Energy Supercross series rolling into St Louis this weekend, the championship is still very much in doubt. Five riders realistically still have a shot at this thing and with all the drama going on, every fan will be glued to the live timing this weekend to check out what transpires at the Edward Jones Dome in the Show Me State.
But there was no such scenario in 1996 as the SX series visited St Louis for the very first time. The championship had been clinched long ago by Jeremy McGrath but on this night, no one was thinking about the title. McGrath’s ’96 season was certainly one of the best ever, as a matter of fact coming into St Louis, MC had won every single supercross and with St Louis being the penultimate round, the odds were long that anyone would be able to beat “The King”. Could he nail down a perfect season?
In St. Louis, history unfolded. Lets let 1996 factory Kawasaki rider Jeff Emig tell us about it:
“First and foremost, that night was great. As the riders even know today that the dirt in St Louis is one of the best of the whole series. It’s great for aggressive riding. I lined up on the gate next to Jeremy, on the outside. I normally lined up on the inside of him, I always tried to get the jump and just move over!”
McGrath dominated the '96 series, but Emig had his moments of glory as well.
Emig continues, “I think coming into this race, I had shed the frustration of not winning a race. There were a couple of races this year that I handed to him, He (Jeremy) just never slipped up. I was focused and confident and I was very motivated for this race.”
Emig shot out to the front on the number 2 Kawasaki KX250 with his good friend and fellow Kawasaki rider Phil Lawrence behind him. McGrath was fifth or so and was moving up rapidly. Mike LaRocco moved into second and then Lawrence went down about halfway through the race, setting up the battle.
“My plan was to ride fifteen laps at the same pace and those guys (LaRocco and McGrath) were pouring it on,” said Emig. “The fans were so much behind me at this race as I was from the area and people wanted to see the underdog win.”
LaRocco tried to make his move for the lead a few times but the St. Louis track was tricky as ruts started forming. McGrath was biding his time in third and snuck inside of LaRocco on the start straight. But before MC could focus on Emig, LaRocco stuffed McGrath a few turns later and the race was on between the three.
LaRocco kept charging and got by Emig at the end of the whoops, but Emig smartly cut inside and doubled back by. “At that point, I just tried to ride the same lines and I think LaRocco was getting frustrated. I was blocking every inside line that he tried.”
The two riders made contact and LaRocco got squirrely, which allowed McGrath to get by and into second. Now the rider they called Fro had the man who had won the previous fourteen races breathing down his neck. This would become a true test. “I had won one main event win before but there was a bit of an asterisk besides it because Jeremy didn’t race that one-It was the night the lights went out in Las Vegas in 1995, and he didn’t race.”
McGrath’s Honda was all over Emig’s Kawasaki, and those two put on an epic run to the finish. McGrath tried everything and couldn’t find a way by the hungry rising star.
“I remember that I had some breathing room on the last lap so that was good. When I got the checkers, it was a great feeling. There were lots of guys congratulating me afterwards as everyone knew how special it was to beat the guy (McGrath)” said Emig. “I’ll be honest with you, it sucked to be one of the riders trying to stop his win streak because we just couldn’t do it. He was so good.”
It was the night that everyone there will always remember. McGraths’s streak was stopped. There would be no perfect season by The King. Jeff Emig had done the impossible and won the 1996 St Louis Supercross on a Kawasaki KX250.
[If you want a first hand audio commentary from Emig on his St Louis 1996 win, click HERE and scroll down to find the race. Click play and the Pulpmx Classic Commentary will start as Jeff and I go down memory lane.]
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Ahhhhhhhhh I remember that.
I was in attandance that night. The most memorable race I have attended to date. It sure will be hard to beat that one.
Remeber that race, it was like a home race for Emig since he is from Kansas City I believe. I think that may have been the first race ever in St. Louis too. Someone correct me if I am wrong.
It says "the man who had won the previous fourteen races ," but Mcgrath only won 13 in a row in '96, and 14 total.
bd200.. it says the same thing you just said in the article, no need to be corrected
i too was there, on the track crew as a flagger. back then i was so bummed because i went to my first supercross only to see the king lose a race. now i realize how cool it is that fro-daddy won. and by the by, i think it was grain valley mo that emig is from, perhaps he could correct us? fro, you is a bonafide bad mamma jamma! great story.
This was the race that got me into SX. It was also the beginning of Fro's dominance. Look at those pictures man!...nobody has EVER looked cooler and rode smoother. I loved it when Jeff would wear all black SHIFT gear in the 110 degree Nationals and take down the wins like it was 72. AWESOME...FRO LIVES!!!
what's the story behind the race he mentioned in vegas in '95? The lights went out while they were racing?
Vegas 95 featured a race that alot of the top riders refused to line up for due to the stadium lights going out and the event promoters using crude port lighting. The track was shadowed up so bad in spots that it was labled "unsafe" for some.
Emig Took advantage of this as did alot of other riders looking for their breakthrough first win. The Rumor story behind this is the top riders Boycotting the AMA at the time wanting higher standards of tracks and more money payout for the series. Emig was on Yamaha that year.... so was John Dowd whom i believe finished second maybe?
That's interesting. Had no idea something like that happened before. I'm wondering if Feld/Clear Channel/SRO/Pace was running the show yet at that time or not. I don't think they would have let something like that happen.
drizzle, yes, they were and think again. At the end of the day, we're all just manpower to the companies seeking profit which, is exactly what a supercross promoter is. The rider's union was an idea that could never gain traction because the star players aren't around long enough to be of significance. If they all had the longevity of a Kevin Windham, there might be a chance but, do we really want a union in Motocross? Consider all of the drama they are bringing to our economies outside of Moto? Even IF they could increase purse payouts for privateers, would they ever see a nickel more or, would it be absorbed by "union dues"?
i was at the 95 vegas race and the power went out all around after an hour delay the main went on without all of factory honda and fro won the light was ok if everyone raced Doug Henry would have won for sure he put the hurt on MC in the heat.
It's too bad that night in Vegas happened but, all things for a reason. Fro got his 1st win under his belt and the confidence to challenge MC. The outcome in St. Louis '96 might have been totally different without the blackout in Vegas. Maybe we never would've had "G.I. Fro" and his breakout '96 / '97 seasons OR, maybe MC would've had the perfect SX season.....crazy how stuff works out.
I was at Vegas in 95'. I have some cool pics of Fro whipping it up in practice that day. I also love the black Thor riding gear he is wearing in that pic, I still have that same gear and was one of my favorites.
I wish Thor would bring back the 454 Big Block gear. I loved it, still have some but I am not ever fitting into it again.
I was at the race in Vegas in '95 when the lights went out. I was so stoked for Fro to get the win, but there was definitely an asterisk next to it with MC not racing. I didn't blame him either, the shadows were crazy. It was hard to tell who was who from the stands!
I was there that night and I will never forget it. I was screaming so loud for Emig those last few laps that I completely lost my voice and could not talk the next day. I was really sick of McGrath's domination and was happy for "Fro Daddy"