by Davey Coombs
The List: 10 Great American Moments at MXoN
Thursday, September 15, 2011 | 2:40 PM
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Team USA has won the Motocross of Nations more times than anyone else, with too many great riders and fantastic efforts to count. But here's DC's list of the 10 Greatest American Moments in the history of the big race.
10. Ron Lechien in 1988: The Dogger was not in a good place, career-wise or life-wise, but he pulled it together for a brilliant effort in the 500cc division at the Motocross des Nations (that's what it was still called back then) to help Team USA partners Ricky Johnson and Jeff Ward keep the thirteen-year winning streak alive.
9. Ricky Carmichael in '00: After two false starts on his KX125—mud in England ('98) and early crashes in Brazil ('99)—the newly crowned AMA Motocross Champion led Ryan Hughes and Travis Pastrana to the win at St. Jean d’Angely in France, site of this year's race. It was RC's first success in Europe.
Ryan Hughes and RC captured victory in France in '00.
8. Team USA 1996: Possibly the most emphatic win of all. After two years of losing when the streak was over, Jeremy McGrath, Jeff Emig, and Steve Lamson teamed up to destroy the field on a track that was basically made for them in Jerez, Spain. It marked the last of McGrath's two MXoN appearances, both of them winning ones.
7. 1992's "B" Squad: After the top premier-class riders of the day—Jeff Stanton, Damon Bradshaw, Mike Kiedrowski, and even 250cc World Champ Donny Schmit—all passed on the event (even Roger DeCoster passed on managing the team, leaving it to then-AMA official Roy Janson), a group of volunteers stepped up. Mike LaRocco and Jeff Emig were still young up-and-comers, and Billy Liles was a veteran of the GP wars. They went to Australia to a fairly sandy track and managed to beat not only the sand masters from Belgium, but the rest of the world too.
Johnny O'Mara lead USA to victory in 1986.
6. Jeff Stanton in 1990: After his teammate Damon Bradshaw crashed so hard he had to be transported from the track, Team USA could not afford a letdown in the final moto, but after a bad start, it appeared Jeff Stanton didn’t have enough to get America to the winner's circle. But he put his head down and charged around the track in Vimmerby, Sweden, catching and then punting Belgium's Dirk Geukens off the track and out of the winner's circle.
5. Ryan Villopoto at Budds Creek: In a race that was set to mark a career bow for Ricky Carmichael, it was sophomore MX2 rider Ryan Villopoto who stole the show, absolutely crushing everyone—in every class—in both of his motos in Maryland. It was every bit as astonishing as #3 on this list!
Danny "Magoo" Chandler in 1982.
4. Team USA’s ’87 Homecoming at Unadilla: After decades abroad, the 1987 schedule finally landed the MXdN on U.S. soil, as Unadilla played host to the biggest race of the year. Long before the race there was controversy, as Bob "Hurricane" Hannah, by then almost at the end of his career, was picked as the 125cc pilot over two-time AMA National Champion Micky Dymond. But Bob delivered in the middle of what seemed like an actual hurricane, assisting the always-dependable Johnson and Ward in leading Team USA to an amazing success.
3. Johnny O'Mara in 1986: It's hard not to put Johnny O'Mara's crowning achievement at #1 on this list. Riding a Honda CR125 in his last ride with red, the O'Show was hungry to prove Honda wrong for letting him go. So he took it out on the rest of the world, absolutely scorching the Maggiora, Italy, circuit on his screamer. It was a ride for the ages, as the only men who could stay ahead of him were his Team USA teammates Johnson (250) and Bailey (500). And as O'Mara watched the last moto, Ricky and David crossed the finish line arm-in-arm, well ahead of everyone else.
The 1981 USA Team that shocked the world.
2. Team USA 1981: Still the most shocking upset in Motocross of Nations history. Team USA's O'Mara, Donnie Hansen, Danny LaPorte, and Chuck Sun showed up in Belgium and West Germany (there was a Trophee des Nations back then too) and were immediately discounted as pretenders. After all, Team USA had never won this event, and these guys weren't even the top Americans—Broc Glover, Brad Lackey, Bob Hannah, Kent Howerton, Mike Bell, Darrell Schultz, and Mark Barnett were considered better—but they were the ones Roger DeCoster had to offer. Their dominance in both races changed the balance of power in the motocross world. It remains the most important date in Team USA history...
1. The Greatest Moment: … but 1981's upset is still not as great as the extraordinary fortnight of the late Danny "Magoo" Chandler one year later. Chandler was the wild child of American Motocross, and few expected him to do much but crash—and crash spectacularly—like he usually did on the AMA circuit. But something wonderful happened instead: Chandler dominated both motos at both races in West Germany and Switzerland, something no rider had ever done before (or since, for that matter, as the events were trimmed down to one in 1985). Chandler's career would be cut short by a devastating back injury a few years later, and he passed away last May after struggling for many years with health problems. He will forever be remembered not only as a wild man on a motorcycle, but also for those two Sundays in 1982 when he was far and away the best motocross racer on the planet.
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Villopoto at Budds Creek was unreal...he won by over a minute in his second moto..It was awesome to watch and still think it was the most impressive riding ive ever seen in person!!
In the upper team Honda picture, it looks like Magoo is wearing a Miller High life hat. The guy just kicked ass. He is Sorely missed.
I really feel like RV should be higher on the list, he beat the greatest motocross racer ever on a smaller bike!
imho
Magoo 1982
Villo 2007
Team Honda/USA 1981
Team Honda/USA 1982
Team USA 1986
Team USA 1974
O’Mara 1986
Lechien 1988
Stanton 1989
Jeremy McGrath 1996
RC 2005
Bailey 1986
Johnson 1987
Jim Pomeroy 1974
Ward 7th nations wins in 1990
Team USA 1990&1991;
Team USA 1983/1984
…
WHAT A TERRIFIC HISTORY HONDA HAVE WITH THE USMX !!! ktm ? … nothing … :), thus don’t always blaming Honda and the Nippons brands and praise KT for nothing …
the MXoN and Trophy Des Nations RACES results here http://mxofnations.blogspot.com/
I miss the race in Zolder, Belgium in 2003.
In that race Carmicheal was faster then Everts.
And RC beats him on the home track of Everts.
Donnie Hansen looks like a lil' Hanny in that 1981 pic,,,,or the other way around I should say...
Lechein was probably still drunk or high on coke when he won in 88'....that should be number 1......HAHAHAA
I think it was 1985 when Roger DeCoster told Jeff Ward to slow down!! Wardy was so on it that day he was lights out!!
.2007 I saw RV kill it like I have never seen, and my never see again!!
This DUMBOBILL is really a dumb! I don't understand what KTM has to do with a list of the 10 Great American Moments at MXON. Dumb, it's not a list of the 10 great HOnda moments in the MXON. Genious, was Ward on a Honda?
If you don't like KTM, GP riders etc etc, just cut it off, keep it to yourself, nobody here insults the riders but you, so you have a problem go solve it somewhere else (my advice, a mental hospital).
Last year many were Dungey's fan, this year Villopoto's, next year Stewarts'?
Villopoto at Budds was amazing. Best riding I've ever seen, even stayed in front of RC, after a bad start. V3 has another chance this weekend to show to the world, he's the best! Good luck to all of Team USA !!!
manes, hey bro you're too sensitive man!
HONDA/ktm :)
As a massive American mx fan I travelled from the UK to watch RC's final mx race at the 2007 MXoN.
As well as seeing RC's final race I got to see one of the most amazing single performances on a mx bike.
Even now it is hard to describe what RV2 did that day. He was just beyond belief.
I would love to see some lap times from that days racing.
I was also at Budds Creek and to see RV pull 2 seconds a lap faster than RC was incredible! To see RV look back at the "World Champion" Caroli tuck in behind him a lap down and literally show him how fast a "USA National Champion" can go- was incredible!
But I will say the 81' team was just special. USA motocross was so far above the European version and the whole World seen a changing of the guard that USA is THe place where the fastest ride.
Seeing O'Mara pass the 500 world champ, on an uphill, while riding his 125 is still one of the most amazing things I've ever seen.
Good luck Team USA. Make us proud!
Jairtime, Obviously you never saw Magoo ride because he was the fastest plus he did jumps no one else would even attempt. At one of those tracks he jumped so high he almost hit a tree limb so the organizers had to saw it off because it scared them. All the greats like DeCoster and Robert never accomplished this feat. RV did put in a great ride but it was due to RC letting him start on the first row which caused the GOAT to get involved in a first turn crash. The GOAT of course was sick which took his stamina away. Magoo did not care about riding conservative to win championships he was a true showman. Of all the riders in motocross history he was really the peoples choice and crowd pleaser.
Well put.. And undertsand your point regarding RV's incredible ride at the mxdon... However... In respect to O'mara's achievement on a 125... Back in 86'... The 500 were still there.. And I have a 89's cr500... Those machines are brutal! You can not compare the power ratio of a 125 vs 250 2 stroke or a 250 vs 450 4 stroke to O'mara's 125 vs 500 2 str.
I think, that made the O'show's performance remarkable. Plus, I remember reading in old magasines, Johnny was still bummed he was being let go by Honda.. But Honda at the time did sign RJ for at the time a very good deal. And yet Honda was cutting back on their budget??
I still think it was a disgrace that our top riders refused to go in 92'. They all said they wanted to give other riders a chance to represent our country, but that was bull, and not what the MXdN is about. The race is about the best representing their country and our best wouldn't go that year because they wanted to get paid to go. Also I read that Emig said they were afraid to be on the first losing team in over a decade. Either way, before 92 I was a fan of all our top riders, but after that I never cheered for any of those guys again. Emig was one of the greatest riders to represent the US just because of the heart and determination he put into this event everytime he was asked to go.
Re: #6.....Stanton punted Geukens so hard in the dark corner, out of spectator view, that they still have Dirk's picture on milk cartons and stapled to telephone polls asking "Have You Seen Our Racer?"
Hey DC I thought it was a pretty good list! I could not help but tingle while reading about "Magoo" I still have the Maggoria Italy VCR and that is WON heck of a race to watch it did mean to spell it that way. See my comments under 450 words about 87 Unidilla. Too this day I think in no particular order the best 125cc racers ever were Marty Smith, Barrnet, Hannah and O' Meara. Hey I got my opion cause I have been around since 72.
Jaritime just because you win the title does not make you the fastest. You have a picture of Magoo huh? Well I rode with Danny and Daryl so I know them well as I live in the same area. The 82 MXD Danny got serious buckled down and displayed what he was capable of. No it did not shock everyone that he won in fact they selected him because they knew he was capable of it and wanted to win it all. People that really knew Magoo and saw him ride often has lots of memories when he did things no one else would even attempt.
Magoo was the best showman of all time that goes undisputed. If you wanna see how fast Danny was check out those old wide world of sports tapes and I assure you no other MX rider would go those speeds. His feat has never been matched by anyone so how can someone that rode one day compare? So it looks like they got the rankings correct dispite what you think.
Davey, Sir you have just named the number one MXDN x2, moment of all time perfectly! simply stated MAGOO! no competition in the debate, no questions to be asked. Good luck to team USA this weekend.