by Davey Coombs
30 Day Countdown to A1: #25 Jimmy Weinert
Tuesday, December 11, 2012 | 5:20 PM
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PrintWe are now down to just 25 days before the 2013 Monster Energy Supercross Championship begins with Anaheim 1, so we turn to #25 on the Monster Energy 30-Day Countdown the best supercross racers of all time. Today we present one of the original superstars of supercross, as well as the 1976 AMA Supercross Champion, #25 Jimmy Weinert.
When supercross as we know it began on July 8, 1972, with the first Superbowl of Motocross at the Los Angeles Coliseum, Weinert was there, one of the top Americans riding a Yamaha. But his success in “stadium motocross” actually predates even the L.A. race. On March 11 of that same year, Weinert won the 250cc class at the Daytona round of the Florida Winter-Am Series, a race that would not be recognized as a supercross until the first “Yamaha Super Series” in 1974, the standalone tour that morphed into AMA Supercross.
Jimmy Weinert celebrates an early SX triumph alongside the late Rich Eierstedt.
Racer X Archives photo
Weinert, who hailed from Middletown, New York, got his start in motorcycle racing on the “dirt scrambles” circuits of New England, then transitioned into full-on motocross as the sport began to rapidly grow. He finally got his first true supercross win in 1976, when he was racing for the Kawasaki factory team. Back then there were only five races in the series, and Weinert would end up taking the title by 10 points over the heavy favorite, Pierre Karsmakers, with defending champion Jimmy Ellis third.
Over the years that followed the hard-riding, fast-living “Jammer” was always a threat to win races. He was also known for his ability to psych his competition right out of their comfort zones. He famously showed up at the sandy Oakland Coliseum race sporting a neck brace and a dunes-style paddle tire on his rear wheel. Of course he won, and paddle tires were immediately banned!
Weinert was not only the 1976 AMA Supercross Champion, but also a two-time outdoor champ, as well as a proud father.
Racer X Archives photo
Injuries curtailed much of Weinert's later years as a pro, but he did manage to win two supercross races in 1979, which was the height of Bob “Hurricane” Hannah's dominance. His charismatic persona has lived on in supercross lore, as Weinert ranks among one of the sport's all-time characters. He's also the 25th best SX racer of all time on our list!
Check out all of Jimmy Weinert's finishes in SX/MX over the years in the Racer X Vault.
Weinert's last big win came in 1979 at the Daytona Supercross (though this photo was from a different year).
Racer X Archives photo
The 30 Best Supercross Racers of All-Time Tracker:
#25 Jimmy Weinert
#26 David Vuillemin
#27 Donnie Hansen
#28 Larry Ward
#29 Mike Kiedrowski
#30 Marty Tripes
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Check out WHEN DAYLIGHT BREAKS
in our Latest issue of Racer X available now.
When the lights go off on supercross and racing hits the daylight with the launch of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, everyone gets to start over. Page 110.
Look for the verified symbol 
Impulse Studios
Check out that victory celebration… And the Monster Energy girl standing next to the Jammer and Rich. Looks a lot like Anita Bryant to me..
@COPRO
"Monster Energy girl" Now that's funny. Someone help me out if you can remember who was the first title sponser for Supercross. I believe it was Camel in 1986?
Jammin Jimmy was the prankster of yesteryear from what I remember...Always messin with someone.. trying to get an edge..
COPRO We are showing our age a bit guys, just knowing who Anita Bryant is, let alone what she looked like in the mid 70's...lol .
mit12...That is a good question..I think Coors may have been an earlier sponsor than Camel..not sure ..
Good stuff. The first title sponsor was Yamaha, as the series was actually started in 1974 as the "Yamaha Super Series." The term "Supercross" was not coined until 1975, I believe, when an MXA editor named Pete Szyglia or something like that called it that on their magazine cover...
But the first Los Angeles Superbowl of Motocross (1972) had Olympia Beer as a sponsor, I believe.
Jimmy Weinert was really fast, but God only knows why or how. The guy had the worst style of any pro rider. Ran his bars so low they sloped down on the ends and almost touched his tank. People say there are no bad pictures of Marty Smith on a motorcycle, well there are no GOOD pictures of Weinert. lol. But the guy was fast, for sure. Oh, and @COPRO, the first sponsor of Supercross was Olympia Beer for the Superbowl of Motocross. The first series sponsor may have been Camel, or maybe Wrangler Jeans.
RacerX rocks this column! I cant wait for tomorrow to see who is #24. With my short term memory loss I dont have a guess yet! Anticipating 2013 Supercross gives me goosebumps. Go #1 supercrosser!
Guys not sure but i think the first series sponsor was Coors then it went to Wrangler Jeans then Camel.
DC, Thanks for answering our questions... I was a big fan of Pete's, first thing I always read was Bazzer's Box..Didn't he make a brief come back a year or two ago, writing a column
DC If my old memory were better, I would have known that, especially, since you covered that in the July issue. The article on the History of supercross sponsors: Big Hair Blue Jeans Cold Beer & Cigerettes...Think I of all people should have know that ...lol
May not be pretty but the old cover photo (Racer-X ran it not long ago) of THE JAMMER and TONY D is one of the classic Moto pics of all time. What Weinert lacked in style he made up for with bravado. Long live the JAMMER!
mgwest949 totally agree about Weinert looking bad on a bike. Tony DiStefano too, in a different way, though that might have been more his build. As far as Smith, I don't get it. Apparently no one who saw him ride in his prime writes anything in the motocross world. When reading articles about style or smoothness on the bike, or natural talent his name never comes up. It's inexplicable to anyone who saw him ride.
Regarding Weinert's neck brace, from what I remember and have read since that was no psych job. He was hurt and almost didn't ride because of it.
I remember during practice for some National he had a Freon air horn taped to the handlebars. Was there when he came up on a slow guy blocking him and Jimmy blows the horn. Worked 'cause it so startled the guy he stood the bike up and under him goes Weinert.
Rumor has it that had the reputation of something of a track cutter. Was at a vintage pro event a few years ago (Mid-Ohio) and some of his contemporaries were ribbing him about it.Thought he was gonna get mad. Next day I am way in the back of the track and Jimmy has some slower traffic coming into a tight "S" section and... I guess he needed the air horn.
I'm at the Trans-USA at Unadilla and Weinert says to me "Hey kid, go find me a BB gun, I want to shoot down the Dirt Shirts blimp!"
The Jammer's advice to kids wanting to race... "Take tennis lessons, turn pro and make your money there, then go out and buy your dirt bikes and have fun."
"Hey, your friend's sister is pretty hot! A bit of an air-head, but you think she'll go out with me?"
He was too much! What a nut! Thanks for the memories, the SCOTT goggles and JT Mud Guards Jimmy!!!
b747 When I try and go to the Vault from the racer main page it takes me to KX.com ...any one else having this problem?
I remember MR PIBB being the sponsor when I first got totally head over heels hooked on moto-x.
BTW No Jimmy Weinert retrospective would be complete without the paddle tire pic...
Just saying
Being old enough to be around back then you have to suspect my memory..... Did he not win the #1 plate on a Yamaha and was unable to re-sign with them the following season? What I was given to understand was that he had a deal in mind, but Yamaha had no interest having him represent them. Could have been a rumor as I was not "in the room" at the time. I DO know that he had a different "approach" to life back in the day.
Anyone recall the Pyramid thing with Jimmy Weinert?
Jimmy is a funny guy, he was the MC at district 34's Lembo lake supercross (outdoor) back in 1992-93. He was one animated dude with a mic. He mentioned my last name and rhymed it with all kinds of words, LOL.
Ahhhhh...., the Jammer!
There was the fast outside line, the middle line, and the inside line. And the Jammer's line was typically inside of this.
Tenacious.