by Davey Coombs
30 Day Countdown to A1: #19 Doug Henry
Monday, December 17, 2012 | 5:25 PM
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PrintWelcome back to the Monster Energy 30-Day Countdown to Anaheim! Today we unveil our #19 on the all-time list of history's fastest supercross racers, and it's only fitting that this legend comes in at #19.
Doug Henry must rank as one of the sport's most popular athletes. A privateer from Oxford, Connecticut, who lived a hardscrabble life before he made a name for himself on a motorcycle, Henry was not only an incredibly hard worker, he was also extremely fast and diversely talented. He started racing later in life than most top supercross athletes, and by the time he earned a factory ride on a 125 with Honda in 1993, he had already established himself as one of the fastest men in that division. He won the '93 125cc East Region with ease, as well as one of that year's two East-West races (Dallas). He also claimed that year's 125 motocross title.
But this list is about supercross, and when Henry moved up to the then-premier 250 class for Honda in 1994, he didn't exactly set the world on fire. In fact, he never even reached the podium on his way to seventh in the final rankings.
Injuries would play a big part in Doug Henry's career.
Moto Verte photo
One year later, he began to find his way in big-bike stadium racing. Henry registered his first main-event win at the Dallas Supercross in the old Cowboys Stadium en route to fifth on the year. Unfortunately, what happened next was not another victory, but rather the first of a series of devastating crashes that put his entire career at risk. While battling with his Honda teammate Jeremy McGrath at the Budds Creek National in June '95, Henry slipped off his pegs at speed and launched off a giant ski jump. He landed so hard it broke his back and put him on the sidelines for eight months.
When Henry returned halfway through the '96 supercross tour, he was riding a Yamaha. His results were less than stellar, and many thought his best days were behind him. But toward the end of the series he started getting faster, garnering a fifth at the Charlotte SX.
When the 1997 AMA Supercross tour started, Doug Henry quickly showed the rest of the pack that he was as fast as ever. He finished second at the Los Angeles opener to winner Greg Albertyn, then won the second and fourth rounds. Riding a YZ250, he was vying for the series championship into late March, only to suffer a broken hand at the Houston SX when Chaparral Yamaha's Jimmy Button accidentally came down on top of him. Just like that, Henry's shot at the title was over.
But then Henry did something extraordinary that resonates to this day. With his title chances over, he came back for the last round of the series in Las Vegas aboard a prototype four-stroke YZF. That night he literally changed the sound of the winner's circle, racing to the first main-event win in supercross history aboard a four-stoke motorcycle. But then, just a couple of weeks later, he broke both wrists on the same bike (once again at Budds Creek) when the bike bogged on the old Big Gulp jump.
For 1998, Henry decided to ride the thumper full-time, sacrificing his best chances to win the title for the continued development of the four-stroke program. He did score a few podiums, including third at what turned out to be three of the last four SX races the season. Then he dominated the 1998 AMA Motocross Championship.
Henry rode to the first main-event win in supercross history aboard a four-stoke motorcycle.
Moto Verte photo
Like Jean-Michel Bayle before him, Henry didn't race that much supercross over the course of his career, as injuries and an early retirement—not to mention competing in the era of Jeremy McGrath—limited his career wins to just four. But he made history in one of those four, and he very well may have been the 1997 AMA Supercross Champion instead of Jeff Emig if not for that broken hand. But his pure skills and his unique place in history land the man who wore #19 at the end of his career at #19 on our list of the 30 best supercross racers of all time.
If you want to take a look at all of Doug Henry's results, check out the Racer X Vault.
The 30 Best Supercross Racers of All Time Tracker:
#20 Jimmy Ellis
#21 Mike LaRocco
#22 Ezra Lusk
#23 Broc Glover
#24 Ron Lechien
#25 Jimmy Weinert
#26 David Vuillemin
#27 Donnie Hansen
#28 Larry Ward
#29 Mike Kiedrowski
#30 Marty Tripes
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love doug henry....the man is simply a legend, overcame alot...BUT...he should not be ranked higher in supercross than mike larroco, ron lechien or ezra lusk.
Attitude, Desire, Commitment he should be first ##### 1 on the list in my book! I forget what was behind all this article,yes it is very subjective..
Not to be a downer, but Racer X needs to explain the criteria for these selections.
Fan popularity and desire doesn't make a person great, results do. As great as Henry is, Larocco was better in every category and sustained even more injuries than Doug.
Maybe Jeff Glass will be #18 then because he brought Surf Laundry soap to the sport, similar to Henry winning 1 race on a 4 stroke. Both firsts for the sport?!
Its hard to say this because we all love Henry, but if he is 19th then Larocco should be lower IMHO.
I want criteria
You guys can always find something to get your panties in a knot. Doug is a badass and if you think he should be higher up on the list it's because, if he didn't win that SX it might still be a smokers world. Yes, winning the first SX on a 4-stroke is a big deal and helped to reinforce the fact that 2-strokes were on the way out. I do think Larocco should've been listed lower.
good memories of "Jeff Glass here to kick some ass" as he said in 1992/93 in Pontiac.
Hey man I'm not knocking Doug, but winning 3 races doesn't make him better than a man that won 10 and raced twice as many podiums.
According to you clowns a 4 stroke is easier to win on anyway, so Doug had an advantage anyways, thus REALLY making Larocco more solid
Based on this criteria Tim Ferry could be #10 having won a championship with never winning a race!
Sorry I didn't finish my sentence..
Ferry could be #10 by winning a championship without every winning a race thus showing the world that winning isn't necessary to really win?! (Just like Doug proved 2 strokes weren't so bad ass).
No difference.
This is what they said in the 1st one:
"30 Best Supercross Racers of All-Time, as voted on by the Racer X editorial staff and our contributors. Using the Racer X Vault of Monster Energy Supercross results, as well as our own experience in watching races over the years, we will present one SX hero each day "
Sorry then, I apologize. I was under the impression they were ranked.
If McGrath ends up #1 and RC#2 then this is bogus.. It's ranked from best on down..
Love Doug. Love everything he was about. Noooo waaaaay he is above Lusk. Even Vullemin. But yeah Lusk had way more Supercross talent. I think most will agree on that...
rickamatuzio ... Hate to break it to ya but I am guessing MC will be #1
Gotta agree with BillC on this one. It would be hard to beat "The King of Supercross."
Smile when you say that Bucky!!! LOL
.The Fun part will be what # JS lands at. I can hear it now!! LOL
Henry is deserving of 19...there are so many guys to plop into 30 spaces.....
Here is my shot at top 10 ---- MC will be #1 of coarse... #2 and #3 will between Reed and RC I would guess....#4 - #6 will be Stewart,Stanton and Johnson (not sure that order)...followed by Bailey, Hannah, Ward and Bayle (no particular order)... Dungey maaaaaay squeek into top ten....but just my guess...
@rickm...I know you weren't trying to knock on Henry. Just think your hatred of the superior(as of know) 4-stroke is making your sub-conscious mind put less weight on the importance of him winning Vegas. Everybody knew the 4-strokes would be an advantage in MX because of the extra cc's and with that win he proved they could win in SX. In case you haven't noticed SX is more important to teams and OEM's. That win was all it took for the OEM's to make up their mind. Even though the bikes cost more to buy for us, the factories save money by not having to basically have a separate factory for a motorcycle 2-stroke. And no scooters,snowmobiles and weedeaters are not the same. A dirtbike engine needs power everywhere, which is very hard to do with a 2-stroke, where as those make power in a set rpm band. I ramble but, "it's like grave digger at an equestrian competition", right?
Vegas 97. I was there. Arguably the most historic supercross ever. The track was incredibly dry, hard-packed and slippery giving the 4-stroke an advantage. Truly a vision of the future.
KilloMoto , Reed maybe #2?? NO Way, How?? Over RC?? Even JS has more win's than Reed and they both have 2 titles. I would be SHOCKED if Reed is higher than RC.
I'm guessing until they get to the top 5 or 6, the order is pretty loose. He's not in the top 10, but belongs somewhere on the list .Since Henry is associated so strongly with #19, that seems like as good of a spot as any.
I am always smiling BillC! And yes people are always wondering what I am up to! lol This is getting more interesting all the time. And as we close in, I think it will get even better. Looking forward to the top ten!
@ RICKAMATUZIO, Ferry won a east regional title in 1997 without winning a race, regional title dont count, I like ferry but he did not even win one supercross race, maybee one of the fastest guys to never win a big bike supercross same goes for lamson, cooper and many other's.
The man definately gets to be mentioned on this list. That crash at Budds is an all time worst crash. Not mentioned is after his second back injury he continued on winning on snowmobiles. It wasnt easy for him lately with his home burning down and trying to compete in Xgames. Doug Henry is a great racer and deserves the credit.
Do you really want to do four stroke battle with me and lose? I wrote the book. The factories began four stroke FOR ONE REASON AND ONE REASON ONLY!! AMA compliance with the retarded EPA and misinformation about two strokes. It's called environmentalism and its really not about the environment unfortunately. It's political.
Four strokes were Invented BEFORE the two stroke in 1894 the two stroke came a few years later. These used a bunson burner and piece of iron for ignition.
Four strokes are more complex, and make less power all the while being heavier. You see, I have worked in R&D in a shop with 3 dynos since i was 18 years old testing oils. Don't preach four stroke anything to me.
There is a reason GM's all time best Diesel engine is a two stroke. And the reason the largest ship engines I the world are two strokes. And why two strokes ruled motocross for 50 years. Once uneducated people realize this, things will change once again. Yes a four stroke has broad power I'll give you that, but your false assumption is that two strokes can't do the same. Technology my friend... From 2004 to 2014 look at the progress the four stroke made because of demand. This same thing will happen with two stroke designs.
Have you ever heard of a boss hog bike?
If the AMA wants to save amateur Motocross, they better make a move soon. Because when the EPA and locals FORCE bikes down to a acceptable sound level, your 450s will be shy of the YZ250. Honda is already trying to solve the problem but your not buying it because of a performance loss obviously.. Just wait, it's going to get worse.
And yes I know what Tim ferry won, that was my point. Henry won a race on a 426, wow. Ferry won a championship without winning, wow. It doesn't make them a better racer than Iron Mike.
COMING SOON THE 2020 HONDA 500 diesel Motocross bike!! Amazing torque and reliability only weighing 325lbs pollution free running on Crisco cooking oil. It's awesome, but wait until you see what it costs!!
And for the record.. I love four strokes. I've been building big block Chevys and porting heads for dirt track since I was a kid. It's funny watching the motorcycle manufactures try to catch up with camshaft technology that's been out for years. Wait until they try a cam-in-cam like a dodge viper, with split adjustable lobe center. Another failure waiting to happen during your motos.
I'm sorry I got upset.. I just get frustrated because I have read Information from the EPA that would make you sick.. It's so much BS that doesn't make sense. A couple of thousand motocross bikes with a single cylinder doesn't present a problem like 100 million 8 cylinder car engines. They made us remove lead and zinc.. They made us remove mtbe from octane boosters which actually worked as if people were drinking it, or chewing the lead. The list goes on... And on.. And on. But people don't read or see it, so its hard to make a point that will stick.
Giving four strokes a double displacement advantage just poured salt on the wound.. You can give A Terrible golfer a big enough handicap, and he can beat tiger woods too.
I seize, I absolutely do not want to disrespect Doug Henry, he is one of my heros.
Peace
I can see where you are coming from a little. It's the same with Refrigerants There are so many different refrigerant out there now. They made more problems than it was worth and it could have been approached in a lot better ways. Most people (even some Refrigeration mechanics) think it is Freon. That is so stupid! Freon is not a element, it is a trademark name for a line of Dupont's refrigerants. It's like the word Kleenex is a brand of tissues. Way off track though.
i was at lasx in 97. Tortelli won. not albertyn. it was a mud race.
@rickamatuzio
The purists hear you bro...the economy will demand a change...as long as this clown is in office - or any other clown for that matter it'll only be a matter of time before they are back. Itis already beginning up in Canada and down in Australia in a big way.
Anyhoo Doug Henry maybe tied for first all time with RC for heart - determination - desire?
I run #19 to this day in respect for him the old 369 comes out here and there too...
@BillC - I think Reed and RC will be #2 and #3...not sure what order....Yes, JS has more wins and the same amount of titles as Reed, but I think Reeds stellar podium record will come into play as far as....its really hard to pick....thats for sure...
@rick...It's ok to get wound up over something you are passionate about, doesn't hurt my feelings. I do find some of your facts to be not totally true. Although, the EPA may have been one of the many nails in the coffin, it was up to the OEM's to make the decision whether to develop a cleaner 2-stroke or make a competitive 4-stroke. Like I said it is easier and cheaper for them to do the 4, that is just business sense. If the EPA wanted to get rid of 2-strokes why do I use a 2-stroke saw almost everyday? Your take on MTBE I'm afraid is way off base. This stuff NEVER breaks down in air, soil or water and can't be metabolized by human or animal into something harmless. This stuff is highly toxic forever. If I remember it mimics estrogen when it is in the body, not good for boys or girls. It is in everybody's water and dirt all over the world. I work closely with environmental laws all the time. It's nice to have a debate with someone that doesn't use childish rhetoric to get a point across. Peace to you too.
Cmon man
Henry is on this list at # 19 because he is associated with the #19. He's like the og number 19.
He's also one gnarly dude!
Not too many people can claim an AMA outdoor national win as a privateer...
Been a fan ever since.
I read that one riding lawn mower emits as much hourly pollution as about 34 cars.
My neighbor gets his lawn sprayed by one of those lawn companies. In the summer he has to mow it like 4 times a week. He lives for mowing his lawn too, so he does it real slow. Way worse than my MX bike!
Oh boy that's what I mean. We have a Bear Gas Analyzer that measures oxides of nitrogen, co2, etc. a lawn mower does not pollute more than 34 cars. Ironically, because of mandates manufacturers must retard timing to increase EGT temps, and run lean mixtures to lower NO2 levels to pass.. This KILLS mileage and performance. It's a no win situation
It sucks that dirtbikes get caught in laws that are really for cars,semi-trucks, trains and power stations. Don't forget CA has stricter emissions laws than the EPA, so that might influence bike builders as well. The non-riding public hates 2-strokes just because of smoke, which should be none or very little if it jetted right with good oil. Where there's smoke there's fire.
Misoheye, there is a misunderstanding about the term ENVIRONMENTALISM. MTBE is one of the only chemicals that can effectively control detonation. That and lead work well.. Companies have been searching forever to find a quality replacement but they cant.
What I am getting at, is that this is a vicious circle. We are in a time of poor fuel quality because of the EPA.. with poor fuels, your constantly trying to compromise in other areas.. like the dog chasing its tail. MTBE is a carcinogen, I get it.. but so are cigarettes and people smoke them everyday.
A person can go to the gas station and fill a tank full of gas, then drink it and kill himself. Does that mean we need to outlaw gas for human protection? The government intervention is the problem in itself.. the reason I am a republican is that the democratic party has NO faith in people to make decisions on their own. They think they need to be protected from EVERYTHING, maybe even putting a cork on the end of a fork soon so someone wont stab themselves while eating.
I have been in the industry my whole life, and I realize I am biased towards high octane fuel, big horsepower, and freedom. I think we are living in a world thats going crazy.. the MTBE, lead, ballast water, global warming, its all a POLITCAL debate aimed at somehow generating revenue while radical people that like to protest get their way. Its NOT about the environment!! Its about appeasement because someone doesnt like my lifestyle.. so the government steps in without proof to change it. Half the EPA studies are so flawed I cant stand it.
Ill give you one example...
(E85- I hear everyday on the radio about the E85 debates.. People saying that its a terrible fuel because it has less energy than gasoline. Well yes, it has less BTUs per lb than gasoline.. but what the EPA doesnt know, is that for an internal combustion engine to use E85 you need to burn 2 times as much!! This is the reason converting any gas engine to methanol yields a 18% hp increase all things being the same. You have to increase jetting by 100% to make the fuel work. Now your burning 2lbs of E85 to every 1lb of gasoline.. plus E85 has a natural Octane rating of 100.)
My point in that is that the EPA doesnt know diddly squat about how an engine works, but they can look at a piece of paper some jackball wrote and change the law. It just doesnt make sense..
I understand you concern.. and I am responsible. Can you explain something for me? Behind the shop at AMSOIL we have small garden.. I accidentally dumped a gallon of oil on the ground, and the grass grew 3 feet high and green within weeks. 100 ft away, I dumped fertilizer, and nothing has grown there for over a year. Are we really sure OIL is that big of a problem barring no spills?
@rickamatuzio - interesting stuff.
I'm sorry, but I have to agree with some others on here, he shouldn't be 19th on this list. Not above Larocco, DV or Lusk..