30 Day Countdown to A1: #14 David Bailey
Saturday, December 22, 2012 | 11:50 AM
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PrintJust 14 more days until the Monster Energy Supercross series kicks off at Anaheim Stadium and therefore, we’re on number 14 of the all-time best supercross racers presented by Monster Energy. It’s a complex form of arithmetic, calculations, debates and downright nastiness to get this list down to the best thirty but we’ve done it. Let us know below if you’d have done something different. We’re all ears.
The fourteenth best supercrosser that ever lived is David Bailey. The “Little Professor” won one title in 1983 and won a total of 12 main events in a relatively short period of three years. A Kawasaki privateer early on, Bailey got signed to factory Honda in ’81 and started his ascent to the top of the sport. There’s also no doubt that Bailey’s winning ways were far from over when he crashed before the 1987 season and suffered a career ending injury. At the time of his injury, he was the only man to beat Rick Johnson in ’86 and seemed primed to be there once again if not for his accident.
Bailey won the series in 1983, finished second to Johnny O’Mara in 1984 and second again in 1986 to Johnson. He exhibited a smooth style (juxtaposed to Johnson who was just a bulldog) and fluidness on a bike indoors. Although he did win three outdoor national titles, Bailey seemed to be more at home under the lights and able to demonstrate his skill better. There was something about Bailey that screamed style, whether it was his riding or his always sweet looking JT gear.
Bailey’s wins per year were 3 in ’83, 4 in ’84, 1 in ’85 and 4 more in ’86 on a production-based Honda that really agreed with him.
So although some riders have more wins than DB, they’re behind him in this list because we feel that Bailey was, at times, the best rider in supercross. And there’s no doubting that he certainly had more wins in him had he not gotten hurt that fateful day at Lake Huron, California.
Stay tuned tomorrow when we unveil lucky number 13 in our 30 greatest supercross racers ever presented by Monster Energy
#15 Ryan Dungey
#16 Mike Bell
#17 Jeff Emig
#18 Johnny O’Mara
#19 Doug Henry
#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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I believe David bailey was equally as awesome at commentating as he was racing. He started out a little rough at Gainesville in 94, but by the end of the season I couldn't watch racing without Bailey.
His motocross files is the most inspiring, tear jerking story of all time. God bless David
Bailey. What a guy.
Lot of fiction in every "all of time rankings" i have one system too, take the best 3 or 4 years of sx racing of each rider, make a percentage of wins/events during those three or four years and you can have a solid ranking also
What if a rider only races 6 events in his prime years and wins 5 of them.
Win % is bogus..
Bradshaw had the ultimate win % in 92 and it didn't mean a thing.. Stanton got the million $ bonus and hall of fame entry.
In win % how do you account for the depth of field your racing?? Certainly Dungey has had life a little easier than Bailey considering his comp has been out with injury alot.
I think what we learned, its impossible to rate these guys. Simply put, they are all just "the best". All of them.. With McGrath and RC being the cream of the crop
I learned a lot from being around and watching David both on and off the track. Great guy!
David Bailey was the first hero I ever had. I dreamed of one day growing up and copying his style. When David crashed and got injured, I couldnt believe it. How could it happen to him, he was always under control and rode with such flawless style ? I was only an 80 rider at the time but wanted to quite the sport upon hearing the news.
In 91 I lived in Florida and trained through the winter. All my training came to a climax at the Daytona SX (amateur day) where I made a last lap pass and won the 125B race. When I crossed the finish line, I did David's patented 'no hander' (just like the pic above). To this day this is one of the deepest memories I have of my MX days. In my mind, I had finally emulated my all time hero.
Thank You David !!!
I think I was at that race in the header picture, if its RFK (JFK?) Stadium in DC, 1983.
At a MX school at Lake Sugar Tree in 1982, I got to be on David's kill-ball team. Of course we lost, because Gary coached the other team, and he always cheated. That year, he had a leftover, for lack of a better term, works Kawasaki, but he was not on the factory team.
That' also the week I got stung by a swarm of yellow jackets on one of the trail rides. I came back from the school looking like someone beat me with a baseball bat. It took a while for the techniques to sink in, but I was riding much better a few months later, one of the few guys that used a clutch all the time, even on a 500.
Bailey was Mr. Smooth.He would of has many more wins IMO.
Did anyone notice the first pic and the fans on the railing?LOL.No way in today's world that would happen now days.Good 'Ol '70s & '80s.
@rickamatuzio
What about a percentage of win by main event the best three seasons + 5 points for a title, 3 points for a second place of the series, and 1 point for a third place of the series? Bob Hannah will probably be into the top-3 here!
For the level of the racing it's probably impossible to calculated something
my humble personal top-3 ranking (without calculator)
1. McGrath (the only undisputed SX GOAT for everyone)
2. Rick Johnson
3. RC
I am pleased to see him make the list. I too was in shock when I heard of his freak accident with the catastrophic out-come. A very well respected representative in the young history of American Motocross/SX.
David has done so much since his accident in practice to go on and become a dominant figure in Ironman Triathlon competition with his Championship in 2000. It's always tough to remember he was robbed in his prime from the (one) sport that was really primary to his interest growing up.
Every time I see (or hear) him in the both I ask myself, (why) can he not be representing his labor of love via microphone more often than he does. He brings so much to the party in the booth. Great sense of the sport, and an even sharper wit to go along with his thorough knowledge of the sport and it's industry.
Once again, glad to see you make the list, but we miss ya Man...
David was always smooth as silk, windhamish, I too think Dave was the best ever on the microphone for races, wish he was still on.
@tim moto team--Like the list, but I personally would switch RC to 2nd. Ricky Johnson is easily one of my favorite riders. But I switch him and RC for the fact is RC has 5 titles.. Second only to the King.. and is even 2nd on the win list, which I really dont see as important as titles but some do.. But its just my opinion.. Anyone have thier own list??
The best smoothest 500cc rider that ever was!
We're kinda back to the point where there is a field of really capable guys. Bailey had to ride during such a time when there was an O'Mara, Hannah, Johnson, Glover, Magoo, Lechien, Ward, Barnett even.....that is some list of competitors. I think #14 is a good spot for him, especially considering who is left to be up there. In no particular order we have MC, RC, Johnson, Ward, Hannah, Stanton, Bradshaw, Stewart, Reed, RV, Bayle, Barnett and K-Dub.
I would move David up in the top ten list because He is the one that started the modern day teckniques that are still being used today.All he would be lacking is the Bubba scrub.Well him ,Omara and Hansen to motocross to a new level tecknique wise.
I also feel that Hansen should be moved way up from 27th place.He should be ahead of KW and Barrnett for sure.One reason is because his career was cut short and because of his cutting edge for the time bike handling tecknique plus he was a super cross champion.
Another factor in this debate is many more fast guys were on factory equipment. The teams were way bigger with many guys on the similar bikes. Back in the day, it wasn't just about the unfair bike advantage they had, but also in travel and other related factory perks. I did national desert series in late 80's. I placed in top 5 in several events in 250pro class. I drove through the night to get to events and when I was on the line, I was already exhausted sitting next to Roeseler who was flown in and stayed in nice motel room. Those perks today are even more pro-nown. Time spent doing something some peasant can do for you is time wasted. It's not as much about the bike today as it was back then. Today, the perks are where it's at. Just sayin...
Great Racer
We've had a lot of great riders in the sport, but rating riders from different eras is always going to be subjective. If they had a top 30 NFL RBs of all time list, there would be all kinds of arguments all up and down the list. I'm glad not too many of these have dropped into insults. The mean girls must be busy with Christmas materialism.
Less than the 2 weeks before the unarguable rating system, the 2013 SX point standings. We've made it this far with no major preseason injuries. Let's hope that trend continues.
Happy two-days-after-the-end-of-the-world. If the Mayans were so smart, how come they didn't see their own doom coming.
@bd200, I think you're right about RC as #2, more titles and more wins than RJ, but i just remember the aura that RJ has between 1987 and 1989, he was just unbatable without races problems or injuries in both SX & MX and in 1986 he had amazing results against primes Bailey, O'Mara, & Ward, but at that time i was more a fan of O'Mara & Lechien. RC has the same aura during his career but a little less in SX than MX if I have the right to say that
David Bailey was practically unbeatable on 500, he also beat the prime Rick Johnson during the 1986 500 national, and he was the undisputed #1 during his last months of racing (500cc outdoor, MXdN, Bercy), and The Little Professor is the GOAT about the "riding style" term ahead O'Mara & Lechien, Bailey was the perfect mx racer during the glory days of mx
@Tim Moto I'm not so sure he was unbeatable on a 500.Glover beat him out of three 500 national championships on a POS production based YZ490 against Bailey's superior works Honda 500.
@Mr-Mx, I really wish you would weigh in on this one.
@fred, that why I put "practically" before unbeatable, we know that the HRC riders were advantaged; what Glover, Barnett etc would do on the factory Honda is another debate, but Bailey won two 500 titles in 1984 and 1986 and was injured in 1985 (the only year who Glover won a title against Bailey), and in 1984 Bailey won "practically" all the 500 national against Glover who was at his prime, that's why Bailey is so great, Glover is one the greatest 500 rider ever (3 titles and the records of wins in AMA 500) and in 1984 and 1985 I was rooting for Glover against Bailey ...
@TimMoto They only rode against each other on the 500 in 84 and 85. So that makes it Bailey 1,2 to Glovers 2,1.That gives Glover the overall.Hahahaha! Seriously I remember a interview Glover did after winning in 85.He talked about his loss to Bailey in 84.He said he was pissed at himself because he had laid up watching TV and not practicing enough during the week that year.For some reason I believed him.They were both great riders and I loved them both.Nobody looks as good as Bailey did racing a motorcycle.I almost cried when he got hurt.I couldn't believe that the smoothest rider ever got injured as bad as he did.
Saw David at Red Bud in the eighties racing a Bultaco...fast..smooth. He was racing the Florida Winter Series in 1980 on Kaws. Nicest kid you would ever meet. Raced
against Him in the Nationals '83 and '84. Man as everyone (alomost everyone) silky smooth and just flowed on a bike. His career was cut short...but He gave us so much
to view and love with his skills.
The best, only a freak injury stopped a career that could have made him the GOAT. What's really so impressive is his life after racing. Ironman winner, BEST TV MX/SX broadcaster of all time, SPEED bring him back!
No doubt, '80s riders and "works' bikes were the best ever! adding to that RC, MC, TC, RV, and RD.
Maybe I've missed the new why, but WHY ISN'T DAVID BAILEY COMMENTATING?? I'm not some old guy reveling in the past. I love everything newer and better BUT Bailey is the most observant, insightful, thought-provoking and articulate TV announcer this sport has ever experienced. That's not to put down guys like Emig & Ricky - both VERY good but, Bailey is GREAT.
Was it contractual? Logistical? $?
DAVEY COOMBS, Make it happen! You are always looking for ways to improve our sport; Aren't you tired of people asking for David to be back on the mic?
Again, make it happen! Bailey made each broadcast a moto-educational-PLEASURE to watch, even the less "eventful" ones (can we say "450 Outdoors?")!
Don't replace anyone if that doesn't work, just add him in! At least guest spots.
Bailey = Better Ratings