As I See It!
By Eric Johnson, katoom.rider@verizon.net
July, 2006
Vintage Motocross
Vintage Iron World MX Championships Event, June 22, 2002 Glen Helen, CA.
      Being a motocross racer from the early 70's I have seen and been involved in a bit of American motorcycle race history and truly love this sport. Myself and my cousin Bobby Mesquit and good friend Eddie Roe were actively involved with the planning, building and putting on of most all the Deadmans Point Motocross races helping out Bobby Dresslar and Lee Chase. It wasnt uncommon then to have 3-400 riders Sunday morning all running 3 motos. We often found the days ending at 6pm, so I guess you could say it was a real tough job but very rewarding and a key event during the SoCal blitz of vintage motocross growth! I learned this "Vintage Iron MX Championship" was coming to town so I had to go. Since being away from the sport for some time a lot of old memories came to mind and I wondered just how the racing was going to be organized and run. Some thoughts arose like, What rules would be in place, How do the riders start, How many and How long would the moto's be, and finally, How long would the track be. Keep in mind this article is just my opinion that is from one viewpoint and should be considered just that.
    I was originally reluctant to make these comments on the event until I noticed some fundamental missing elements. It was good to see the old "no-suspension" bikes that paved the way to what we see today in all it's glitter and glory. Who would I see there, maybe ole' Rex Staten, Ron Nelson, Jim Pomeroy, Ron Turner or even Russ Darnell. It was great seeing Roger DeCoster and Bob Hannah even if they didn't ride.

     Anyway, as I watched practice on Saturday morning I was surprised at what I was seeing. A track at least a mile long! This sure isn't Vintage Motocross I thought. I couldn't see half of the race unless I had binoculars. This was a USGP track. Next, the starting gate was wrong. Vintage motocross either had the "hand on helmet start" or the "bungee cord - banner start". The organizers of this event utilized the current "cement slab/gate starting system" that totally took away the vintage flavor as it used to be. This slab-start is great for today's modern series and for maintenance purposes, but I would have thought that for this once a year championship event no less, vintage starting would prevail. Within minutes I realized this wasn't a "vintage style event" but that it should have been called The Old School Motocross Championship or something on those lines.At least when the older machines say pre-74 came up to the line, I would have liked to seen them line up forward of the cement slab and bungee or flag start the race. The reason I was told this couldnt happen is because the property owner balked at having trenches in his land. Well, thats what they make tractors and drags for of which I noticed parked on a back lot!

Some suggestions for next years VMX Championships Event:
1.  Have the Vintage class bikes start without the gate and on the dirt. Two reasons. 1) It allows the riders to "pick their trench" as a point of strategy. It used to be if you got your bike ready fast enough for the next moto and got in line quick enough you would be able to pick your prime spot of racing real estate. The start is everything even in vintage fashion. 2) It eliminates all the technical "know how" needed for current slab starting. Vintage racing should be Vintage.

2.  Require "neutral starts" with the Vintage bikes. This is the great vintage equalizer that really tested the rider and his ability to cheat. It used to be that you had to "glove start" with your clutch hand on the bill of your helmet. The starter had the Green flag behind him and with his other hand he'd point to whatever rider was not conforming to the rule until he did conform. When the starter was satisfied all were correctly staged, he would suddenly pull the flag and wave the start to begin. If a rider somehow got too much of an advantage by cheating anyway, he was black flagged and made to let all the other riders pass, then he would be allowed to continue the race. Starting gates eliminate cheating but loses it's appeal in the vintage arena.

3.  Shorten the track. 3-4 laps on a GP track is good for the riders but boreing to spectators. How can one expect the sport to grow without at least a 4:1 spectator/rider ratio? I would suggest 3 each 6-10 lap motos on a 1/2 - 3/4 mile track. This has several advantages. 1) It allows the riders to really dial in their strategy and it offers more opportunities to make the pass. 2) It lets the spectators see the whole race. I was very disappointed not to be able to watch the racers on the back forty! 3) It makes the track rougher requiring greater planning and bike set-up for later moto's. 4) It makes the job easier for track maintenance after the event is over. This is a common complaint i hear among our track organizers and volunteers today. Does anybody know what it means to slave in 110 degree heat in the desert preparing a track on Saturday to have it all torn up Sunday? Sure we are a bit older now but we did it twice a month rain or shine. I suppose the strong love of the sport and wanting to see races with guys giving it they're all was what we were after back in the day. We're a bunch of softies now days. But for this ONCE a YEAR event this should be taken care of without complaint.

4.  Put in a couple "Mud Holes" on the track. This was a trademark of early motocross in SoCal on dry days that required you make your equipment waterproof. If they could be strategically located after a jump or in a key turn it would let the rider know he needs to clear this thing or figure how to get through it. You would invariably have some riders getting caught in there creating mud trenches that really challenges the next rider but so what. Plus this is a fan favorite on the course.

These thoughts are just my ideas that would put some flavor back into this vintage sport. They may seem to some inappropriate, outdated and without practicality. But I assure you, to the fans and I'm sure most of the riders, these suggestions would be classic, a lot of fun and period correct. Sure some of the riders will definitely complain, but so did we way back when. But we still went out and raced our guts out and came away knowing we gave it our best. Thats racing!

I would encourage the organizers of these events to seriously consider some options to try and get back a little more of "True Vintage Motocross" racing in Southern California, the hot-bed of American motocross even to this day. The current efforts made to bring Vintage MX racing as a popular and fun sport here in Southern California are tremendous. Lets complete the package as I believe it would be a breath of fresh air and would make it more popular than it already is.


Thanks for stopping by...EJ
UPDATE - July 2003
Vintage Iron MX World Championships:   
      Another year rolled around and the 2003 event came to town with the anticipation the great Marty Smith showing up this year. I haven't seen Marty glide around the track since the early 80's, so this was a nice draw to the event. But it was disappointing he couldn't make it though im sure he had good intentions. I took my brother with me this year building up the event and how it would be really cool to see the old bikes on the track as well as folks my age out there slinging mud and roosting dirt clod's. I hoped the track would be altered from last years GP style track, but to my dismay it was even longer requiring even larger binoculars to see the back forty!

So there was nothing new to report this year except that the races were shortened by a lap dropping the moto length to 4 laps. Im sure the riders appreciated this as a welcome change with the hot summer heat this weekend. With the demanding GP course that was offered, the average rider probably thought they had enough.

      As the article title assumes an emphasis on the style of race format as Motocross, the VIWC doesn't seem to apply itself to this format and probably had no intention of doing so. The suggestions I posted here last year (see above) do not fit the designed format of this weekend nor last years event by design of the promoters. This is not to state any negative connotation of the VIWC, I believe my observations are suited for a competition that lends itself towards a "short circuit" fast paced style of race. But, though the motorcycles that dominated the population of this event ranged in age from 20-40 years old, one might assume the event would be presented with the "old school" Vintage flavor that we've all come to know and love.

      I and others would have loved to see the old, in the dirt, Flag or Rubber-Band starts which Im sure would have been one of the favorite moments of the day for the spectators. And, for the smaller displacement bikes a shortened track without the mountains might have been a welcomed and relieving option for those poor riders that struggled trying to negotiate and conquer them without enough horsepower for the event. Another nice touch would have been to allow the spectators to seat themselves at other area's around the track at a safe distance, specifically those area's where competators can best pass their opponents. There is nothing like feeling and smelling these machines up close and eating their dirt once in awhile. Mud holes? There were none.

      I understand the need for racers to want to race on a GP style track to kind of feel what the pros did and to ring out they're machines on a big track. Makes one feel a little more in step with how the pros handled things and it allows one to dream a little knowing he's doing it like his hero. Thats all fine and dandy, just put on a GP event within the Vintage Iron Event to satisfy the craving. But, dont broadbrush the whole event with this GP philosophy on the old bikes. Keep Vintage vintage, and GP gp! Pretty simple thing to do with a little creative thinking and determination to reproduce the past in the present.  

Final thoughts, 2006:
      Contrary to popular belief, Vintage motocross sport isnt just about the riders and the bikes. That we dont need to be concerned about attracting spectators, we just want to race our bikes and relive a cool day at the track all to ourselves. Thats the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. Of course its more than dudes and bikes. Because of this self-centered philosophy, a prominent California club is dying on the vine only racing once every other month! Guess what guys, its about spectators and sponsors and the big picture. Open your eyes and start thinking outside the box, maybe install some new blood in the organizing ranks of your local club and get back into first gear? Neutral is no fun anymore!
     
      I have received some comments from individuals, both positive and negative and some even severe on the observations and opinions here, so I have tried to accomodate both sides for reasons of keeping with an open mind about this sport and its people in 2006. I understand there are many ways a Vintage Motocross or GP race can be planned and presented to the public as the promoter chooses, but to attack ones experience and knowledge in a judgemental fashion without attempting to get to know me and the facts of my motocross past is downright childish and uncalled for. Its amazing how grown men can make our children appear as adults! Maybe that old hooch cloud that used to prevail over the pits back in the day is still hanging around today? Our Vintage heritage with dirt bikes has a special family athmosphere about it that is seen no where else in sport, lets try to protect it with every effort of civility and respect it deserves.

Keep on Roosting...EJ