RacerHead
RacerHead
Historic
Moments In AMA Pro Motocross
BY DAVEY COOMBS
1972
The first AMA Pro Motocross race launches on Saturday, April 15 at Road Atlanta. The winners are Barry Higgins (500) and Sonny DeFeo (250), though the first series champions will be “Bad” Brad Lackey and Gary Jones, respectively.
1973
Daytona International Speedway hosts the opening round, and Dutch import Pierre Karsmakers gives Yamaha its first win in the 500 Class. Two months later, Gary Jones will get Honda’s first win in the 250 Class. Both will go on to win the titles in their classes.
1974
The 125 Class is added to the series, and with it comes the first superstar of American motocross, Team Honda’s Marty Smith, a teenager from San Diego who dominates the series.
1976
Bob “Hurricane” Hannah arrives on the scene and immediately usurps Smith as the 125 champion.
1977
The 125 title is decided by controversial team tactics when Yamaha tells Hannah
on a pit board at the series finale in San Antonio, tilting the title to his teammate Broc Glover.
1979
After four mostly dominant seasons, Hannah’s career is sidelined by a badly broken leg he suffers while water-skiing behind a boat pulled by his friendly rival Marty Tripes, knocking him out of action for the next year and a half.
1980
Midwest prodigy Mark “Bomber” Barnett out-points Glover for the 125 title, ending the Yamaha rider’s three-year reign and starting one of his own aboard a Suzuki.
1983
The first Wrangler AMA Grand National Championship combines motocross and supercross points for a $100,000 bonus; Team Honda’s David Bailey edges Barnett in the final tally to earn the overall title.
1985
In the last year of “works” bikes before the AMA implements a production rule, Honda’s Ron Lechien (125), Kawasaki’s Jeff Ward (250), and Yamaha’s Glover (500) are the champions.
1986
In what may be the peak of American Motocross dominance on the global stage, Team USA’s Bailey, Ricky Johnson, and Johnny O’Mara dominate the ’86 Motocross des Nations in Italy.
1989
Johnson’s four-year run as arguably the fastest man on the planet comes to a halt when he snaps his wrist in practice at the series opener in Gainesville, Florida. Into that void rides his Honda teammate Jeff Stanton, who wins three of the next four AMA 250 Class titles.
1991
French import Jean-Michel Bayle sweeps both the 250 and 500 motocross titles, as well as the AMA Supercross Championship—an unprecedented feat.
1995
After dominating AMA Supercross for three years, Honda’s Jeremy McGrath turns his attention to the outdoors and wins his one and only AMA Motocross title in the 250 Class.
1996
In one of the closest battles in AMA history, Kawasaki’s Jeff Emig outlasts McGrath in a winner-take-all showdown at the 250 series finale in Delmont, Pennsylvania.
1997
Seventeen-year-old Ricky Carmichael arrives on the scene and wins his first of 102 nationals and first of ten straight AMA Motocross titles.
1998
Yamaha’s Doug Henry pilots a Yamaha YZ400F to the 250 Class title, marking the first time a four-stroke motorcycle won a major AMA Motocross title, ushering in a new era in racing.
2000
Suzuki’s budding superstar Travis Pastrana, practically a household name due to his X Games exploits, turns pro at 17 and wins his one and only AMA 125 National Championship.
2001
In the waning moments of the last moto of the season, Red Bull KTM’s Grant Langston suffers a collapsed rear wheel and loses the 125 National Championship to Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Mike Brown.
2002
Team Honda’s Ricky Carmichael goes 24-0 in motos and sweeps all 12 rounds for the first perfect season in AMA Motocross history. At the same time, Kawasaki’s James Stewart turns pro and wins 10 of 12 rounds on his way to the 125 title.
2004
Carmichael completes his second perfect season, this time aboard a Honda CRF450R four-stroke. Meanwhile, Stewart wins a second title and along the way becomes the last winner ever on a 125cc two-stroke in what will soon cease to be called the 125 Class.
2006
Now with Suzuki, Carmichael laps the field at the rain-drenched Spring Creek Motocross Park in Minnesota on his way to his tenth and last AMA Motocross Championship. He will race six more nationals in ’07 on a partial schedule, winning all of them, to reach his career total of 102 wins in 127 starts.
2008
Kawasaki’s James Stewart has his own perfect season, going 24-0 aboard a Kawasaki KX450F. At the same time, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto wins his third straight 250 Class title.
2009
Suzuki rider Ryan Dungey wins his first AMA Motocross title in the 250 Class, then moves up to the 450 Class the following year and wins that title.
2010
GEICO Honda’s Eli Tomac becomes the first rider in AMA Motocross history to win his first professional race, which just happens to be the Hangtown season opener.
2011
In a battle between the two biggest stars in American motocross, Ryan Villopoto edges out Ryan Dungey for the 450 Class title.
2014
Riding for a Suzuki team owned by Ricky Carmichael and Carey Hart, Germany’s Ken Roczen becomes the first European to win the AMA’s premier motocross title since Jean-Michel Bayle in 1991.
2015
Star Racing Yamaha’s Jeremy Martin wins his second straight 250 Class title, marking the middle point of a five-year run for the squad that will also see teammates Cooper Webb (’16) and Aaron Plessinger (’18) claim titles.
2018
Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Eli Tomac wins his second straight 450 Class Championship.
1972
The first AMA Pro Motocross race launches on Saturday, April 15 at Road Atlanta. The winners are Barry Higgins (500) and Sonny DeFeo (250), though the first series champions will be “Bad” Brad Lackey and Gary Jones, respectively.
1974
The 125 Class is added to the series, and with it comes the first superstar of American motocross, Team Honda’s Marty Smith, a teenager from San Diego who dominates the series.
1976
Bob “Hurricane” Hannah arrives on the scene and immediately usurps Smith as the 125 champion.
1979
After four mostly dominant seasons, Hannah’s career is sidelined by a badly broken leg he suffers while water-skiing behind a boat pulled by his friendly rival Marty Tripes, knocking him out of action for the next year and a half.
1980
Midwest prodigy Mark “Bomber” Barnett out-points Glover for the 125 title, ending the Yamaha rider’s three-year reign and starting one of his own aboard a Suzuki.
1973
Daytona International Speedway hosts the opening round, and Dutch import Pierre Karsmakers gives Yamaha its first win in the 500 Class. Two months later, Gary Jones will get Honda’s first win in the 250 Class. Both will go on to win the titles in their classes.
1977
The 125 title is decided by controversial team tactics when Yamaha tells Hannah
on a pit board at the series finale in San Antonio, tilting the title to his teammate Broc Glover.
1983
The first Wrangler AMA Grand National Championship combines motocross and supercross points for a $100,000 bonus; Team Honda’s David Bailey edges Barnett in the final tally to earn the overall title.
1985
In the last year of “works” bikes before the AMA implements a production rule, Honda’s Ron Lechien (125), Kawasaki’s Jeff Ward (250), and Yamaha’s Glover (500) are the champions.
1986
In what may be the peak of American Motocross dominance on the global stage, Team USA’s Bailey, Ricky Johnson, and Johnny O’Mara dominate the ’86 Motocross des Nations in Italy.
1989
Johnson’s four-year run as arguably the fastest man on the planet comes to a halt when he snaps his wrist in practice at the series opener in Gainesville, Florida. Into that void rides his Honda teammate Jeff Stanton, who wins three of the next four AMA 250 Class titles.
1991
French import Jean-Michel Bayle sweeps both the 250 and 500 motocross titles, as well as the AMA Supercross Championship—an unprecedented feat.
1997
Seventeen-year-old Ricky Carmichael arrives on the scene and wins his first of 102 nationals and first of ten straight AMA Motocross titles.
1998
Yamaha’s Doug Henry pilots a Yamaha YZ400F to the 250 Class title, marking the first time a four-stroke motorcycle won a major AMA Motocross title, ushering in a new era in racing.
2002
Team Honda’s Ricky Carmichael goes 24-0 in motos and sweeps all 12 rounds for the first perfect season in AMA Motocross history. At the same time, Kawasaki’s James Stewart turns pro and wins 10 of 12 rounds on his way to the 125 title.
2004
Carmichael completes his second perfect season, this time aboard a Honda CRF450R four-stroke. Meanwhile, Stewart wins a second title and along the way becomes the last winner ever on a 125cc two-stroke in what will soon cease to be called the 125 Class.
2008
Kawasaki’s James Stewart has his own perfect season, going 24-0 aboard a Kawasaki KX450F. At the same time, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto wins his third straight 250 Class title.
2009
Suzuki rider Ryan Dungey wins his first AMA Motocross title in the 250 Class, then moves up to the 450 Class the following year and wins that title.
2010
GEICO Honda’s Eli Tomac becomes the first rider in AMA Motocross history to win his first professional race, which just happens to be the Hangtown season opener.
2011
In a battle between the two biggest stars in American motocross, Ryan Villopoto edges out Ryan Dungey for the 450 Class title.
2014
Riding for a Suzuki team owned by Ricky Carmichael and Carey Hart, Germany’s Ken Roczen becomes the first European to win the AMA’s premier motocross title since Jean-Michel Bayle in 1991.
1995
After dominating AMA Supercross for three years, Honda’s Jeremy McGrath turns his attention to the outdoors and wins his one and only AMA Motocross title in the 250 Class.
1996
In one of the closest battles in AMA history, Kawasaki’s Jeff Emig outlasts McGrath in a winner-take-all showdown at the 250 series finale in Delmont, Pennsylvania.
2000
Suzuki’s budding superstar Travis Pastrana, practically a household name due to his X Games exploits, turns pro at 17 and wins his one and only AMA 125 National Championship.
2001
In the waning moments of the last moto of the season, Red Bull KTM’s Grant Langston suffers a collapsed rear wheel and loses the 125 National Championship to Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Mike Brown.
2006
Now with Suzuki, Carmichael laps the field at the rain-drenched Spring Creek Motocross Park in Minnesota on his way to his tenth and last AMA Motocross Championship. He will race six more nationals in ’07 on a partial schedule, winning all of them, to reach his career total of 102 wins in 127 starts.
2015
Star Racing Yamaha’s Jeremy Martin wins his second straight 250 Class title, marking the middle point of a five-year run for the squad that will also see teammates Cooper Webb (’16) and Aaron Plessinger (’18) claim titles.
2018
Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Eli Tomac wins his second straight 450 Class Championship.