The revised Trens-AMA. now called Trans-USA MX Series. hes received a complete restructuring for 1979. WID It breathe new life Into the dying series?
Trans-USA MX Series Preview
A new name, but the same exciting game
By Gary Van Voorhis
The 10th anniversary of international motocross in the U.S. marks a hoped-for rebirth of
high energy competition between America's
best and the rest of the world. The $100,000
Trans-USA MX Series sports
not only a new name, but also
revamped rules and an addition .
to the program in the form of a
16
match race. The changes are an at·
tempt to spark a growth in what was
once the most interesting and eagerly
awaited series on the MX scene.
The Trans· USA will still provide the
only battleground ':'here champions
and challengers from all three
National Championship classes can go
heads up to see who really is the best.
. However, the additional flavor of
foreign riders, which in the Series'
formative years ~ade it so popular,
has been steadily declining in past
seasons. This year appears no dif·
ferent.
The tide of foreign entries began to
decline in the mid 1970's. The reasons
are threefold: Money, the emergence
of tbe U.S. as a formidable power in
MX and logistics.
On the money side of things purse
money once ravaged by expenses and
Uncle Sam's cut make racing in the
series a financial disaster for an, but
those with factory or big bucks sup'
port.
T·he second and third reasons are
somewhat inter· related with the first.
American riders are kicki'ng the hell
out of foreign riders on nearly every
occasion that they come to the U.S.
The lone exception is the 500cc USGP
where an American has yet to win
overall. Thus, the odds on a guaran·
teed top placing which were decidedly
in favor of the foreign rider in the
early 70's have now shifted. In ad·
dition, there are still places where
post·GP series take place that are ripe
for cherry picking . Australia, and
South Africa to name two.
Logistically, the distance between
the five events is more than some
foreign riders travel in two seasons.
What that boils down to is the intelligence of travelling 3,000 or more
miles to probably get beat and more
likely make little or no money.
To make the series more attractive
to all riders, the AMA liberalized
equipment rules and added ~ new item
to the program.
Prior to this year, riden in the
Trans· USA· (Trans·AMA) MX Series
International class were restricted to
Open (335·5OOcc two·stroke/361-500cc
four-stroke) class machinery. No longer.
Both the International and National
classes will n