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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/127760
INTERVIEW with poor showings by his rivals, had allowed Lamson to make up the 75 points that he had lost at the start of the ~ason. "It was pretty incredible, really," he says. "There was a point when 1 felt like I couldn't be beaten. To catch up that many points took so much hard work." Then, for the second time, Lamson suffered a setback. Lamson and hometown rider Ryan Huffman collided on the first lap at Washougal, and Lamson could only muster a 12th-place finish in moto one. A second in moto two was only good enough for fifth overall, and Lamson left Washougal third in the point standings behind Hughes and Honda of Troy's Mike Brown. "I was so pissed when Huffman crashed into me," says Lamson, straying from his typical nice-guy image. "When I got up a looked over at him, 1 wanted to kiU him, to go and jump on him. Then I came to my senses and said, 'Whoa, let's get going.' It wouldn't have been right to go over there and hit him anyway. I was so mad during that moto, 1 wanted to break my bike in half." Lamson knew what he had to do in the Hnal two races, and swept both motos at the penultimate Binghampton ational round. Brown had terrible luck at that race and all but eliminated his title chances, while Hughes was third overall. Leaving ew York, Lamson had a slim three-point lead over Hughes. The next five days would be hell for Lamson. "The week in between Binghampton and Steel City was pretty miserable, 1 guess," says Lamson. "All I could think about all week was that if 1 didn't win the title, I would be so miserable. To come all this way and then lose the championship anyway would have been the worst." Lamson's worst fears came true in the first moto at Steel City, as Hughes led him across the fi nish line and the duo entered the final moto of the year tied in points. After 12 rounds, it would all come down to the last mota of the year. "I was so friggin' nervous at the start of the second moto," says Lamson. "I remember Ryan lined up on the far in ide gate, and I lined up right next to him. It was winner-take-all, and 1knew what I had to do." Lamson pulled the holeshot and led every lap of that final mota en route to his first National Championship title. Many on hand swear that both Lamson and Hughes elevated themselves to a higher level as they circulated the Steel City track. "AlII could think about was making no mistakes," says Lamson. "1 was riding as fast as I possibly could. [ was right on the edge, pushing it harder than ever. 1 couldn't have gone any faster. I kept looking, and Ryan wasn't making any mistakes either - he stayed the same distance behind me, lap after lap. I think that it was honestly the best moto that I've ever ridden in my life, and that's not just because I ended up winning the Steve Lamson title, either. From the start to finish, my lap times got faster and faster. It's usually the other way around. When [ crossed the finish line, I was so reJieved." Lamson's championship-winning season is without a doubt one of the most exciting in recent memory, and one that Lamson will cherish forever literally. Shortly after the series finale, Lamson had the AMA number-oneplate award tattooed on his left bicep. "Winning the title like that made it feel like 1 really earned it," he says. "Before the end of the season one of my friends was joking with me and said that if I won I should get the numberone plate tattooed on my arm. At the time I said 'yeah: but then when 1 actually did win I was like, 'Uh oh.' Then I decided to do it anyway. It's totally not my style, and 1 would never have gotten any other kind of tattoo. A lot of people don't believe me. Skip Norfolk (McGrath's mechanic) still doesn't believe me. 1 showed it to him and he said, 'That's not real!'" Lamson's expecta tions for the '96 season are high. Armed with new-found ccmfidence and a self-proclaimed "tougher" attitude, the Honda teamster feels that he is ready for the next big step in his career - the 250cc Supercross Championship. "I'm ready to defend my ational Championship next year:' says Lamson. Steve Lamson end his longtime glrtfrlencl, Cammy Abbate, were married a taw _ks lifter the Hries . "nale. "A lot of racers bad talk marriage, but I love being married," says Lamson. "So tar, the only dlftenmce Is thet I wear a ring when I ride." The Lamson's Riverside, Cal"omla, home: The decor Is Southwestem,and country music "lis the air Inside. A Chevrolet Blazer, a Honda Prelude, a Chevrolet Corvette and a Toyota truck fill the driveway and ha" of the garage. A Sea Doo personal watercraft, a go-ksrt and numerous motorcycles fill the other he". 'Tm looking forward to it. This will be the first time that I've ever ridden with a number-one plate in my life. Now all 1 have to do is get a number-one plate in supercross. In the past, I've told people that I thought 1 could win at supercross, but back in my mind 1 always had doubts. For the first time, I really do believe that I can win. Jeremy can be beaten, 1 just need to ride like I know I can. "A lot of people say that I'm too nice a guy, and I'll admit that I sometimes let others get the best of me on the track because I'm too nice. The heck with that, that stuff is out the door. Winning the 125s has given me more confidence in myself, and I'm not gonna budge an inch for anyone anymore. "Off the track, I'll still be the nice guy that everyone knows. You can never be too nice to your fans. Without them, none of us would be racing." CN