Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

Yeah, absolutely. Johnny, Donnie, Chuck and I have an incredible relationship because of that day. It was the greatest thing that happened to me even though we didn't make money. It was above all of that. It was like the Olympics and to be able to do it the first time was just awesome. How was' the week between Lommel and Bielstein? Between the week, Yamaha Europe contacted me about racing in Europe the next year because of my results at Lommel. Roger knew about it. I realized during the second heat at Bielstein that I wanted to come back and race in the World Championships. At the end of the race I told Roger that I had made up my mind that I was going to sign with Yamaha in Europe to race the World Championshi ps. What did Roger say? "I understand, completely. I would really like it if you rode with us, we really want you, but we understand completely and just go for it." Even though I already had a deal with Honda, they were so happy for me to go race the World Championships the next year And you went on to win the 250cc World Championship that next year... It was another great thing. It was tough because I was pretty young and I went over by myself, so it was hard for a little while. However, it was good because it put me in a place where I was alone. I . could concentrate and train. I didn't get sidetracked. It was important for me to be over there and be alone. I became better because of it. How did Bielstein go for you? I remember starting in the second heat and not being able to see the ground because there was so much shadow from riding beneath all of these trees! And very, very slippery. I relaxed and had nothing to lose. I just kept passing guys, and everything felt so perfect like one of those. days where you don't miss a shift or anything. The. track was dangerous and hard to ride; it was a real mind blower for me. You guys were crossing asphalt and everything, weren't you? Yeah, there were a few places were you would cross the road. In fact, I don't remember any of the Americans during the race because it was such a weird racetrack. I don't think they got good starts, but I was able to get out of the gate well. In the second heat, I remember I did get a bad start, but I was the guy who came up through and passed people and I think I got the Dutchman Gerard Rond on the last lap. That got the point needed to win the thing. We were all so happy. . Are the Americans stllI the best in the world? I can say one thing, and I feel that I am qualified to say this because I have gone back and forth between here and Europe so much. I feel that it is harder for a European team to win the Motocross des Nations than it is for America because we have so many good riders and so much selection. We have 300 million people and Belgium has 9 mi1lion. For a small country to have so many good riders is just amazing. We have a big selection of riders, but for Europe now to put a team together to beat us is really hard because it is all divided up so much. There are not enough riders to go around to put together a great team. Before it was possible because a country like Belgium had so many good riders. If you put Europe against America in the last 15 years and aiMed up the points, it might be a better way to do the Motocross des Nations. In Europe you are dividing up Italy and France and Belgium. It could be the United States against a United Europe. You can't look at just one European country, you have to look at all of Europe and score the points. What have you been up to? I moved to Europe five years ago and started racing rallies in Africa. A few years ago I started a business where I began importing FMF. products into France. Then helmets from Italy. So it's a company over there in France where we distribute products. It's like a miniature Parts Unlimited (laughter). I have also started a suspension company with Don Emler. America had not been to the Motocross des Nations in two years, and the first team of Hannah, Glover, Barnett and Howerton bailed out of the American effort, so you, Sun, LaPorte and Hansen were thrown onto a plane and flown to Belgium. If I am not mistaken' it was the first time you had been to Europe. What were you thinking when you arrived there? I'm trying to put it all back in my hea:d. Yeah, It was definitely the first time I had to been to Europe. I had done a couple little international races prior. I went to Tahiti and a couple places like that, little exotic races. I was basically a teenager, SO it was a new world for me, but it was pretty exciting. 1. was liVing my dreams of racing professionallY and seeing the world and stuff like that. The opportunity of being able to be chosen for the Motocross des Nations in my first year for Honda as a factory rider and being totally unknown, especially over in Europe, was unreal. Looking back on it, I was more excited 'than anything. It wasn't so much a nerve-wracking deal. As a teenager I was just wing- . ing it. I didn't know what to expect. Was it a strange experience for you to pull into a track where everyone is speaking French and Flemish and the sights and sounds are completely different than the United States? What I remember more than anything is that we didn't get a whole lot of attention. If anything, basically America was sending a second-rate team, so I think the Europeans were kind of like, "This should be interesting, let's see how bad they get beat." We were kind of the underdog from the get-go and that may have taken off some pressure where we had nothing to lose and all to gain and that is what started the winning streak, and damn, we just smoked those guys. You guys did real well in the qualifying heats that put you into the field. Did you feel more confident after that? Through my whole career, even as an' amateur racer, I always felt real confident of my abilities. I always had that dream that I was going to be the best. I don't think any guys really made me nervous, even back then. It wasn't so much a cocky confidence, I was just very confident, a lot like McGrath. I know McGrath real well and the guy is just so confident in his abilities. I was similar in my earlier days as a young kid and was that way throughout my entire career. So I don't think I went there with any of those guys intimidating me at all. I hung out with Donnie Hansen a lot then and actually lived with him when we went there. Donnie was a big role model, he was a couple years older than me. I was like his little brother, so I just followed in his footsteps so I had a mentor at that time. I just went there and did my job. The whole team just kind of blossomed there. It was perfect. It was kind of like a dream. As a fan my most vivid image of the event was that classic picture of you crossing the finish line with your fist in the air. Do you remember that moment? Yeah, I think I think I do remember that. That stands out, and those pictures of us all up on the podium. I had long, bleach blond hair back then. We all looked like kids. I guess I, was probably the youngest by a few years. It was a great atmosphere and having Roger DeCoster as our team manager from the beginning... Right there alone, he was a hero to all of us, or at least to mer and just to work with him was great. The Europeans took it kind of bad because they couldn't figure out why Roger would be supporting us and not Belgium. They all looked at Roger and thought "What are you helping these Americans for?" But that was his job, he worked for Honda and all that. Roger was a big plus throughout my entire career. I still live and die by that. The insight and paths he carved for me as an individual is what helped make my career. Role models like that... I always believe in hanging ou! with' people that are maybe a step above you. That.is how you get to the next level. Hanging out with Donnie Hansen, Roger DeCoster and Bob Hannah. As a kid I could never imagine that I would become good friends with th~se guys and be beating them in racing and becoming a champion. I look back at it now and it's still hard to believe. You might have been a bi~ young, but after you guys won, did you realize that you guys had just changed the way the sport was going to be viewed around the world? I don't really think so. Speaking for myself, I think back now and believe we changed it a lot. We set a good precedent for the guys now. We really elevated racing in the early '80s and into the '90s. The guys that raced in that era really set it up for guys like McGrath and Emig and Ryan Hughes, we really elevated the sport. We elevated the sport aU over the world. You know in the early days the Europeans,were always on top of the Americans and at that period we started a new era. You know, with supercross, triple jumping, and doubling things. You went on to race for team USA at the Motocross and Trophee des Nations events in Switzerland and Germany, Finland and Sweden, and in my humble opinion, the all-time great team in Maggiora, Italy. Were all of those events unique to you and did any of them stand out above the others? I always look at it as the first one was the cream of the crop and then my last year at Maggiora was probably my best ride ever at any particular race. There was just something about that day when I rode the 12Scc. [ took a J.i19.ng to the track and the Honda was just awesome that year and we just had an awesome team, three guys that were totally at the pe~k of their careers: Johnson, Bailey and myself. That was the all-time, strongest team ever. However, you always remember that first race.. That was the biggest eye-opener. We went there as the biggest underdogs and I don't think anyone thought we were going to be a threat and to beat Belgium on their home track. The only guy that I felt was really fast that day was Vromans, and he won both motos, but Lommel was his local practice track. I remember leading the thing in both motos for numerous laps, so that was a great feeling. I think I finished 2-3, I swapped motos with LaPorte. Vromans won both motos and was the sand king and I had never ridden in sand with five-foot whoops like that, but we just adjusted. It was really pretty amazing and then we backed it up the following week on the SOOs. I had heard that you were very nervous that weekend. Yeah, I do recall that one because I had never even jumped on a SOO - I never had even ridden one. I was a 125cc specialist back then; I wasn't even really riding supercross at that point. At the race they were like, "Think you can ride the 500?" And I said, "Well, we'll find out" (laughter). Back then we were on works machinery and those things were just,awesome. I think that was a big part of my career I'll always remember, that I was a part of the works-bike er

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