Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128196
• Industry The seven-time supercross champ makes it official \Nith an emotional Anaheim press conference press conference. "Although I am announcing my retirement, the 2003 season can be looked at as my farewell tour - kind of a way for me to say goodbye over a four-month period. Although I won't be racing this year, J will be at all of the races. I will be expanding my autograph sessions, and with Clear Channel's support I will be a part of the opening ceremonies at each event. It is my sincere hope that, with these efforts throughout the 2003 supercross season, it will allow me to meet and greet with as many race fans as possible, and to thank as many individuals as I can for the many years of the overwhelming and enthusiastic support I have received. McGrath's farewell speech included a long list of thank yous to the people who had helped him throughout his career - most notably his parents, his sister, a long list of sponsors and his wife, whom he called his By PAUL CARRUTHERS PHOTOS BY KIT PALMER s you probably know by now, supercross legend Jeremy McGrath said a tearful goodbye last week to the sport that he almost single-handedly put on the map. He did so in front of a standing-room-only press conference at Edison Field in Anaheim, California, Thursday, January 2, the site of what he calls his most memorable 250cc supercross victory - his first 250cc win in 1993. The 31-year-old McGrath retires with 89 career wins, 72 supercross wins and seven supercross titles. He also won a 250cc National Motocross Championship and a pair of supercross titles in the 125cc class. "It means a lot to me to be able to tell everyone about my retirement II announcement in the right way," McGrath said, reading from index cards he had prepared prior to the 1 6 JANUARY 15, 2003' cue • e n e _ s "newest teammate." He also mentioned several times during the press conference the bond he had with the fans. "This sport truly has been great to me," McGrath said. "I can remember countless times when people have come up to me and told me that they'd named their kids after me. And I remember so many guys who have come up to me and had pictures of me tattooed on their arms. Kinda crazy, but... I definitely feel honored to have touched so many lives." McGrath admitted that it was the dislocated hip he suffered three months ago that at least got him thinking seriously about retiring, but it wasn't just the injury that led him to this point, he said. He had a hard ti~e dealing with the fact that he wasn't racing at the very front of the pack. "It is true that injuries have played a role in my decision to retire, but [ffJf?@!JI@[JD !XJ@@@[l({j McGrath's Current Records (held or shared): 89 AMA National victories 72 AMA Supercross victories 7 AMA Supercross titles 14 AMA Supercross wins in a season (1996, tied with Ricky Carmichael) 13 consecutive AMA Supercross wins (1996) 8 AMA National titles (tied with Ricky Carmichael) 9 consecutive seasons with one AMA Supercross win 13 125cc Regional Supercross wins