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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/146977
CN III ARCHIVES P102 BY LARRY LAWRENCE MILLVILLE'S 30TH ANNIVERSARY T his weekend's Red Bull Spring Creek National The track is known for its deep sandy soil, marked the 30th anniversary of AMA National monster whoops and natural elevation changes Motocross events being held in Millville, Minne- rising up out of the creek valley. sota. If you count Trans-Am (Trans USA) races Millville was the final AMA MX National in its inthe first National was actually held in 1982, when augural season of 1983, an era many consider Suzuki's Dave Hollis beat Husky rider Billy Grossi a golden age of American motocross. So it was in the once great, but by '82, a weekend that championrapidly diminishing fall series. ships were determined. But things really got going on David Bailey (250cc), Broc August 28, 1983 when Spring Glover (500cc) and Johnny Creek hosted a triple National O'Mara (125cc) each won weekend with its first running their respective titles that of 125cc, 250cc and 500cc year, but strangely enough AMA Motocross Nationals on not one of them took victhe same day. tory at Millville that day. InLocated on the banks of the stead the races were won scenic Spring Creek (which by Bob Hannah (250cc), runs through the middle of the Danny "Magoo" Chandler racing facility and fans and rid(500cc) and Ron Lechien ers have used the creek to cool (125cc). The tension in the off over the years), Millville's air was thick at Millville that Spring Creek Motocross Park first year since all the titles used to be a working farm, but were up for grabs going into early-spring floods resulting that season-ending national. from the snow melting in the No one knew it at the time, valleys made the parcel of land but the victory for Chandler The 1984 Millville particularly difficult to cultivate. So in 1967, National program proved to be his final National victory. a man named Grant Marquardt pursued his cover showing Chandler was injured in a practice crash interest in motorcycles by founding a hill- Bob Hannah, during that off-season and missed most who won the first climb event here. Marquardt enjoyed the Millville National of the '84 campaign. Then in 1985 Chanprivilege of operating Spring Creek for eight dler's racing career came to an end when in 1983. years until he retired and sold the facility to he was tragically paralyzed in a crash at Perry Hendricks. One of Hendricks' first accom- the Paris Supercross. plishments as new owner and operator was adding In 1985 it was Bob Hannah who scored his final the motocross track in 1976. With Hendricks at the National victory. Hannah, riding for Honda, won helm, the track grew in popularity and, in 1982, he the first moto over Rick Johnson and then held off was able to obtain a round of the now-defunct Trans- Johnson and Jeff Ward to get second (to Johnny AMA Series. The following year, he secured Spring O'Mara) in the second moto to earn the overall. Creek's position as an AMA Pro Motocross Champi- It proved to be the 27th and final AMA Motocross onship track. National win for Hannah. Those 27 AMA 250cc