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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1492570
CNIIARCHIVES P102 2nd Ashcraft/Smith: Team Husqvarna's Dan Ashcraft and Dan Smith dominated desert rac- ing in the early 1980s. For three years, they owned the sport. Their list of wins was astound- ing: three consecutive Frontier 500 (aka Vegas to Reno) wins (1982/'83/'84), three Parker 400s (1984/'85/'86), two Baja 500s (1983/'84), one San Felipe 250 (1984), two Las Vegas 400s (1984/'85), the 1983 Baja 1000, and the 1985 SCORE High Desert 250. Altogether the two Dans amassed 13 overall victories. If the bike finished, they usually won. The product of AMA D-37 desert racing, the two young stars came along when the sport needed fresh talent and energy, and did they deliver! With un - conditional support from their families, Team Book'em Dan-o demonstrated what desire, tal - ent and factory backing could achieve. Each went on to win ad- ditional races, including Smith's five consecutive AMA National Hare & Hound Championships and Ashcraft's additional overalls as a member of Team Honda. 1st Campbell/Hengeveld: Anyone surprised to see Johnny Campbell's name at the top of this list should check their meds. Something is off. The most win - ning Baja racer of all time, the bigger surprise here is that John- ny and partner Steve Hengeveld not only finished first but did so going old-school in the era of three and four-person teams. No doubt their team manager, Bruce Ogilvie, rubbed off on them. In re - ality, the decision to go two-man was based purely on selfish rea- sons. When it came right down to it, besides each other, neither rider trusted anyone else with their race bike. From 2002—2005 Team Campbell/Hengeveld collected seven SCORE overall wins, including three Baja 500s (2002/'03/'04), three San Felipe 250s (2002/'03/'04), and one Henderson 250 (2003). In BITD competition, they won two Vegas to Renos (2004/'05), one Parker 250 (2005), one Las Vegas 200 (2004), two Terrible 300/400s (2004/'05), two Terrible Town 250s (2003/'05) and one Laugh - lin Hare Scrambles (2003). Their total combined overall wins: 16 races. Backed by American Hon - da, the Campbell/Hengeveld duo proved that two riders could be competitive in an age of larger teams and specialization. All it took was the right two riders, a perfect bike, great pit support, and a no-compromise approach to the sport's most demanding races. So, there's your top five. Do you agree? Was anyone left out, and if so, who? Should different selection criteria be used be - sides the number of wins? Is it fair to teams from the 1960s and early 1970s who had a limited number of major events to com- pete in, just two or three events per year, while teams compet- ing from the 1980s on had as many as nine or ten SCORE/BITD events per year? More races equal more win opportunities. Is the playing field level? Perhaps we should toss out statistics and go with our gut. My gut tells me that going strictly by the number of wins may not be the full measure of a team (but at least it gives me some cover). Throwing the num - ber of wins out, my all-time top duo is JN Roberts and Malcolm Smith. Despite winning only two races overall as a team (the 1967 Baja 1000 and 1971 Baja 500), they are my top team simply because they are Malcolm and JN. These two are separate from the mere mortals listed above. They are the top off-road duo of all time in my book because they were pioneers, the fastest riders of their day, and the inspiration for everyone who followed. I know they inspired me, and I could never put my name above theirs on any list, so there you have it; the top duo of all time is Malcolm and JN. Now, that sounds better! What makes a super team? Equal parts ability, determination and chemistry. Factor in injuries, egos, factory support and all the risks associated with racing such extreme and frankly dangerous events, and the odds stack up quickly against any team staying together for long, let alone having long-term success. Professional off-road desert racing at the level it takes to win overall is very demanding; only those who have lived through it as a team under - stand the commitment, pressure and sacrifice required and why, like soldiers in combat together, they have a special bond. A bond only a fellow teammate can un - derstand, a bond that sometimes made history. CN Subscribe to nearly 50 years of Cycle News Archive issues: www.CycleNews.com/Archives