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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1503475
T he Southwick National Mo- tocross is one of the lon- gest-running on the AMA circuit. A National MX was first held at the sandy Moto-X 338 circuit in 1976 and has hosted 42 Nationals since, including last weekend's race, that's the fourth most in the sport's history. It was a 250cc National, and you'll never guess who won—why, of course, it was a sand specialist, Dutchman Pierre Karsmakers. The visiting 500cc GP rider won both motos that June 6 day while at the controls of his factory RC250 Honda. Not surprisingly, Karsmakers gelled with the track as soon as he set his wheels in the sand; everyone knew that the rider from Holland was going to be the guy to beat, despite Bob Hannah, de - fending champion Tony DiStefa- no, Brad Lackey, Kent Howerton, Danny LaPorte, Rick Burgett and many other elite riders among those in the 43-rider field. Karsmakers, however, had his hands full during the first Nation - al moto ever held on the South- wick track. Lackey, Hannah, DiStefano and Howerton all gave Karsmakers a run for his money in the 40-minute-plus-two-lap moto. But, in the end, Karsmak - ers outran them all, taking the win over Lackey and Hannah. Moto two was much simpler for Karsmakers, who passed early leader Rich Eierstedt and then rode off into the sunset, going down on record as the first person to win the Southwick Na - tional. It was also Karsmaker's last AMA motocross win of his career. DiStefano successfully de - fended his number-one plate that day. As it turned out, it was a stress-free day for the factory Suzuki rider from Pennsylvania because the only rider going into the Southwick National, which was the final round of the series, who was mathematically within reach of DiStefano was Jimmy Weinert, but he was watching from the sidelines with a busted kneecap. The Southwick race was just a formality for Tony D in winning the second of his three consecutive 250cc AMA MX Championships. The very first motocross race ever held at Southwick happened four years earlier, according to the track's website. The race was a local NESC (New England Sports Committee) event to benefit some of the town's charities. After seeing the success of that first race, Bernie Yelin, who for many years later on promoted the Southwick National, rounded up a group of dads from the American Legion Post 338 and, armed with chainsaws, shovels and pickaxes, cleared out the woods behind the Legion Hall to create the layout that is still used today. Over the years, the track has do - nated thousands of dollars to local causes and schools in the area. CNIIARCHIVES P124 FROM THE BEGINNING: SOUTHWICK BY KIT PALMER Pierre Karsmakers leads the way at the first-ever Southwick National Motocross in 1976. PHOTOS: CHARLES MOREY