served induction award.
Former factory Honda and
Kawasaki technician, team
manager and suspension-
product designer Roy Turner
was honored. Turner began
his career in the golden age of
motocross as a mechanic for
the factory Honda team. He was
then lured to Kawasaki to be
Jimmy Weinert's tuner. Turner
went on to become the manager
for the factory Kawasaki MX
Team when team racers like
Jeff Ward, Ron Lechien, Mike
LaRocco and Mike Kiedrowski
were at their peaks. Turner is
also credited with starting the
big-rig era in motocross. He was
the first to introduce a team
semi-truck into the paddock in
the 1990s. All the other factory
teams quickly followed suit.
JT Racing founders John and
Rita Gregory were inducted, and
they shared how they got their
start by selling motocross socks
that were originally designed
for soccer players. Suzuki's
World Champions Joel Robert
and Roger DeCoster agreed to
wear their socks (for $100 a
year). They also agreed to wear
the socks over the tops of their
boots to increase their visibil
-
ity, which created that iconic
style
that veteran motocross-
ers know well. The socks were
produced
in Tijuana (aka TJ),
Mexico, which evolved into the
company's name, JT, TJ in re-
verse. JT became the industry's
first
major motocross apparel
company before transitioning
into the paintball industry. Many
top stars of the sport through
the '70s and early 2000s wore
VOLUME 62 ISSUE 11 MARCH 18, 2025 P25
(Below) Former
GNC Champion Brad
Baker (left) joined
Tony Dodge of Dodge
Brothers Racing, who
was inducted into the
Trailblazers Hall of
Fame.
PHOTO: MITCH
FRIEDMAN
(Right) John
and Rita Gregory,
the founders of
JT Racing, were
inducted.
PHOTO: KIT
PALMER
America's first road racing World Champion, Steve
Baker, was one of this year's seven who were inducted
into the Trailblazers Hall of Fame.
PHOTO: KIT PALMER
