VOLUME ISSUE NOVEMBER , P125
In the 1960s, Hopetown
regulars included such stars as
Roger DeCoster, Joel Robert,
Torsten Hallman, Ake Jonsson
and others. By the time the 1971
event rolled around, these big
names were no longer participat
-
ing. Still, there were 1200 entries
signed up for the Grand Prix in
1971, with at least a few riders
coming over from Europe to
compete. German rider Werner
Shultz and Great Britain's Vic
Eastwood were there, along with
American MXers Bob Grossi,
Marty Tripes and Jim Wilson.
ISDT competitor Gene Cannady,
dirt tracker Mike Haney, and
future industry legend Preston
Petty were all battling it in many
of the different classes offered
over the weekend.
Husqvarna rider Bob Grossi
would, in his brother Billy's
words, "spank those SoCal guys"
in the pro race, which would be
run in three motos. Despite badly
twisting his knee, Grossi held off
Schultz for the win, which was
good for $1000.
That kind of purse was real
money in 1971, but serious rac
-
ing took a backseat to serious
fun at the Hopetown Grand Prix.
Sidehack motocross, bicycling
jumping contests (judged by
racing legends like John Hat
-
eley, Keith Mashburn and Gene
Romero) and a race for Powder
Puffers (it's still 1971, ya know)
kept the sternest of race faces
smiling. The most populous
spectating point on the track
was the famous mudhole, which
was swallowing up race bikes
all day long. In 1972, the swamp
became even more treacher
-
ous after a heavy rain on Friday.
The next day, the mudhole was
deep enough to "lose a cow in…
if a guy picked the wrong line, he
just stopped and virtually sank
out of sight."
Just a few years later, Hope
-
town itself would begin to sink
out of sight. A prairie wildfire
had destroyed many of the Old
West buildings, which happened
at about the same time that Hol
-
lywood lost interest in Westerns.
The Pro Motocross season
extended deep into the fall with
the Trans-AMA series, and it
began early in the year with the
new sport of supercross. Factory
teams and riders now had plenty
of serious races on their sched-
ules, and there was neither time
nor inclination for silly events.
The last Hopetown Grand Prix
was held in 1975.
Once upon a time, in a place
that looked like the Old West,
motorcycle racing was low-key,
spontaneous and fun for all. Like
Cycle News said: you shoulda
been there.
CN
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