1977 Trans-AMA Motocross, Rabbit Run, Plano/Dallas, TX (need help ID'ing rider pics)

[LoneStar]

Mods, I have no idea if this is the best forum for this - Jo Momma or The Perfect Line seemed to be the other alternatives so please move if needed

That said, I recently found a set of B&W negs I'd shot at the Trans-AMA race back in 1977 when I was a teenager. It was held October 30, 1977 at Rabbit Run MX Park in Plano, Texas (we local riders never could figure out why they had it there), but I digress. Anyway, "The Man" was there on his Zuki and won, IIRC.

I scanned them all and created a SmugMug gallery for all the world to enjoy - yes even you guys

I've added the names that I could remember (or read off the pics), but if any of you vintage guys recognize the riders, I'd appreciate your input in the comments - that way I can get it fairly accurate for posterity's sake. If I've gotten any rider's wrong please let me know. It's been a while LOL. A little piece of MX history but fun to look back on

BTW I'd forgotten Harley-Davidson had a factory mx team... and that Gary Jones was racing his "Ammex" brand bike with Mexican engine and American frame...

Gallery

Here's a couple images from the lot:

Decoster and Howerton


Stackable, Karsmakers, Smith, DiStefano

[nachtflug]

Awesome!!!

I took care of some of the easy ones and have assigned the task to some MX junkies on Facebook including Craig Mueller from Missouri who may even have ridden this race.

#558 on the Harley is easy. Tripes!

[LoneStar]

Thanks Nacht!

Didn't recognize Hannah cause he had both feet on the pegs

Digging these out launched me off into the dark recesses of the net, reading stories waaaay too late at night and looking for pics of Joel, Roger, Ake and the Euro gang, J. N. Roberts, etc, etc

[ThereisnoSpoon]

I added a couple on your page.

I have the program from Unadilla from that year and could tell you all of them. Love that old stuff!

[LoneStar]

Originally Posted by ThereisnoSpoon

I added a couple on your page.

I have the program from Unadilla from that year and could tell you all of them. Love that old stuff!

Thanks Spoon that would be very cool

[ThereisnoSpoon]

Originally Posted by LoneStar

Thanks Spoon that would be very cool

No problem, that stuff is cool. I found the program and it's filled with all of their autographs too. It was the year I started riding and I was 13, I was starstruck at the Dilla.

Anyway:

#27 Terry Clark
#42 Kenny Zahrt
#69 Greg Theiss
#66 Danny Weir
#64 Charles Cooper
#55 Dave Boles
#333 Denny Swartz
#339 Mike Bell
#41 Glendon Johnson
#996 Charles Halcomb Hus
#102 Jim Pomeroy Hon
#11 Rich Eierstedt - program says he was on a Suz, maybe he switched teams
#384 Bob Rutter Puch
#18 Micheal Kessler Mon
#21 Chuck Sun

There's most of the first 2 pages. I'll take a look at the last 2 later and see who else is out there. Cool pics!

[LoneStar]

Fantastic!
Thanks for the effort and hassle of digging that out for me

Unadilla appeared to be Nirvana from down here in Texas. Never made it up there but it looked like the perfect European style track.

I wish I'd kept more stuff - especially the Husky and leathers

All that remains is a mint condition blue and yellow Maico jersey (made from football jersey material), a blue jean jacket covered with Husqvarna and other patches, and my old tool box covered with stickers. Need to dig all that out now

[nachtflug]

Originally Posted by ThereisnoSpoon

No problem, that stuff is cool. I found the program and it's filled with all of their autographs too. It was the year I started riding and I was 13, I was starstruck at the Dilla.

Anyway:

#27 Terry Clark
#42 Kenny Zahrt
#69 Greg Theiss
#66 Danny Weir
#64 Charles Cooper
#55 Dave Boles
#333 Denny Swartz
#339 Mike Bell
#41 Glendon Johnson
#996 Charles Halcomb Hus
#102 Jim Pomeroy Hon
#11 Rich Eierstedt - program says he was on a Suz, maybe he switched teams
#384 Bob Rutter Puch
#18 Micheal Kessler Mon
#21 Chuck Sun

There's most of the first 2 pages. I'll take a look at the last 2 later and see who else is out there. Cool pics!

awesome!

does it say who 80 on a Husky and 36 on the Moto Fox RM is?

[nachtflug]

Originally Posted by LoneStar

Thanks Nacht!

Didn't recognize Hannah cause he had both feet on the pegs

Digging these out launched me off into the dark recesses of the net, reading stories waaaay too late at night and looking for pics of Joel, Roger, Ake and the Euro gang, J. N. Roberts, etc, etc

thank you, these are awesome. all those Fox Air Shocks! #996 with no mouth protection.

those were the days, I remember Roger on the 104 at Unadilla, and pictures of Jones on the Amex have to be rare! Great stuff!

[nachtflug]

Originally Posted by LoneStar

Unadilla appeared to be Nirvana from down here in Texas.

http://nachtflug.smugmug.com/Vintage...7166&k=fWVGH8t

[nachtflug]

Originally Posted by LoneStar

DiStefano

[sTE610vE]

Thanks for posting these, this was the golden age of MX for me!
De Coster was the man (and still is, no way RC could touch him, right flug) and Hannah was coming after him.
A good analogy is that De Coster was Darth Vader and Hannah was Luke Skywalker, for me anyway

By the way on pic 31 Hannah is #2 and Rick Burgett is #8 and in other pics is #7 on the Suzuki Danny Laporte? that would be my guess.

[nachtflug]

Originally Posted by sTE610vE

Thanks for posting these, this was the golden age of MX for me!
De Coster was the man (and still is, no way RC could touch him, right flug) and Hannah was coming after him.
A good analogy is that De Coster was Darth Vader and Hannah was Luke Skywalker, for me anyway

By the way on pic 31 Hannah is #2 and Rick Burgett is #8 and in other pics is #7 on the Suzuki Danny Laporte? that would be my guess.

Charmichael just happened to race in an era when there were a bunch of slackers and now he fancies himself the greatest ever. which he isn't.

[LoneStar]

Originally Posted by nachtflug

http://nachtflug.smugmug.com/Vintage...7166&k=fWVGH8t

Flug, thanks for ruining my life

Those were soooo cool! Excellent photos and I just spent the whole morning poring over each one (and thinking "who the f is that?"). God what a beautiful track and seeing those guys and bikes is tooooooo much. I recognized Weinert, Lackey, Tony D, Gary Jones...

Now I have this ridiculous desire to buy a vintage bike and go break my leg on it.


How often do they do this event? I'd love to ride up and attend one if it's a recurring affair?

[nachtflug]

Originally Posted by LoneStar

Flug, thanks for ruining my life

Those were soooo cool! Excellent photos and I just spent the whole morning poring over each one (and thinking "who the f is that?"). God what a beautiful track and seeing those guys and bikes is tooooooo much. I recognized Weinert, Lackey, Tony D, Gary Jones...

Now I have this ridiculous desire to buy a vintage bike and go break my leg on it.


How often do they do this event? I'd love to ride up and attend one if it's a recurring affair?

last year was their first VMX specific event. they will do it again this June. It's almost better than the pro national. consider it your once in a lifetime pilgrimage to mecca.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...type=1&theater