Bailey wore big caps...before big caps were cool

Here's David Bailey hamming it up prior to a moto.  Looks like he was posing with the latest in headwear from JT or Dunlop, or maybe Hi-Point. One could always leave it to the factory guys when it came to quick humor and a few laughs in the pits.

I never fully understood the modern day MX stars who wear over-sized ball caps that drop down over their ears...but then of course Bailey was on top of that game 30 years ago!

So if you think it's new...we've seen it before in a different variation.

Jammer interviews the Rhinestone Cowboy

Racing and the heat off the battle were great dimensions during my years of reporting for Cycle News East, but what I seemed to enjoy most were the before and after moments in the sport...the anticipation of the event to come, who had a cocky comment directed towards another racer (there seemed to be many in those days) and of course injury updates.

Then the gate dropped, the race commenced, and within minutes we had a winner.

Here's a shot of Kent Howerton (aka the Rhinestone Cowboy based on his Texas roots) being interviewed after winning a Supercross by Jammin' Jimmy Weinert. Kent and Jimmy represent big brands in the sport of motocross. I used to hang on every word while making winner's circle photos - in those days, our tools were a notepad and two camera bodies, one shooting film for CN East and the other body capturing images for CN West. That's another story in itself and it will be unpacked in another post.

I believe the moto media gives us too many race images and not enough of the "real story"...what's happening in the pits, shots of riders with fans, more on the mechanics and team managers.  The relationships are complex and race photos don't tell the entire story.  I wanted to take my readers behind the scenes, as if they were traveling within the sport, as I was.

Well, that's just the opinion of this old-time reporter.  And I'm glad to have this blog as a platform for my thoughts!

#33 says holy %*$($(# how do I save this one?

Pretty sure this shot is from the Unadilla 250cc USGP, maybe 1980 or 1981.

I'm not sure who #33 is...Kris Bigelow?  It's clear the bike picked up an attitude that wasn't expected and this rider is crawling onto the gas tank to correct the errant front end.

Remember the high two-stroke rev you'd hear when a rider was trying to save it?  Getting the engine gyro effect to assist in correcting the bike's position? Hate to say it but when that rev noise came, it was probably a  millisecond prior to a big crash.

Thanks to Retro Motocross readers for posting comments and helping me ID the riders and mechanics.

Ron Sun is pulling Denny Bentley in a mud moto

Here's some action from a mud race from the early 80's...and that's when I knew I was totally engaged in the sport; even mud races were fun! I'd suit up in a two-piece rain suit and house my FE and FM Nikon bodies with garbage bags.  It was about getting in close and depicting the action on film; Cycle News West editor Charlie Morey was the one who turned me on to shooting tight in the turns with either a 50mm lens, or many times a 28mm. I enjoyed featuring as many riders as possible in news reporting.  This photo captures Michigan Mafia rider Denny Bentley (25) while the rider pulling lead duty is the other Sun - Ron Sun (24). I can't remember how this moto concluded, but what really matters is that the image remains!

Cantaloupi shows off his Open class Katoomer

I'm on a bit of a Donnie Cantaloupi binge as of late...here's Donnie with his works, air-cooled KTM big bore monster.

Can someone help me out and ID Donnie's mechanic?  I want to give cred where cred it due.

I loved looking at bikes in those days.  Shoot a nice, tight horizontal shot and you could show all the pieces and parts.  No shrouds and water cooling jackets and now EFI.  Just give me the finned jug and attached carb and I'm a happy boy.

It was great to walk the pits in my Cycle News days.  There were a million stories to tell and I only had limited time each weekend...what a terrible problem to have!