1988 supercross riders biography
•
By Dave Despain
Ricky Johnson was the typical California kid motocross prodigy, a racer at age 3, dead last in his first race but a local hero bygd the time he was 16, the age when moto-prodigies battle for seven-digit contracts from the Japanese manufacturers. With the endorsement of big-time star Broc Glover, Johnson got help from Yamaha and reigned as 125cc Rookie of the Year in 1981.
Besides his on-track prowess, Johnson stood apart from his peers thanks to male-model good looks (he once posed nude for a controversial motocross clothing ad), a brash and often outspoken personality and, unfortunately, a serious streak of bad luck when it came to injury. For example, his rookie year in the 250cc class he won races and led the championship until his bike broke at the season's finale. But the following season that momentum was broken bygd a fractured collarbone and then a dislocated hip.
Still, Johnson was indomitable. He signed with Honda for 1986, teammate to David Bailey and Joh
•
Birthdate: June 22, 1961
Last win: June 8, 1991 | Oklahoma City
Age at time of last win: 29 years, 11 months, 17 days
Wardy set the old standard for longevity in the sport. Back in these days, 26 was considered old. With this win during the 1991 season, Ward recorded at least one supercross win in eight consecutive seasons, a record at the time. That McGrath guy went on to get wins in nine consecutive seasons.
Birthdate: November 28, 1982
Last win: April 21, 2012 | Seattle
Age at time of last win: 29 years, 4 months, 24 days
The 2012 field was decimated by injuries, including home state boy and AMA Supercross Champion Ryan Villopoto, who crashed on the first lap of this race and tore his ACL. This left the win up for grabs, and Andrew Short, one of the oldest riders in the field, battled Ken Roczen, one of the youngest, for the victory. Shorty came out on top for his only career 450SX win.
Birthdate: November 19, 1971
Last win: January 20, 2001
Age at time of last win: 29
•
No Regrets - Dave Thorpe
Thorpe's early career saw him excel in both motocross and football, and at one stage he was even offered a contract with professional side Queen's Park Rangers, before opting to concentrate on motocross.
After a successful early career for the UK Kawasaki team, Thorpe switched to the Honda factory racing team in 1983. He emerged as a regular Grand Prix winner in 1984, and took his first world title in 1985.
In this year's Motocross des Nations at Gaildorf in Germany he also took the overall individual win beating American riders Jeff Wardand David Bailey. He retained his world title in 1986, following a season long battle with Honda team-mate André Malherbe.
A series of injuries prevented Thorpe from making a title challenge in 1987 and 1988, where he finished fifth and third respectively in the 500cc FIM World Championship. However, Thorpe won his third title in 1989, following a thrilling season-long battle with Eric Geboers.
1990 saw him move teams