Mark Barnett at Red Bud TNT National Championship in 1981 

One of my favorite obstacles on the track, LaRocco’s Leap. It so much because I broke my hip on that one🤦🏼‍♂️🤦🏼‍♂️🤦🏼‍♂️

We first went to Red Bud in 1979 for the Trans USA and it was awesome. I went to RedBud every year after that for so many years I lost track. Even though I lived in Illinois this is probably the track I rode open practice and raced the most. My second race was there. In regards to expenses, Pro Motocross has become in my opinion too commercialized, that and four stroke motocross bikes ruined it for me. They can have 2 of those strokes back as far as I am concerned. Motocross would be 6 or 9 times better😇😇😇

@@mxtv1258 What does "commercialized" mean? (I never understood that). Does it mean there are way to many free market sponsors, and companies involved making money? Because what I see, is a dictatorship called the EPA that forced the 4-stroke on the industry, (hurting market share as the 1986 production rule did, by such intervention raising costs.). When the government takes over what we build and buy, I see that as "nationalization", not what ever "commercialization" is. So, if we can understand that communism hates our free enterprise, (and steals it from us to fund itself), I can see why our schools taught us to hate "commercialization", (what ever that is.), and not even recognize the nationalization of the industries we built as a more free people.

@@mxtv1258 Hey! If you know "Bill O'Mara" (kind of looks like Johnny too) from IL. (probably about 65 years old now), tell him it was a pleasure meeting him about 30 years ago (Red Bud night races). :)

@@EarthSurferUSA I am not sure who that is, I will ask one of my friends who is the same age, he just turned 65 and promptly retired.

Seeing him in MXA and sometimes on video doesn’t do him justice, seeing him race in person is the best.

I watched him race at Red Bud numerous times and he was a little muscle man, I could see why he is so good.

I definitely missed that time period in motocross.

I raced there on and off from 1981-1993. I stopped racing in 1993 after breaking my hip on LaRocco’s Leap.

@@mxtv1258 Bummer. I was watching in 1992, pretty sure the first year of LaRocco's leap.I was racing 125C in '93 and never tried the leap because I never felt comfortable, even on a CR500. I had my pro license 1998-2000.

@@jro341 Oh that is really funny. My last race at Red Bud was April 18, 1993 in the 125C class. We may have raced together that day. I wasn’t trying to make the leap but I flipped over backwards, first jump, and landed on my left foot and my hip broke then. That was during Open Practice. I was on my 1988 Honda CR125R, it was ported by Eric Gorr and it was still fast in 1993.

@@mxtv1258 Nice. I was riding a 1989 KX125, the slowest 125 I have ever owned. I did learn a lot on it though. I downsized and moved out into the middle of nowhere. 1988 CR500, 2001 aluminum framed CR500 (1988 engine), 1996 RM250 and a 1994 KX125. It would be cool to have a 1988 CR125.

@@jro341 That’s quite an impressive list of bikes. We would go to Service Honda and see the CR500AF being built. We’re you a Michigan rider? We were coming from Illinois. Red Bud was the closest track to my home. We did have Santa Fe Speedway and Iliana Speedway but both were considered Super-cross tracks.

Motocross was great in that time period. My favorite time for Motocross in the USA would be the mid to late 1970’s to the mid to late 1990’s. I went to Red Bud so many times I lost track, I also went to the one and only Outdoor National at East St. Louis. They had all three classes that day. Thanks

I was at the E St. Louis race also. Yeah all 3 classes. Can’t remember if they were 30 or 45 +2.

@@mxtv1258 Actually, this is not 1981 I don't think. All the bikes are water cooled. Possible that all I saw was works bikes, but I think it might be 1982 or even 1983.

@@jeffcherry1643 I am just noticing your comments a few minutes ago. I think it was 30 minutes plus 2 laps by that time.

@@EarthSurferUSA I wasn’t sure either.

From what I can remember, that portion of the is the same as I remember it in 1979 at the TransAMA.

​@@mxtv1258 I just posted on redbuds page about this. Im in the middle of a rabbit hole old redbud weird layouts. Any stand out to you? Mxon 2018, 2010 ish there was an offroad truck race in the parking lot with its own mini leap replica. There is a video from 1974 on here and the first shots the leap in reverse. its like seeing a ghost Im local I love this place.

Thank You Robert👍👍👍I have been going to Red Bud since 1979 and took pictures from day one but this was the only time I took a film camera, I just wish I had taken more film. Do you see my Motocross Collection video? I am going to make at least a few more if I ever get the time. In regards to your riding and Dad getting on BetaMax it can be transferred over to the digital domain and then edited into a RU-vid video. I have subscribed to your channel in hopes that you do it. How did you find this video? Was it posted on a video forum? This and the YZ125 video have been getting an unusual amount of views lately.

@@mxtv1258 great to meet you! I suspect your videos will get a great deal of attention from us old timers😉. There just isn’t enough film of racing from the time, especially out doors events. I know there must be a great deal out there and I certainly hope it gets shared. I’m constantly searching for late 70’s early 80’s video, Gary Bailey has an absolute treasure of an archive which he periodically adds to. They are really special, given his unique access, particularly of David’s career. Some of my favorites are of the winter Pro-Am races in Florida which feature Bob Hannah doing pre-season racing on an 81 YZ125! It’s fantastic! As far as my videos go, I will look into having them transferred again. The last time I checked a few years ago it was extremely expensive. My videos are all of my amateur racing, mainly from when I lived in Japan (from 1981-1984). They are unique I guess, but I wasn’t ever any kind of superstar. I sure tried....but I don’t have the athletic genetics for it. Because I was American, however, I did get very special attention over there and was treated much better than I should have been. We connected with a local race oriented shop within our first week in the country and I was riding and racing in their team almost immediately. I think they had great hopes for me at the time. We had factory support and had two top amateur racers and me. One of the guys on the team was a guy named Lon Kinder who contested the National All Japan series. When I first joined the team in 1981 he was a top Junior (equivalent to intermediate here). I raced novice and got to travel all over the country with the team (Team Mr.Bike). We raced with Suzuki support in 1981 and 1982. Lon used to get some very trick parts of which I often was allowed hand me downs. It was a surreal situation for me. A dream really. In 1983 the team signed a deal with Yamaha and I had two new white and red YZ125’s given to me. Lon raced both 125’s and 250’s in the expert class and was being groomed to turn pro. We had a lot of cool parts that even I got to use. When my stock shock finally blew up and turned into a pogo stick, I was given a very trick factory shock. It was very special moments like that which I treasure. In 1984 I was a senior in high school and discovered girls. I was concentrating primarily on school that year but I did do a few races and some bike testing and media work for Honda, the teams sponsor that year. My fathers contract ended in August of ‘84 so we were preparing to leave Japan that summer. When I went to meet with the owner of Mr. Bike to return the street bike they gave me to use and to say goodbye; he offered me a deal to stay in Japan for four more years to work at the shop and continue racing with Honda support. Being focused on college, I reluctantly declined the opportunity. It remains the single biggest regret of my life. While I doubt I could’ve been a championship winning racer, I certainly could have gone pro and made a career over there....Lon went on to race for factory Honda and Suzuki, racing actual works bikes. He was on the team at the time Steve Martin came over and won the All Japan series, the same Mr.Bike team I was on. Steve and Lon raced white Honda works bikes with MrBike livery in blue. Unfortunately , Lon ended up injuring his back and became a successful golf pro in Hawaii, where he lives today. When I returned to the states, I immediately started college at the university of Alabama in Birmingham. I had a brand new 1983 YZ125 in my sisters garage that I had ridden one time and broke my leg during a visit to the states in the summer of 83. I raced a lot locally on that bike in ‘84; until my parents decided to open a Kawasaki franchise in Warrenton Oregon. I put school on hold and moved to Oregon to help and continued racing motocross, off-road, observed trials and road racing all alternately from 1985 to 1990. I raced my final motocross race in 1989 and quit out of frustration and injuries. I just couldn’t seem to improve. As a reference, when I left Japan, I was barely expert level over there, in the US, I struggled mid pack in the B class. There is a huge difference in talent levels. That was just my Japan story. We also lived in Canada and Saudi Arabia, which is where I first started riding motocross in 1977. I was fortunate enough to have raced all over the place, even a few months in Holland while my father had some work there in 1980. I’m 55 now and I miss riding! Unfortunately I suffered some serious back and wrist injuries which make even road racing impossible. I just cannot hang on anymore. I finally packed in occasional amateur road racing in 2006 and got into cars. Now I’m a total car nut and do track days whenever I get the opportunity. I would race cars if I could justify the expense, but I have a family now...so my Motorsport days are sadly over. Now I’m just a big fan of moto and a bit nostalgic for the old days.👍😂

ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-p_pOyPhHlGI.html

Steve Martin won the 250 championships in 1984 and 1985 for Honda/Mr.Bike. This video is from the annual “GP” which invites a handful of top Americans to race one event against the top Japanese riders. If I would have stayed in Japan, I would have been on the team with Steve Martin, albeit as an amateur still, at least through 1984. Mr Bike was a great shop. Based near Nagoya, they had several stores in Japan and sold every make. They had full on motocross and road racing teams and supported trials riders as well. Wonderful people. Wonderful place. 👍 ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-wEIb6Lt9lh0.html

@@robertrishel3685 That’s awesome and I love the Motocross Vault. He is the one who helped me identify the riders in my video. I will be replying to your comments, I am going to work shortly. BTW I am into cars also and I think you and I plus the other MX’ers are in that profile too👍👍

I didn’t know that. I live nearby now. I had heard he had friends in Calumet City and would practice there. At the time I lived nearby, now I am in Downers Grove. He was awesome and I seen him at several different Nationals as well as the Pontiac Silverdome.

@@mxtv1258 The Pride of Bridgeview👍 Is DGY still around?

@@eatcommies1375 DGY is out of business, I am not sure what happened. The building is still there but it is now Ogden Lincoln Mercury’s exotic car showroom.

@@mxtv1258 I used to go to Joliet mx or Walnut, lived in hickory hills, sad about dgy, used to get parts there

@@eatcommies1375 I have never been to either of those tracks. I stopped racing in 1993. I crashed on LaRocco’s Leap and broke my hip and that ended it for me. Doug from Service Honda had to drive me to the hospital in Munster, Indiana. They wanted to take me to South Bend and there was no way I was going to go there. Did you go to Thornwood when you live in Hickory Hills?

I remember reading in MXA where the stars were being beaten at winter races in Florida and California.

I just wish they were riding 2 Stroke Works Bikes. It was great moment in Motocross time.

@@mxtv1258 Before FIM (1986 production rule to stop bike development in the USA), and EPA dictatorship (forced the 4-stroke engine on the industry), intervened in our MX free enterprise. We don't get it still. It does not matter what industry it is/was, that outside intervention makes every industry expensive and dysfunctional, if they can survive at all.

@@EarthSurferUSA And the current administration is not helping with that and doing next to nothing to reduce inflation. The green initiative is another drag on inflation too. Motocross and the whole world were different in 1986 and before.

I think it is valuable. I don’t know if it has monetary value but I really like it. I would have more video but the batteries got lose. I think I still have the camera. I haven’t seen this video on anyone else’s channel but I seen video I shot on other channels, I never get compensation.

@@mxtv1258 not Money value but History Value is what I meant,Mark was my First Hero when I got into Moto !…yes I wish you had More footage too,but That little segment is Awesome 👍🏁

@@bobbyblenio4571 I was wondering if that’s what you meant. I am from the part of Illinois he is from. My friend has pictures from his first race and you can clearly see Mark Barnett on the starting line with him. B&E Honda still has his CR125R in there loft. Have you ever seen him race?

@@bobbyblenio4571 I was wondering if that is what you meant. One my friends first races was against Mark Barnett. Have you ever seen him race in person? I have and he is a little muscle man.

@@mxtv1258 no…Unfortunately I Haven’t,But,I remember living in San Jose California,Right down the street from Fox Racing,& Mark was on the Cover of Their Mag….Damn I was Star struck…I musta been 11-12 at the time 😵