I’m an hour in to this and love it! Marty, you’re so humble. You were so good, so stylish, so smooth, dressed so sharp and on such iconic bikes. What a time! To this day I’ll glance at the clock and it’s 5:22 and I think Marty Smith. You motivated me and countless others who were in the same awe as Broc. Thanks 👍🏼
Who today is as excited, motivated and happy to talk bikes and racing? Maybe Cianciarulo or Pastrana. But man, they’re few and far between. Great interview!
How cool to see one of the classiest guys in motocross pay tribute to another. I was 13 when Marty won that first AMA championship. I worshipped him. RIP
Beautifully said! Marty Smith established himself as an icon of Motorsport before the age of 20. We have such great hero’s and legends in motocross, men who excelled in the sport and in life after.
When I was a boy riding my Honda XR75, then my Yamaha YZ125, onto my Suzuki RM250 every holeshot I pulled, berm I blasted, or jump I flew, I was Marty Smith. These are the days long before endless video streams and such. I went from the memory of live races attended and the frozen shots of him from my once-a-month subscription magazines. I tried to emulate everything he did, exactly like he did it. As a younger, fellow Southern California boy, Marty Smith was my hero. As fate would have it, years later Marty and I would meet, in a softball league in San Diego. That was 30 years ago and Marty and Nancy and I have been great friend's ever since. My father was absent in my life, but to watch Marty as a Man go about his business was to study true greatness. His commitment to his wife and family, his love, time, and interest dedicated to his children, love and respect of his parents, trust, loyalty, honor, assistance to friends, and dedicated commitment to teaching excellence, safety, and lifelong enjoyment to his students. He was one of the archetypes for me, the model of what a Man should be. As an adult, Marty Smith was my hero. We had so many important talks, so many great laughs, he provided such great counsel. He cared so much, thought so much, and gave so much, all so humbly and with such strength. I am in shock, total disbelief and can't stop the tears. I love you, Marty and Nancy. You were as good, loving, and honorable people as I have ever known. I'll never forget all that you taught me, ever. Godspeed, my friends. My deepest condolences to other friends, his beautiful family, fans, and others who feel the deep pain of this loss. God's lap time's are going to get a little faster.
So great Ping did this before Marty was gone. Thanks, Ping. Best show in the motocross community. Hope you have many more years to continue this for us fans.
Oh man what a bummer! I can’t believe this happened to Marty and Nancy! If a kid could ever look up to anyone, Marty was the guy and I was that kid. Marty and his wife are a testament to all that is good in the world. God speed to them both. 😢
This was one of my favorite WTS episodes and hearing the news today was almost to heavy to handle. Had to come watch the legend talk again. Prayers for the smith family and ride in peace...
RIP Marty Smith! Knew the family well, Marty was a humble, generous and super fun to be around. Nancy was such a loving, open and giving person. Heartbreaking loss...
Marty was who inspired me to get into motocross. i’ve ridden the silver tank Elsinore and then picked up a 250 CR and continued to race in local events for several years. As I got older I got into Enduro riding and still using a Honda CR until I ended up with an XR600R to this day. All because of Marty Smith. R.I.P Marty. Some day we’ll ride together.
"When you get a throttle in your hand, it's over. It's over." Dead-on-balls-accurate. Just when you thought you knew everything about this guy thru decades of print & digital media, this interview adds a mountain of perspective. Well done Marty & thank you David & Grant.
I've been around the motocross industry a long time and I'm fortunate to count a number of Champions as friends. But there is no question that Marty Smith was my first hero in the sport growing up. He defined cool, including being nice, hard-working, respectful, and humble, which made him even more cool. Then you add the red, white, and blue gear and the Championships. Iconic. Legendary. One night in a San Diego softball league I came in hot running to 3rd Base cleats up, and tore into the 3rd Baseman's ankle. He was pissed, I apologized, and Marty and I have been friends since that night 30 years ago. He is one of the most dedicated, loving fathers, now grandfathers, I know. He is one of the most honorable men I know. Marty is a valued friend and this interview highlights all the reasons why.
I’ve always idolized and respected Marty Smith; hearing him in this interview only makes that respect deeper. I grew up looking up to his style and professionalism and now, knowing his dedication to his family and his wife, as a grown man of 52 years old I respect him even more. What a good person and representative of this great sport. It doesn’t get any better than Marty Smith.
My all time favorite rider! I got to meet Marty and got his autograph in 1977 at High Point, Mt Morris Pa. He is a super nice guy. Thanks for having him on your show.
Great interview with my motocross hero .. I too rode a 77 red CR because of him. Had the privilege of talking with him at the 1980 Washougal nationals ... as he said in the story .. took time to talk . RIP Marty & Nancy
Always wanted to have Marty coach me when I was a kid seeing his ad in motocrossed magazine. Met him this weekend in the desert as he and his wife were camped next to us. We took our sand rails through the dunes and had a great time.
The excitement in this guys voice is after all these years is a testament to the love of motorcycles. MS is why everyone bought a red 125 Honda Elsinore. This is the only one that I actually watched from start to finish. Marty don't forget to thank the Geisha girls your wife is just finding out about.
Yes 'the whole look of the Honda factory riders at that time of the cr125 elsinores 'marty and tommy on those great looking red bikes with the team Honda riding gear' and the alpine star's and the electro helmets (whatever happened to electro helmets?) Well it was all just very inspirational and cool. I wouldn't have minded a bit more detail on the geisha house.🙂
I have been a fan since 1973 of Marty! He was my inspiration in the sport and my life!. Great memories of my 1976 Suzuki RM 370A brand new off the showroom floor in Mesquite, Texas from Big Town Suzuki. Saw him at the Texas Stadium in 1976! All the greats were racing there Jimmy Ellis Team Can-am! Just name a few I also remember Marty's Japanese mechanic little guy lifting off his RC 500 Honda off of a platform like it was a feather! That was before I knew that the factory bikes were made of titanium super lightweight! Amazing memories for me! Thank you for posting!
First!! Marty Smith, what a legend!! Love the JT sticker on his helmet. The good old days when you could actually ride a bike out your back door without neighbors bitching. Man I miss those days. Class Act!
The shows just keep getting better. This one really good for us guys that lived the era. 70s - 80s best for dirt bike? Love hearing about the good old days? Watch from start to finish all in one setting. Hope they don't stop just because super-cross is done for the year.
1987 I rode at the track in Sorrento valley w marty many times, he'd bring his class out there too about 12 or 15 kids. I told him about my track in mira mesa area and him and his students followed me there it was about a 3 mile ride and up a massive hill climb. He still was very fast in 1987 . Cool.guy too. RIP
Ping and GL continue to deliver! Awesome interview with an absolute legend. I hope this generation of racers is taking the time to watch / listen to these interviews of where their sport has evolved from and how to be a champion / good human being.
Marty. FUCKING Smith..... The California boy......rock star 🌟 the king of Kool..before Steve McQueen. Just saw a video of Livermore trans---ama race 🏁 😳 Marty was there..love you. Marty 🤟🤟🤟🤟🙏🙏🙏🙏🔥🔥🔥💞💞💞💞💞💞💞💞
Love the interviews with the older guys. So much more passion about riding and the sacrifices that they made while coming up through the ranks. Today's guys, while talented beyond belief don't seem to have that passion about riding a dirt bike.
Marty Smith was at the end of his career when I got into MX so I never knew a lot about him. This was an awesome way to learn about the racer and the man. What a great guy.
What a great interview by David and Grant not interfering with Marty as he waxed poetic ... I never knew Marty - but I knew people with his MX passion, albeit slow as $%^&* :-) ,,, That this conversation happened so well - I love it - thank you to the Whiskey Throttle crew for getting this on tape for all enthusiasts to "meet" Marty ... Appreciated now more than ever
@@EarthSurferUSA Either way Marty gave it up to God for helping him through his career because he believes that the Lord did make it possible for him. Whether you believe that or not, that's up to you
@@EarthSurferUSA I believe Jesus was my Lord in the flesh and he sacrificed himself to save us from sin. I believe my Lord gives me the capacity to choose freely, whether my choice is good for me or not. That's why I try to follow him as much as possible cause I know ALL of his choices are good for me. I am not perfect in anyway. But I truly believe God gave Marty the gift to ride like he did & Marty felt the same way. Good luck to you as well Doug 👍🏼 peace be with you during these crazy times we both find ourselves living in. - ❤ from Missouri
The Monarch Two Stroke made in Sweden was the bike to beat before Honda came out with the Elsinore 125 about 1973 . I saw photos of this bike with Marty Smith on it in the past .. and had to do some research to figure out what it was .. Lyle Lovit had one too ..
GL, DP... I think you guys have the honor of the last great, full length interview with the original star of American Motocross... [Ironic in that Marty mentions a fav thing to do > going out to the sand dunes with wife Nancy at (2:09:09)]. I'm fortunate to have seen Marty Smith race several times, from 1976 on... Mostly at Red Bud (Nationals & Trans-AMA races) Also got to meet him & Tommy Croft at what was then CYCLE-RAMA motorcycle shop in Elkhart, IN, the Friday before the 1976 Red Bud Trans AMA race. Smith was just such a nice guy, Croft too... both so low key...such great riders... got a Polaroid pic with the two of them... then they took me to see all the team bikes that were being prepped in the back of the shop. So sad to have him and his wife Nancy gone, just too soon. Good speed.
That story, at 1:28 He told me in person once, I wont forget his accent impersonation he did. of Gaston... . 'Hey Mar--tee, you are over there, ' LOL I am so glad to have this video...
My friends and I went to that race at Zoar Motocross Park in Springville N.Y. It was an Inter-Am race. Fantastic track with lots of steep hills and many jumps.
Kids have trouble finding places to ride in many areas. They have neighbors chomping at the bit to call the cops, you name it. I remember riding dirtbikes down the street to our local riding area, today, forget it, you'll have the cops on you in a second. Watching a race live isn't cheap either. I was going to take my kid to watch the Jacksonville Motocross this year. 12 year olds are adult tickets and they have to pay $100 to walk through the pits on top of my $100 pit pass. That's over $400 to take my kid to Motocross if I want to get him some autographs. If not, it's $200 to stand in the shade.
as a kid growing up in San Diego, I remember Miramar as it was all canyon land near what is now UTC mall and the 805 freeway. It was open to ride until about 1977 when folks started getting hurt and trying to sue the Navy. The area now holds Miramar National Cemetery
You can't beat those Catholic boys, they compete to win, Brady, Lombardi, Ruth, Kobe and my sports great the late Marty Smith. Saying a Rosary for you both Marty.
RIP my friend... every time we talked you were so nice. even when you became the BOSS you still remained the coolest...Jesus got another winner for an angel, Ill be lookin for you over my shoulder. Thanks for crashing me at Saddleback...bro! lllloooollll
All Stars 125s at every round, thats awesome, we need an old guys class too. Awesome guys having Marty on, before my time, I’m a Ron Lechien era dude, but Hannah is my immortal, but like ping said and for me anyways I bought the mags as much to learn about the riders, present and past, now we have the internet and the tube and no excuses not to see footage of past riders, info is everywhere, anyways love hearing the stories of how these guys started and here pro years battles etc, just awesome, Marty and those guys back then might not have had the tech of today, but imo they were way cooler on and off the bike, I sen pictures of the dudes back then, the surfer hair tans the attitudes were just cool. Oh they still have the older guys way it should be, you don’t have a regulated class, 125s, so much can learn from the older guys, makes the kids better riders if they can hack it, instead of fake results, why Marty’s era made great riders. What a great dude and example on and off the bike too. Cheers Whiskey Throttle show. Last imo 450s are all wrong for SX, won’t matter what they do to the tracks, wrong tool for the job. 250cc 2t was the perfect SX bike and size. Jmo fwiw.
Claiming rule still exist in all AMA races. You can buy any competitors bike for 30% above retail. It's right in the rulebook and is designed to keep the playing field as even as possible. It's not often used. Kind of a gentleman's agreement among peers.
It was to keep things even for the privateer riders. AFAIK Marty Tripes bike was the only one ever successfully claimed. The big 4 companies bitched enough to the AMA they got rid of the claiming rule.
i dont know what a gaysha bath house is but i laughed pritty hard when GL said" i didnt ride for honda so i didn't get to experience that but".i dont know why. maybe i pictured ronnie mac ,honda, and crazy stuff i cant imagine
When I was in California in 1987 someone at my job back then said they were building a house and a jealous husband pulled up the the job site and called out Rex Staten on the roof for screwing his wife and Rex calming stopped roofing and climbed down the ladder and kicked the guys ass and put his tool belt back on and climbed back on the roof and started roofing again. Lol
Some great video of Marty during that famous 1976 season: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-h93qIs_cR-w.html I think I have watched this three or four times.... Marty Smith was one of my hero’s growing up racing motocross in the 70’s and 80’s. So sad to have lost him so young.
Marty's first bike might've been some kind of Honda CT50. The Honda CT bikes were basically budget dirtbikes. Not powerful, not very light, not great by any means but still a nice starting point, a bit like the European dirtbike mopeds.
San Diego used to be the Hotbed of Motocross..Now you'd have to drive 100 miles to find a track or riding area. And they wonder why the sport isn't growing ❌
01:39:03 That was most assuredly in fact yes, an actual big scoop of lard! Crazy European fans would put arsenic in it if they thought they could get away with such!! lol
The schedule has always been fucked up for a privateer to follow.. bouncing from region to region. Then when they get there, they aren't even invited to the press day ride. So now the guys that already have several advantages have more track time, too. So you have guys chasing this season around, and not even getting any exposure, to help motivate sponsors. I understand the cream will rise to the top. But let's not forget about what' fills the rest of the cup.
