Florida Hard Rock AHRMA Vintage MX National & GNCC March 1-4

Chuck Sun

I answered my cell to hear Kay & Richard invite me to the Vintage Motocross National in Florida. Before I could answer she said, Oh I’m sorry you might know my husband better as Dick…Mann.

Whoa, I just received an invitation from one of the greatest legends of Motorcycle Racing….a star in the film that ignited my desire to race, “On Any Sunday” 37 years ago.

Count me in! Secretly I really wasn’t so sure, as I’ve only been riding modern bikes throughout the years, enjoying what I call production “works” bikes. I’ve been carrying the belief that going back in time was great for reminiscing past glories, but not to ride antiques that technology has long left behind. Another matter to consider was how this was going to figure into my preparation for the FIM Veterans World Motocross Championship beginning April 20 in Bellpuig, Spain. It turned out that racing is always good.

It only took the first set of motos on the aptly named Hard Rock course to realize that I’ve been carrying a false belief that you cannot have fun on Vintage bikes. Pre ’74 MX bikes are lower and are restricted to 4” of travel. Twenty pounds lighter and lower mean tossing these babies into the turns & jumps was a gas! It sure didn’t hurt that the bikes I was offered to ride were extremely well prepared and would rival the factory prepared machines of the day.

Tripes, Sun & Tom Boyd’s ’74 250 Husqvarna

It was a treat to receive riding tips from the only rider that could take down Hannah in the day…Marty Tripes. I remember 30 years ago Marty suggesting that I loosen my white knuckle grip and it has helped ever since.

Marty’s tip for Spain was “ride the bike, not the bike ride you” Marty has offered to travel to Spain as my coach. That would be cool if we could raise the expenses. If you come out and think you are going to just smoke vintage riders, think again. In many cases they have been riding the same bike for 35 years or more and know how to throttle up! I did manage to take a couple wins that went down to the wire against another Husky rider named Rascal who also rode the trials and dirt track at this AHMRA event. This was an incredible experience, riding thirty year old plus, running sculptures, while transporting your senses back in time.

One of the many highlights came during morning practice riding with 2 time World Motocross Champion Jeff Smith. It doesn’t get any better.

Jeff Smith starts the Ocala Cross Country. 1964-65 500 World MX Champion

AMA Hall of Fame Web Site

AHMRA Pres. Alex Morros offered his Brad Lackey ’81 500 Suzuki for the Cross Country on Friday. More of a modern bike it handled the technical tree lined course with no worries.

Chuck in action on vintage knees, no I mean iron.

Sunday’s Post Vintage (’74 & newer w/drum brakes) reflected the generous nature of Vintage enthusiasts as I had many bike offers. I elected to ride the Ohlins ’81 250 Maico that Steve had prepped, choosing suspension over power. It never bottomed, even on a huge 75 ft. table top! I could ride with as much confidence as a linkage with the progressive Ohlins dual shocks. Maico mounted I had a classic battle with Kevin Brule’ mounted on a 465 Yam. I just let the 250 sing diving into turns deeper and getting punished by the big bore roost on the exits. I made a last lap move over a couple jumps to out brake Brule’ in an old school block pass. I was absolutely amazed at how much fun it was to moto vintage bikes. Everyone should have their favorite vintage bike ready to race. Check out www.ahrma.com and come out to a Vintage National for some unbelievable fun! I hear you never know when a Legend motocross of will show up.

GNCC Action

Transitioning back to a modern bike was made easy by my MSR buddies who hooked me up with Cocoa Beach’s Champion Honda on a familiar Honda CRF450R. I threw on my Dicks Racing suspension and entered the two hour 36+ morning race. Sitting on the starting line waiting for the start was like a reunion with magazine guys milling around with DB (thats 8x Dick Burleson) just a few bikes down. Greg Davis was one of my bosses at Husqvarna from the 70’s and was entered in a row behind me, Cool!

Riding a Jimmy Ellis Can-am, Chicago Jerry made a few calls in order to set up a great support crew from Amherst, Ohio. Since I was sporting a standard size tank I was going to have to throw in 2 pits instead of just a Cytomax drink and a Scott goggle change. They had me in and out in 30 seconds! Out West I have the luxury of the 3.2 gallon IMS tank. Not a big fan of dead engine starts, I got off to a mid pack start but was top ten as we went into the rooty, whooped out sand woods. Let the passing begin, and I don’t mean just in my class as we were into the front row right away (age15-36). After lap one in the books we began to pass into row 10 comprised of C riders. Most riders were quite accommodating of quicker riders, but after an hour it was sometimes difficult for riders just to stay on the bike. It was at this point that I gave myself a diagnosis as having acute terets (Tourette Syndrome), as I would suddenly burst out #@%$# yelling as a lapper would weave into my path sending me into a palm tree! But by now I was being distracted with a quarter size blister being tugged on by a 50+hp Honda through the maze of roots and black sand. After riding on WORCS sand I really enjoyed the Florida sand and finished out in just over 2 hours of riding.

Kerry Jo of NPG handed me a 3^rd place placque as I checked the times. I finished about a minute behind 9 time Loretta Lynns champion Kevin Foley with McCabe taking the win. Rookie of the year in 1985 Kevin is a PR guy at Yamaha and rides!

Mission accomplished! Great racing action, healthy & fit as I move closer to April 20^th in Spain for round #1 the World Vet GP. A couple more Americans have been talking about running the FIM World Cup as well. Doug Dubach, Trampas Parker & Andy Stacy are rumored to be considering the GP Vet series. With the Championship to be decided at the final in Lommel, Belgium August 4^th that may be a conflict with Loretta Lynns Motocross Championships for some of these guys.

Thanks to Alex Morros, John Sawazhki, Thomas Valk from Greenway Ford and the entire AHMRA members for hosting my attendance at the Vintage National motocross. I’m very much looking forward to joining in on the action again real soon. Maybe Diamond Don’s in Texas April 4th? Next stop is Havasu, Arizona this weekend for the WORCS race for a rematch with LR.

Thanks to the Great Product sponsors:

Chuck Sun (503) 702-4474 chucksun63@yahoo.com 3353 W. Cactus Ave. Las Vegas, NV 89141

www.Nuetech.com Tubliss, bar ends www.dicksracing.com suspension mods

www.spidergrips.com sized, traction gel grips www.imsproducts.com fuel tank capacity 3.2

www.R1dean.com Power Bowl no more bog www.scottusa.com Goggles

www.gutsracing.com step seat , graphics www.gprstabilizer.com under bar damper

www.gearneusa.com SG-10 boots www.cytosport.com recovery & drink supplement

www.msracing.com Riding Gear www.twinair.com dual density air filter & cage

www.leovinceusa.com exhaust www.promotobillet.com fastway wide pegs, guards

www.techspec-usa.com frame traction www.powersports.honda.com /motorcycles 08 CRF450R

www.rocksracingservices.com Rep & packing www.asianprosource.com

www.ohlins.com www.ahrma.com

American Honda www.us.pirelli.com