In a good season, photographers line the highways and tourism brings a smile to the faces of local business people.  Finding just the right (not already occupied) spot is a task.  There is a place, however, for photographers to get an entire season of wildflower photographs in one day.  The Wildseed Farms is on US290,  seven miles east of Fredericksburg.  Not only can you have free access to their gardens, you can buy seeds and plants for your own garden.  They also offer very artistic planters, pots, bird baths, water structures and decorative designs.

My wife has a new car.  We decided to take it for an old-fashioned Sunday drive.  She had never been to the Wildseed Farm and had always wanted to see the place … and shop.  She is really into gardening.  She absolutely loved it.  We spent several hours there; me taking pictures and her ooohing and ahhhhing, admiring the flowers and handling the trinkets.  She wanted something for her mother.  (Mother’s Day, you know)  She didn’t find that perfect gift but did buy several packages of seeds for our own gardens.

There are 200 acres of wild flowers in  various stages of development.  The shopping areas are central; you go through the shops to get to the flower trails.  There is no charge and it seems the flower gardens are laid out with photographers in mind.  Distractions and busy backgrounds are minimal.

We stopped in Fredericksburg for our Sunday drive lunch but could just as well have visited the Wildflower Farms’ Brewbonned Biergarden.  They serve some excellent sandwiches and offer a beautiful outdoor setting for enjoying your lunch and beverage.

There also is a live butterfly exhibit.  We will try it on our next visit.  There is a small fee.  It was four dollars  for seniors.  I can’t recall the other prices.  You can gather much more information at their website, including phone numbers and the hours.  The website is at:

http://www.wildseedfarms.com/

Maybe we can schedule this as a Photography Club outing.  I will propose the idea tonight at our monthly meeting.

l8r

Lackey recruited four European veterans of the old Inter-AM/Trans-AM days to compete against an American team with similar credentials. Motorcycle Hall of Fame inductee Lars Larsson of Sweden, Zdenek Velky from Czechoslovakia, Germany’s Herbert Schmitz, and 1979 World Champion Graham Noyce of Great Britain came to the US for two rounds of racing against the United States Inter-AM and Trans-AM veterans Gary Jones, Chuck Sun, Danny LaPorte and Bill Silverthorn.

The group gathered at Diamond Don Rainey’s AHRMA Riverport National in Jefferson, Texas on April 4^th and 5^th for the second round of the international competition. During the AHRMA Nationals the Legends gathered in a single pit area and graciously signed autographs, posed for pictures and spent hours bench racing with fans.

Ed. Note:  Roll cursor over image to read caption

Their vintage bikes were a collector’s dream. Gary Jones was competing on a Honda RC450; Zdenek Velky would ride nothing but a CZ, of course. Herbert Schmitz was on a monster 490 Maico. It was offered for sale after the race. Graham Noyce, 500cc World Champion in 1979, stepped down to a 250 Honda for this race. Danny LaPorte chose a 250 Suzuki. Bill Silverthorn was on an RM400 Suzuki; Chuck Sun had a sweet-looking 250 Maico that he was considering buying from its owner. Lars Larsson was on a classic yellow and black Yamaha.

Gary Jones had the hole shot and led for several laps before Chuck Sun moved to the lead. Gary had raced an earlier AHRMA race and forgot to refuel.  Herbert Schmitz started dead last but moved up to second at the midway point leading Danny LaPorte in third place. The three pulled away with LaPorte getting past Schmitz near the end. That led to some trash talk with Schmitz claiming that LaPorte would never have passed him if he had known he was there.

Gary Jones ran out of gas for eighth place but with Bill Silverthorn finishing in fourth, Team USA dominated the first moto. Graham Noyce was fifth, Zdenek Velky sixth, and Lars Larsson seventh.

Herbert Schmitz strongly declared that he would win the next moto of the two-day event. He did. The 62  year-old German grabbed the holeshot and only once had anyone even get close.  Chuck Sun got alongside Schmitz in a sweeping left-hander but was unable to complete the pass. Schmitz opened a huge lead; riding so smooth and gracefully that it could have been put to music. He and that Maico were a beautiful thing to watch.

But, according to the US Team, there were extenuating circumstances. The wise old German had tried to sabotage the Americans.

Chuck Sun had this explanation for not completing the pass: “As you know the U.S. had a good lead going into the final moto of the 4 moto series that began at Sand Hill CA.  That did not take away my desire to win however!  Herbie was very determined and kept pouring wine for everyone the night before.  Herbs holeshot the 2nd moto and I was 4th behind Jones and Noycey.  By the end of the lap I was on Herbert wringing out the 250 Maico of Steve Marpes (Ohlins factory rep).  Herbs was riding quite well and the 250 began to make noises, so I backed down to make sure of a finish. (I hate to DNF)  LaPorte got by as well, but was very gracious to wait by the finish line to let me bye.  So I won the individual overall for the Vintage-AM series.  Now Steve has to rebuild the Maico as there is no compression!  Thanks Steve! “

EDITOR’S NOTE: Is that not ironic? I wonder if any of this reminded Danny LaPorte of; “Let Broc Bye.”

Danny LaPorte passed Chuck Sun and closed the gap on Schmitz but ran out of time before coming to the checkered flag.  It looked like Schmitz would take the overall with 3-1 finishes to Sun’s 1-3. But, according to a note from Brad Lackey, “I didn’t see it but I was told that Danny let Chuck by right before the checkered flag so that Chuck would get the over all instead of Schmitz…a brilliant move by the team manager!”

Sun’s 1-2 finishes were good for the overall with Schmitz’ 3-1 taking second. Danny LaPorte was 2-3 for third and the USA claimed the overall based on strong finishes by Bill Silverthorn and Gary Jones. The Team USA victory was sweet revenge for those Inter-AM massacres of the distant past. Through bloodshot eyes, the US Team basked in their glory.

Winning is a way of life for these legends but winning was a little less important to the fans. Just seeing those guys ride again was well worth the price of admission. And, with the Vintage AM being run in conjunction with two days of AHRMA Vintage Nationals in Observed Trials, Cross Country, Vintage and Post-Vintage Motocross it was an action-filled weekend of reminiscing and remembering.

Brad Lackey was unable or not ready to discuss the future of Vintage-AM. It is an expensive undertaking and he needs sponsor support to carry on. You can offer encouraging words or sponsorship support by contacting Brad at his web site … http://www.bradlackey.com/ Let the world know, “We love our legends.”

The Results:

Finish Moto 1    Moto 2    Name

1        1            2                Sun

2        3            1                Schmitz

3        2            3                LaPorte

4        5            5                Noyce

5        4            6                Silverthorn

6        8            4                Gary Jones

7        6            7                Velkey

8        7            8                Larson

l8r

I’ll post a few images from a favorite subject – motocross.  My grandson went with me to a vintage motocross race in Jefferson, Tx.  We had a great time and he got autographs from several motocross legends.  I got my kicks just watching these guys ride again. 

Adding this picture of 1979 World Champion Graham Noyce seems easy.  It could be resized and/or effects added.  This is just one of the legends that my grandson got autographs from.  Gary Jones, who was the first real American Motocross Hero was another. He still rides like a young man, grabbing the holeshot on his monster Honda RC500.

All the legends were riding vintage bikes from their era.  Brad Lackey, the promoter, tried to make it as much as possible like the Inter-AM and Trans-AMA events of the 70s and 80s.  Those in attendance agreed that it was. 

As for the testing of “Windows Liver Writer,” it is proving to all that was claimed.  It is fairly intuitive.  I will post this now to see if the end result looks anything like what I am seeing in draft mode.

////it looked good… if you are interested, download it for FREE at:

http://windowslivewriter.spaces.live.com/

Have fun. 

ll8r

Pomeroy’s Pursang

AHRMA is the American Historical Racing Motorcycle Association. My first AHRMA experience was in April 2006, at Diamond Don Rainey’s Riverport National in Jefferson, Texas.  These races are great for photographers and for meeting some of the legends of motocross. There is no restricted pit area. It is a family atmosphere with historic motorcycles and legendary riders readily available for pictures and nostalgic bench racing sessions.  I spent nearly an hour with Jim Pomeroy, helping him sell t-shirts and reminiscing. That’s his Bultaco in the foreground of the picture.

I had credentials for the race, doing a feature for Cycle News on Don Rainey’s replica of the bike that Brad Lackey rode to the World Championship. But the credentials were probably not necessary for the access I had. A ticket gets you just about anywhere you could want to be. And, it is surprising how accessible and friendly these legends are.

The entrance road crosses the track and circles around and through the pit area and camper sites. It is much like spending a weekend camped at any other motocross track. Everyone is friendly and motorcycles are the common interest … motorcycles and racing.  

I found Brad Lackey and his crew working out a jetting problem on the CZ that he would be riding in the Vintage Motocross event. Lackey didn’t recognize me but it had been nearly twenty-five years since our last encounter – his World Championship win.  He didn’t look the same either.  

After getting reacquainted with Lackey, I noticed a giant standing next to a very nice motor home. It was all 7’4” of Rik Smits, former NBA basketball star with the Indiana Pacers. I used my Cycle News connection to chat a bit and get a few pictures. Rik is a collector of vintage motocross bikes and does quite well at the races. The picture to the right is Smits making a 400cc Maico look like a minibike. I wonder how he gets that size 20 boot between the peg and shift lever?

Rik Smits Maico

There is little need for long lenses or expensive equipment at AHRMA events. A point and shoot will do in most cases. Photographing the action, however, is another story. The shutter lag on any digital camera other than a DSLR makes point and shoots impractical (but not impossible) for pictures of the races. My 18~135 Nikon kit lens is the most used of my lenses. I take the 300mm f4 for special effects – soft backgrounds, but it is really bulky and gets very little use. Another option would be the 70~200 f2.8. Again, that is a heavy choice and a bit pricey for non-professional use. I guess the best advice would be, “use what you got.”  

Continuing to circle the road, I found new thrills at each pit area. There were past heroes and motorcycle legends like Jeff Smith, two-time world champion; Tommy Benolkin and his stable of Pentons; and Tammy Rice, a legend of women’s motocross.

It was a profitable weekend of nostalgia and reminiscence. I wrote two race reports (vintage nationals and post-vintage nationals) and a feature article on the Brad Lackey replica, all published by Cycle News. Even without the publication, I treasure the images and memories I brought home from that event.

A Youthful Graham Noyce

I’ll be returning to Jefferson for the Diamond Don Riverport National in April. I don’t have an assignment (yet) but this event offers too much to miss. In addition to the usual AHRMA Nationals in Vintage Motocross, Post-Vintage Motocross, Observed Trials and Cross Country races, former World Champion Brad Lackey is promoting the Vintage-AM. The Vintage-AM is takeoff on the old Inter-AM and Trans-AMA races from the ‘70s and ‘80s. Those were the days when spectators would flock to the races to watch those amazing European motocrossers show America’s best how it was really done.

In the Vintage-AM, Lackey will lead a team of Americans consisting of legends Danny LaPorte, Chuck Sun, and Gary Jones going up against such notable Europeans as Graham Noyce, Zdenek Velky and Lars Larsson. The portrait is Graham Noyce a long, long time ago. They will be riding the vintage iron of the day … CZ, Maico, Bultaco, Husqvarna – maybe a Honda or Suzuki.  

More information is available at:
http://www.diamonddon.com/

l8r

I met Danny in 1982 at the Swiss 250 Motocross Grand Prix (World Championship Series) in Payerne Switzerland. He had just replaced 1981 World Champion Neil Hudson as a Team Yamaha factory rider. I was taken with his professional attitude and media-savvy representation of the team. He confided that a part of his agreement with Yamaha was attendance at what he called “charm school.” He was obviously a good student. After hearing my first name once, Danny never forgot. Name recall had been a part of the “charm school” curriculum.

The recent turmoil in the AMA Supercross and Supercross Lites series inspired this article. The immaturity and lack of professionalism amongst some “professional” riders is embarrassing to all concerned - factory, riders, fans and the AMA. It may have happened during my days as a motor sports journalist but, if so, it was a well-kept secret. And, I do not think it is because the Internet makes such information so much more accessible. I can’t imagine Danny LaPorte involved in such childishness. Nor, can I imagine a factory allowing its brand to be so tarnished.

His “company man” attitude did not mean that Danny LaPorte was a “yes man.” He started that season on a bike that he hated. Hated may be a bit strong. Danny had problems with the new liquid cooled Yamaha, especially on muddy tracks. After a few races he forced a switch to the more reliable air-cooled bike. Let someone else be the “test rider.” Danny wanted to win. As far as I know, that was never publicized and Danny never complained publicly.

Another inspiration to write this came from a friend asking about the most exciting race I had covered. Motocross is exciting. I can’t pick a specific race that was the most exciting. I do, however, think one of the most important races I ever witnessed was the Fourth of July meeting between Danny LaPorte and Georges Jobe at the Dutch 250 MX GP in Mill Holland in their intense competition in the 1982 Motocross World Championship Series. For me, it was THE RACE that made Danny LaPorte America’s first 250cc Motocross World Champion.

LaPorte and Jobe came into that race tied for second in the standings. Dutchman Kees van der Ven had a slight lead and was on his home track. Kees van der Ven was not considered a serious threat. He had never been able to stay with Jobe in head-to-head competition. The Suzuki Team was concerned enough about Danny LaPorte, however, to put sand specialist Henk van Mierlo on a factory bike to help put some distance between Jobe and LaPorte.  The image on the right is Jobe who is very comfortable on sand tracks.

Before the race, LaPorte laughed about the idea of a sand specialist. Why would anyone consider sand an obstacle to him, Danny wondered. “Don’t they realize that I learned to ride in the Mojave Desert,” he grinned? He went on to humiliate Jobe that day – Jobe, van der Ven and the Suzuki sand specialist, Henk van Mierlo. LaPorte won both motos, coming from behind in each.  See image on left.  That was THE RACE that broke Jobe’s confidence – and put any doubts out of Danny LaPorte’s mind. He Knew he could win.

Rather than rewrite history, I will quote from a World Championship Series wrap-up that I wrote for the Stars&Stripes on July 21, 1982. The article was written with just three races remaining in the series:

Story and pboto
By WARREN M. PRICE
At the beginning of the 1982 season, the question was: “Who will finish second to Georges Jobe in the 250cc class of World Championship motocross?”
The Belgian rider Jobe, world champion in 1980, appeared seemingly unchallenged after the departure of Britain’s Neil Hudson, last year’s 250cc titleholder, who had moved up to the 500cc class.
Dutchman Kees van der Ven, consistent finisher but rarely a winner on his KTM, was the name most often mentioned as a possible runner-up to Jobe. West Germany’s Roll Dieffenbach had an erratic ‘81 season and was considered too heavy to be consistent on a 250cc Honda. The American Mike Guerra, sixth last season on a Husqvarna, was not figured to place any higher in ‘82.
Another American Danny LaPorte had raised a few eyebrows last fall with his impressive rides in the 250cc Trophee des Nations in Belgium and the 500cc Motocross des Nations in Germany. LaPorte had led the upstart American team to first-time victories in both events, leaving the European teams in mild shock.
But for ’82 LaPorte was considered as too inexperienced to be taken seriously, despite Yamaha factory support he bad inherited from the Briton Hudson.
It would be a good race for second place, the experts said, but not one of these riders was considered a remote threat to Jobe on his Suzuki.
But all that “expert speculation” came before the start of the 1982 season.
LaPorte, instead of battling other riders for second place in the standings, is leading Jobe and all the rest for the 250cc world crown. And he’s doing it on the strength of four straight grand prix victories, the latest one scored Sunday over Jobe in the Russian Grand Prix.
In the Soviet event, LaPorte won the first moto and Jobe finished second. In the second moto, it was vice versa, with Jobe the winner and LaPorte runner-up. But the American rider was fastest on aggregate time from both events, and he walked proudly onto the victory stand as winner of the Russian Grand Prix.
LaPorte, of Torrance, Calif., now leads for the world title with 173 points to Jobe’s 167 so it’s all very close, with only three GPs remaining — the US GP at New Berlin, N.Y. on Aug. 1; the Finnish GP at Hyvinkaa on Aug. 22, and the Swedish round at Vimmerby on Aug. 29.
While LaPorte’s victory in Russia was a dramatic one, his earlier triumph in he Dutch GP came as one of the most important in his career. It was a turning point, so to speak, and it occurred on the all-American date of July 4. When the Dutch race had ended that day, LaPorte had emerged with his third straight grand prix victory after beating Jobe soundly in both motos.

Refused start money at last year’s Motocross des Nations because he was an unknown, LaPorte is now the dominant 250cc rider in European motocross. What a difference a year makes!
But he started the ‘82 season slowly, troubled by a flat tire in the Swiss round, a lapse of concentration in Spain, and an ignition malfunction in Belgium. Although a bit discouraged, the young American’s confidence began to return when he won the second moto of the Czechoslovakian Grand Prix.
He scored well in the Italian GP, which van der Ven won, but Jobe still led the standings by nearly 50 points.
Despite Jobe’s big lead, he was not invincible. After all, Guerra, the other American in 250cc competition, had beaten Jobe twice and had also won the Spanish GP at Barcelona. In addition Dieffenbach had been the over-all winner in the Czech GP and Van Der Ven had beaten Jobe in Italy.
LaPorte’s first European GP victory came in France, where he won the first moto and placed third in the second to take overall honors. His victory was somewhat hollow, however, because Jobe had not raced. The Belgian had chosen, instead, to allow his injured elbow to recuperate.
But LaPorte had found the confidence he needed with his French victory, and he won again in England and moved into a tie with Jobe for second place in the world 250cc standings. Van der Ven, who had split six of the last seven motos with LaPorte, was leading by two slim points.
But until the Dutch round on July 4, European fans remained skeptical. Jobe had been riding hurt in England, they said, and LaPorte was just lucky. Van der Ven would blow LaPorte away in the sands of Holland and Jobe would beat them both when his elbow healed.
Three weeks elapsed between the British GP and the Dutch round, enough time for Jobe to recuperate. He declared himself ready for the stretch run.
Van der Ven, racing at home, is good on sand and a healthy Jobe is good on any track. And Henk van Mierlo, another Dutch sand specialist, had been given a factory Suzuki ride for the Dutch round. LaPorte would have to ride a great race to stay with the GP veterans.
And that he did.
He beat Jobe in the first moto by two seconds, then vanquished the Belgian again in the second moto by and even greater margin – seven seconds.
Heikki Mikkola of Finland, the Yamaha team manager, was ecstatic about LaPorte’s performance. Mikkola, himself a four-time world motocross champion, said, “Today I saw a motocrosser. Danny rode a perfect race … not one mistake. I’ve never seen a better race.”
LaPorte had beaten Jobe twice, and had come from behind each time. He had won his third consecutive GP, taken the lead in the world championship standings, and won the respect of motocross experts and fans alike. He would not have to beg for starting money again.
“It was a great Fourth of July,” said a smiling Danny LaPorte.

Danny LaPorte was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum in 2000.  His profile is a great read. See it at:
http://www.motorcyclemuseum.org/halloffame/hofbiopage.asp?id=211

l8r

I gave up on being a famous photojournalist after returning from Europe in the early 80s. Races were just too far apart and time off from the day job became unmanageable. It wasn’t until I bought a dirt bike for my grandson that my love for racing resurfaced.

My grandson and I began to share the MX magazines and talk about Papa’s days as a photojournalist. I replaced the old film cameras with digital and started to photograph my grandson and his riding buddies. Soon the desire was at fever pitch. I’m retired. Time is the least of my problems. “Why not,” I thought. I emailed some of the old contacts and soon was back in business. I wasn’t interested in a full-time job but did feel a great rush when I got an assignment to cover an AHRMA (vintage motocross) National in Jefferson, Texas. Just as with my first article, Brad Lackey was my subject.  Lackey is second from left in the photo to the right.  The article was about this replica of the bike he rode to the World Championship in 1982.

If you are interested in a place to start, I would recommend Cycle News. They publish a lot of local events in their Regional Events Section. I contacted Paul Carruthers and David Holther for their approval before posting this article. If you are willing to work for practically nothing, contact David Holther, Regional Events Editor at Cycle News, and request a copy of their Contributor Guide. David’s email address is:
david@cyclenews.com

This is not an automatic. You have to have some writing skills and snapshots of your friend on a bike won’t make the grade. If you want to be accepted at a professional level, you must play the part. I had references and an “old” resume to offer. You may need to cover a few races on your own, submitting an article, results and a picture for consideration. Having an article published does not mean instant acceptance but you can start thinking about and planning for your move toward the front pages; maybe a two-page feature. 

The most difficult part (for me) was formatting the results in accordance with the contributor guide. You will need cooperation of the race organizer or track owner. Before the race starts, you will need a printed list of all the entrants and their race numbers. It would also help if any sponsors were included on the list. After the race, you will need a printout of the results. Cycle News may accept the results from the race without an article but will not accept your article and photo without the results.

You will seldom see more than one of your photographs published with a Regional Events article. Your article should be short and specific, normally no more than 500 words. That is not enough space to cover every race of an amateur event. You will have to be selective. As for pictures, a good rule of thumb is: One rider is riding, two riders is racing, three or more is a race. I believe the guidelines will recommend including more than one rider in your photographs. The photo to the left is the start of an amateur event at a local Texas track. Notice that it is just as exciting as start of the professional race at the top of this article.

Putting these articles together is hard work. It is a slow and tedious process and you will ALWAYS find a discouraging problem. You are also working to a deadline. David Holther will advise you that the earlier he receives an article the more likely it will be published. As with anything else, completing the process a few times and getting some experience (and confidence) makes it seem simpler. And, you are building a resume.

As you put your article together, you may think of offering it to your local newspaper. I seldom see motocross or motorcycle racing in the local papers. But, that is probably because they do not have the staff to cover the event. Give them a call. What do you have to lose? Your track owners and race organizers would certainly appreciate the publicity. It could make you a very welcome sight at their tracks and events.

I hope you find some inspiration and helpful information in this article. I will publish more as I think of it but need to get back to my first love in future articles … The Legends of Motorcycling.

l8r

This week finds me pushing away from the “how to” stuff and just remembering how fortunate I have been.  My camera allowed me to be a part of one of the most exciting sports in the world – motocross.  It brought me close to super heroes and some of the zaniest characters ever.  One of my super heroes, David Bailey, was born December 31, 1961, in San Diego California.  In honor of his birthday, I’m dedicating this post to “The Icon.”

I first met David Bailey in Gaildorf, West Germany in September 1982.  He was rushed to Germany to replace Donnie Hansen on the US Motocross and Trophee des Nations Team.  Hansen was injured while practicing for these events.  The accident was essentially the end of his career and the beginning of David Bailey’s ascension to Super Hero status.  Ultimately, both riders were inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame.

One of my first images of The Icon was less than flattering. It was right after the first moto of the Trophee des Nations and he was puking his guts out.  In the rush to replace Donnie Hansen, David was not allowed a lot of transition time.  He was exhausted from the unplanned trip, adapting to a new time zone and sleep (or lack of) schedule, and had just raced his heart out for Team USA.  Against the best motocross racers the world had to offer this hardly heard of American had just hung on for an eighth place finish, enough to place his team first going into the final race.  Certainly no shame in that well-earned puke.  :-) 

1982 was the year after the Americans won their first ever Motocross des Nations title and the same year that one of the zaniest, most revered motocrossers of all time won all four motos of the Motocross and Trophee des Nations, a never-before-accomplished feat.  And, it was to never again be accomplished.  But this is not about Magoo (Danny Chandler.)  It’s the Icon’s birthday.  :-)

After a brief recovery, Bailey went on to an even better finish in the second moto.  He was sixth.  The Americans clobbered the world, placing all four team members in the top ten of each moto and winning the Trophee des Nations Championship by 21 points.

The following week, the team was in Wohlen, Switzerland for the Motocross des Nations.  Europeans looked at the 250cc bikes (Trophee des Nations) as a training ground for the “real” championship – the 500cc Open Class.  Though the American team had also won the Motocross des Nations in 1981, it was still regarded as a fluke by the rest of the world.  Magoo won both “big bike” motos and David Bailey was even better than on the 250; he finished fourth in the first moto behind Danny Chandler, Andre Vromans and David Thorpe.  He beat everyone but Magoo in the second moto and the fluke continued. 

That team of David Bailey, Johnny O’Mara, Danny Chandler and Jim Gibson is on my list of Super Heroes.  Man, those guys could ride.

I later wrote an article about Jim Gibson and his move to Yamaha.  See the previous blog post for that article.  David Bailey won both 250cc Motocross and Supercross championships in 1983, as well as again beating the world’s best by winning  the 250 USGP in Unadilla.  He and Brian Myerscough had one of the hardest fought most exciting motocross races I have ever seen, with Bailey taking the championship by beating such notables as Georges Jobe, Danny LaPorte, and Heinz Kinigadner –  all of whom are former 250cc World Champions.

Danny Chandler made a mockery of the 500cc Support Class at that event, winning so easily that he finished riding backwards on his Honda.

Unfortunately, I never got to watch Johnny O’Mara race again, although he went on to assemble one of the most impressive motocross resumes in the history of the sport.  Man, those guys could ride.

Though an unfortunate crash in 1987 ended his racing career, David Bailey still is one of the most authoritative voices in our sport.  It was his open letter to the industry that finally convinced me to spend over $400 on a piece of safety equipment for my grandson.  It is fun to think of those David Bailey days when I watch my grandson ride.  I even have a few pictures of him that look a little like the Icon.

 To the Icon, I say, “Thanks for the memories and Happy Birthday.” 

l8r

It may not seem as important for a photographer but, as I stated earlier, writing or telling the story is the key to selling pictures. It is important to know your subject and understand all that it involves. It isn’t necessarily about the “scoop.” It is really about presenting the truth objectively. That requires knowledge of your subject.

I didn’t set out to develop sources. As a matter of fact, it happened quite serendipitously. Sources found me.

I don’t have the personality expected of a journalist. I’m timid. I avoid starting conversations and am very hesitant about pointing a camera into someone’s face. I gravitated to people I knew at the races in Europe; Brad Lackey, Mike Guerra, Danny LaPorte. I would hang around their pit area; just passing time and watching the mechanics prep the bikes. The riders were usually indisposed - resting and avoiding disconcerting conversation with fans and press. I gradually got to know the mechanics. They were busy too, but always acknowledged my presence. We soon began to talk. A certain amount of trust developed.

Voila! I had sources. I don’t mean “deep throat” or anything like that but the more we talked the more I learned. And, the more I did not write about what they said the more they said.  

The key is trust. If you are going to tell the world what a source has told you - tell him. If he asks you to not report something, you have to honor that trust. The trust also helped me later.  People started to offer information or help.  I was surprised at a race when Brad Lackey suggested that I position myself at a certain place for a great picture.  And when Jim Gibson inked a deal with Yamaha to race the FIM 125cc Motocross World Championship, I got my scoop.

Gibson was on the USA Motocross and Trophee des Nations team in 1982. I covered those races and enjoyed getting to know the team. While there Jim Gibson agreed to a deal with Yamaha. A friend (source) suggested that I ask Jim if he would be racing in Europe in 1983. I was shocked but made the opportunity to quietly ask Gibson the question. He was probably as shocked by my question as I had been by my source. Gibson confirmed the deal. We discussed his plans in whispers and I had a scoop. To this day, I am proud of that story.

I broke the story in the Stars & Stripes. My mentor, Randy Barnett, was almost as proud of me as I was of myself. Of course, the news made its way around the motocross circles in Europe. That caused a stir. Other photojournalist couldn’t believe it. Henny Ray Abrams, current contributor to Cycle News, and I had hung together in Europe. Henny Ray was a UPI photographer at the time, submitting his cycle stuff to Cycle News. He seemed to doubt the news and was curious about my source. I never told him. I can reveal now that it was a mechanic. The story finally broke in Motorcyclist Magazine as a profile on Jim Gibson and his tuner, Super Wrench Bill Buchka.

I will end another article with emphasis on TRUST. You have to honor a trust and be true to your word. Sometimes it is hard to keep your mouth shut. 

l8r

After that first successful outing, I was on cloud nine and feeling very confident in my abilities. I was still on active duty in the army and trying to work my new obsession into the schedule. Getting to the races was problematic but knowing what to write was even more so. I soon learned that race reports were too time sensitive to sell. Reports were fine for The Stars & Stripes, my source of credentials, but magazines of the day were printed ninety days after the races. I needed a hook - an attention getter.

This image of Brad Lackey riding in a snowstorm at the Swiss 500 GP was the hook for an article that sold. It is an example of a picture selling the story. Maybe it is an example of “a picture is equal to a thousand words.” If I remember correctly, the report was less than 500 words.

I covered the Austrian 250 GP in Swannenstadt where I met Mike Guerra. Mike was in his first year on the World Championship circuit with full sponsorship from Husqvarna. He had enjoyed only moderate success in AMA Nationals. His best season was a sixth place finish. Selling his story was much more difficult. Editors rejected the story because “Americans are not interested in a sixth place racer riding in Europe.” Winning sells. I needed a hook.

I found my hook in the Russians Guennedy Moiseev and Vladimir Kavinov. The 1974 title was literally stolen from Czechoslavian Jaroslav Falta (CZ) by Russians Moiseev and Kavinov (KTM) and FIM politics. Guennedy Moiseev was awarded the 250cc World Championship in a controversy that continues to this day. The three were still racing in 1981, and still received a lot of interest whenever they were in the same race, especially since all three were riding CZ. I used that controversy as the hook for my Mike Guerra submission. After getting that first submission accepted, follow-ups were expected.

Quotable athletes always make good subjects. Most are hesitant to say much. I don’t know why. Maybe that is part of their factory agreement? Marty Tripes was not hesitant. I loved talking to Marty. He seemed to be a handful for Husqvarna, his 1981 World Championship sponsor. He once told me that he was riding in Europe for $85,000 less than he could make in the US. One of my editors got a big laugh from that quote. I had no idea what it was all about. I guess Marty was prone to stretching the story?

Another time Marty showed up to race with Showa Forks on his Husky. He was not especially complimentary of his sponsor’s machine, saying that the 390 Husqvarna sucked compared to the older 360 models.

When he trashed the rear wheel during the race, his Husqvarna employed mechanic was furious. I am sure he was cursing but mostly in Swedish. I did catch a few words of English, however, as he would look toward Tripes and yell, “86 kilo! He 86 kilo,” indicating that Marty was a bit overweight.

Marty Tripes had such a natural talent for racing that he may have avoided the strenuous conditioning programs followed by Brad Lackey and most other successful racers. No matter, Marty was colorful, fun to be around, and there was no denying … he was one of the best ever to race motocross. Following is a shot of him with Cingoli, Italy in the background. This was taken before he trashed the rear wheel. 

The point of all this rambling is - be flexible. You must learn to pay attention and let the story develop around you … and your pictures.

More next week.

l8r

My introduction to “motojournalism” goes all the way back to 1980. I attended a World Championship Motocross race in Gaildorf West Germany, where American Brad Lackey was chasing his dream of becoming the first American to win a motocross world championship. It was a terrible day - dark, raining and muddy, but I got close enough to take a few decent pictures. I used those images to query an editor (Art Friedman at Motorcyclist Magazine) about providing coverage of Lackey’s pursuit of the championship.  Imagine my delight when he responded with positive interest.

The unrestricted access, however, came from a query letter to the motor sports editor at The Stars & Stripes, the newspaper for American military members and their families. The editor, Randy Barnett, provided a stack of Stars & Stripes letterhead, a press pass, and contacts for securing credentials to all FIM World Championship Motorcycle racing. That was my biggest break. Randy coached me on “newspaper” writing (reporting.)  Over the next few years we attended several races together and became good friends.

While taping the interview with Lackey, he told me about Mike Guerra, an American from Connecticut, who was racing a Husky in the 250cc class. I also learned that Marty Tripes was just a few vans away. He had a Husqvarna ride. I got a few pictures and some good quotes from Marty Tripes that I managed to sell to Cycle Magazine and Cycle Guide. Do you remember them?  

It was also before digital cameras. We set our own exposures and autofocus was a dream.  I had access to a military photography lab, develping the black and white Tri-X film and making my own 8X10 prints. I would select a few images for each of several magazines - Cycle World, Cycle, Cycle Guide are the ones I remember. Each print needed detailed captions with a cover letter for each package. I did not have assignments. I was sending this stuff at my own expense … strictly on speculation. I made pretty good money, however, and the speculation soon led to paid assignments.

I was very glad to have completed my interview before the race. Lackey was not in a good mood after the race. I took note of that. I always try to talk with racers while they are most approachable - before they have a chance to lose. 

L8r