Rider Files

An ad for the 1978 Honda Elsinore.

Honda came out with its Elsinore line of motocross bikes in 1973. The bike was named after the then famous Elsinore Grand Prix, which was made famous in the movie On Any Sunday.

The silver-tanked bikes were cool, but the breakthrough to me came in 1976 when Honda released the Elsinore’s with the all red paint scheme. It was, and remains today, one of the most beautiful and iconic motocross machines of all time.

The Elsinores were the first Japanese motocross production bikes that were refined if you will. The bikes had suspension and brakes that worked well and the powerband was a little more broad than other contemporary two-strokes.

This is an ad for the 1978 CR-125M and CR-250R Elsinores. This was the bike I, like so many high school boys my age, lusted after. It was too expensive for my part-time work budget. Instead my dirt bike at the time was a well worn Suzuki TS185. A buddy of mine who I regularly smoked at out little homemade track, got a 125cc Elsinore and suddenly I was eating his roost. I finally convinced him to let me ride the bike and I found out why he suddenly was so much faster. Even though my Suzuki had a 60cc advantage, the Honda had way more power, plus it felt like I was riding a magic carpet, the bike’s suspension was so advanced.

By the time I actually had the money for an Elsinore my attention had moved on to street bikes and road racing, but for a time in the mid-1970s Honda’s Elsinore was my dream bike.

(News Release)

The nation's fastest amateurs and the world's biggest motocross event will once again be brought into millions of homes thanks to Versus. (Courtesy Racer X)

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (July 27, 2010) – The 2010 AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship from Loretta Lynn Ranch will once again return to Versus Network with HD coverage of the world’s largest single motocross event. The show debuts on Thursday, September 23 at 5 p.m. ET with a re-air scheduled for Tuesday, September 28 at 5 p.m. ET.

Produced by the highly-regarded Racer TV crew that is known for creating the popular Can-Am GNCC Racing Series and ITP/Moose Racing AMA ATV Motocross Championship shows, the AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship coverage will bring the in-depth, high intensity product that’s fans have become accustomed to.

“With so many classes and such a diverse group of competitors, it can be very challenging to produce a television show” said Event Director Tim Cotter. “With so many future stars of our sport, Racer TV does everything it can to capture all of the drama and excitement of this illustrious event. If something happens at the race, you can be sure Racer TV captured it and I think that is what has made the shows so popular.”

Loretta Lynn’s has aired on Versus Network since 2005, showcasing current and future pro motocross superstars such as Ryan Villopoto, Jason Lawrence, Josh Hill, Trey Canard, Austin Stroupe, Justin Barcia, Blake Wharton and last year’s top riders Eli Tomac and Dean Wilson, who won the 2009 Horizon Award. The show also chronicles youth, vet and women’s class racers.

The half hour show is hosted by Jason Weigandt, the voice behind the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship telecasts on SPEED and NBC Sports in addition to the GNCC and ATV shows on Versus.

“I love having the opportunity to commentate at the pro events, but there is something special about Loretta Lynn’s that I can’t enough of,” said Weigandt. “The summer camp feel, the buzz in the air and the all out effort every single amateur rider gives on the track. There is just nothing like the Amateur National Championship and it something you have to experience to believe it.”

The 29th Annual AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship commences on August 2-7, 2010 from Loretta Lynn’s Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tenn. For information about the event, log onto www.mxsports.com.

(News Release)

JARED MEES REPORT: West Branch MI and La Monte MO

West Branch MI Short Track

The last three years Kerry Klug has promoted a little short track event during the Ogemaw County Fair in West Branch MI, held on Wednesdays. It is kind of a neat little short track, usually kind of rough. It’s only about an hour and a half from my house. This year a few more people showed up for this short track race. I decided to ride my framer, not really sure if it was the best way to go or not, but it felt awesome to get to ride it again. With the new stock frame DTX rule a lot of promoters, whether it’s the GNC or not, are making you run these at their events. So I ran my framer and won my Heat.

Before the Main Event I adjusted a couple of things to the bike. I was running 3rd in the race when Sammy Halbert slipped off the racing line. As he came back into the line I was there and we got together and he went down. A few laps later Nichole Cheza’s bike was on the racing line as she slid out, bringing out the red flag. We lined back up in a straight line, with Jethro Halbert leading. This time Brandan Bergan stuck it to me on the inside but I was able to get him back. Another two riders went down and another red flag was brought out. We restarted with two laps to go—not much time to get anything going in two laps so I ended up in 2nd place.

La Monte MO

This La Monte race is very close to Sedalia MO where they used to have a Grand National race, and where I got my 2nd GNC win. I have always liked the track and had fun there. Dave Cory has been the Promoter of the event with Rick Yeager as the Sponsor. We run both classes on this, the 750 twins and the 450 DTX singles. I felt very good in practice, won both of my Heats and was fast time on the 750.

In the 450 Main event I grabbed the hole shot and put in some hard laps, took a peak over my shoulder and saw I had almost a straight away lead. I put it on cruise and brought home the win. In the 750 Main I didn’t get the hole shot but was 2nd. Entering turn 3, I was getting oiled down by Jethro Halbert and I had to quickly rip a tear-off to get the oil off of me. A red flag came out due to some down riders in turns 1 and 2. We lined back up in a straight line and I was on point. I got the hole shot, then another red flag came out. After the restart I was able to maintain a good gap over 2nd place and won the 750 Twins class as well. Great weekend, winning both classes, good for my confidence.

Our next stop is the AMA Grand National Twins race in Calistoga CA this Saturday night. It should be a great night of racing out west, and I can’t wait to see all the California fans. I hope to report some great results. On Sunday (Aug 1 st) I will be doing a re-scheduled T.V. interview with Speedtv on Dave Despain’s “Wind Tunnel”. The show runs from 9-10pm eastern time, and I hope all the Flattrack fans will tune in to watch it, it will be nice to get some Flattrack coverage on primtime T.V.

Thank you for the support.
Jammin’ Jared Mees #1/21

2010 Twins Series:
Rogers Lake Racing, Blue Springs H-D, Rockysonline. com, Lucas Oil, Twisted Beverage CompanyTM, Saddlemen, Digger Helm 57, Rod Lake, Arai Helmets, Speed Strength leathers, KK Motorcycle Supply, A&A Racing, Steve & Cindy Vizzo, Battley Cycles, Kelly’s, Maxxis Tires, MTA, JE Pistons, Cometic Gaskets, VP Racing Fuels,Tsubaki, Motion Pro, TCX Boots, Troy Lee Designs, K&N Filters, Millennium Technologies, Vortex, Craig Pickett, Goodridge, Works Connection, Rekluse Clutches, Gene & Gail Cummings, Eddie Mulder, NGK, Z Gallerie, Dick Winters, Oakley, WestCoast Hot Shoes, Jupiter Wheels, EBC, Ogio, Mikuni, Web Cam, Ancra, J&M Racing Frames, Pro Plates, Kold Kutter, Turn 1 Distributing. Crank Works Crank Shafts, EZ-up, Twenty Six Suspension, Flash, G2, Penske Racing, Chicken Hawk, Ferrea Valves, J2 Motorsports, Royal Publishing Co., Applied Diamond Coatings, M&Z Anodizing, Brent Armbruster, Bristol Core, Universal Coatings, Hammer Head , Hot Rods, Decal Works, Dyno Jet,DVS Shoes, Xtremely Fit.

2010 Singles Series:
Rockysonline. com, Lucas Oil, Rogers Lake Racing, Montgomeryville Cycle Center, Twisted Beverage CompanyTM, Saddlemen, Digger 57, Rod Lake, Arai Helmets, Speed Strength Leathers, KK Motorcycle Supply,A&A Racing, Steve & Cindy Vizzo, Battley Cycles, Kelly’s, Maxxis Tires, MTA, JE Pistons, Cometic Gaskets, VP Racing Fuels,Tsubaki, Motion Pro, TCX Boots, Troy Lee Designs, K&N Filters, Millennium Technologies, Vortex, Craig Pickett, E2 Voltage, Goodridge, Works Connection, RekluseClutches, Gene & Gail Cummings, Eddie Mulder, NGK, Z Gallerie, Dick Winters, Oakley, WestCoast Hot Shoes, Jupiter Wheels, EBC, Ogio, Mikuni, Web Cam, Ancra, J&M Racing Frames, Pro Plates, Kold Kutter, Turn 1 Distributing. Crank Works Crank Shafts, Ezup, Twenty Six Suspension, Flash, G2, Penske Racing, Chicken Hawk, Ferrea Valves, J2 Motorsports, Royal Publishing Co., Applied Diamond Coatings, M&Z Anodizing, Brent Armbruster, Bristol Core, Universal Coatings, Hammer Head, Hot Rods, Decal Works, Dyno Jet, DVS Shoes, Xtremely Fit

John Kocinski races the Cycle Tech Racing Suzuki GSXR750 through a turn in the woods at Blackhawk Farms in South Beloit, Illinois, during a WERA National Endurance race in August of 1985. Kocinski was a little known 17-year-old from Little Rock, Arkansas, who was consistently the fastest rider in the WERA National Endurance Series that season. He came in as a replacement rider for Wes Cooley, who was injured in an AMA Superbike race at Sears Point (now Infineon Raceway) early in the season. Kocinski, along with Joey Osowski and David Aldana, ultimately won the 1985 WERA Endurance Championship on a GSXR, a year before the motorcycle was available in the U.S. Kocinski went on to become a two-time world champion – once in 250cc Grand Prix with Marlboro Yamaha in 1990 and then in World Superbike with Castrol Honda.

John Kocinski races the Cycle Tech Racing Suzuki GSXR750 through a turn in the woods at Blackhawk Farms in South Beloit, Illinois, during a WERA National Endurance race in August of 1985. (Larry Lawrence photo)