Team USA – Two Legends

The Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations is just a few weeks away, and the excitement for this event continues to build as teams are selected and riders start to make their final preparation for the biggest motocross race in the world.

While Team USA have not won this event since 2011, their history is a rich one. No team has won the Chamberlain Trophy more than the Americans, and since 1981, they have won it 22 times.

Helping them make history are a long list of names, and two of those talked to us about their experiences and what it meant to them. Broc Glover and Ricky Johnson have raced this event together, and both have had success. 1983 MXoN winner Glover fought hard to get the chance to race for his country and he didn’t let them down.

“I always wanted to be on the team,” Glover told us. “And for some years they didn’t send any riders, when I possibly could have been on the team. Then in 1981 and 1982, nobody wanted to send a team, and Honda sent their riders. I would have loved to have been on the 1981 team, but I didn’t and they deserved to have a full Honda team. Winning in 81 they deserved to go and give it another shot, so only Honda riders on that team in 1982. So, 1983 it was nice to be selected, and we picked the four best American riders and we pretty much went and dominated. We did the Motocross des Nations on the 500’s and then a week later the Trophee des Nations on the 250s. So those were important ones. I won the overall in the 250, and it was a big deal, Czech Republic was still an iron curtain country, run by the communist and to have an American flag waved, that was a proud moment. It was a beautiful country, but no question it was controlled by the soviets. That one stands out more than anything.”

When you ask American legend Ricky Johnson his great moments in his career, one muddy day in the state of New York stands out. Leading Team USA to victory in the 1987 Motocross of Nations, a special day, for different reasons.

“My win at Unadilla at the Motocross of Nations (in 1987)” Johnson said. “We were behind the eight ball. I remember sitting watching the start of the 125cc/500cc race (in pouring rain) and I remember seeing Jeff Wards goggles get blown off in the first turn and he was back struggling in seventh place and Bob Hannah was stuck in the screw you (a section of the track) for like a bunch of laps. I looked over at the team and said, I need to win both races if we have a shot here. That feeling, even when I talk about it, I want to throw up. It was a feeling of what men are made of, and this is when you are scared, you go and fight. You know what, the Europeans were known as mud racers, and I was from California, where it doesn’t rain, and I beat them and we won the MXoN. Saw Jimmy Weinert (AMA legend) crying and Tony Distefano (another AMA legend) was there, and all these people, and the only one who was a dick was Bob Hannah (laughing). That was the one I will take to the grave with me.”

Now in 2017, it will be up to three young men, Zach Osborne, Thomas Covington, and Cole Seely. All new to Team USA, but all experienced enough, and excited enough to make sure the legacy of Team USA is in good hands.

Author:

Geoff Meyer