Oldtimer motocross

Beginning in 1983 until 2007 I raced motocross bikes most often with a group of riders called “oldtimers”. It was a mixed bunch, some ex pros, some novices like me, but mostly the races were made up of riders who had being doing it for fun since they were teenagers. Some were serious, trained, and worked hard to win, others were just out for a good time. There wasn’t a dull person among them.

The pictures in this book, except for two, were taken at races that were part of the “Oldtimers Motocross International” series. There was one race each year in Alberta, British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, and two in California.

Many riders raced every event on the calendar every year. I managed it only once in 1990.

It should be noted that most of the pictures were taken at races where I was also a competitor, photographing when I wasn’t on the track racing, so the people I raced with aren’t in the pictures. If it seems there are a lot of pictures of the same people it’s because they were, one, winners of races and championships, or, two, from BC and I liked to photograph the friends I was racing with and give them prints. The pictures weren’t taken with the idea of producing a book.

A special note about three riders.

Zoli Berenyi won countless #1 plates over the years. He was a legend in Canadian motocross not just oldtimers. There are too many stories to tell but could be summed up in one when at his home race at Antler Lake he broke his collar bone during practice and spend the rest of weekend hauling hose and watering the track. Then he went to hospital.

Laurence St Pierre, not only raced oldtimers but also ran the Agassiz Motocross Track. The only time he missed an oldtimer race was when he was recovering from a heart transplant of which he’s had a few to many. Also a multi time #1 plate holder.

Ron Farmer was really a hot rodder but he was one of the founders of the BC Oldtimers Motocross Club and a multi time amateur class champion. I can’t remember him ever coming in second.