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After a three-year absence, Vintage Motocross returned to the vintage-friendly confines of Midway
Recreation Park, located near Kellogg, Minnesota. For Motokazie, which has been operating the track
since 2009, this was their first Vintage event ever. Midwest VMX, who organizes these events and tallies
the year-end points, allows a few “modern” classes, so it was an interesting assortment of eras and
designs taking to the track.
You don't see an AJS chasing, well anything, very often.
VMX has visited the facility before, but the events always seemed to be plagued with rain. Although there
was some hard rain the day before this event, race day dawned under sunny and mild conditions. With
some tractor work in the morning, the track was in ideal condition by the time the races got underway.
There was a strong wind that seemed to increase as the day went on, but that was more of an issue with
the moderns than the stay-closer-to-the-ground, older machines.
With all but the Modern classes, the spirit of the rules is that the bike should be as period-correct
as possible. In other words, figuring out a way to bolt long travel forks onto a 1969 BSA or adding
water-cooling to a Bultaco would be strongly discouraged. The classes with the oldest models are named,
appropriately enough, the Vintage classes. In general, these machines were made in 1974 or earlier.
Many of the brands doing well in these classes no longer exist as companies, but are kept alive through
the efforts of enthusiasts. Brian Fowler, Joe French, and Jason Pease all rode the Czech-made CZs
(or would they be Slovakian-made?) to victory in their classes. Also winning their respective classes
were Jerry Rewerts on a British BSA, Ron Ariton and Terry Wright riding German-made Maicos, and
Jim Ryan on the Spanish, Bultaco.
 
A CZ and Husqvarna, two European brands that were that were once the bikes to have.
The next set of classes, roughly chronologically by model year, are the Evolution classes. These classes
include the first and second generation of long-travel, twin-shock machines. The model years on these
are roughly 1975 through 1980. Continuing to move forward, technologically, are the Revolution classes.
The bikes ridden in these classes must be single-shock, can be water-cooled, may not have a power valve
mechanism, and must have been manufactured with drum brakes. This is arguably the years where the rate
of change was at its peak, which is why it’s a fairly narrow window of time, roughly 1981 through 1983.
It is in the eras of Revolution and Evolution classes where the Japanese bikes really start to take over.
All four of the major Japanese manufacturers (sorry Hodaka fans) had a least one class-winner aboard.
Robert Boyer broke the pattern by riding a Husqvarna to the win in his class. This is when Huskys were
still made in Sweden, well before the brand name traveled to Italy via Cagiva, and most recently, to
Germany via BMW.
Joe French topped the Evo/Revo 50+ A class, this time on a beautiful Maico. I have a soft spot for Maicos
as I have many pleasant memories of their nimble handling and great power delivery, and have repressed
the bad memories that lead to their nickname, Maico-breako. Perhaps the race of the day was Revolution
Heavyweight. A-class riders Russell Anthony and David Matten lead a large field of what turned out to be
mostly Yamahas. In Evolution Heavyweight A, 17-year-old, Rob Landis, riding a 1979 Suzuki RM 250 in his
first vintage race, took the win in a competitive field.
Another bike close to my heart, the 1983 Honda CR480
The last set of classes before the Moderns are the Innovation classes. These are for any machine
manufactured with a front-disc brake and a rear drum brake. The model year span is about 1984 through
1987. The entries were a bit thin in these classes, but included another win for Russell Anthony, this
time on a Kawasaki.
As the riders packed up and got ready for what was a long drive for many of them, the sound of two-strokes
being ridden full-song was still probably going through their heads. For the ones who had bikes to fix,
there was quite a bit of time for that, as the next Midwest VMX event will not be until June 19 at Sully, Iowa.
These three almost seem too pretty to ride. The BSA seat on the Triumph is a nice touch
Randy Nagel rolled out this ... Hon-tesa? Note the Chesterfield graphics on the modern in the background.
The old style Maico with the silver coffin tank. Not sure what’s going on with the front brake cable.
Results:
12-16 Schoolboy: 1. Jarrett Winder (Suz); 2. Jon Landis (Hon); 3. Daniel Zimmerman (Kaw); 4. Mark Doose (Yam)
14-24:
1. Mark Doose (Yam)
85cc:
1. Logan Housenga (Hon); 2. Braden Housenga (Yam); 3. Mitchel Moore (Yam)
Vintage 40+ B:
1. Brian Fowler (CZ); 2. Robert Zacks (Pen); 3. Jeff Jarnagin (Oss)
Vintage 50+ A:
1. Joe French (CZ)
Vintage 50+ B:
1. Jim Ryan (Bul); 2. Lonnie Netzel (CZ); 3. Allen Meyer (Hon)
Vintage 60+ A:
1. Jerry Rewerts (Bsa)
Vintage 60+ B:
1. Ron Ariton (Mai)
Vintage Heavyweight A:
1. Jeff Nagel (Hon); 2. Dan Johns (Unk); 3. Paul Jensen (Hon); 4. David Hill (CZ)
Vintage Heavyweight B:
1. Jason Pease (CZ); 2. Adam Bayliss (CZ); 3. Robert Zacks (Pen); 4. Jeff Jarnagin (Oss)
Vintage Lightweight A:
1. Chad Sparks (Suz); 2. Dan Johns (Unk); 3. Paul Jensen (Hon); 4. Brett Nagel (Hon); 5. Mark Moore (Suz)
Vintage Novice:
1. Terry Wright (Mai); 2. Jack Walcher (Hus)
Vintage Open Age B:
1. Robert Zacks (Pen)
Evolution Heavyweight A:
1. Rob Landis (Suz); 2. Tom Peterson (Yam); 3. Paul Jensen (Hon)
Evolution Lightweight A:
1. Mark Moore (Hon)
Evolution Novice:
1. Kevin Zimmerman (Yam); 2. Terry Wright (Mai)
Evo/Revo 4 Stroke B:
1. Mitch Winder (Hon)
Evo/Revo 40+ A:
1. Jeff Niesman (Yam); 2. Clint Landis (Suz)
Evo/Revo 40+ B:
1. Robert Boyer (Hus); 2. Tim Smith (Hon); 3. Robert Boucher (Suz); 4. Brian Fowler (Suz); 5. Mitch Winder (Hon)
Evo/Revo 50+ A:
1. Joe French (Mai)
Evo/Revo 50+ B:
1. Allen Meyer (Hon); 2. Jim Swinson (Yam); 3. Jim Ryan (Bul); 4. Chuck Doose (Bul)
Evo/Revo 60+ B:
1. Ron Ariton (Yam)
Evo/Revo Open Age A:
1. David Matten (Yam); 2. Shane Housenga (Yam)
Revolution Heavyweight A:
1. Russell Anthony (Yam); 2. David Matten (Yam); 3. Shane Housenga (Yam); 4. Vincent Linders (Hon); 5. Tom Peterson (Yam)
Revolution Heavyweight B:
1. Robert Boyer (Hus)
Revolution Lightweight A:
1. David Zigmont (Kaw)
Innovation Heavyweight A:
1. David Zigmont (Hon)
Innovation Lightweight A:
1. Russell Anthony (Kaw); 2. David Zigmont (Hon)
Innovation Open Age B:
1. Jim Swinson (Hon)
Modern 250 A:
1. Brett Nagel (Kaw)
Modern 250 B:
1. Jason Pease (KTM); 2. Adam Bayliss (Suz)
Modern 250 C:
1. David Sletten (Yam); 2. Don Sherbo (Suz)
Modern 30+ A:
1. David Matten (Yam); 2. Greg Vroman (KTM)
Modern 30+ B:
1. Mike Hogan (Kaw); 2. Eric Bullard (Yam)
Modern 40+ A:
1. Lee Arntz (Hon); 2. Sean Valentine (Suz); 3. Tom Peterson (Yam); 4. Greg Vroman (KTM)
Modern 40+ B:
1. Jeff Ramsay (Hon); 2. Brian Fowler (Yam); 3. Mike Hogan (Kaw); 4. Gaylord Pahl (Hon); 5. Jeff Hrubec (Yam)
Modern 50+ A:
1. Jim Olson (Yam); 2. Lee Arntz (Hon); 3. David Hill (KTM)
Modern 50+ B:
1. Lonnie Netzel (Yam); 2. Jim Ryan (Yam); 3. Chuck Doose (Hon); 4. David Sletten (Yam); 5. Don Sherbo (Suz)
Modern Open A:
1. Chad Sparks (Yam)
Modern Open C:
1. Jeff Hrubec (Yam)
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