Dear MXA,
I found this set of CMC results from February 1982 in "Goggle Images." I made my first trip to Saddleback just before it closed in 1984 (as a 12-year-old kid from Kansas who bugged his parents so much that they gave in and drove me up to the track to watch). Because of finding this, after 28 years, I was intrigued by some of the names in the results. I thought I would ask the MXA wrecking crew to shed some light on the Saddleback guys named here—because I saw that several MXA guys were in the results.
Actually we've seen this results sheet before (and we just don't mean on February 21, 1982, but on both ProRide and MXA). It's not that the MXA wrecking crew remembers this exact race, but we do have fond memories of the place and the people who raced there. We have met so many people over the years who took a day off from their California vacation to make a trip to Saddleback Park. It was a magical place—and we are glad to help.
Here is a breakdown of some of the people named:
Tony Alessi got third in the mini Junior class. He would go on to become the father of Mike and Jeff Alessi. Before the kids were on the fast track to stardom,Tony not only raced all the time but dabbled in race announcing.
Mark Toyama and BMX star Steve Skibell went 1-2 in the mini intermediates.
Paul Denis, Kurtie Henricksen and Todd Campbell were the mini pros. Paul was a minicycle superstar who never made a dent in the pro ranks, but had boatloads of talent. Kurt currently runs a motocross school and his father, Ron, runs the NMA. Todd Campbell had a good local pro career.
Jim Perry was the Yamaha team manager until Yamaha dropped their factory team this year, but these could be results for his brother John Perry, who also raced at Saddleback and was the event coordinator for the AMA 250/450 Nationals in 2009. Jimmy (or John) was 19th in the 125 Junior class. It must kill them that Pro Circuit buddy Bones Bacon was fifth on a Husqvarna 125 (Bones real name is Jim).
REM promoter Frank Thomason was fifth in the 500 Junior class and he is still using his 551 number today.
Today, Frank Thomason is the REM Glen Helen promoter. 28 years ago he was a 500 Junior.
Ty Swartz was third in the 125 Intermediate class and MXA's Jody Weisel was eighth. Both still race today. Jody was already 35 years old in 1982. Jody was also racing the Vet Master class (and would win the CMC Number One plate in 1984 ).
Jody's 1984 CMC Number One lumber.
Joe "Meltdown" Melton finished second in the 250 Juniors. Today, Joe Melton is an airline pilot and works as a Yamaha test rider in his spare time.
Joe Melton (9) still races today. This is Joe and former Yamaha team manager (and Jeff Emig's mechanic) Steve Butler in an epic YZ125 duel two years ago.
Mike Beier won the 125 Pro class. Beier, a top top privateer in the 125 Nationals, would go on to do some amazing things in Europe in beach races and Hardcross events. Today, he works for a chemical recycling firm that services Pro Circuit, Race Tech, Factory Connection and other hop-up shops in SoCal.
Doug O'Donnell was third in the 125 Pro class. Doug was a solid racer and MXA test rider who crashed at Saddleback and was paralyzed from the waist down a few years later. He went to rehab, and three weeks later the feeling came back to his legs and he walked out of rehab. He never raced again (he said he didn't want to push his luck).
Doug Dubach was beaten by Ray Tetherton for 12th place in the 125 Pro class. Doctor D claims that his bad finish back in 1982 was a DNF. Ray worked at Team Suzuki for decades and Doug Dubach would be winning Supercross races in a few short years (1991 San Jose Supercross). Dubach still races today and owns DR.D (and is the 17-time World Vet Champion).
Doctor D today.
Matt Tedder was third in the 250 Pro class. Matt just won the Over-50 crown for the third time at Loretta Lynn's last week.
Monte Roy was 17th in the 250 Pro class and his brother Jimmy was fourth in the 500 Pro class. The Roy brothers, Jimmy and Monte were the basis for Jimmy and Monte Floyd in many Jody's Box columns.
There are a lot of other Saddleback guys: red-headed Thayne Zito, nice guy Rusty Hannah, Steve Pfaff, Jeff Scott, Tony Gomez, Scott Conaway, Glen Senecal, Frank Steiner, Bruce McDougal and Carl Gazafy.
How many of these Saddleback Specialists can you name? This is the Vet Master class. The front three guys (from left to right) are Marino Bastionell (34), Jody Weisel (JT chest protector) and Lance Moorewood (HRP lightning bolt jersey). Number 13 (white numbers in the center of the pack) is Jim Beltnick, the Saddleback Saturday promoter.
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