Ricky Johnson has made many circuits his own, from winning the USGP at his home circuit in Carlsbad in 1986, to winning three USGPs in a row at the Unadilla circuit in 1987, 1988 and 1989. He also won the AMA 500cc National round at Unadilla in 1990, so he just loved the place. Oh, and add the 1987 Motocross des Nations to his list of victories at that circuit, where the Californian boy went 1-1 in the most horrible mud you could imagine in his two 250cc races, to lead his country to their seventh victory in the biggest motocross race in the World.
We caught up with the American legend and asked him which tracks he really enjoyed and while he didn’t concentrate on just one track, he gave us some gold about the places he did really like.
MXlarge: Ricky, can you tell me, which was your favourite circuit, maybe somewhere you had great results or just a track you liked?
Johnson: I mean that’s a tough one, I have to answer that in two answers, because the one I had success at and that I dominated at was Carlsbad, because it was my local track, they prepped it terribly and it was the same Californian dirt that I rode every day, and I knew how to ride those slick tracks. I also grew up racing there and even did a Suzuki school there, where I rode around on clapped out RM 125’s and I learnt how to use the chain link and the banks and the berms. It wasn’t my favourite track; it was hard to ride and muddy in the morning and dry in the afternoon. My favourite track was Mammoth Mountain, because they were the first ones to use fire hoses and they would water the track throughout the day, and it kept that perfect loam and it got bigger and bigger and it was awesome. As far as National tracks, the old Unadilla when they just used to leave it and you had to ride on the grass and that was one of my favourite tracks. I also liked Millville, because it was very creative and it flowed well and it wasn’t just deep sand like Southwick or over in Holland, you had good jumps and elevation changes.
MXlarge: Speaking about Unadilla, John Van Den Berk mentioned the des Nations and he also mentioned a USGP he did very well at, and he mention how it amazed him how the circuit was just a field before race day. He more or less said he arrived and asked somebody, where is the track, and then the fact they didn’t put the trackside fencing in until Saturday morning before practice, because the campers would steal the wooden posts for their camp fires. Can you tell me more about that?
Johnson: I remember that too, and it scared me. Unadilla is like the Woodstock of motocross, and you had these crazy people from the North-east and that is where Weinert is from and Jo Jo Keller and all these strange types of guys. Now they were nuts, I mean there were fights, there were girls with their breasts out. I think the first or second year I was there they burnt all the toilets down, so thy started making concrete toilet blocks, but then they tried to blow those up with dynamite, and one year they burnt the announcers tower down. Funny when you talk about that GP Van Den Berk went well at, I think he was one of the only times he ever beat Bayle and he led the second race for a long time, I was able to catch him and pass him, but he rode great that day. I also remember one year, I was going out for practice and it was muddy and wet and not nice and I come around in first practice and there are these two guys fighting, belting each other and full on fist fighting and they were beating the shit out of each other and I stopped to watch and these two were covered in blood and suddenly looked over and said, “Hey, its Ricky Johnson” and they stopped fighting.
MXlarge: Tell me, Unadilla, 1987, you guys win the Motocross des Nations and I it was a muddy mess, but on the Saturday, I remember you were really on it and looked amazing, and then the rain came and still you went 1-1 for the 250 overall win and help Team USA win it. Despite the weather, and it being an ugly win, that victory had to be close to being your favourite MXdN victory being that it was at home and Unadilla (RJ also won the MXdN in 1984, 1986 and 1988).
Johnson: It was one of my favourite wins for multiple reasons. I love my country and I also love other countries, but I am a proud American. Second, after the first race, Ward got his goggles blown off in the mud, Hannah got stuck in Screw You and it was England, Holland, France, Belgium and Sweden all got top fives. I remember watching and I said I have to win both races even if we have a chance, but I was scared to death, because the European raced in this stuff all the time and I would be tip toeing around and they had everything sorted. They just went out and ride and that and also the third thing was, I was 185 pounds and I came around that final race with all the 500s and I think I was in fourth. Then also Wardy and I worked well and Kees Van Der Ven was on fire and I was like go get him to Wardy and he said the same to me, but Kees was such a stylish and smooth rider and I was not, so I got behind him and he was standing up and riding the ruts really well and I thought to myself, I have to get his goggles off him, because he isn’t going to tire out. So, I was able to pass him, and I would get into a corner and slow right up, wait until his front wheel tapped my back wheel and hold the front brake and go Braaaaa and covered him in mud. I could tell he was running out of tear off and I blasted his eyeballs a couple of times with mud.
MXlarge: There is that epic photo of you riding through the mud after you won your second race and holding the little American flag in your mouth. I was there as a media guy for Australian magazines and I remember the celebrations were pretty big. The party for you guys must have been good that day?
Johnson: It was awesome. It was great, because you know Hannah was a dick at first and he didn’t want to ride the 125, and I told him Wardy and I were too fast on the 500 and 250 and you have to ride the 125. He was calling Wardy and I names because we were getting on as Team USA team-mates.
MXlarge: I remember he wasn’t even set-up with you guys, he has his own set-up?
Johnson: Oh, yes, he wouldn’t even park next to us, he has to park like five trucks away. I was like, man, just let it go. Wardy and I worked together in 1984 and Jeff and I liked each other, but we hated each other as racers. He was the type of guy if you beat him today, he came back stronger tomorrow, and that is why he was able to win in so many different disciplines. He reinvented himself and he did it all his life. He is a racer. Knowing that we didn’t need to beat each other in that last moto, we just looked a each other and said go for it, and I did and won the race and we won the event.
Tuesday, April 28, 2020 at 9:58AM 
