Danny LaPorte: A Motocross Legend Who Conquered the World

 

Childhood and Early Career:

Born December 3, 1956 in Los Angeles, California, Danny LaPorte spent his childhood immersed in the culture of motocross, a world he would soon dominate. Growing up during the explosive 1970s, LaPorte began riding motorcycles at the turn of the decade, when the sport of motocross was experiencing unprecedented growth. His passion for speed and adventure led him to begin his professional career at just 16 years old, an early sign of the exceptional talent that would characterize his motocross journey.

The Rise with Suzuki:

In 1976, the young talent was noticed by the official Suzuki racing team, who offered him an opportunity that would change his life. Since then, LaPorte has become a prominent figure in the Suzuki team, culminating in 1979 when he captured the prestigious AMA 500cc national championship. His supreme skill and unwavering determination have made him a force to be reckoned with in motocross competition.

International Triumph with Yamaha:

In 1981, LaPorte represented the United States in the Motocross des Nations, contributing to the team's historic triumph. This success marked a landmark moment, proving to the world that American athletes could compete and win internationally in motocross. Driven by a thirst for new challenges, in 1982 LaPorte decided to compete in the world championship, joining the official Yamaha racing team. In a masterstroke, he defeated favorite Georges Jobé, taking home the FIM 250cc world title and leaving an indelible mark on motocross history.

Success in the Desert and International Rally:

After his world championship triumph, LaPorte took his talents to desert racing, winning the legendary Baja 1000 three times as a member of the Kawasaki racing team. In the 1990s, he took on even more demanding challenges, participating in international rally events. In 1992, he achieved a remarkable second place overall in the Paris-Dakar Rally, demonstrating his versatility and indomitable spirit.

Withdrawal and the Connection with History:

Today, Danny resides in Southern California, retaining his competitive spirit. Still occasionally on the tracks, he continues to inspire new generations of motocross enthusiasts. In 2000, his lasting impact was recognized when he was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame. In 2003, he received another honor, this time as a member of the victorious 1981 Motocross des Nations team, establishing him as an American motocross legend.

Danny, with his extraordinary career and his unwavering determination, remains an icon in the motocross universe, a man who defied boundaries and led his country to victory around the world. His legacy is etched in motocross history and continues to inspire those who aspire to follow in his bold footsteps.

Donato

What Would Heikki Think?

The new Husky lineup is impressive especially their two stroke models. Heikki was a fierce competitor and I think he would be right at home on the new Huskys.

2023 Dubya World Vet Championships

The 2023 Dubya World Vet Championships at Glen Helen is officially in the books. With over 1200 racers coming from 24 different countries racing on a massive Glen Helen National track, this year’s event was truly a memorable adventure for all involved. In this video, MXA’s Trevor Nelson shows the sights and sounds of World Vet weekend with action from the Over-30, Over-40 and Over-50 Pro motos, as well as the Pasha 125 Open motos.

FIM ISDE 2023 Argentina

The ninety-seventh FIM International Six Day’s Enduro (ISDE) reached mid-distance with United States maintaining their lead in the FIM World Trophy competition. Sweden further extended their advantage in the FIM Junior World Trophy, while the United States continue to be the nation to beat in the FIM Women’s World Trophy in San Juan, Argentina.

Sexton first day training on his new factory redbull Ktm

Monster Energy Triumph Racing

SUPERCROSS LEGACY - CHAD REED

SX Global addresses rider conduct in World Supercross

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Section: Competition Post: Troy Guenther

'Racing and the integrity, must be paramount, as is rider safety.'

World Supercross Championship (WSX) rights-holder SX Global has released a statement addressing rider conduct within the series following the controversy on display in Abu Dhabi.

The statement outlines penalties that were handed out across the night, the first being to Vince Friese for dangerous riding in WSX race one, the MCR Honda racer notably making a move on Dean Wilson (Fire Power Froth Honda) which brought the latter down.

Penalty two was the disqualification of Mitchell Oldenburg (MCR Honda) for entering the mechanic’s area backwards in WSX final three, while the third penalty was handed to Friese once more, the number three leaving the track and was deemed to gain an advantage.

“As we grow this new FIM World Supercross Championship, racing and the integrity, must be paramount, as is rider safety,” SX Global CEO explained.

“As the promoters of the championship, we want to see hard racing that provides an incredible spectacle for fans and spectators; however, we rely on the FIM and their officials, to implement and enforce the rules to ensure both integrity and safety are always maintained.”

Despite the penalties, Friese was still able to finish the second round of the season third overall, while Oldeburg was 11th on the night after his disqualification from the final premier class race of the program.

I'm not here to just ride around and have fun' – Friese on WSX

Eventful night in Abu Dhabi recalled after another WSX podium.

Polarizing MCR Honda racer Vince Friese has detailed the motive behind his bullish aggression that has become the primary talking point of the World Supercross Championship (WSX) following Abu Dhabi’s second round of the 2023 season.

The 33-year-old American moved to declare that ‘I’m not here to just ride around and have fun’ in his bid to challenge for the 450 class crown.

Friese posted the fifth fastest time in superpole and engaged in a battle for the lead with Dean Wilson (Fire Power Froth Honda) in the opening WSX final of the night at Etihad Arena on Saturday night.

In an attempt to counter, Friese dived up the inside in the 180-degree turn and made contact with Wilson, bringing him down as a result. Friese ultimately took the checkered flag first after fending off defending WSX champion Ken Roczen (PMG Suzuki), but was docked two positions after the race for ‘dangerous racing’, according to FIM officials.

“If you put a bunch of money on the line, like we have here, and put us on an arenacross track, I think that is the way it is going to go,” Friese explained. “At least for me, I’m not here to just ride around and have fun – I’m here to make some money, pay my bills.

“That is what we are doing, we are battling for a position. If these guys want to take it easy, they can take it easy, but I am going to race hard.”

The controversial CRF450R rider finished runner-up behind Wilson in the second race following further barbs between them, before being classified eighth in the final encounter after himself crashing out of top-three contention, crossing the line in P6 and then being handed another two-place penalty.

“Honestly, I don’t know what happened, whether I got a penalty for it or not, I just know that I got third overall,” Friese added after going off-track in race three while dicing with Joey Savatgy (Mobil 1 Rick Ware Racing). “But, I mean, it is what it is… if it was wrong, then I will take the penalty.

“I’ve read through the rulebook, but it has been a while – round one was three or four months ago, so maybe I’ll give the rulebook another read-through. It’s hard to say if my front wheel was ahead of his or not, but yeah, I just tried to ride slowly.

“Yeah, I cut a portion of the corner off, and I think in my head ‘what do I do, what do I do here, just go?’. They had already told me there was another penalty, so at that point it was ‘let’s just race dirt bikes at this point’.

“Whatever, that is the kind of racing that I enjoy. I hate to take a position that is not mine, and if it is wrong, then I’ll take the penalty for that. I don’t know if there was a penalty for the pass on Dean [in race one], but I feel like that was just good old motocross racing.”

Amidst the eventful night, Friese landed third overall for the round and enters the Boost Mobile Australian Grand Prix at Marvel Stadium positioned fourth in the standings, currently 19 points back from new red plate-holder Savatgy.

Prado To Test AMA Supercross!

Reigning FIM Motocross World Campion Jorge Prado was out in California last month to test a bit of supercross. The 22-year-old Spaniard has been on supercross tracks in the USA before, but why did he come back out on the heels of his MXGP title? Well, it turns out he might be interested in coming to the USA full time to race Monster Energy AMA Supercross and the AMA Pro Motocross Championship as soon as 2025.

Well, Kris Cooksey announced today that Jorge Prado will race in the first three rounds of the 2024 AMA Supercross season with Troy Lee Designs GasGas. Chris Cooksey is rarely wrong, and whenever he makes a statement, he always ends up being right. The 2024 Supercross season promises to be even more interesting.