• STORIES
    • LONGFORM
    • THE MOMENT
    • MY SHOT
    • SHORT FEATURES
  • PODCASTS
  • SHOP
    • APPAREL
    • ACCESSORIES
    • ARTWORK
    • BOOKS
    • ON ANY SUNDAY
    • SALE ITEMS
  • SUPPORT
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • ABOUT
  • 0 items
Logo
Logo
  • STORIES
    • LONGFORM
    • THE MOMENT
    • MY SHOT
    • SHORT FEATURES
  • PODCASTS
  • SHOP
    • APPAREL
    • ACCESSORIES
    • ARTWORK
    • BOOKS
    • ON ANY SUNDAY
    • SALE ITEMS
  • SUPPORT
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • ABOUT
  • 0 items

District 14 Champ! And Other Youth Racing Memories

November 16, 2022
-
SHORT FEATURES, STORIES
-
1 Comment
Motocoss, 90sMoto, MotoSports, 1992

This brand started as a way to celebrate our connection to dirt bikes, whether we still ride regularly or not at all. The point is that we went fast. You rode five minutes ago? You went fast. 5 decades ago? You went fast.

And if there isn’t a bike in the garage present day, you still love riding. It’s a part of us forever. Here’s a fun anecdote from my own racing life, complete with a touch of bravado and whimsical exaggeration. This is an expanded version of what was posted on Instagram on Nov. 12, 2022.

Thirty years ago this month I won the AMA District 14 Motocross Championship in the 80cc 12-15 class. Being a ‘state’ champion felt like a BIG deal. And it was to a 13-year-old. Especially when you got to look forward to the year-end banquet where your name would be called last (“and the CHAMPION!”) and you hoped that fact alone would impress your competition’s sisters enough that they wanted to dance with you when the DJ started spinning. And those cheap polyester jackets with the chintzy embroidery were almost worth the thousands of dollars your parents spent dragging you around to races for nine months.  

Motocoss, 90sMoto, Cycle News, 1992
D-14 Final Standings written up by Jan Darden, who was the wife of D-14 commissioner Bob Darden. I wonder if Nick Wey and Josh Woods ever went pro?

Yup. In 1992 Team MotoSports (corner of N. Saginaw Rd. and M-57!) and #809 brought home the bacon. That’s Marketing 101 right there. We kicked ass on Sundays and sold on Mondays (as long as you were able to visit MotoSports in the limited Monday hours of 1-5 pm). Nathan Miller, Jason “Bickington”, Steven “Swelt” and Chris Beckington (very close relation to Mr. “Bickington” were formidable competitors. I traded many moto wins with Mr. Miller and lost a few overalls to those Bickington boys but nobody in the 80 ‘Senior’ class could match the speed of that 1992 Honda CR80.

And, we probably just simply raced way more D-14 events that season than anyone else!

  • Motocross Shirt, moto t-shirt
    College Block Tee
    $30.00
    Select options
  • Motocross Trophy Shirt moto gift
    Trophy Tee
    $30.00
    Select options

On a serious note, that was a fun year of racing. And we badly needed it. In 1990 I suffered a couple of scary injuries. One was in November at the Florida Winter Olympics where I woke up in a CAT scan machine. I struggled mentally through 1991. And it didn’t help that I turned 12 just three weeks before the April 1, 1991 cutoff date. Even though the season started in March, I had to move up to the 12-15 class where I raced against riders aged 14 and 15 years old. It was a season of beatdowns yet we still qualified for the Loretta Lynn’s AMA Amateur Motocross National Championship.

But I broke my arm a couple of weeks before the event.

So it goes.

Motocoss, 90sMoto, MotoSports, 1992
Brett Smith wearing his favorite Life’s A Beach cap and the MotoSports “Racing Through the 90s” jersey.

At some point in 1991, I rode Nick Wey’s Honda CR80. The Wey family visited over a weekend, probably while racing at nearby Baja Acres. In ’91, Terry Wey put Nick on the CR because Honda paid $500 per win in several different series (remember the Silverdome series?) and NYK just cleaned house and cleaned up the contingency in the 7-11 class.

I ripped a few starts in the backyard on that blood red rocket. That Honda had insane bottom end. And shredded on top. We were still riding the 1990 KX80s at that point and due for some new wheels. So, we switched. I rode a 1992 CR80 in the fall of 1991. And we stuck with Hondas until I went to college.

Motocoss, 90sMoto, MotoSports, 1992
I don’t know what happened to the “Champ” class jacket but the trophy sits in the We Went Fast world headquarters (I mean, my basement bunker office)

It’s a good thing that my college degree didn’t put me in debt because all I’m doing 30 years later is having Al Bundy moments where I write about how great I was. There’s even a 1996 Honda CR125 sitting in my garage waiting to be re-jetted and have its silencer reattached. That’s another story for another day.

Let the Good Times Roll. I mean, Ride Red. I mean, Relive The Fast.

And wear We Went Fast swag.

A note on the lead picture: do you recognize this jump at Baja Acres in Millington, Michigan?

This was taken next to that double in the northeast corner of the track. I can still remember how scary it was to gin up the courage to jump this because if you cased it (or overshot it) you flew into the forest.

Motocoss, 90sMoto, MotoSports, 1992
Brett Smith at Baja Acres in 1992. This was the tricky corner double in the northeast corner of the track.

There was a 90-degree right hand corner immediately after the landing. And there was NO lift on the takeoff going in this direction. Going the other way this double was really fun because you could seat bounce from the inside.

Thanks for reading. Share your own story in the comments or send me a DM on Instagram. And remember, stickers are free to newsletter subscribers. Just pull the welcome message out of your junk folder and follow the instructions.

And if you loved this story, considering supporting the small moto brand that wants to connect you with your dirt bike. Shop We Went Fast.

 

  • We Went Fast Hat - Silver
    Fast Snapback Hat – Silver
    $27.00
    Add to cart
  • We Went Fast Hat - Brown
    Fast Snapback Hat – Coyote Brown/Black
    $27.00
    Add to cart
  • Beige Beanie, motocross gift, hat
    Rib Knit Beanie – Beige
    $20.00
    Add to cart

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
Tags
1992
90smoto
Brett Smith
District 14
Michigan Motocross
Email
← PREVIOUS POST
A Vanilla Ice Story
NEXT POST →
EP. #20 Doug Henry and The Dam

Brett Smith

Former racer turned bookworm and story teller. Will work for tacos.

1 Comment

on District 14 Champ! And Other Youth Racing Memories.
  1. david
    December 22, 2022 @ 05:06
    -
    Reply

    Thanks for sharing your story with us you can also visit our online store store just click here and order your favorite jacket.

Let’s Talk About It

Your personal information will not be published
Cancel Reply

Please wait...
Submit Comment

Related News

Other posts that you should not miss.

The Fabulous Four of Supercross

February 23, 2023
-
SHORT FEATURES, STORIES
A breakdown of the exclusive club of Supercross greats to own the all-time wins record. When LeBron James took over the NBA scoring record on February 7, 2023,…
Read More →
14 MIN READ
All-time AMA SX/MX Race Leaders Chart

An Ode to the Ironmen of Moto

January 15, 2021
-
SHORT FEATURES, STORIES
Chad Reed isn't lining up in 2021. It's over but he's forever an Ironman of Moto. At 386 AMA SX/MX starts alone, Reed sits 4th on the all-time race list.
Read More →
4 MIN READ
David Bailey, 1983 Washington DC Supercross

David Bailey 1983 vs. Chase Sexton 2023

March 31, 2023
-
STORIES
In 1983 David Bailey suffered through two injuries, overcame a massive points deficit, and won the AMA Supercross Championship. Chase Sexton is hoping to repeat history. Hope is…
Read More →
10 MIN READ
SUBSCRIBERS ARE WINNERS
Free stickers for those who join the FAST list!
District 14 Champ! And Other Youth Racing Memories - We Went Fast
Cleantalk Pixel
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Privacy Policy.
Cookie settingsACCEPT
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT