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Revenge Of The USA

After getting thoroughly beaten at the 500 USGP of Motocross in Hollister, California, the United States made a rather impressive comeback. Rick Johnson positively walked away with both motos of the 250 USGP at Unadilla, New York.

Second place? Bob Hannah. If you're surprised, you haven’t been paying attention. The Northeast is Hannah country—he consistently puts on a show for his fans up there. On the victory stand, Hannah said, “Actually I figure I won this race, because the AMA rule book says you have to be human, and Ricky Johnson isn’t human to go that fast.’’ Micky Dymond was third, and Europe’s top 250 rider. John Van den Berk, could only manage a fifth and a sixth for fourth overall.

Americans Over There

It's been a long time since America had a motocross world champion. Brad Lackey and Danny LaPorte were the last—and only—ones, winning the 250 and 500 titles in the same year.

The next ones might well be Billy Liles and Rodney Smith. Right now, they are the only two Americans consistently getting good results in Europe. And they’re getting better with every ride. Liles, known for his wild riding style, just won his first 500cc GP, earning a 1-3 score in San Marino. And Smith has quietly worked his way into third in the 250 point standings. It’s not likely that either will win the title this year, but nobody smart is betting against them next year. Or the year after. 0