The Trailblazers Motorcycle Club hosted the 80th running of its Hall of Fame Banquet and Bike Show at the Carson Center in Carson, California, on March 14. This year’s banquet was attended by a record 720 people.
The Club got its start in 1940 as a way for retired racers, industry members and motorcyclists, primarily from the West Coast, to meet once a year to relive the past and honor those who contributed to the growth of the sport. As a result, the Trailblazers Hall of Fame was created, and nearly 300 individuals have since been inducted, including this year’s new members: Steve Baker, Eddie Castro, Tony Dodge, John and Rita Gregory, Bruce McDougal and Roy Turner.
Former Daytona 200 winner Baker was honored for his accomplishments as a road racer, and especially for when he won the Formula 750 World Championship in 1977, thus becoming America’s first road-racing World Champion.
Southern Californian speedway fans were thrilled to see “Fast Eddie” Castro make the Hall of Fame. To no one’s surprise, the energetic Castro was the most enthusiastic of the night when he was brought on stage to accept his well-deserved induction award.
Former factory Honda and Kawasaki technician, team manager and suspension-product designer Roy Turner was honored. Turner began his career in the golden age of motocross as a mechanic for the factory Honda team. He was then lured to Kawasaki to be Jimmy Weinert’s tuner. Turner went on to become the manager for the factory Kawasaki MX Team when team racers like Jeff Ward, Ron Lechien, Mike LaRocco and Mike Kiedrowski were at their peaks. Turner is also credited with starting the big-rig era in motocross. He was the first to introduce a team semi-truck into the paddock in the 1990s. All the other factory teams quickly followed suit.
JT Racing founders John and Rita Gregory were inducted, and they shared how they got their start by selling motocross socks that were originally designed for soccer players. Suzuki’s World Champions Joel Robert and Roger DeCoster agreed to wear their socks (for $100 a year). They also agreed to wear the socks over the tops of their boots to increase their visibility, which created that iconic style that veteran motocrossers know well. The socks were produced in Tijuana (aka TJ), Mexico, which evolved into the company’s name, JT, TJ in reverse. JT became the industry’s first major motocross apparel company before transitioning into the paintball industry. Many top stars of the sport through the ’70s and early 2000s wore JT clothing at one time, such as David Bailey, Broc Glover, Rick Johnson and Jeff Ward, who were all in attendance. The Gregory’s have since sold the company.
Tony Dodge of the Dodge Brothers Racing (DBR) fame was honored. DBR built competitive racing motorcycles for privateers looking to make it big in AMA flat track racing, and one of the brightest moments of the company’s history was in 2013. Brad Baker, riding a Dodge Brothers H-D XR750, won the Grand National Championship. It was the first non-factory team to do so in decades. Baker joined Dodge on stage on Saturday night.
Well-known Southern California motocross star Bruce McDougal was inducted. McDougal was a member of the mighty factory Honda motocross team in the early ’70s. McDougal never won a title (though he did finish second) but he was always a thorn in the sides of the top racers and was a fan favorite.
Two special awards were handed out—the Trailblazers Earl & Lucile Flanders Lifetime Achievement Award and the Trailblazers Dick Hammer Award. Harold “Howie” Zechner of RAZ Video Production was given the Lifetime Achievement Award for his lifelong contribution to speedway racing. The award includes an automatic enrollment into the ’Blazers’ Hall of Fame.
The Trailblazers’ very own Don Emde, already a HOF member and one of the night’s emcees, was honored with the Dick Hammer Award.CN
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