This amateur film from the 1983 GNC season opener is something else. It was filmed by a friend or family member of local Texan Terry Poovey. Poovey was national number 18 from 1977 to 2007!
The factory Honda rider, Poovey is the star of the show and his ride in the main has to be seen to be believed.
The film shows his qualifying race, a semi, I think, for the main. Back then the classes were stacked with talent. In Poovey's qualifier is Kenny Roberts, a rider many regards as the greatest motorcycle racer of all-time. Poovey wins the semi, KR is seventh and doesn't progress.
There were 37 national number riders in AFT in 2019. in 1983 there were 99! 99 Experts, plus the first year rookies moving into the class.
As the riders are introduced for the main, there are lots of recognisable names, including Ronnie Jones, who we interviewed for Sideburn 38 and was still competing in AFT Twins in the 2019 season! Ricky Graham, the number 1 at the time, gets as many boos as cheers. Perhaps it's because he was a Californian in Texas, or just a case of build them up, knock them down mentality. Perhaps because his team
Maybe because his teammate was the Texan Bubba Shobert, #67.
#6 is the 1980 GNC champ, Randy Goss. 11 is Scott Parker. #65Q is Randy Green (a first year rookie in the Expert class. I think it's a Q, he doesn't have his natinal number yet). Three Randys held national numbers in 1983 - Goss, Patterson and Spence. Zero Randys held national numbers in 2019.
Anyway, try to imagine the noise and smoke of 18 two-stroke 250s on a 25-lap main. I don't think anyone got lapped, which is astonishing.