Last week I was loaned a copy of The Motocross Files by a good friend of mine. It's highlight was the story of Bob "The Hurricane" Hannah. A man that I completely idolized as a kid. I even tried to copy his moniker for a time, referring to myself as Jonathan "The Heatwave" Hardy. It didn't stick. Not so much because of the name, but because I was not anywhere near fast on a motocross bike. Bob, on the other hand, was fast a all get out. I remember watching him at the Houston Astrodome, duking it out with Broc "The Candy Ass" Glover (nickname given by Jonathan "The Heatwave" Hardy). I put in the DVD with much anticipation, ready to relive the excitement of motocross hero fandom.
Mr. Hannah is still Mr. Hannah. No doubt. The characteristic smile and wise ass attitude all in tact. As he retold the stories of his racing career, I was pleased to see that he was all that I expected him to be in those days. Fast, irreverent, fast, gnarly, fast, rebellious, confident, fast. I laughed out loud several times when he talked about ramming some squid in a corner or how he ran into Jimmy Wienert on purpose because Wienert pissed him off.
"Man, that's racing!", I thought. I guess I should clarify. That WAS racing. That was when you expected to get rammed if you were slow as Christmas. If you were slow, you had no business out there and you needed to be rammed to teach you a lesson. When you came off the track, you were grateful that someone thought enough of you to ram you. Like, "Yeah, I needed that. I'm slow as Christmas".
Bob Hannah's Motocross File DVD was refreshing. It reminded me that motocross racers should be tough, hard hitting, gnarly guys. Too much polish and glamour these days if you ask me. Bob "The Hurricane" Hannah is still an icon to me. He should be to every generation of riders to come. To remind us to trade a little paint in the corners. To remind us to go fast at all cost. To remind us that we are not riders, we are racers.
Thanks Bob. Thanks for all the good memories. Thanks for all the good races. Thanks for setting the tone back in those days. Your a hell of a racer. Jimmy Wienert should thank you too.
Jonathan "The Heatwave" Hardy......C'mon...oh please, oh please, oh please????
Mr. Hannah is still Mr. Hannah. No doubt. The characteristic smile and wise ass attitude all in tact. As he retold the stories of his racing career, I was pleased to see that he was all that I expected him to be in those days. Fast, irreverent, fast, gnarly, fast, rebellious, confident, fast. I laughed out loud several times when he talked about ramming some squid in a corner or how he ran into Jimmy Wienert on purpose because Wienert pissed him off.
"Man, that's racing!", I thought. I guess I should clarify. That WAS racing. That was when you expected to get rammed if you were slow as Christmas. If you were slow, you had no business out there and you needed to be rammed to teach you a lesson. When you came off the track, you were grateful that someone thought enough of you to ram you. Like, "Yeah, I needed that. I'm slow as Christmas".
Bob Hannah's Motocross File DVD was refreshing. It reminded me that motocross racers should be tough, hard hitting, gnarly guys. Too much polish and glamour these days if you ask me. Bob "The Hurricane" Hannah is still an icon to me. He should be to every generation of riders to come. To remind us to trade a little paint in the corners. To remind us to go fast at all cost. To remind us that we are not riders, we are racers.
Thanks Bob. Thanks for all the good memories. Thanks for all the good races. Thanks for setting the tone back in those days. Your a hell of a racer. Jimmy Wienert should thank you too.
Jonathan "The Heatwave" Hardy......C'mon...oh please, oh please, oh please????
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