January 2013 Homepage Photo

[Dale Fisher]

Another from Tom Rapp.  Tom racing next to Gary Bailey at Mammoth Mountain 1970.





Dale Fisher
Penton Owners Group - Memberships
Facebook - Cheney Twinshock Racing Group - Administrator

1970 Six-Day 125
1971 Six-Day 125 (Dave Fisher's)
1973 Jackpiner 175
1974 Berkshire 100
And some silly other bikes...

[Mike Lenz]

I took a Gary Baily school in 74 I believe.  Lake Geneva Raceway in IL. Was that the year of the yellow Bielstein shocks?  I believe I remember blowing one out that day, or was that a blue Girling.  I dont know, they both blew out so much! The thing I remember about the school is he taught me how to pre jump bumps of even a small jump.  Took one by Pomery (and Lackey) also, in 75 at a National MX in TN.  He made us go wide open in the grass and stop only with the front brake! Shortest stopper wins! That was interesting.

[Dale Fisher]

I've contacted Tom Rapp and he responded he has photos of other riders.  I also have a Gary Bailey Motocross school participant package on my desk to scan.

Dale Fisher
Penton Owners Group - Memberships
Facebook - Cheney Twinshock Racing Group - Administrator

1970 Six-Day 125
1971 Six-Day 125 (Dave Fisher's)
1973 Jackpiner 175
1974 Berkshire 100
And some silly other bikes...

[paul a. busick]

Anyone know how to contact Gary Bailey, email, PH#, home address?  Amherst Paul

[Dale Fisher]

Paul, There's a phone number and email listed at Gary's Motocross web site.  Link below.

http:\\//www.garybaileymx.com

Dale Fisher
Penton Owners Group - Memberships
Facebook - Cheney Twinshock Racing Group - Administrator

1970 Six-Day 125
1971 Six-Day 125 (Dave Fisher's)
1973 Jackpiner 175
1974 Berkshire 100
And some silly other bikes...

[Paul Danik]

John Penton told a story one time about how the " Professor " Gary Bailey got his start in teaching Motocross, and it kinda went like this...

It was 1969 at the Inter-Am at New Philadelphia, Ohio. Apparently John was involved in promoting the event and he also had arranged for a MX school to be taught on Sat. morning by a couple of the European riders.

Friday night these same Europeans got to having way toooo much fun, John soon realized that these guys were not going to be in any condition to teach anything in the morning, but he already had a bunch of guys showing up bright and early for the school, what to do???

John approached Gary Bailey and asked if would consider teaching the school, Gary stated that he had never taught such a school before, John assured him he could do it.... Gary took John for his word and taught his first ever MX school the next morning...

When the home page photo of Gary was posted I immediately though of that story, and thought about posting it, but maybe I had it wrong...so I did not post it.

I just now got off the phone with Gary Bailey, in our conversation I said I had a story to run by him, which I did, he said that is exactly how he got started in teaching MX school...all because of John Penton..  I then asked his permission to post this story.

I also mentioned how I had heard that in his book there was a picture of him on a Penton in it, he said it is right near the front, he then questioned why I didn't already have a copy of his book, he got me there... There is a copy heading towards Mars, Pa in the morning, hopefully autographed tooo..

I mentioned how you folks are posting pictures of him and telling neat stories, he is going to check it out when he gets his PC fired up..

I have to also say what an absolute pleasure it was to talk with Gary, he sure seems like a true gentleman.  I did also take the opportunity to invite him to drop by a POG meeting sometime when he is in the area, and he seemed genuinely interested  

Below is a link to his website, and to you Amherst Paul, a BIG THANKS for asking about his contact info and giving me the idea to Google Gary Bailey, 3 minutes later I was talking with the GENTLEMAN...

http://garybaileymx.com/

Paul

[Dale Fisher]

How many noticed Gary is the newest member on the forum.  Here's another treasure from Tom Rapp's collection.

Gary Bailey and Joel Robert - Westlake 1969 [8D]



Dale Fisher
Penton Owners Group - Memberships
Facebook - Cheney Twinshock Racing Group - Administrator

'70 Six-Day 125 - V2017
'71 Six-Day 125 (Dave Fisher's) - V5553
'72 Mudlark - W257
'73 Jackpiner - 175 21159727
'74 Berkshire 100 - 40171056
And some silly other bikes...

[joe novak]

I remember George Singler who operated Singler's (aka Medina) Motocross Track in Ohio.   He wore blue jeans, work boots, helmet and goggles (NO shirt or jersey!) when he raced.

[tomale]

That is a vert cool pic, By the time that I got interested in racing, I was already too big for a 125, so I really never paid much attention to the little bikes. I did race a KX 125 once, it was fast but the shocks did not work and the front end loved to push. out of 30 guys that were all 40#'s lighter, I still managed to finish 6th overall. Sure I could throw the bike but it would not stick in the corners. Now I would just love to be the weight I was back then.
I have taken Jim's MX school and then several years ago, Marty Smith jump on a plane and taught a school here in the PNW  As I recall both stressed throttle control rather than light switch, We spent a great deal of time working on braking and cornering, The dirt was soft and loose with a clay base so it was easy to loose the front wheel.  I had never had my front brake set up so tight and for the first time, I had to learn to control how much front brake I was using, I must have fallen a dozen times in the first hour. It is hard to let go of some of our lazy habits. All in all it was worth the time,  because my corner speed improved significantly..

Thom Green,Still crazy after all these years!
76' 250 MC5 (orginal owner)
74' 1/2 440 maico
70' 400 maico (project)
72' cr125 Husky (project)
93' RMx 250 suzuki

[tooclose racing]

So - the Westlake photo from 1969.  What bikes are Bailey and Robert riding?  Bailey's looks like it is a Penton, right? Cases (or angle of shot) throwing me off a bit.  If that is the case, then I'm REALLY interested in what Robert is riding.  My first guess is a Sachs or DKW with the leading link fork...engine cases definitely look like Sachs on his bike.

In the big bore classes, I thought Robert was riding CZ before he switched to Suzuki.  Never heard that he ran 125s on these stateside races.

What's the verdict, Wise Old Guys?  

[Dale Fisher]

Gary Bailey motocross school documents []















Dale Fisher
Penton Owners Group - Memberships
Facebook - Cheney Twinshock Racing Group - Administrator

'70 Six-Day 125 - V2017
'71 Six-Day 125 (Dave Fisher's) - V5553
'72 Mudlark - W257
'73 Jackpiner - 175 21159727
'74 Berkshire 100 - 40171056
And some silly other bikes...