MXoN heroes

Broc Glover was lucky enough, or should I say good enough to be involved in a couple of Team USA victories. It wasn’t always like it is now with Team USA being the early favorites. Back in the 1970s Team USA wasn’t expected to win, that was until 1981 when Honda sent their best.

“It was fantastic for us,” Glover said. “I mean in 1981 and 1982 teams were the Honda teams, because previously in 1978 and 1979 the manufactures spent a lot of money sending the teams over, like the teams Hannah rode in, and they were third and fourth and fifth, but they never won the Motocross des Nations and they were not expected to win it. But then they decided to not race it and a few Belgian business people talked to Roger De Coster and said we have to have an American team over here. America has to be considered at that time as one of the top five teams in the World and they had to be there. So anyway, Honda paid for the team in 1981 and they won. From then on I rode a couple of those events and got to win and it was of course a highlight of my career to race for my country.

Ricky Johnson was a multiple winner for Team USA, and race for his country from 1984, 86, 87 and finally in 1988. Two of his most memorable Motocross des Nation victories came at Unadilla, New York, when the U.S. team with Ricky Johnson, Bob Hannah and Jeff Ward won before a home crowd and Maggiora in Italy in 1986.

"The look of pride on the faces of the fans when the 'Star Spangled Banner' was played is something I’ll never forget," Johnson says, who with the rest of the team was invited to the White House to meet President Ronald Reagan after the victory. Italy has always been a special place to me and that day in Maggiora in 1986 was like the beginning of a particular love I have for the country. I love Europe and I have always taken advantage of every opportunity I had to visit Italy and many of the friends I still have there. I have raced many times in Italy and the crowd has always been amazing with me and has treated me with a support that in America riders rarely receive. ’86 Maggiora was just something I will never forget, the energy was incomparable, it was so thrilling that during the day you would often stare around and tell yourself how lucky you were to be there.”

Now this year’s Team of Justin Barcia, Jeremy Martin and Cooper Webb Team USA arrive with the weight of their country on their shoulders. The Pressure will again be huge, but like they have done on so many occasions everyone expects them to perform well.