Only a taste

A Day In The Dirt: 2003



This is just a taste of the sixth annual A Day In The Dirt. You can’t experience it all by just words or photos. What is A Day In The Dirt? It’s one of the ‘funnest’ events on the planet. Where else can you ride, race, and hangout with some of the coolest people on earth? It’s actually three days, at Los Angeles County Raceway (LACR) in Palmdale, California. Stunt people, producers, directors, musicians, actors, extreme-sports athletes, auto racers and moto stars all come together to have fun motorcycle racing.



The event, presented by Troy Lee Designs and produced by professional Hollywood stuntmen Kenny Alexander and Jimmy Roberts, sets out to bring back a tradition born in the late 50′s and early 60′s when motorcycle-loving moviemakers and stuntmen created the Westlake GP, a Grand Prix-style motorcycle race, that was held on an actual working movie set.



You could say this event has been 35 years in the making. In 1968 the Viewfinders, a motorcycle club whose members were stuntmen and movie-makers, partnered up with the Stuntmen’s Association to present their first event, the Westlake Grand Prix Scrambles. The course ran through an old movie set. It was a big success, soon attracting not only local boys like Steve McQueen, Eddie Mulder, John Hateley, Bud Ekins, J.N. Roberts, John Rice, Malcolm Smith, and John DeSoto but also international stars such as Arne Kring and Torsten Hallman.



It was just the year before in 1967 only a few miles away in Simi Valley, California, at the Hopetown Grand Prix that the first international superstars came to race in the United States. Hopetown was held on Bob Hope’s ranch which was also a working movie set. That’s when we got our first look at Joel Robert, Roger DeCoster, Dave Bickers, and Torsten Hallman. Bruce Brown was on hand to film this history making event for “Wide World of Sports”. The new word on the street was motocross.



From the very first event, A Day in the Dirt has not been your average Grand Prix. The course is altered to incorporate a little bit of Hopetown, Westlake, Elsinore, and some of the old Hare and Hound events. There is a little asphalt, a little mud and even a barn to fly through. For dirt bike lovers young and old it is more that just a race: it’s a reunion, a party, a get-together, a chance to rekindle old friendships or make new ones, a time to ride and reminisce with legends and heroes.



The Stunt GP

First Place Team – Ryan Hughes, Shaun Palmer

Second Place Team – Rich Taylor, Tim Weigand

Third Place Team – Jeremy McGrath, Mouse McCoy



Vet Classic GP age 30 and over

First Place – Jeremy McGrath

Second Place – Jeff Ward

Third Place – Mike Kiedrowski



250 and Open class

First Place – Jeremy McGrath

Second Place – Brian Gray

Third Place – Josh Grant



Vet Classic GP age 40 and over

First Place – Jeff Ward

Second Place – John Zahrt

Third Place – Louie Franco



Moto-A-GoGo

First Place Team – Jeremy McGrath, Jeff Ward

Second Place Team – Tim Weigand, Mike Healey

Third Place Team – Kurt Caselli, Daryl Ecklund



There are many races during this Thanksgiving weekend event. The Stunt/Celebrity GP, a grand prix-style motocross featuring two-man teams, a Mini GP for kids, Vet GP’s, the Moto-A-GoGo, pairing two-man teams of like racers (two extreme athletes, two auto racers, etc.); the Film Industry GP – a race open to anyone in the entertainment/film industry, and the Coup de Grace, a two-and-a-half-hour survival race complete with Hollywood special effects.



Please visit A Day In The Dirt Web-site for all the exact info and results.



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Adrian from Boost Mobile	This is a sign that means ‘Keep hand away from sprocket’	Retro vintage is in
This is an AJS motorcycle	Phil	This dude rocks! Especially the helmet and beads!
Yes, that’s former sx champ Mike Bell. But it’s really a photo of Umbrella Girl	Mic Rodgers on a BSA. The only man to do every Ironman since 1998	What can you say? Classic sidecar action! Jawohl baby!!!
former 125 champ Micky Dymond	Kids race too	Kids
Ryan Hughes	Ryno on the staring line	JJ
Part of the fun is the team races. Jeremy takes off		former 125 champ Ron Lechien
Mercedes Gonzalez-Natvig, son Cameron	Missy the dog was there	There is pavement on the track. Mercedes at 65 mph
Jeff Ward, Jeremy McGrath on the podium. Even when hundreds of people are clamoring for Jeremy’s time and attention, he always takes the time to say ‘Hello’ and smile	Hughes, McGrath, Jim Holley, Mouse McCoy	Rick Johnson and son Luke
Rick & Stephanie Johnson	Rick on his vintage 1984 YZ 250
S. Claus rode at A Day In The Dirt	Victor Sheldon and Shaun Palmer	Just like your track at home
Stephanie Johnson	Triumph rules!	Vintage line
More vintage. Check out the Bultaco		Jeff Ward explains