Matt Daley

[firko]

 It was a thrill for many of us old blokes to see Aussie motocross legend, multi Australian Champion  Matt Daley on board Husky Petes '69 400 at CD6.
Back in the late sixties Matt was practically unbeatable and had the status as the Steve Gall or Chad Reed of his era. Matt retired from racing in his early twenties to pursue a career in the USA and since his return to Australia has refused all invitations to return to the track via the vintage movement. Until CD6 that is!

As he lives locally, Matt and his wife June decided to drop in on CD6 for a bit of a look around and it wasn't long before he saw Husky Petes beautiful '67 and '69 Huskys, both identical to the bikes he won titles on. It didn't take much convincing to arrange some riding gear and a clearance from the organisers to get Matt out onto the track on Peters '69 400. Despite being a little rusty on old bikes, it wasn't long before he settled into the groove and the unmistakably smooth style reappeared. I spoke to Matt after the ride and he was stoked and vowed to put some time into restoring the championship Husky that he'd kept tucked away all those years. He was extremely impressed with the enthusiastic vibe and quality of the machinery at Conondale and was genuinely surprised that anybody even remembered him!
Below are some shots of the master in action at CD6 and a shot of he and his precious '67 Husky Viking after pulling it out of nearly forty years of hibernation. Expect to see it fully restored at CD7.
               
               
               

[number8]

Firko,

That is great to see and it's also great that Matt was inspired by the event to want to have a crack and also be keen to come to the next CD,Lets hope we can dig out a few more of these guys that were there in the early days of this sport the history of Scrambles/Motocross riders and there bikes in Australia needs to be remembered and preserved,great stuff.

#8

[VMX247]

Quote from Husky 67
I just returned from riding my 69 Husky 360 in the first riding session and there was a guy and his wife looking at my 67 360 Viking, we got chatting away and i asked what his name was, the answer was Matt Daley. He and his lovely wife June arrived for a look at 10.30, I dont know how they knew about CD 6, i think it was a spur of the moment decision for both of them to attend CD 6.
I asked him if he would like to take part in the Legends display laps, he said he didnt have any riding gear or bike and wasn't all that keen on making a fuss. I raced over to the VMX tent and spoke to Ken, AJ and Jeff they could not have been more helpfull in arranging for Matt to be included in the Legends session. I offered him my bike, shirt, boots, Ken lent him his helment, and Tim (maicopunk) lent him the riding pants, so with a little organisation we had him kitted out ready to ride. It was by no means planned and the VMX guys handled it perfectly.
This I believe is the main attraction to go to a Classic Dirt in 2010 ;friendship,supply of vmx gear and saying g'day to anyone-no matter what status you hold,and all with the same interest at heart. 
cheers

[firko]

That is great to see and it's also great that Matt was inspired by the event to want to have a crack and also be keen to come to the next CD,Lets hope we can dig out a few more of these guys that were there in the early days of this sport the history of Scrambles/Motocross riders and there bikes in Australia needs to be remembered and preserved,great stuff.

There were a bunch more old legends at CD6 than Matt Daley. Vern Grayson spent a lot of time with us on Sunday and vowed to have his Cheney there next year. Brian Clarkson, the one and only Alron works rider, Aussie MX champ and Sunrasia desert rally winner couldn't make it this year but will be in the Kevlar Kompound next year and riding an Alron being built specifically for him. Per Klitland will return next year, he was disapointed he missed this years event but a sick wife took precedent.
Over the history of CD a shitload of old champions have appeared ranging from Brad Lackey on down but you have to remember that these blokes are regular guys with regular lives these days so it's often hard to get them to attend an event that's a long way from their home and interest zone. No matter how important it is to us that we see our old heroes, to many of them motocross is not a prority in their lives any more and they've moved on to other things.

[TT]

Any chance that resto will become a story in VMX? 
If not, it should be. 

[HuskyPete]

It was great to finally met Matt Daley in person, it was the highlight of CD 6 for me, and to have Matt ride my bike . I have been in contact with him since and he is keen to restore his '67 250, just depends on his work commitments. I will be helping him with contacts for any parts he requires, both he and his lovely wife June a down to earth people, and Matt is a champion rider. It would be great for Firko or the VMX guys to do a interview with Matt and June as they both have some great stories to tell. Firko has the actual letter that June wrote to Eddison Dye in the late 60's to plead his case to ride it the US.

[VMX247]

I reckon we are just about due for a double feature hit of Blokes and Sheds section by
VMX mag too     
cheers

[vmx42]

Geez you guys are good…

Not content in telling us where CD7 will be held, now you are telling us what to put in the mag. Next you will be telling Ken what to wear. Where will it end?

VMX42

[VMX247]

Geez you guys are good…

Not content in telling us where CD7 will be held, now you are telling us what to put in the mag. Next you will be telling Ken what to wear. Where will it end?

VMX42

This is the place for feedback and we gotta keep ya brain active-Dementia deterant.     
cheers

[firko]

I'd personally like to see Ken in a little black party frock .

[ted]

Old Clarko...the mad bastard!!!!!!

I still have memories of walking out of Roys showroom to his workshop to see my mates and getting an absolute spray off him. He would sit on a crate working on some piece of shit ( to a 16 yr old anyway ) chucking back a heap of coldies with his cronies. Anyone that dare walk past would get the same treatment.

Firko...you remember his little shop in Station St...next to Easty`s.

Great bloke...would be good to see him again

[mx250]

Next you will be telling Ken what to wear.

Funny you should mention that. I saw this little number and immediately thought of Ken. Maybe you would like to point it out to him. Help with a fitting maybe .

[JohnnyO]

In the 35 years i've been riding or attending motocross meetings in Qld, that was the first time i'd ever seen Matt Daley and it was a pleasure after all i'd heard about him over the years. It's great that he enjoyed it enough to get out on the track and he still looks fit and in great shape. It was also good to see Mark Pace back in action again.

[firko]

Ted...I well remember the little shop opposite the Red Cow in Penrith. If things were quiet he'd sit in the public bar sinking schooners watching the shop across the road. As soon as a customer would turn up he'd zoom accross the road and deal with them. His regulars knew to go directly to the pub to find him. We had a surprise 50th birthday party for Jonesy on Saturday night and an even bigger surprise to Jonesy was to find Clarko there. He'd come down from Coffs Harbour just for the party which was a big effort considering his poor health these days. Naturally he had his patented Clarkson Coffee (a coffee mug containing 50%home brewed scotch diluted in 50%flat coke) perpetually in his hand. The grog hasn't done him any favours over the years but he was stoked to see the Alron Alans building. He promised to try and get into some sort of shape for next years CD to do some laps on the bike. We made a big deal over him and it was cool to see the old hard man soften up and almost shed a tear over Al naming the bike "Clarko" in his honour.
Clarko is one of the last of the hard drinking tough old motocross guys from the sixties. Only Clarko, Vern Grayson and one or two others are around to tell the tales. Clarko might have been a hard liver but the bastard could ride. He won an Aussie 250 title, numerous state titles, the Nepean 6 hour race and the Sunrasia desert rally. He was one of the first blokes to race vintage back in '88 and still has his Matchy Metisse and Roy Easts fantastic 'works' Metisse.
Clarko has more stories in him than a hundred books so I guess I should start recording them before they're lost forever as he's not too well these days. Brian Clarkson is indeed a great bloke and a legend.

[ted]

Sorry to hear he`s not travelling too well.........wish him all the best from the young pricks that used to haunt Roy`s back in the early 70`s