Random VMX shots from last century

[firko]

pre 78 start, '02 Ravenswood Nats


Don Newell, Bultaco M11 Cherabah 2 Nats, '98.

John Selva on his Ariel at Ravo

[smed]

#9 is Johhny Selva

[firko]

#9 is Johhny Selva 

PING. (sound of penny dropping) Of course its John, and his HS Ariel, one of the sports genuine characters, the footy jumper should have clued me. Does he still race? I last saw him racing at the Wagga dirt track Nats 4 or 5 years ago with his trusty Ariel and white Triumph Metisse but I haven't seen or heard of him since. John's like an older generation Brad van Barelo, racing in any number of classes from pre 60 through to Evo at many meetings.

[smed]

John was still racing until a couple of years back,but had a back problem & was in quite a bit of pain 24/7,I had not seen him for a while & was unaware of this,bumped into him at the local club & he was white as a ghost & not his usual self,clearly suffering,poor bugger,I have seen him since numerous times & he seems back to his normal cheery self,Dont know if he is still taking pain killers or the docs have fixed him up though, he said he was as keen as ever to race mx again but is concerned about the old body & was talking about giving roadracing a try,I was at his place a couple of weeks back for a barby & was checking out the man cave,full of bike projects,a new Mettise kit being assembled amongst them

[Mick D]

[Tim754]

All Johns race machines were a few weeks back, for sale

[Tex]

I love the start line shot at Ravenswood.

Tex

[firko]

My old memory ain't what it used to be so if anyone can fill in the identity of those below that I can't identify, please do.


Doug Bowen on his Triumph Metisse at Barrabool

Doug Bowen this time at Ravenswood on his TRUMPY.

Ron Dinsdale on Stackers Maico sans seat....he still won. Ravenswood Nats 02

British rider Dougie Wardle at the 02 Ravenswood Nats.




John Boag at Ravo 02....he won a shitload of classes as usual.

Dakar racer David Schwartz's dad Johns Cheney BSA Goldstar at Barrabool Nats 96.  

jonesy at Barrabool on Black Betty

[firko]

John Shwartz in the air at Barrabool 96. This otherwise ordinary photo is special as John is literally having a severe stroke right at that moment. He crashed upon landing and I was the first to get to him. I thought he was dead but the Ambo's got a pulse and he was rushed to hospital where they diagnosed the stroke. John had to learn to walk and talk again from scratch and after a number of years of therapy was back enough to work his farm. Unfortunately the ability to race never returned. John Shwartz is a lesson to us all about perseverence over adversity.

Broken Hill racer Robbie Tumes was rocket fast on his Kawasaki's. He still rolls up to the races from time to time.

Port Pirie Nats 99.

I loved this little Bridgestone (??) at Cherabah.

Wasp ? at Ravo 02

BSA B44 at Port Cherabah

rare Triumph TR5T..Basically a B50 BSA with a Triumph 500 motor.

Jimmy Ellis in '98...can't remember where.

clean Maicos at Cherabah Nats

[bazza]

Firko, is that ed phipps love child in yellow tee shirt by the maico's??

[TM BILL]

Firko those first shots #56 Les Bowen ? And the Pom is Dougie wardle from Exeter where my daughters live in the UK 

[firko]

Les Bowen.....As soon as I saw it written down I remembered, thanks for the brain jump start Bill . I would have never remembered Dougies name though....do you know him? He was a really nice bloke, a decent racer and he partied pretty heartily at the Ravo pub afterwards. I did a mini interview with him for ADB.

[Tim754]

Sidecar no9 I suspect is the Suzuki of Bob McKinnon and son. Stumpy cut off tail on the Suzi 750 water bottle rings plenty of bells but no two stroke smoke evident in photo. Will try to locate my program from the titles. Tim