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(January 15, 2008 ~ Diamond Don Motorsports: ~ Jefferson, TX: There will be something new at Diamond Don’s 6th annual Riverport National Vintage Motocross this year. The event will take place on April 3 - 6, 2008, in Jefferson Texas and will kick off with a Charity Golf Hole-in-One Fun Shoot-Out on Thursday, April 3rd. Promoter, Diamond Don, is in the process of qualifying the event for $50,000 prize money – so stay tuned for details. On Sunday, April 6, 2008, in conjunction with the post-vintage AHRMA National, race fans from all around the country will enjoy the "Women Pioneers of Motocross" race. This special race is in recognition of the accomplishments of the many women that helped build the sport of professional women's motocross around the world. Ladies, come on out and race with some of the pioneers of Women’s Motocross, such as 9-Time National Champion, Mercedes Gonzalez, early motocross icon, Sue Fish, the First US Women's Motocross Team members Dee Wood, Tami Rice and Nadine Holbert, as well as 1987 US Suzuki Women's Team rider Bonnie Warch and WMA President, Miki Keller. This annual event will be held on property located one mile from Jefferson, Texas adjacent to the Jefferson & Cypress Bayou Railway. The event will include Diamond Don’s world famous BBQ and crawfish cookout on Friday evening. Music will be provided by that wild bunch from Missouri ~ MotoBand. Over 600 entries are expected for the three day race event which includes Cross Country and Trials on Friday, Vintage Motocross Race on Saturday with the Post-Vintage, Sidecar Races and the Women Pioneers of MX on Sunday. The weekend finishes with the Wind-Down Party and a fantastic fireworks show on Sunday evening. Steve Stackable will be this year’s Legend of Motocross. Stackable started his racing career in Texas in the late ’60’s and won his first two races. He kept on winning, beating out such greats as Robi Holbert, Steve Hackney and AMA National Motocross Champion, Kent Howerton. In 1975, as a full factory rider for Maico, Stackable had the best year of his career including winning the 1975 500cc AMA Supercross Championship. Twelve-Time International Six Day Competitor, Jack Penton, will be honored as the Legend of Cross Country. Penton entered competition in his teens and by 15 was already riding AMA national championship enduros. In the fall of 1970, Jack was in Spain competing in the International Six Days Trial. He finished with a Bronze Medal and went on to win a Gold Medal the following year at the Isle of Man ISDT, becoming the youngest rider ever to win that event. During his career, he earned 27 national titles in enduro competition, international trials qualifiers and Grand National Cross-Country racing. Jack Penton was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1999. Marty Tripes, now famous for his Marty’s Gourmet Mushrooms, will be honorary Chef at Diamond Don’s Friday evening BBQ & Crawfish extravaganza. Tripes won the Superbowl of Motocross at the Los Angeles Coliseum in 1972, just a few weeks after turning 16. He also won the first FIM 250cc motocross United States Grand Prix in Unadilla in 1978. In his career, he won 11 National Championships and was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2001. Donnie Hansen will conduct the MX School on Friday. The Donnie Hansen Motocross Academy is a motocross riding school that teaches skills and techniques to all levels and ages of riders - young, old, male, female, beginner, pro, or mini. Donnie "Holeshot" Hansen teaches all classes personally. Hansen was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2003 as part of the team that swept the 250cc Trophee des Nations and the 500cc Motocross des Nations in 1981. Brad Lackey, another Motorcycle Hall of Famer, hasn’t missed this event yet. Come watch him race a replica of the RN82 500cc Suzuki that he rode to the world championship in 1982. When Brad isn’t racing, the bike will be on display at the track. Bad Brad will provide the event T-Shirts and is always available to sign autographs and share “bench-racing” stories, along with the other legends. Additional great racers of days gone by will be trekking to Jefferson for this event. Come race with Danny LaPorte, Rick Johnson, Tommy Croft, Jeff Smith, Tom Benolkin, Rik Smits and the infamous “Diamond” Don Rainey. MX Photography will provide professional event photos. Kawasaki and Ohlins are event sponsors in addition to the AHRMA program sponsors. Rolf Greenhill of www.CoronaKidRacing.com has stepped up and has sponsored the Friday night BBQ. Gary Hazel of Thumper Racing will lay out the cross-country track through the Piney Woods and wetlands of the property with lots of racing along the river. This course will be technically challenging so riders will have to rely on skill and stamina. One mistake and you’ll get wet! The trials event will be one of the best ever, with the help of the Poole family, Don Kelley and Trials Master Ed Peacock. Those of you that participated last year know what a great course these guys laid out. The challenging course will give you a close up view of the historic ruins on the property. The wide, flat grassy pit area offers a great view of the racetrack that runs through the cool woods. Diamond Don has created a natural terrain track reminiscent of the early 70’s. He has added lots of new dirt and taken out more trees to widen the track for great passing. The track will use a lot of the grassy field and runs through the 1880’s ruins of an old sawmill and along the Cypress Bayou River. As you’re racing, watch for the live steam locomotive and don’t let that whistle shake you off your bike. Walk through the 100-foot tunnel to cross-under the track. Sidecars, Women Pioneers, MX Legends, live steam locomotive, party by the river, antiques, museums and more. Jefferson, the Bed and Breakfast “Capital of Texas”, is nestled deep in the Piney Woods of East Texas and seems frozen in time. It is a charming town and an elegant reminder of a bygone era. The property will open Saturday, March 29, for early camping so come to Jefferson for a vacation before the races. If you plan to fly to the event, Jefferson is located just 50 miles from Shreveport, Louisiana. If you don’t mind driving, Dallas is 180 miles, about three hours. Transportation into downtown Jefferson will be available on the Jefferson & Cypress Bayou Railway, owned by Diamond Don, Francene and her son, Destry Brown. Take a step back in time aboard their narrow gauge, live steam locomotive. Ladies, grab the kids and leave the guys at the track -- catch the train into town for shopping and sight-seeing. Go to http://www.diamonddon.com/National_2008.htm for more information or call 866-398-2038. |
