That was one intimidating day,” said Skip Norfolk looking at the “Team USA
– as Usual in Austria” article in Cycle News. With a dateline of
Schawnenstadt, Austria, September 12 was about Team USA’s 13th
consecutive victory in the Motocross des Nations. That afternoon on the
fairy tale-like lush green hillsides of the Central European nation, the
American team, consisting of Jeff Emig (125cc), Jeremy McGrath (250cc)
and Mike Kiedrowski (500cc), narrowly defeated team Belgium by a single
point. And while all is well that ends well, for one particular U.S. rider —
namely Jeremy McGrath — the 1993 Motocross des Nations was actually
more gut-wrenching than it was heartwarming.
On January 23 of that same year, at the then-named Anaheim Stadium,
the 250 class rookie McGrath won his first 250cc Supercross. For all intents
and purposes, he never looked back, winning nine of the next 13 races
and the 1993 Supercross Championship. Team Honda sent McGrath out on
the 125 in the 1993 National Motocross Championship Series. And while he
won the opening won a couple of rounds, McGrath was not on the same
pace as class leaders Doug Henry and Jeff Emig.
But for the first time ever. a fan voting process was utilized to choose the
1993 U.S. Motocross des Nations team. McGrath, the sport’s new superstar,
was voted to represent Team USA on the 250. All well and fine, but the
truth of the matter was that McGrath was a great 250cc supercross rider,
not necessarily (at least at the time) a world-class 250cc outdoor rider.
Painted into a corner and realizing that McGrath might be in over his head
come September and Motocross des Nations time in Europe, the American
powers that be suggested that McGrath ride the 250cc U.S. Grand Prix at
Budds Creek. And while a young Belgian rider named Stefan Everts won
the race, McGrath ran towards the front and acquitted himself as the
people’s choice for the 250cc seat in Austria... click on ozzy go to the full
story on RacerX