MxLarge Story
David Bailey interview - My MXoN and GP Experiences
Interview Friday 16th September 2011 By Geoff Meyer
David Bailey is one of the true greats of American Motocross. A multiple AMA Champion and Motocross des Nations winner Bailey is known as the Icon in America and is loved on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. We decided to ask Bailey some questions about his MXoN experiences.
MXlarge: David, can you tell me your biggest experiences at the MXoN?
Bailey: The first one in 1982 was special and the last one in Italy in 1986, but I had great experiences in all of them. The first one you never forget, we were still trying to prove that 1981 wasn’t an accident and we got a little lucky, so the Europeans were taking us a little more serious, there was a little more friction and you could feel the competitiveness in the air, it was thick. We won it again and it was my first time, so that was special. Then in 1986 in Italy, that was about a gorgeous of a day you could ever have asked for, the track the amount of people and we won with a perfect score, personally I won both motos, which I had never done before, it was a nice way to bookend my MXoN experiences.
MXlarge: What about your experiences with the USGP?Bailey: Since I was a kid doing the USGP on Wide World of Sports, it was the only race on television when I was little. Even when I was racing it was the only race televised. The Unadilla Grand Prix was special, the history the track being all grass and rough. So whenever we had a chance to race a Grand Prix I didn't care what was on, I was going to race. I always thought it was cool to change my number, wear red, white and blue, race the longer motos, it had a different flavor to it and you got to race guys you normally didn't race. I thought it was kind of fun and if I didn't do well it was okay. I wish it was the same today, maybe it will change in years to come.
MXlarge: What was your first USGP?
Bailey: I think it was in 1981. If I can't remember then it wasn't very good, but in 1982 I won the first moto. They put the banners in the different place in the second moto and I came over a blind spot and landed right on a hay bale. It me out of the win that day, but then I won the next year and I also won Carlsbad the year after that. So I was able to dream of racing a Grand Prix as a kid, then find out how tough it was to race and finally come back and win each one, the 250 and the 500.
MXlarge: What about the turn-out of American riders for the USGP back in May? Did you find it a pity we didn’t see more American riders racing?
Bailey: I am ignorant to the politics of it all; it’s a shame that is all I can say. When Youthstream asked me to do the coverage of the USGP I appreciate what Youthstream have done in the past with me and my wife going to Monte Carlo to honor Giuseppe (Luongo). Giuseppe was great to me and my wife at my last race in 1986, he took us to Bologna and Florence for sightseeing and of course I was involved in his first event in Maggiore (MXoN). When he asked me to do the (TV commentary) race, I said of course I will do the race. It would be nice to see the Americans racing the USGP. If the American’s showed up and raced the USGP it would be better for the fans and for Motocross as a whole. It’s a shame the politics get in the way and ruin it for the fans.
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