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This 2,000 word story started as an Instagram post where we simply wished Eli Tomac a happy birthday. But this is We Went Fast and we can’t help but find a deeper story within the details, even if the details are just cake, ice cream and 30 birthday candles. It led to this data dive by Brett Smith and Clinton Fowler. Flash trivia: how many 450 Supercross main events have been won by tricenarians? Wait, that probably seems like two trivia questions. A tricenarian is a fancy way to say ‘person in their 30s’. For the answer, you're just going to have to listen. If you want to read the print version of this story, click here. FREE STICKERS: If you'd like free We Went Fast stickers, go to wewentfast.com/subscribe. Sign up for the newsletter then check your inbox. The welcome message has the key to free decals sent directly from me. Fast List members are the first to know about new stories, podcasts and products. SUPPORT WE WENT FAST! wewentfast.com/shop - quality hats, shirts, art, etc. This is how We Went Fast keeps going. Patreon.com/wewentfast. This is how you can directly help We Went Fast pay the bills. Leave a 5-star rating and review! Tell a friend about We Went Fast. Share this podcast. Follow @wewentfast on Instagram and Facebook.

This is a story about roots. I wanted to know how Doug Henry became Doug Henry, the scrappy kid from New England who worked two jobs while trying to make it as an athlete. He was 14 when he entered his first race. He wasn’t a promising amateur prospect, his gear didn’t match, his bikes were held together by various fasteners found in the garage. He worked with what he had, not what he wanted. And where did that grit and resolve come from? To figure all that out, I visited Doug in Connecticut. He took me on a tour of the places that shaped him as a man and a racer. You can also read the print version of this article and see more photos of THE DAM. SUPPORT WE WENT FAST! Join the FAST LIST and get free stickers sent directly from me (yes, for real!). Go to wewentfast.com/subscribe and sign up for the newsletter. Then check your inbox. The welcome message has the key to free decals wewentfast.com/shop - quality hats, shirts, art, etc. This is how We Went Fast keeps going. Patreon.com/wewentfast. This is how you can directly help We Went Fast pay the bills. Leave a 5-star rating and review! Tell a friend about We Went Fast. Share this podcast. Follow @wewentfast on Instagram and Facebook.

On August 1, 1982, an automobile/train collision killed three teenaged motocross riders in Ponca City, Oklahoma . Forty years later, memories of that white hot afternoon still haunt those who were there. Six years ago I received a message that said, “I wish someone would write about the boys who were killed at Ponca in 1982.” I had no idea what he was talking about. But I knew I had to pursue it. This is not a happy story. It was emotional to research, report and write. It’ll be emotional to read to you. After six months of reporting and interviews with nearly four dozen people, I was able to achieve the ultimate goal and keep the promises I made to the families of Rick Hemme, Bruce Bunch and Kyle Fleming: I wanted the world to know about their children; who they were and who they wanted to be. Today, August 1, 2022, marks the 40th anniversary of this tragic accident. This story is a way to say to the boys they’ll never be forgotten. This is the audio version of the story by the same title. The print version is available HERE. It includes photos, court documents and other supporting materials. If you'd like free stickers from We Went Fast, go to wewentfast.com/subscribe. Sign up for the newsletter then check your inbox. The welcome message has the key to free decals sent directly from me. Fast List members are the first to know about new stories, podcasts and products.   SUPPORT WE WENT FAST! wewentfast.com/shop - quality hats, shirts, art, etc. This is how We Went Fast keeps going. Patreon.com/wewentfast. This is how you can directly help We Went Fast pay the bills. Leave a 5-star rating and review! Tell a friend about We Went Fast. Share this podcast. Follow @wewentfast on Instagram and Facebook.

Terry Pratt spent 35 years working on "Grand Prix Motocross" but died a few years after finishing it. In continuation of Pratt's legacy, We Went Fast reads Chapter 1 of his book. This show is a little different from the others I've posted. First: I didn’t write it. A man named Terry Pratt did. He wrote an entire book about the 1972 World Motocross Championships and the chapters are broken into the individual rounds of the series, which detail his witty observations from the events, which he attended as a reporter on a very long European vacation. I’m going to read the book’s foreword and Chapter One, which is the 250cc Grand Prix of Spain. If you want to know more about Terry Pratt, after you finish this episode, listen to Episode #9, “The Curious Life of Terry Pratt.” That’s a story I wrote back in 2019 on this amazing unsung hero in the motorcycle industry. When I’m asked which of my stories are my favorites, I always point to this one. You can find the written version by clicking right here. If you like this story and want to see more, I sell the book in THE SHOP. It’s only $40, the same price Terry sold it for 15 years ago when it was published. "Grand Prix Motocross: The 1972 World Championship Season" is an incredible book and a must own for all moto collectors. and it makes a great gift! Purchase "Grand Prix Motocross: The 1972 World Championship Season" When Pratt died in 2012, the book was thought to be gone forever and copies of it sold for well into the triple digits on eBay. But then I found the unsold stock sitting in a warehouse in the desert. It’s available at wewentfast.com/shop but only while the supply lasts. We won’t reprint it. It’s makes a great gift for anyone in your life who loves motocross history. It’s been an honor to finish Terry’s work of preserving motocross history. Here’s an excerpt from Grand Prix Motocross: The 1972 World Championship Season. SUPPORT WE WENT FAST! wewentfast.com/shop - quality hats, shirts, art, etc. This is how We Went Fast keeps going. wewentfast.com/subscribe - Get on THE LIST for free stickers, announcements and discounts Patreon.com/wewentfast. This is how you can directly help We Went Fast pay the bills. Leave a 5-star rating and review! Tell a friend about We Went Fast. Share this podcast. Follow @wewentfast on Instagram and Facebook.

On April 27, 1996, Jeremy McGrath fell short of perfection and the rest of the world won’t let him forget it. Audio Version.

The story behind how Jeremy McGrath rescued a BMX trick from obscurity and brought it to Supercross. (Audio version).

We all remember where we were and what we were doing on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001. Beyond those chilling hours of trying to make sense of the news and horrific images it gets fuzzy. This is a story about what the members of Team USA 2001 did on the morning of Sept. 11. How they reacted, where they went, what decisions they made. Or didn’t make. It’s difficult to write a story about something that didn’t happen. Team USA didn’t go to Belgium for the 2001 Motocross of Nations. Heck, it’s hard to remember the story behind something that didn’t happen. And that’s why I wrote a story about a team that didn’t go, about bikes that didn’t get ridden, about memories difficult to unpack. Telling stories isn’t always easy, especially when it’s something nobody really wants to remember. Thank you to the 21 people interviewed for this and those who helped with the photo assets. Want to read the print story and see more of the photos of the Team USA bikes? You can find that at this link. Where were you on 9/11? Join the conversation in the comments below. And thanks for listening. If you value these stories and want to keep them coming, buy products straight from the shop at wewentfast.com/shop. We Went Fast is a small (like, 83 square feet) independent brand devoted to quality. Or, join me at Patreon.com/wewentfast. Patreon helps an independent creator like me produce content you care about.  From $3 to $25 a month, you can have a direct impact on what happens at We Went Fast. And I’ll reward you with some really great stuff. Mike Brown's 2001 Kawasaki KX125 for the Motocross of Nations - Simon Cudby PhotoRicky Carmichael's 2001 Honda CR250R for the Motocross of Nations - Simon Cudby PhotoRicky Carmichael's 2001 Honda CR250R for the Motocross of Nations - Simon Cudby PhotoKevin Windham's 2001 Suzuki RM250 for the Motocross of Nations - Simon Cudby Photo

Team USA was going to skip the 1981 Trophée and Motocross des Nations. Instead they bake-saled their way to Europe and shocked the world by winning, not one, but both of the events.

Fifty years after its release, Bruce Brown's motorcycle documentary continues to influence. From Malcolm to Masterson, this is a collection of stories from people whose lives were never the same after watching "On Any Sunday"

They told him not to. But when rookie James Stewart committed to jumping LaRocco's Leap on a 125, Jeff Kardas knew where to point the camera. Podcast version of "Modem Killer: James Stewart vs. LaRocco's Leap"

Was the PW50 your first bike? It was for me! "Little Giant: The PW50 Story" celebrates the life and legacy of this iconic motorcycle, which turned 40 in 2020. It may have aged but it hasn't grown up. The Yamaha PW50 is a familiar piece of our childhood that we're passing along to our own kids.

It's rare when the loser gets the magazine cover, steals the spotlight and becomes a legend. Ryan Hughes did all three on a hot summer day when he lost the 125cc AMA Pro Motocross championship to Steve Lamson. But he didn't win over the crowd because he finished second overall. It was because he kept going at the exact moment most would find no reason to. "Broken Hearts and Busted Chains" is the story of September 3, 1995 and why Ryan Hughes decided to push. It's the story about why Wyatt Seals wanted to borrow a chain. It's about why Chris Hultner decided to break from Steve Lamson's championship and shoot what became one of the most iconic photographs in motocross history. We Went Fast's podcasts are also available on your favorite podcast player. Just search "We Went Fast", hit subscribe and please leave a rating to enable more people to enjoy these stories.

In 1972, Terry Pratt put his life in America on pause to spend 6 months following the MXGP season. 35 years later he published "Grand Prix Motocross: The 1972 Championship season". Pratt died before he could finish selling his masterpiece but he left behind a trail of paperwork and friends and a story that needed to be told. Pratt is one of the unsung heroes of the motorcycle industry, whose contributions are still being realized.

More than a third of all supercross winners won one main event in their career. These are the quirky stories behind 10 "One Hit Wonders". PODCAST VERSION.

The untold story behind the day Paul Buckley messed up but captured one of the greatest photos in motocross history and Erik Kehoe shot himself to the moon. PODCAST VERSION

In 2020, Ricky Carmichael started his second season as the primary analyst for Monster Energy Supercross on NBC Sports. It's a position he not only didn't expect to hold, but originally didn't want. Now 40, The GOAT opens up about life after racing and striving for success in each new chapter of his life.

Don't have 30 minutes to sit and read the Ron Lechien story? I'll read it to you! This is the audio version of "Making of the Machine: A Ron Lechien Story", originally published in July 2019. Read by the author, Brett Smith. The original story was published in July 2019, during the voting process for the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame class of 2019. Lechien got the votes (after spending 3 years on the ballot) and was officially inducted on December 6, 2019. We Went Fast attended the Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Just before dinner started, DMXS’ Kevin Kelly and I lobbied with The Dogger to make some last minute changes to the speech he worked hard on. He laughed and said he was already nervous enough. ⁣⁣⁣⁣It was a heavy and emotional night for a guy that (at least to us bleacher rats) always seemed to handle pressure easily. Rob Buydos, a member of the HOF MX committee, introduced Lechien and Jeff Emig presented him the ring and then Ronnie gave a grateful speech to close the evening. ⁣⁣⁣⁣After the ceremony ended, a small group of us broke into a bench racing session about which MX legend should be next on the ballot. ⁣⁣ Ron Lechien's 1989 Factory Kawasaki KX250 will be on display at the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Special link to We Went Fast discounts at the end of the show. We Went Fast article episodes are available on iTunes, Spotify and Stitcher.

A mother's love, an athlete's quest. The untold story of how Austin Forkner came into the world and his mother's journey to bring him here. Read by the author, Brett Smith

Larry 'Motor Mouth' Huffman narrates the audio version of The Ballad of Big Dave. Didn't have 30 minutes to read the article when it was published in late July? Now you can sit back and let the original "Voice of Supercross" read it to you while you drive to work or hopelessly search for that master link clip you dropped on the garage floor. Huffman announced races and TV coverage from 1972 to 1988-ish. Remember the line "He's on him like a dog and a piece of meat!"? Yeah, that was Larry. Patrons of We Went Fast got the first chance to listen to this production  Find out more at http://Patreon.com/wewentfast Larry Huffman is a dear friend of mine and I grew up listening to his voice. It's a special treat to be able to bring you this. The Ballad of Big Dave is a We Went Fast original article about Dave Coombs, the West Virginia promoter and founder of MX Sports. Twenty years beyond his death, his legacy is seen at every dirt bike race held in the United States. NOTE: This podcast is family friendly.

In the early eighties, a trio of motorcycle racing promoters from Ohio and West Virginia were looking for a facility. A country music legend needed to fill a campground. A sanctioning body wanted more members and a marquee event. And amateur motocross racers wanted a true and fair national championship. We Went Fast has teamed with the Racer X Podcast Network for this documentary-style journey into the genesis of the Loretta Lynn’s Amateur National Motocross Championship and what amateur racing life was like before 1982. Characters include Ron and Dick Lechien, Davey Coombs, Rita Coombs, Todd DeHoop, Tim Cotter, Rick “Super Hunky” Seiman, and more. Notes: This show is FAMILY FRIENDLY. This same episode is concurrently appearing on the Racer X Podcast Network. Credits: Many thanks to the Coombs family and Paul Schlegel for sharing their stories, especially Rita Coombs, who doesn't do interviews often (read: never). Nicholas Smith wrote the score and sound design engineering.