DUEL IN THE DIRT SUPERCROSS

here we go [Applause] [Music] uh [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] stay tuned for wild roller coaster action of the mr pibb kansas city super bowl of motocross duel in the dirt arrowhead stadium kansas city missouri the home of the kansas city chiefs but tonight no football on this field instead what a lot of people feel is the most physically demanding sport in the world and that's motocross the astral turf has been covered over with thousands of cubic yards of dirt building a bone jarring race course of jump swoop danes and sandpits tonight could be a very crucial race as team suzuki's mark barnett series leader could pick up enough points to win the 1981 ama series i'm larry huffman here at arrowhead stadium and with me our color commentator larry myers an old racer himself with some comments on the track and what we're going to see tonight being an old racer i want to tell you one thing i wouldn't want to be on this racetrack it's as mean larry as any i've ever seen during the practice sessions many riders went down and they went down hard the course actually had to be changed it's more challenging now not quite so treacherous that sets the scene for tonight's supercross and after the practice session today we talked to some of the top riders about the condition of this arrowhead stadium supercross track today's track at arrowhead we're probably on the straightaway you get to go in 50 or 60. i'd say that's about the fastest part on the whole track will be about 60. other times you go a lot slower there's a lot of jumps and it takes a lot of technique to go do those jumps it's pretty tough there's a lot of jumps and that the ground's really hard and it's just going to stay the same all night so everyone's just going to have it wired and you got to you got to really jam hard just to even clear some of these jumps yeah i think the guys that have round wheels at the end of the race are going to do pretty good coming up next an interview with mark barnett and the main event from the mr pibb kansas city super bowl of motocross duel in the dirt behind us a 1916 indian motorcycle to give you an idea of how far motorcycle technology has come in the last 60 or 70 years ever had a chance to ride one of those no i sure have this motorcycles a little bit before my time and uh i have never had a chance to ride one but i'd sure like to try it a lot of fun even with a suspension like that on a track i don't know it doesn't have much i don't think i'd like to ride it on the track with me is mark barnett the 1981 supercross series leader who could win the championship tonight what are some of the things you do in the off season when you're not racing well right now there isn't really much of an off season we have about two months off and i like to just try to stay in shape all year you're a 125 national champion what do you feel more comfortable with 125 250 or open class bike well i like 125 the best for the outdoors but on an indoor event you need kind of the more power to make these double jumps and they make in the stadium so i really feel comfortable on both bites physically mark you're in incredible shape you're a good physical specimen what do you do to work out and how long does it take you well it takes me uh took me 10 years so far but i train hard every day i like to ride every day at least five gallons of gas a day and run almost an hour every day i think the harder i train the better i am coming into a race i feel i have mental toughness over my opponents just i know i can annihilate them in that last 10 minutes of the race and this is what it all comes down to the 20 lap made event with 25 of the best supercross riders in the world as the crowd stands up for this one at kansas city and the tension in the air as the riders line up and prepare to go for 20 incredible acts the mechanics standing behind the riders whispering instructions on their air the team managers hovering over the mall hannah just fresh off a victory in detroit the week before desperately wants another victory here at kansas city the sign goes to the one-minute mark the mechanics massaging the arms the riders walking back and forth on the bikes getting set for the start of this main event at kansas city mike tutulvell kent howerton all lined up side by side and we are just seconds away from the start and the main event is underway 25 riders this race going to that first turn side by side and the first rider who backs up the problem with right now they are through it and out in front is mike 2 tall bell barnett running in second spot johnny hanson in third but bell the defending super cross champion who has yet to win a race this year is out in front and smoking mike ducal all of the bikes in front mark barnett running second johnny hansen on team on the third barnett's play on the inside and takes the lead barnett all over the track he seems to be trying too hard and here's val going by let's take another look at that pass barnett getting sideways trying to keep that rear wheel on the ground almost going over the handlebars bell watching him very carefully goes by on the inside as barnett goes sideways so the passing intense early in the race as mike two tall bells six foot three out in front with mark barnett now having to be content to stay in second spot and watch belle and that's probably a good idea barnett can learn a lot by watching the lines of mike bell mike fell the long legs all over the bike the totally different riding style from the short squat mark barnett barnett with very wide shoulders built like a football lineman bell is six foot three very tall more like a basketball player but look at barnett hugging the tank his knees wrapped around that tank with vel's knees playing everywhere in the air over the double jumps mike two tall bell in front barnett's second but an interesting thing now as donnie hansen the team honda rider runs third right up there behind barnett barnett trying to go by he goes by bell that was not where mike bell expected to pass mark barnett faking mike bell right out of his motocross boots so it is bell running second now behind barnett with donny hanson hovering in third ready to pounce early in the race a lot of action probably more action than most supercross main events as bell and barnett swap it back and forth they go back and forth on the lead [Applause] the stadium supercross bike totally different from the outdoor bike very very fast very very quick 200 pounds 40 plus horsepower air cooled state of the art and the racing totally different from the outdoor bases computer design tracks with double jumps stutter bumps and catapults to throw the riders up in the air using the suspension to the maximum mark barnett mike bell and donnie hanson and that's where the action is that's where the crowd is watching now [Applause] barnett staying in front bell now moving up again to challenge him remember bell has the experience edge on barnett he is going very when he's passing him bell takes the lead in midair barnett is going to try to block on the jump bell goes to the outside they tangle handle bars it is barnett in front bell hammering out his ball in front back and forth they go barnett bell garden coming out on top as they break from the straight away through the sand bell going back at him barnett breaks away it's a drag race between suzuki and yamaha right now suzuki's on top mark barnett from illinois now living in alabama on the factory suzuki mike bell lakewood california the factory yamaha it is ask no quarter and give no quarter in the main event of kansas city and barnett and balor going at it in front but mike bell is not letting him run away with it he is staying close enough to watch barnett's lines he's going to try to go after him again bell will try everything to pass the young mark barnett but barnett will throw everything right back in his face [Applause] [Music] come around with the mechanics again and jeff clark mark hardest mechanics holding up the sign think thanks and pointing to his helmet saying use your head don't blow it here is ben on the inside trying to go around by that sling shots around the outside [Music] every person in this stadium is standing up and this crowd is getting their money's worth this is what they paid to see a knock down drag out pierce six fall hannah has moved to fourth but the attention is on the high-flying mic bail and they're charging mark barnett barnett taking the inside line of those turns bell going around to the outside hanson running third but it is neck and neck and handlebar to handlebar between mark barnett and mike bell and look at him going bill takes the lead i don't believe it incredible mike bell [Applause] they call him two tall bells six foot three over the double jump bell and barnett and barnett now has got to play catch up now watch for the riding strategy of mark barnett he will try to fake bell out once again and pass it where he isn't expecting it and there it is fighting on the inside no bell comes back again barney trying to sneak by on the inside like a snake oil seals with a knife and bell took it right off and bell is down bell is off the track and the crowd is screaming he comes back on and here's hanson hanson is going to try to pass that on the inside hell is stunned he's going to the outside go to the inside hanson in front and bell goes back in front but that's just the battle for second because mark barnett is in the lead look at the human pogo sticks catapulting himself over that giant jump mark barnett in front number five in second spot mike bell number one and there's bob hurricane head up 20 ways back in fourth spot mark barnett is getting into traffic now this could prove a problem he does not have that much experience cutting his way through driving oh barnett almost goes down a lesser writer would have found himself in the cheap seats bell is still having a transport with johnny hanson mark barnett heading for the checkered flag there's the white flag one lap to go mark barnett is 45 seconds away from winning the super bowl of motocross here in kansas city second spot is mike two tall vale and he's moved up quite a bit on donnie hansen now as they hit for the final few turns [Applause] and i would say the bell seems satisfied and content to finish in second spot and pick up the points but here is mark barnett ladies and gentlemen winning the mr pimps super bowl of motocross black fell second [Applause] and donny hansen third so mark barnett held off a hard-charging mike fail to win the mr pig super bowl of motocross mark went on to win the supercross championship along with a 125 national title making him the winningest motocross racer of 1981. the mr pibb kansas city super bowl of motocross duel in the dirt