Monday, May 2, 2016

ANOTHER ONE IS IN THE BOOKS!


The 73rd annual Trailblazers is now in our rear view mirror. What a great event it was. On April 22rd, approximately 730 of the faithful gathered at the Carson Center, beginning in the afternoon for the Tom Cates Memorial Bike Show, presented by Hagerty Insurance. At 6:00 pm, it was time to head inside the banquet hall for dinner and the awards program.

The program to recognize this year’s honorees began with a wine toast to the late-great race promoter J. C. Agajanian. Sons Chris and Jay Agajanian were in attendance to share the toast on stage. Following dinner, it was time for the Hall of Fame inductions and other special awards.

Trailblazers Hall of Fame Inductees:

Jim Buchanan
Billy Hamill
Tony Murphy
Norm McDonald
Gary Preston (posthumous)
Bill VanTichelt

Special Awards:

Judy Whitson: Lucile Flanders Award
Dave Ekins: Dick Hammer Award


At the conclusion of the awards program, all attending Trailblazers Hall of Famers were invited to the stage for our annual group photo. Seen in the Dennis Suter photo above are:

Front row / Left to right: Paul Hunt, Al Rogers, Bob Bailey, Digger Helm, Elmer Rasmussen (front), Preston Petty (back), Del Kuhn (front), Sammy Tanner, Lori Conway, CH Wheat, Jim Buchanan, Larry Huffman, Buddy Stubbs, Dan Haaby, Ralph White.

Middle / Center of photo left to right: Jim Odom, Dennis Mahan, Tom Horton (front), Peter Starr (back), Tony Murphy, Steve Storz, Bryon Farnsworth.

Back row / Left to right: Tom White, Billy Hamill (thumbs up), Jim O’Neal, Malcolm Smith, Jody Nicholas, Darryl Bassani, Mary McGee, ? (back), Susie Ellsworth (front), Mike Konle (back); Ernie Aragon (front), Sonny Nutter, Rob Morrison (front), ? (back), Gary Jones, Don Emde, Dave Ekins, Stu Peters, Bill VanTichelt, ?,Jerry Hatfield (front), ? (back),Norm McDonald, Allan D’alo, Chris Carter, Dallas Baker, Thad Wolff.






Wednesday, April 13, 2016

72nd ANNUAL TRAILBLAZERS BANQUET



CARSON CENTER, CARSON, CA
SATURDAY, APRIL 23, 2016

SEATS AVAILABLE !!! (as of April 13, 2016)
As always, we have had a few cancellations, changes, etc., so if you know of anyone who was hoping to attend the banquet this year, and were unable to purchase a ticket, have them contact Judy at: mctrailblazers01@gmail.com.

ADDRESS AND DIRECTIONS
The banquet will be held at the Carson Civic Center, 3 Civic Plaza Dr., Carson, CA. 90745. The Carson Center is off the I 405 freeway at the Carson exit. You can see the tall Doubletree Hotel from the freeway and it shares a parking lot with the Carson Center.

BANQUET AGENDA
2:00 - 3:00 p.m. SETUP FOR BIKE SHOW. If you are bringing motorcycles to display, check in before you start pushing your bike in. No one gets in without a ticket so get there early enough to get your ticket and park your bike before 3:00 pm. There will be security, but be safe and bring a lock, chain, drip pan (if needed) and some information on the bike. Each bike show entrant will receive a 70th Anniversary mug and pin. No need to call in advance. Bring your pristine treasure or relic that still has mud from the last race.

3:00 - 6:00 p.m. RECEPTION AND THE TOM CATES MEMORIAL BIKE SHOW PRESENTED BY HAGERTY INSURANCE. Pick up your tickets at WILL CALL. This is your opportunity to meet, greet, swap lies and kick tires. Once we go into the banquet hall it is difficult to do much visiting. No one gets in without at ticket.

6:00 p.m. BANQUET DOORS OPEN. Tables 1-37 enter through the left door. Tables 38 -75 on your right.

7:00 p.m. BUFFET begins

7:45 p.m. 72nd ANNUAL TRAILBLAZERS Program starts.

HALL OF FAME GROUP PHOTO
This year at the conclusion of the awards ceremonies we will be taking a group photo on stage of all Hall of Fame Inductees, past and present who attend this year. We would like all the Hall of Famers to be in the picture, so please be ready to join us on the main stage.


2016 TRAILBLAZERS HONOREES

2016 WINE TOAST
Tom Heininger

HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
Mike Bast
Dan Haaby
Wayne Rainey
Steve Storz

POSTHUMOUS HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
Bruce Ogilvie
Gilles Vaillancourt

LUCILE FLANDERS AWARD
Susie Ellsworth

DICK HAMMER AWARD
Keith Mashburn

YOU WILL FIND BIOS OF OUR INDUCTEES 
ON THE WEBSITE: www.trailblazersmc.com

DUES ARE DUE
Our year runs from banquet to banquet. If you attend the banquet you are automatically a member. If you don't attend the banquet, dues are $10.00.  You can pay online at www.trailblazersmc.com or mail to:

Trailblazers c/o MIC Inc.
2 Jenner, Ste 150
Irvine, CA  92618

THE "R" WORD
We hate to mention rain, but it is a possibility. The event is rain or shine. There isn't a lot of covered space in the reception and bike show area, but we are working on it. We want everyone to be dry and cozy. Wear comfortable shoes, bring an umbrella, or rain coat. Sometimes it gets chilly. Sorry, we are unable to open the banquet room early because of set up.

NEWSLETTER
If your guests would like to receive the newsletter, please ask them to send their email address to: mctrailblazers01@gmail.com. 2016 members that were also 2015 members will be receiving two newsletters until the 2016 is set up. Probably late in May.

SAVE THE DATE
Next years Trailblazers Banquet will be on Saturday, April 22, 2017.

Monday, April 4, 2016

TRAILBLAZERS BANQUET TICKET UPDATE: LIMITED NUMBER OF SEATS BECAME AVAILABLE!

Anyone without a ticket that is still hoping to attend the Trailblazers banquet, a limited number of seats have become available. No guarantees, but if you are not yet on the waiting list send your name today and we may yet be able to get you seated. The 72nd annual banquet will be held Saturday, April 23rd at the Carson Center in Carson, CA. We will have a record number of 750 attendees this year! Email: mctrailblazers01@gmail.com.

KEITH MASHBURN: 2016 DICK HAMMER AWARD RECIPIENT

The 2016 Dick Hammer Award goes annually to the Trailblazers member who best exemplifies the attributes of “Drive, Determination and Desire” that made Dick Hammer famous. Keith Mashburn has all these qualities both as a racer and a human being. He had a successful career first as a racer, then as a fire fighter and presently as a City Councilman in Simi Valley.


In 1964 Keith’s father bought him a 50cc Honda C110 and the youngster learned to ride in the orchards near their home. Eventually, he said he’d like to try racing, and Mashburn Sr. supported his son’s efforts. He rode District 37 scrambles as well as short tracks at El Toro and South Gate on a regular basis. He moved up quickly, and in 1965 began riding a Greeves for Nick Nicholson. In 1966, with coaching from Dave Ekins, Keith rode the Greeves in the Jackass Enduro and won his class.

Keith liked all forms of racing. He even entered into a then, new sport to America called motocross. In 1967, he raced a Bultaco Lobito at a motocross event in Castaic against the likes of Roger DeCoster, Dave Bickers, and Joel Robert. Keith won the event, unofficially becoming the first American to beat the Europeans at motocross in the US. Next, he entered the Hopetown race and won the 100cc and 250cc expert class.

Keith also kept busy in the sportsman class in District 37. Then Yamaha asked Keith to ride a new model, the 250 cc DT-1. In 1968 he would turn 18 and be allowed to get his Pro Novice license. He would race the new DT-1 at Ascot and other AMA Pro Novice events with Dennis Mahan building and tuning the bikes.

Keith, Dennis Mahan and the DT-1 would make history that year. In 1968, Keith won more Novice main events in a single season than had ever been done before. When he moved up to the Amateur class in 1969, Yamaha hadn’t developed the 650cc four-stroke XS-1 yet, so he had to race a 350cc two-stroke twin in Flat Track against the 750cc machines. Still Keith was competitive on the 350 and won a few events on it.

Yamaha soon hired Keith as a regular employee as well as a contracted rider. The successful development of the DT-1 program helped make Yamaha a major player in motorcycling in the US. Keith became a test rider at Yamaha and rode many prototype bikes and prepared detailed reports on them. As the lead test rider, Keith is particularly proud of his work on the XS-1, Yamaha’s first four-stroke bike that he also raced starting in 1970. He won the Yamaha Gold Cup at Ascot in 1971 riding the XS-1.

After he hung up his steel shoe, Keith put all his attention into his next career, as a fire fighter. In 1975 he became a Ventura County Fireman where he worked until his retirement in 2005 after 30 years of service -- rising to the rank of Battalion Chief. He continued to do related work after that in the field of arson investigation.

Racer, hero, fire fighter, public servant, and cameo movie star, Keith has done it all and continues to be an inspiration. The Trailblazers congratulate Keith Mashburn, the 2016 Dick Hammer Award Recipient.

Saturday, March 19, 2016

Gil Vaillancourt: 2016 Posthumous Inductee to Trailblazers Hall of Fame


The late-Gilles Vaillancourt, founder of Works Performance, will be one of two posthumous Trailblazers Hall of Fame inductees to be honored at the sold out 72nd annual banquet on April 23rd.


Vaillancourt was born in 1940 in Montreal, Canada. Always interested in machines, Gil got hooked on motorcycling as a teen and started working in a local shop. When he was 20 years old his family moved to Santa Monica, California, and he chose to ride his Royal Enfield twin the entire way from Canada. He worked for Triangle Motorcycles while studying welding, tool and die, and pattern making at Santa Monica City College. Among his other skills, he was a concert violinist and played in the Santa Monica City College Orchestra.

Gil loved off-road and motocross riding in the 1960’s, but was disappointed with the performance of stock suspension systems. His welding, tool and die background combined with motorcycle mechanics skills came together as he began experimenting with his own shock pistons and relief valves. He soon incorporated multi-stage damping on his suspension, a big improvement over the single-stage dampers of the time. Vaillancourt soon had one of the best-suspended motorcycles in California and often allowed friends to ride the bikes outfitted with his modified shocks. It wasn’t long before those friends asked him to modify the shocks on their bikes. This was the beginning of Works Performance.

Gil opened Works Performance Products in Chatsworth, California in 1973 and the company quickly became the go-to place for superior suspension systems for racers all over the world. Champions across almost all race disciplines soon became his customers: Kenny Roberts, Bubba Shobert, Eddie Lawson, Wayne Rainey, Chris Carr, Scott Parker, Dick Mann, Brad Lackey, Jim Pomeroy, Eddie Mulder and Gary Nixon all used Works Performance suspension components during their careers.

Works Performance became a success thanks to Gil’s personal genius with suspension, quality materials, workmanship and innovation. And as the industry progressed, so did his designs. The latter half of the 1970’s brought the advent of long-travel, lay-down shocks. Works Performance shocks debuted bolt-on, piggyback, bladder-style gas shocks in 1976, which used an innovative check ball and orifice valve systems that provided superior control. Works Performance shocks also featured sand-cast fins, which provided better cooling in high-leverage applications. These shocks evolved into the Magna Crosser off-road and Racer road-race models, which remained as standards of form and function for the next two decades.

Always a genius with suspension Vaillancourt was also a sought-after as a consultant for the design of dampers, shocks and suspension systems for amusement park rides, military and commercial aircraft landing gear, mobile camera platforms, bicycles and race cars. But his first love remained motorcycles and he was happy to be inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2009.

Vaillancourt left us on June 2nd, 2015. He was a genuine pioneer in the development of modern-day motorcycle suspension systems, his revolutionary work led to leaps in performance, quality, customization and style. His company, Works Performance Products, continues to serve motorcycle riders around the world and Gil will be remembered for his many contributions to the sport. The Trailblazers proudly welcome Gilles Vaillancourt to the 2016 Hall of Fame.

More info about the banquet can be found at: www.trailblazersmc.com or email: mctrailblazers01@gmail.com

Friday, March 4, 2016

STEVE STORZ: 2016 TRAILBLAZERS HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE

 Steve Storz was born in Omaha, Nebraska in 1950. As a youngster, he was always interested in high performance machines, particularly hot rods. Then his best friend in High School bought a Triumph 650 and let Steve ride it. That's all it took to get Steve hooked! He immediately purchased his own motorcycle. As much as he loved riding his Triumph, Steve enjoyed tinkering with it even more. Soon he was working on his friend’s bikes and he got the idea that being a mechanic could lead to a career in motorcycling.

In 1970 Steve moved to southern California, to attend Dale Martin’s Motorcycle Mechanic’s School. He then got a part time job at Triumph of Burbank working as an apprentice mechanic for Jack Hateley.

After seeing his first dirt track race at Ascot Steve knew he wanted to be involved in the sport. He volunteered to help Al Baker and Lloyd Houchins Friday nights at Ascot to begin learning the job of a race bike mechanic. Steve would eventually build and tune race bikes for other great riders like Terry Dorsch, John Hateley, Ted Boody, and Steve Morehead.

After working with privateers Steve was hired in 1974 as a factory mechanic for the Norton-Triumph Dirt Track Team. Steve poured hours into trying to make the Norton’s competitive and still reliable. Just when he finally began to make some progress, Norton shut the team down for financial reasons in the middle of the 1975 season. It was a big disappointment for all of the riders and mechanics.

Next, Steve got a call from Dick O'Brien offering him a spot on the Harley-Davidson team. For a dirt track mechanic it was the top of the pyramid in the mid-1970’s. Steve said “Yes!” grabbed his tool box and moved to Milwaukee.

He’d built his career making British twins go faster.  But he soon came to love working on the Harley XR750 for its dedicated design, made for the sole purpose of dirt track racing.

1977 was his favorite season on the H-D Factory Dirt track team working with rider Ted Boody. Jay Springsteen was the dominant rider at the time, but Boody, riding the Storz XR750 was actually leading the Championship points at mid-season. Their first National win together was the Harrington Delaware Half Mile. Although they ultimately finished second to Springsteen in the Championship, it was a really something special to be in the hunt for the #1 plate week after week.

Steve’s career thrived at Harley-Davidson; they had the best riders, the best facilities, and the biggest budget. As a race mechanic he was well paid and flown to all the races. He also enjoyed working with legendary tuners like Dick O'Brien, Carrol Resweber, Babe De May, Bill Werner, Clyde Denzer, Brent Thompson, and Ronnie Alexander.

As much as he loved being a factory wrench, he had enough of the Milwaukee winters at the end of the 1979 season and returned to Southern California and started his own business. He began building XR750 race engines and doing bike preparation for privateer racers. This was the birth of Storz Performance.

Storz Performance has evolved over the decades into the place to go for performance parts and suspension. Storz Performance is also known for their Dirt Track Style Street Tracker Conversion Kits for Evo Sportsters. Steve built the company’s first show bike in 1990 and took it to the Cincinnati Trade show where it was a hit.

Steve also fostered an association with Enrico Ceriani in Italy and the wonderful forks he produced. It was a perfect partnership because Steve knew what the American racing and street markets needed and Ceriani had the technical expertise to design and produce the forks and steering dampers for Storz applications. Storz Performance continues to manufacture Storz/Ceriani Inverted forks for Harleys in the USA to this day.

Today Steve considers himself very fortunate to have worked exclusively in the motorcycle industry for the past 45 years. As the saying goes “if you love what you do, you will never work a day in your life.”  It has certainly been true for Steve Storz. He has a wonderful wife, Joanie, and two terrific sons, Neil and Eric. Both boys love motorcycle Trials competition and travel all over the U.S. and Europe. Eric Storz has represented the USA as three time member of the Trials Des Nations team. As for Steve, he can still be found doing what he loves, coaxing more power out of new and old motorcycles at Storz Performance in Ventura California.

The Trailblazers proudly welcome Steve Storz to the 2016 Hall of Fame!


Saturday, February 20, 2016

MIKE BAST: 2016 TRAILBLAZERS HOF INDUCTEE


Mike Bast has been elected to the Trailblazers Hall of Fame!

Bast, along with Dan Haaby, Bruce Ogilvie, Wayne Rainey, Steve Storz and Gil Vaillancourt, will be inducted into the Trailblazers Hall of Fame at the annual banquet on Saturday, April 23nd. The banquet—which is sold out—will include special presentations to Keith Mashburn, Susie Ellsworth and Tom Heininger.

As young boys, Mike Bast and his brother Steve watched their Uncle Harlan race off-road and flat track events. Mike, who was born in Los Angeles in 1953, started riding when he was nine and racing when he was 10.

Mike’s biggest hero was Dick Mann, whose career he hoped to emulate. Inspired to become a champion, Mike raced TTs and scrambles around Southern California. By the time he was a teenager, Mike was also becoming a top short track racer. His growing skills on the short tracks would soon have a profound effect on his career.

In 1968, Mike saw a poster advertising Speedway races at Whiteman Stadium in Pacoima. Dude Criswell was promoting the races, trying to revive the sport of Speedway in America. Mike was intrigued and before long he got an old JAP Speedway bike, which he shared with his brother Steve. Mike took to Speedway right away and became one of the top riders in the budding sport in the United States.

Mike witnessed an exhibition put on by Speedway world champions Ivan Mauger and Barry Briggs. Mike and other Americans were still riding their Speedway bikes like they did their short track bikes, leaning into the turns. Mauger and Briggs showed them the proper Speedway style. They put on a school for the Americans and Mike was one of their best students.

With Speedway racing popping up all across California, Mike, still in his teens, found himself starting to earn very good money. He was earning thousands of dollars per month riding the Speedway circuit five nights a week. It became his full-time career and he was living his dream as a professional motorcycle racer.



In addition to the American Speedway circuit, during the winter months he was one of six riders on the first American Speedway test team to ride in Australia and New Zealand. The tracks there were much larger and the speeds higher and it honed Mike’s skills as a rider. A student of the sport, Mike studied great riders like Ivan Mauger when he raced. He also learned the importance of proper bike set-up during his trips down under.

In 1971, Mike won his first American Speedway Championship in a runoff against Mike Konle at Orange County. He was 18 years old and as he crossed the line the emotional teenager had tears in his eyes. It was a dream come true.

It was just the first of many championships. Mike won the title again in 1973, but lost to his brother Steve in 1974. Then Mike went on his run of five consecutive U.S. championships, making him the undisputed king of Speedway racing in America. He established a record of seven American Speedway Championships, including an incredible streak of five consecutive titles from 1975 through 1979.

In addition to racing, he also worked as a movie stunt man for about 10 years in the 1970’s and early 1980’s. Mike continued to race through 1985. By then he was a family man and he retired while he was still riding at his peak at age 32.

During his 18-year career Mike Bast won over 4,000 races including heats, semis and mains. In addition to his seven American championships, Mike also won six California state titles. He was one of the key riders who played a major role in Speedway’s rebirth in America, paving the way for American riders like Bruce Penhall, Sam Ermolenko, Billy Hamill and Greg Hancock, who went on to win World Speedway titles. Mike was inducted into the AMA Hall of Fame in 2000.

After retiring from racing, Mike co-founded a construction company and later moved to Northern California. He and his wife, Dee, had three children. He has stayed involved in Speedway by working with up-and-coming riders.

The Trailblazers proudly welcome Mike Bast into the 2016 Hall of Fame!

Dave Friedman photos / Don Emde Collection.

Saturday, January 30, 2016

Bruce Ogilvie: 2016 Trailblazers H.O.F. Inductee



Bruce Ogilvie was born in 1953. His father, Don, was an avid off-road rider and Bruce’s happiest memories were of riding through the desert with his dad. As Bruce grew he graduated from his first bike—a Tohatsu 50—to larger and faster motorcycles and began racing in the hotly contested District 37 Desert Series. By the time he was a teenager Bruce was one of the top riders in the series.

Ogilvie’s desert racing career soon led him to the biggest prize a dust buster could go for, the Baja peninsula. His first win came at the Baja 500 in 1975, followed that same year by a victory in the Baja 1,000. More wins would follow in Baja and around the world. In his career Bruce was a 4-time Baja 1,000 winner; Baja 500 winner; San Felipe 250 winner; ISDE Gold Medalist and much more.

Even while he was still a competitive racer Bruce was recruited by Honda to manage the company’s off-road efforts. He started working for American Honda in 1984 and became a lead developer of Honda’s CRF/CRX motorcycles, and eventually rose to be the Senior Test Evaluator for Honda’s Product Evaluation department. His greatest achievement as a manager was Honda’s unbroken string of victories in the Baja 1,000. From 1996 to 2013 a Honda stood at the top of the podium at the finish line of the Baja 1,000.
Bruce Ogilvie was the only man in history to win the Baja 1000 overall in four different decades—he posted his last overall win in 2003 at the age of 51. He died on April 13, 2009 after a two-year battle with cancer, and was inducted the following year into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame.

The Trailblazers are proud to remember the spirit and accomplishments of Bruce Ogilvie and induct him posthumously into our Hall of Fame.

Sunday, January 17, 2016

BANQUET TICKETS SOLD OUT


SEND EMAIL TODAY TO GET ON WAITING LIST!   
     This year it only took one week for all the banquet tickets available online to be sold. But that doesn’t mean that there is no way to still buy some. Every year we find that after a few weeks people start realizing that they don’t need as many tickets as they ordered, or their plans change, and we work it out with them so that those seats can become available. So don’t give up. If you still want to attend, please send an email today to get on the waiting list. Email: mctrailblazers01@gmail.com. We hope to see you at the banquet on April 23rd.

DAN HAABY: 2016 TRAILBLAZERS H.O.F. INDUCTEE


The Trailblazers will induct Dan Haaby to its Hall of Fame at the 72nd annual banquet on Saturday, April 23, 2016.




     Dan Haaby was born in North Dakota in 1945, but grew up in Northern California. When he was eight his father bought him a 1948 Harley 125, then his first race bike was a 1954 Tiger Cub upon which he started scrambles racing. He turned pro in 1963 and with his 200cc Bultaco headed for the Ascot season opener and managed to win the Novice Main event. Later Dud Perkins asked Dan if he wanted to team up with a first year expert named Mert Lawwill, and ride his Harley Sprint. Dan accepted and finished the year second in points at Ascot, winning 8 out of 12 Main events including the California State Championship.

     He turned Amateur in 1964 and Perkins put him on a Harley-Davidson KR to race, upon which Dan again won the Ascot season opener. He finished the season with 62 victories (Heat races, Trophy Dashes and Main events). The next year he turned Expert and the AMA assigned him National number 22. He rode a Gary Bray-tuned BSA Gold Star and won the opening night at Ascot for the third year in a row and went on to finish the year second in points at Ascot and eighth in AMA Grand National points. He was also named AMA Rookie of the Year.

     In 1966, he was second in points at Ascot again and managed to win a couple of Ascot TT races and the 20 lap California State Championship. He finally got the high point award at Ascot in 1967 winning 10 Main events, and topping off the season by winning the Ascot 8-Mile National.

     He was contracted by Harley Davidson’s Dick O’Brien to ride for them in 1968 and finished fifth in the nation that year. Harley picked him up again for the following year in 1969, and he won the Ascot season opener again!

     Dan bounced around a bit in 1969, riding the Harley early in the season and later a BSA Trackmaster. He won a few races, mainly at Ascot, and then was contacted by Yamaha to ride and develop their new 650 twin for dirt track.

     Dan retired in 1972, and got into the automobile business. Though successful in the business world, Dan says racing motorcycles holds the greatest memories and times of his life. He presently lives in Auburn California with his wife Gail. He still rides with friends like Neil Fergus and his son Aaron, on a KTM in the dirt and a V-Strom on the street.

     The Trail Blazers proudly welcomes Dan Haaby into the 2016 Hall of Fame!