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 23^rd.

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


The Trailblazers will induct Dan Haaby to its Hall of Fame at the 72^nd 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!

BANQUET TICKETS ON SALE HERE STARTING MONDAY, JANUARY 4TH

BANQUET TICKETS ON SALE BEGINNING JANUARY 4TH!

GET READY! Tickets for the 2016 Trailblazers banquet will go on sale here on this website on Monday, January 4th at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time. At that time, the tab at the top of the page that reads: Banquet Tickets will take you to the order form with three options:

1. Order single tickets for $75 each

2. Order a table of 10 for $750

3. If you cannot attend, but want to remain a member: $10 a year

Since we have sold out all 700 seats the last two years we encourage anyone planning to attend this year to order early.

On Saturday, April 23rd, the 72nd Trailblazers banquet will be held at our familiar meeting place at the Carson Center in Carson, CA. As always, activities will kick off that afternoon at 3:00 p.m. when the pit gate opens for the Tom Cates Memorial Bike Show presented by Hagerty Insurance.

The three-hour “Meet & Greet” reception and bike show is one of the highlights of our annual gathering with the chance to reunite with many old motorcycling friends. Then at 6:00 p.m. it is time to go inside for the dinner and awards banquet.

The mission of the Trailblazers is to keep the legacy of the motorcycle sport in Southern California alive and to honor those who made their mark here in racing, industry and other ways. This year Keith Mashburn will receive the club’s top honors, the Dick Hammer Award. Keith, a past Trailblazers president and ongoing member of the Board of Directors, had a great career in racing, then moved into a life of community service in fire protection and more recently, serving on the Simi Valley City Council.

Other honors given at the banquet will be for six new Trailblazers Hall of Fame inductees: 7-time American Speedway champion Mike Bast, Ascot 8-Mile National winner Dan Haaby, 3-time world roadracing champion Wayne Rainey and famed Dirt Track race tuner and suspension expert Steve Storz, plus we will also recognize posthumously two notables who have previously passed on: Bruce Ogilvie and Gil Vaillancourt. Webco co-founder Tom Heininger will be the recipient of our annual wine toast and Susie Ellsworth will receive the Lucile Flanders Award.

Hope to see you there!

Don Emde
President
Trailblazers M.C.

72nd TRAILBLAZERS BANQUET SET FOR APRIL 23RD

Mark your calendar! On Saturday, April 23rd, the 72nd Trailblazers banquet will be held at our familiar meeting place at the Carson Center in Carson, CA. As always, activities will kick off that afternoon at 3:00 p.m. when the pit gate opens for the Tom Cates Memorial Bike Show presented by Hagerty Insurance. The three-hour “Meet & Greet” reception and bike show is one of the highlights of our annual gathering with the chance to reunite with many old motorcycling friends. Then at 6:00 p.m. it is time to go inside for the dinner and awards banquet.

The mission of the Trailblazers is to keep the legacy of the motorcycle sport in Southern California alive and to honor those who made their mark here in racing, industry and other ways. This year Keith Mashburn will receive the club’s top honors, the Dick Hammer Award. Keith, a past Trailblazers president and ongoing member of the Board of Directors, had a great career in racing, then moved into a life of community service in fire protection and more recently, serving on the Simi Valley City Council.

Other honors given at the banquet will be for four new Trailblazers Hall of Fame inductees: 7-time American Speedway champion Mike Bast, Ascot 8-Mile National winner Dan Haaby, 3-time world roadracing champion Wayne Rainey and famed Dirt Track race tuner and suspension expert Steve Storz. We will also recognize posthumously two Trailblazers who have previously passed on: Bruce Ogilvie and Gil Vaillancourt. Webco co-founder Tom Heininger will be the recipient of our annual wine toast and Susie Ellsworth will receive the Lucile Flanders Award.

We expect another sell-out, so stay tuned here for updates on the schedule of events and tickets, which will go on sale in early January.

Hope to see you there!

Don Emde
President
Trailblazers M.C.

A GREAT EVENT IN CARSON

The 71st annual Trailblazers banquet is in the books. Saturday, April 11th was a great day and night at Carson Center with approximately 700 of the faithful attending. The ever-popular Tom Cates Memorial Bike Show presented by The Early Years of Motocross Museum and Hagerty Insurance was the first stop for the arriving club members. The three-hour "meet & greet" reception and bike show is one of the highlights of the event with the chance to reunite with many old motorcycling friends...but there was more to come. At 6:00 p.m. it was time to go inside for the dinner and awards banquet.

Our Mission with the Trailblazers is to honor people who have made their mark in the motorcycle sport and industry in Southern California and this year's group of honorees couldn't have been more perfect. From Dick Hammer Award winner CH Wheat to our Hall of Fame inductees: Walt Axthelm, Ron Bishop, Chris Carter, Gary Conrad, Mel Dinesen, Neil Fergus, Rob Morrison and Thad Wolff.

Thanks to all who helped make the event the success that it was, especially our sponsors Mark & Randy Zimmerman of Specialty Fabrication, Inc., GE Capital, Motorcycle Industry Council, The Early Years of Motocross Museum, Hagerty Insurance, K&N, Van Leeuwen Enterprises, Ernie Aragon and Tom Horton.

Watch here for upcoming news about the dates for next year's banquet.

See you next year!

Don Emde
President
Trailblazers M.C.

It's Banquet Time!

The 71st annual Trailblazers banquet will be held at the Carson Center in Carson on Saturday, April 11th. Every seat is sold and the Trailblazers board is getting all of the details in place for a fun-filled afternoon in the courtyard, followed by a great dinner and banquet with 700 of your closest friends.

If this is your first time attending the banquet, the Carson Center is located at 801 East Carson Street in Carson, CA 90745. Exit off Interstate 405 at the Carson Street exit and go west just past the Carson Doubletree by Hilton Hotel and turn right into the parking lot. The Hotel and Carson Center share the same parking lot.

The schedule is simple. Attendees should be planning to arrive around 3:00 p.m. That’s when the Pit Gate opens and the Tom Cates Memorial Bike Show Presented by The Early Days of Motocross Museum and Hagerty Insurance begins. If you are bringing a motorcycle, you actually need to be there by 2:00 so we can get you checked in and the bike in position. Its all first-come, first-served with spots for motorcycles until we fill up. So don’t get left out. Come early.

When you arrive and get parked at the Carson Center parking lot, proceed west towards the Trailblazers EZ-Ups where you will check in and receive your VIP Pass, pass holder and other materials, including your table number (all seats are pre-assigned). There will also be some of the commemorative Trailblazers 70th anniversary Beer Steins from last year’s banquet available at check-in for sale. Cash only.

You will need to wear the pass at all times and no one without a pass will be permitted past the gates. We encourage everyone to sign your name on both sides of the pass so the many other Trailblazers can pick you out.

At 6:00 p.m. the banquet doors will open. The program and dinner begins at 6:30 p.m.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Questions? Send an email to: mctrailblazers01@gmail.com.

Rob Morrison: Trailblazers 2015 Hall of Fame

Well, the excitement is building as we approach the 71st annual Trailblazers banquet on Saturday, April 11th at the Carson Center in Carson. Tickets sold out quickly for the second year in a row, but for the 700+ who did order early enough, a great event awaits you. As we have been doing these past few months, here’s a look at another of our 2015 honorees, Rob Morrison.

Rob Morrison was born in 1952 and grew up in Fontana, California. He started riding motorcycles at 16. Then one day in the late 1960’s Rob accompanied his father to Perris Raceway to watch the TT Scrambles races. Rob was hooked and was soon racing himself.

By 1971 Rob was a rising star racing in the District 37 Expert class, riding for shops like K&N and Ontario Cycle. In 1972 Rob moved up to an AMA Pro Novice license. Riding a Pete Pistone tuned Bultaco; he won the 1972 California State Championship. He moved up to the Junior class in 1973 and started riding a Norton built by “Big Bill” Rychlik and Harold Allison. He did well enough on the Norton to be promoted to Expert in 1974.

Rob’s rookie Expert season started out on a Dick Kelm Yamaha which he raced at the San Jose Mile. This was the first mile Morrison had ever ridden; he made the main and finished with a respectable 10th place, finishing ahead of such riders as Mark Brelsford, Hank Scott, Jim Odom, Terry Dorsch, and Chuck Palmgren. Rob’s riding style and tenacity got the attention of Ron Wood. Wood offered Ron the ride on his Nortons at Ascot and that season, Rob Morrison on Ron Wood’s Norton became a winning combo that would win the 1974 Ascot Championship.

Next, Rob signed on with the Norton factory team to race the 1975 season in the AMA Camel Pro Series. It was a season of high points and low points. Signing to a factory dirt track team was every racer’s dream. But the factory Norton’s weren’t competitive with the Harley-Davidson XR750’s of the time. Plus, Norton was in a steep financial decline and shut down the program in mid-season. Without a sponsored ride for dirt track racing, Rob moved to the Speedway racing. He raced five nights a week all through the 1976 and 1977 seasons. He did well enough to make a good living in Speedway and became a member of the L.A. Sprockets Speedway Team.

Rob retired from full-time racing in 1978, but never stopped riding motorcycles. Today he is a successful self-employed businessman. He still enjoys going to the races and has been an active member of the TrailBlazers for many years. Most weekends you can still find Rob riding his motorcycle along the coast of southern California.

The TrailBlazers proudly welcome Rob Morrison to the 2015 Hall of Fame.