We Went Fast

Forty years ago a quartet of young Americans traveled to Europe and turned the World Motocross community on its head. Danny LaPorte, Chuck Sun, Donnie Hansen and Johnny O'Mara won the Trophée des Nations (250) on Sept. 6, 1981 in Lommel, Belgium and then the Motocross des Nations (500) a week later in West Germany. 

Episode #14 is a special collaboration between Racer X Illustrated and We Went Fast. “When We Were Kings”, was an article that ran in the September/October 1998 issue of Racer X Illustrated. Yes, 1998, when Racer X was in its first year as a full color glossy and only printing 6 times a year. "When We Were Kings" is the story behind how the team was formed and how they pulled off the most stunning upset in motocross history. 

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"

This is the podcast version of the story under the same title. You can listen by clicking the play arrow below or you can search "We Went Fast" in your preferred podcast player. 

For the print version of this same story, click here. 

Please leave a rating and review and tell a friend about the We Went Fast podcast channel. 

To find the "On Any Sunday" product line, CLICK HERE. 

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.

This is the podcast version of the feature article “Ep. #12 Modem Killer: James Stewart vs. LaRocco's Leap”. Author, Brett Smith, reads the text. You can find this and the entire collection of podcasts by searching “We Went Fast” in your preferred podcast player.

Looking for the PRINT version of this story? You can find that here: "James Stewart vs. LaRocco's Leap”.

The We Went Fast shop has licensed James Stewart merchandise, including a t-shirt with the subject photo from this story, a piece of artwork and James Stewart autographed prints. Shop.wewentfast.com

Please leave a rating and review and tell a friend about the We Went Fast podcast channel. 

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.

This is the podcast version of the feature article "Little Giant: The PW50 Story". Author, Brett Smith, reads the text. You can find this and the entire collection of podcasts by searching "We Went Fast" in your preferred podcast player. 

Looking for the PRINT version of this story? You can find that here: "Little Giant: The PW50 Story" (print). 

A big thank you to Blendzall Premium Racing Oil for kicking in to help make this project possible. Next time your two stroke needs pre-mix, go Blendzall. Visit Blendzall.com or ask your dealer to carry the brand through WPS. 

Please leave a rating and review and tell a friend about the We Went Fast podcast channel. 

Can you spare $3 a month? If you enjoyed "Little Giant: The PW50 Story" and want to see more like it, consider becoming a Patron. For a token amount of money, you can join the We Went Fast team and get access to exclusive content, the private We Went Fast Vimeo page, free swag and discounts to The Shop. 

Or buy merchandise. I pour the revenue back into We Went Fast to keep telling Moto That Matters. 

Thank you for listening.

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 still resonate.

This is the audio version of the feature story "The Curious Life of Terry Pratt". Read by the author, Brett Smith. 

Want a copy of "Grand Prix Motocross: The 1972 World Championship Season"? Find it exclusively in the We Went Fast shop. 

Please leave a rating and review and tell a friend about the We Went Fast podcast channel. 

Can you spare $3 a month? If you enjoyed “The Curious Life of Terry Pratt”, want to see more like it, and want to keep this site free of advertising, consider becoming a Patron. For a token amount of money, you can join the We Went Fast team and get access to exclusive content, the private We Went Fast Vimeo page, free swag and discounts to The Shop. 

Or buy merchandise. The revenue is poured back into We Went Fast to keep telling Moto That Matters. 

Thank you for listening. 

More than a third of all supercross winners only won a single main event in their career (premier class). This is the audio version of quirky stories behind 10 of those "One Hit Wonders". 

To read the print version of "One Hit Wonders" follow this link. 

Please leave a rating and review and tell a friend about the We Went Fast podcast channel. 

Can you spare $3 a month? If you enjoyed “One Hit Wonders”, want to see more like it, and want to keep this site free of advertising, consider becoming a Patron. For a token amount of money, you can become part of the We Went Fast team and get access to exclusive content, the private We Went Fast Vimeo page, free swag and discounts to The Shop. 

Or buy merchandise. The revenue is poured back into We Went Fast to keep telling Moto That Matters. 

Thank you for reading. 

Paul Buckley messed up. He should have been at the finish line. Yet, if he had been paying attention, the photograph above wouldn’t exist. He would have shot an up close ‘guy in the sky’ image and the moment he immortalized would instead be a tale passed down between bench racers with no visual reference to back it up.

This is the audio version of the first story ever published on wewentfast.com, titled, The Moment: Paul Buckley’s Gatorback 1993 Photo. Click that link if you'd rather read it. 

Please subscribe, leave a rating and/or review wherever you listen to podcasts. And be sure to tell a friend. 

Also support We Went Fast by joining the team at patreon.com/wewentfast or buy merchandise at wewentfast.com/shop. This is a reader/listener -supported project.