1980 USGP
Filmmaker Todd Huffman’s much anticipated documentary Carlsbad USGP:1980 – One Day Of Magic which chronicles a young Californian’s win of a major international motocross competition made it’s world debut last night to a sell-out crowd at San Diego’s historic Spreckels Theatre.
The premiere was set for June 22nd, 2010, exactly 30 years to the day that relative unknown Marty Moates shocked the world by becoming the first American to ever win the United States Grand Prix.
A simultaneous premiere also took place last night in Houston, TX and a third movie premiere happens tomorrow night, June 24th, at the Landmark Mayan Theatre in Denver, Colorado hosted by former motocross national and world champion, Chuck Sun, the 1981 USGP champion.
An original ABC-TV camera position banner from the 1980 USGP, a Marty Moates’ LOP Yamaha YZ 465, and Moates’ USGP starting gate from Carlsbad were a popular focal (and focus) point for San Diego movie premiere attendees.
"We were oversold and only had about 160 last-minute no-shows short of a complete sell-out of the 1,500-seat Spreckels Theatre," notes movie producer Todd Huffman, who also does The Motocross Files on television.
"I’m told that we outdrew Natalie Merchant, which had been the biggest event at Spreckels this year… Not too bad for a Tuesday night when the kids are still in school."
Huffman was joined by everyone from USGP promoter Gavin Trippe (who later founded "Superbikers" with ABC’s Wide World Of Sports and created the sport of Super Moto racing) to the legendary 5-time world GP champ Roger DeCoster, America’s only 500cc GP world champ Brad Lackey and Goat Breker (who actually qualified first overall for the USGP, only to have a flat front tire ruin his day) for the gala at the grand old theatre.
Beyond the legends, many of the "co-stars" of the movie were on hand, including the same people who lined the fences cheering Marty on that magical day, as well Moates’ #23 LOP Yamaha which was on display in the lobby, along with the actual starting gate from Carlsbad that Marty used to get two holeshots that day, and bucket of dirt taken from the first turn at the old track.
Speaking of dirt, a soil sample was overnighted from the lobby of the San Diego premiere to Chuck Sun for the movie’s premiere in Denver, Colorado on Thursday, June 24. Sun, winner of the USGP the year after Moates did the deed, is hosting a premiere party of his own at the Landmark Mayan Theater.
Sun’s 1981 Motocross des Nations teammate and former Supercross/motocross champion Donnie Hansen will be joining the AMA Hall Of Famer to help kick off the movie along with Mark "The Bomber" Barnett.
"Many of Colorado’s top 50 riders are expected to attend, including Arlo Englund," says Sun. "Tickets are just $22.50 each, including tax and handling fees, or $33.50 for a pair and include a collector’s reproduction of the original 1980 Carlsbad USGP program while the supply lasts."
"With the AMA National MX in town, expect many more surprise appearances that make this a must-attend premiere party! Thanks to the support guys like Doug Gagnon and Vickery Motorsports in Denver, we are excited to bring the movie premiere to the Landmark Mayan Theatre," adds Sun.
"Special thanks to all the Denver-area sponsors for making this special local premiere possible, including AHRMA, Coyote Motosports, Donnie Hansen Motocross Academy/DHMA.com, Doug Gagnon, Elite Motorsports Of Loveland, Motogear Outlet, MX1 Suspension, Performance Cycle Of Colorado, Sun Enterprises Fan Fest, Tequila Chamucos, TUbliss and Vickery Motorsports."