Motocross Illustrated

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Mark Barnett was the dominant AMA 125cc motocross racer of the early 1980s. “The Bomber” won three AMA 125cc National Motocross Championships from 1980 to 1982 and proved his versatility by winning the AMA Supercross Series in 1981. When he retired from racing in 1985, he was the all-time win leader in AMA 125cc Motocross history with 25 national wins in the class and was second to Bob Hannah on the all-time AMA Supercross wins list with 17 stadium victories. In addition to his four AMA championships, Barnett also had success on the international stage as a member of the winning 1983 Team U.S.A. Motocross and Trophee des Nations squad. He twice won the 125cc U.S. Grand Prix of Motocross. Barnett, born in 1960, grew up in
MARK BARNETT THE BOMBER STORY BY AMA IMAGES BY BUCKLEYPHOTOS.COM Bridgeview, Illinois. He learned to ride on a pull-start minibike as a kid and began racing motocross by the age 10 in Illinois and Indiana. He rapidly became the dominant rider in whatever class he competed. As a boy, Barnett was a big fan of Belgium motocross star Sylvain Geboers. He saw first saw Geboers race a factory Suzuki in a Trans-AMA race in Wisconsin. At 15, Barnett earned national recognition by winning an AMA amateur championship. After he turned 16, Barnett hit the national circuit on a privateer Suzuki. In his 1977 rookie pro season, the Midwesterner turned some heads by scoring three top-10 finishes in the 125cc nationals and finishing sixth in the final standings. In 1978, Barnett signed his first factory contract with Suzuki, paying him $1,000 per month. Later, at the height of his career, Barnett would sign a three-year, one million dollar contract with the company. Barnett was one of the few riders from the Midwest to earn a factory ride at the time. “It was tough to get recognition if you didn’t grow up racing in California,” Barnett said. “I won some key amateur races at the right time and then went out and raced a season in the nationals on my own to prove myself. I think growing up racing in the Midwest gave me an advantage when the nationals came back East. I was used to the mud, ruts and roots.” On April 23, 1978, Barnett won his first AMA 125cc National riding the factory Suzuki in Houston, Texas. A shoulder injury put an early end to his 1978 campaign and hampered his return early in 1979, but by the end of the year Barnett was fully healed and closed out the season with a string of consecutive victories in the 125 nationals and finished runner up to Broc Glover in the series. Perhaps his biggest confidence booster that year was winning the 125cc U.S. Grand Prix of Motocross at Mid-Ohio against the world’s best. He also scored his first AMA Supercross victory in July of 1979 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in front of 79,000 fans. Barnett called the LA Supercross victory one of the most memorable in his career. In the race, Jeff Ward led early before losing the lead to Gaylon Mosier. Barnett worked his way to the front and passed Mosier late in the race, as did Mike Bell. For the final two laps, Barnett and Bell battled fever-
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