Throwback Thursday: Kawasaki’s Race of Champions (1988)

Larry Lawrence | January 5, 2023

Talented Up-And-Coming Motocross Racers Came from Across the Nation to Meet Head to Head

In this week’s Throwback we wind back the clock 35 years to the 17th Annual National Motosport Association (NMA) World Mini Grand Prix at Las Vegas Motocross Park. Featured at the World Minis that year was the Kawasaki Race of Champions (ROC). For the ROC, 15 riders were selected to race three motos on identically prepared, stock Kawasaki KX80s. All the riders were champions from various NMA regions, or champions from other sanctioning bodies. The competition was close. Joel Albrecht scored the victory with 1-2-3 moto finishes. Runner up was fellow Californian Buddy Antunez with a 5-1-1. Third was Iowa’s Chad Pederson scoring a 2-3-2. This photo shows that year’s ROC lineup: (back row, left to right) Jason Frenette, Brent Peterson, Brian Swink, Justin Jensen, Buddy Antunez, Grayson Goodman, Jack Ricks, Tim Hodes; (front row, left to right) Sean Thornton, Brian Roth, Joel Albrecht, Tommy Clowers, Ross Pederson and Willy Bowden.

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