Bob Hannah (yellow jersey) talks to his buddy Marty Tripes before an outdoor national in 1979. (AMA press kit photo)

Bob Hannah (yellow jersey) talks to his buddy Marty Tripes before an outdoor national in 1979.

Hannah once told me that Tripes was maybe the most naturally talented rider of the 1970s, unfortunately Tripes had a hard time keeping his focus. He would alternately be spectacular or totally uninspired. His weight would balloon at times and he would run up front early then tire.

When he was on Tripes could beat anyone. He won the Superbowl of Motocross at the L.A. Coliseum in 1972. He was just 16 at the time.

A lesser known story is that Tripes entered a Trans-Am a year earlier, when he was just 15, and finished on the podium. Another rider got ticked that Tripes beat him and ratted him out to the AMA. Tripes was suspended for lying about his age to enter a pro race. His first race back after the suspension was the Superbowl and the rest is history.