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era ol the sport s greatest knight errant. Jeremy McGrath has won six consecutive Supercross championships In 1991 and 1992, he won the 125cc West Supercross Championship. Beginning the next year, he began his dominance ol the premiere 250cc Supercross Championship, winning the Series title In 1993, 1994, 1995 and 1996 There is neither precedent nor parallel Incredibly, he has only gotten stronger. Last season he came within two bike lengths ol accomplish ing the unthinkable — the still unfathomable: winning every round ol the Series His only “loss" was a second-place finish in the St. Louis round, the 14th race ol the Scries. By that time, the sheer drama ol a possible per fect season culminated in a Irenzy ol atten tion previously unknown in the sport Major magazines and news agencies caught the scent oi a genius savant in the backwoods sport and descended with cameras and klieg lights. Even outsiders understand Jeremy McGrath is reshaping Supercross In the 1997 season he Is moving the sport forward yet again, this time oil the track In another unprecedented endeavor. McGrath has estab lished his own race team, gathered his own corporate sponsors and set out to establish a way for future racers to earn the kind of money they deserve. Uh-oh. more money for the spoiled richboys? Nope Major League Baseball salary arbitration proceedings are in another building The majority ol tip-top level professional motocross riders live from sea son to season — two-year contracts are still a rarity. A good number of racers live from race to race, depending upon their health, any bike damage, and the travel distance to the next race. Politely put, professional motocross offers an unstable living. McGrath's gamble may change whose pock ets get lined. Even more Impressive, McGrath has achieved his success in a time ol great riders. Arch-rival Jeff Emig beat Jeremy straight up in the final round of the outdoor motocross 250cc National Championship Series to win the championship and the #1 Number Plate. Emig was the streak-breaker, beating Jeremy at the 19% St. Louis Supercross, and thwart ing the perfect season. Emig has also been the 125cc National Motocross Champion. Mike Lorocco is a multi-time National Motocross Champion as well. Greg Albertyn is a two-time World Motocross Champion, come to America to challenge himself against the Americans (who are now overall the world's fastest riders). Steve Lamson has been National Motocross Champion twice over. These are committed, serious and seri ously talented racers, profoundly determined to win the Supercross Championship. They may respect McGrath, but they’re willing and able to make him eat dirt, just the same. McGrath’s adjustment to a new team and a new brand of motorcycle (Honda to Suzuki) has proven the talent and parity of the Supercross field. Thus far in the 1997 Series, McGrath has yet to win. In fact, the five races have had three different winners: Greg Albertyn. Jeff Emig. and current points' leader Doug Henry. Henry’s success this year has inspired everyone. In 1995, Doug had what is arguably the most nightmarish crasn in Nat >nal Motocross Series history. He badly broke his back, underwent surgery and spent the next year In rehabilitation. This season, he has regained his strength and is fulfilling his early promise as a high-caliber rider in what is proving to be the most excit ing season in recent memory It's anybody’s guess who is going to win from one week to the next. THE RACE It's a joy to watch the start of a Supercross Main Event. Nerves and noise bounce aro.'nd the stadium like stray atoms. And let’s talk ..bout air — big air Four hun dred pounds of n.tn and motorcycle lift from the ground like kit* s at the beach. Jeremy McGrath, and kids of h." generation, brought to Supercross the aerial ski’ls they learned on BMX bicycles. The long hangtime of the big "triples" afforded them time to incorporate some of these maneuvers on their motorcy cles. If you came of age watching Evel Knevel’s labored leaps on his massive Harley Davidson, the aerial gymnastics of the Supercross riders will blow your mind. Watch lor the “Superman." where the rider takes his leet olf the footpegs, stretches them out behind him in a body position parallel to the ground before bringing them back to the pegs at touchdown In the “Can-Can" the rider crosses one leg over the gas tank to the opposite side ol the motorcycle, ending up with both legs on the same side, one leg jut ting out as if he were part of a chorus-line. My personal favorite is the “Nac-Nac," which is, as you've guessed, the opposite of the “Can-Can." This is also a Jeremy McGrath specialty. For this move the rider also swings one leg over to the opposite side ol the bike, but. instead of in front of him. he swings it over behind him. The balance shift causes the bike to swing like a fence gate radically sideways and leaves the rider to rehinge the separated elements (person A motorcycle) with the toe of one boot. The “Whlp-lt" flings the motorcycle sideways at the same time as laying it over on its side. The “Heel-Clicker" is a new breed. In this one the rtder takes both feet off the footpegs. swings both legs over his arms (which are stretched out hanging onto the handlebars) and clicks his two heels together before trusting muscle memory to find the (ootpegs again. Now. I don't have the flexibility to do this move on my living-room carpet, much less 30 feet in the air (at 60 miles per hour!). These little sculptures in space are a simultaneous play of disjoining and attachment, mesmerizingiy beautiful In their lingering image. Thelonious Monk chords given form. But. these are for playtime, lor learning the limits ol the motorcycle and oneself, and for simply thrilling the fans. When the race gate drops, all efforts are to keep the motor cycle on the ground and propelling forward. As such, the dominions of momentum (i.e. braking and cornering) quickly attain their own balletic beauty, and the dive, duck, and repartee excite as much as the jumping At the Atlanta round of the Series, young Damon Huffnwn rode the race of his career, finishing first ahead of Kawasaki teammate Jeff Emig and third-place holder Jeremy McGrath. He was so excited after the race that he report edly had to steady his writing hand to sign autographs. Two days later Damon broke his ankle practicing and will miss the next four Rounds, ending any chance for a good finish In the Series Though McGrath moves one step closer to his first 1997 victory. Jeff Emig can practi cally smell hts first Supercross Championship, but Yamaha’s Doug Henry Is not moving over for anybody. 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