EP. #19 The Darkest Day in Motocross

We Went Fast

On August 1, 1982, an automobile/train collision killed three teenaged motocross riders in Ponca City, Oklahoma . Forty years later, memories of that white hot afternoon still haunt those who were there.

Six years ago I received a message that said, “I wish someone would write about the boys who were killed at Ponca in 1982.”

I had no idea what he was talking about. But I knew I had to pursue it.

This is not a happy story. It was emotional to research, report and write. It’ll be emotional to read to you.

After six months of reporting and interviews with nearly four dozen people, I was able to achieve the ultimate goal and keep the promises I made to the families of Rick Hemme, Bruce Bunch and Kyle Fleming: I wanted the world to know about their children; who they were and who they wanted to be. Today, August 1, 2022, marks the 40th anniversary of this tragic accident. This story is a way to say to the boys they’ll never be forgotten.

This is the audio version of the story by the same title. The print version includes photos, court documents and other supporting materials.

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