Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Today in motorcycle history, November 18, 1976


  















  The Walton's, "The Great Motorcycle Race" airs on Thursday night at 8:00pm on CBS.





  A synopsis of this evenings episode...


  General Store owner, Ike Godsey, pushes his Harley-Davidson VL motorcycle (with a sidecar, no less) toward the Walton’s house hoping to borrow some tools to fix his bike. Jim-Bob (the youngest Walton boy) locates the problem, then, to show his appreciation, Ike offers Jim-Bob a spin on his Harley. After seeing what a natural Jim-Bob is, Ike gushes and says he can borrow it anytime! Jason (a Walton brother) comments to Ben (another Walton brother) that when it comes to Jim-Bob, "Anything with an engine and wheels on it, is duck soup for him!".

   While at the house Ike announces that he and Corabeth are trying to adopt a baby. 

  Meanwhile, Jim-Bob is riding Ike’s bike with Patsy Brimmer in the sidehack, Olivia (momma Walton) becomes upset when she learns Ike has allowed her baby boy, Jim-Bob, to ride his 'murdercycle'. John-Boy (oldest and wisest Walton brother) tries to calm Olivia by saying it's nearly impossible for Jim-Bob to get hurt because there is a sidecar on the bike (wisest Walton brother?). Jim-Bob is soon seen by the family contradicting John-Boy’s statement by riding the bike like he's Evel Knievel with the sidecar tipped up in the air.


  While delivering the latest edition of John-Boy's 'The Blue Ridge Chronicle', Ben and John-Boy learn that Eddie Stoker is sponsoring a motorcycle race in Rockfish next Saturday. They strike a deal with Stoker to place an ad in the newspaper and tie it to posters that they will place around the county.


  At Ike’s store John-Boy puts up a poster announcing the 'Overland Motorcycle Race', the keen-eyed Jim-Bob notices the motorcycle race advertisement and then, just like that, Corabeth receives a call that their baby has arrived. Ike hurriedly asks Jim-Bob to lock up the store while he and Corabeth rush off to pick up the baby. Before leaving Jim-Bob asks Ike if he can borrow the bike. Ike says he can do anything he wants with the bike. Taking him literally, Jim-Bob removes the sidecar and drives Patsy over to Mr. Stoker’s place to sign up for the race.



  Jim-Bob tells Olivia he has entered the race. She is upset with Jim-Bob for doing this while John-Boy is away working at the Cramer place. Jim-Bob tells her, "I'm different from Ben, Jason, and John-Boy, I'm going to drive motorcycles and, someday, airplanes, too." He adds, "You gotta understand, I’m growing up!" In the end, she agrees to let Jim-Bob enter the race but reminds her youngest son, "You just keep your eyes on the road."



  It’s race day and with family and friends looking on, Jim-Bob begins his first motorcycle race. After the first lap Jim-Bob rounds a curve and dumps his bike, much to the to the shock of the Waltons. He eventually picks himself up and returns to the race. Soon, several riders crash and Jim-Bob maneuvers around them to find himself in fourth place. With only about ten feet to the finish Jim-Bob overtakes the rider in front of him to win third place. He receives a kiss from Patsy, admiration from Mr. Stoker, and congratulations from Olivia. All is well in Walton World once again.


  "Jim Bob won a box of candy from the soda shop in Rockfish, and for the rest of us it was an unforgettable memory, the day our youngest brother took his giant step into the world."

 




  Episode trivia to impress your friends with: Ike Godsey’s motorcycle’s Virginia 
license plate number is 4893, Jim-Bob is number 8 in the motorcycle race. Jim-Bob's third place reward is a ten-pound box of candy.







  Today in motorcycle history proudly supports the National Association for Bikers with a Disability (NABD). www.nabd.org.uk