S6 E16 | Mercedes Gonzalez

[@robertrishel3685]

Always been a big fan of this terrific woman athlete! Great to hear her story!

[@mikepaff8734]

Mercedes your stories are great loved this interview. You’re a legend in this sport and always will be.

[@mercedesgonzalez9]

I appreciate the kind words!

[@rustyf5131]

Long time listener, first time caller. This has to be your best show ever. What an amazing interview. As a fan of all things MX, I followed Women's MX and Mercedes' career over the years, watching her kick ass. Yet I had no idea what a beautiful soul was behind such a competitive spirit. This world would be so much better if the young girls of today not only had the spunk, but the incredible soul of Mercedes. I literally teared up at the end, and I think you did too Ping, at the overwhelming experience, words, and presence of such an amazing woman. Every Dad's mission should be to instill so much cool in their daughters. What a better place this could be. High five to both her Dad and Mom, as it does take two, and thanks Mercedes and Ping for making my day. Most excellent!

[@Sleepy.Time.]

had the chance to race with Mercedes at the Carlsbad round of the 1989 CMC Golden State nationals in the 250 intermediate class, she was very fast

[@guywhitecotton1376]

Very cool. My daughter raced 6 years including 4 trips to Loretta's. I always judged the progress by results against the boys. It started as a novelty but it wasn't long before she was well respected in local 125 B and schoolboy.

[@mercedesgonzalez9]

I love it!

[@gregroybal348]

Mercedes is an Amazing woman!!! definitely remember her blazing speed racing all over SoCal, thankful I never raced against her!! She is someone I will never forget!! Always kind and positive! A pioneer for women in Moto! Excellent interview as usual! Thanks David 👍👍👍

[@davidcarter4145]

Great show! Loved the way she explained everything! I was watching 91 supercross yesterday, Phoenix, she did a piece with Wendy Walsh, and I was just thinking how many times I would have wadded it up at the peak of my skill.

[@deanfloyd8931]

Derek wore a halo, and Mecedes wears a set of wings. Bless her heart ❤💕

[@mercedesgonzalez9]

Very sweet, thank you!

[@deanfloyd8931]

@@mercedesgonzalez9 Dean@R&D my dear

[@rl1412]

LEGEND !

[@cbh148]

This is the coolest girl. So many disciplines and yet so much success, even having an interest as enterprising as architecture outside of moto is remarkable. Also, as someone born in '88 that's only ever known "Mercedes" as a car brand, I never realized how beautiful it is as a girl's name. Love the show, Ping.

[@paulhauck9515]

Fantastic good memories

[@thetwostrokerebuilder]

Great show 🏁 Mercedes is a badass 🏁🏁

[@johntomasik1555]

Awesome episode. Mercedes is a legend. Good job, Ping. Your formats of interviewing riders is unique and stands out. Just a thought...maybe more WMX (especially current) riders and maybe even grab some of those MXGP (I know it'd be tough...maybe Zoom meeting?) riders. It'd introduce us listeners to those series, and knowing more about the riders would get us following them, which is good for their series.

[@ramonmartinez5929]

So rad great show

[@billyfrank6318]

So good to see Mercedes! I miss her always smiling face 😀❤

[@billyfrank6318]

HAHA, on that Shadow Glen Double she wasn't exaggerating that it was Terrifyingly sketchy back then.. I'm sure the whoops at Anaheim are bigger now a days but still...

[@othgmark1]

Mercedes was racing a full size bike out of Burbank Yamaha by 1982. So did her brother. Always fast.

[@doubleasblog]

Mer is a legend. I was fortunate to get to wrench for her when she raced downhill. A professional by every definition and amazing person.

[@DaleMeese]

WOW, what a blast from the past. I am 3 years younger and my dad would take us kids in the neighborhood to Indian Dunes every once in a while from central California to just ride. Saw her there a few times and wow she was fast, was a fan from the first time she blew by me, no issue ever that she was a girl.

[@mikeandrews1899]

Much respect 👍

[@JayEss414]

Awesome lady .great show.nice one Ping

[@ramonmartinez5929]

Mercedes your a legend

[@TheCgilbert9935]

Wildest race way!

[@socaljimmyd]

Used to hang out with Mercedes all the time, Willie Surratt and I were good friends in High School and he was good friends with Jose and Mercedes and we all used to ride Vasquez canyon with them all the time. She was such a bad ass on a bike. She was so fast and fun to hang out with. I’ve got some wild stories hanging out with all of them. Willie driving his red Toyota mini truck getting chased all over the valley by a busboy with a gun for dining and ditching a numero uno pizza place and we ended up at Mercedes house that night.

[@mercedesgonzalez9]

Those were the good ole days!😄

[@scottackerman8981]

​@@mercedesgonzalez9this was a great show! I remember you riding at a Supercross track in the late 80s? Early 90s? Where they did a little segment focused on you. Do you remember that?

[@socaljimmyd]

@@mercedesgonzalez9 those were some great times, had so much fun riding with you back in the day. Vasquez Cyn was such a great place to ride. Would love to see you at Anaheim in January and catch up.

[@scottdries1106]

My uncle Jim did the same thing. Every single racing application he did with just 1 bike. Changing it in the back of the truck while grandpa drove to the next event. Hillclimbs one day motocross the next , speedway anything he could get to

[@RichieJames-y6p]

Hi Mercedes…. Not sure if you remember me. Great to hear all the fun stories from the 80’s. Those were the best years! Take care… Richie James

[@shepherd_mx]

Epic!

[@pe47115]

Hero

[@brettremesik2941]

Well done!

[@billstevenson8142]

What an absolutely remarkable human being. Kudos.

[@SteveBrooks-o7h]

The BEST family-- extremely fortunate to have known them back in the mid-80's..

[@SuperstreetC10]

I had one of her 1992 kx 125s. Bought it from Pomona Valley Kawasaki. If I remember correctly. I was only 13.

[@phatho6901]

Awesome downhill mountain bike racer too...

[@ozzielinkin]

👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

[@remotecontrol9874]

Wasn't the 80cc experts back then Bader Mannah, Paul Denis, Mouse McCoy, Scott Brown and even Davey Combs?

[@Sleepy.Time.]

80 class was stacked back then with guys like Bobby Moore, Shaun Kalos, Mike Healy...the CMC golden state and transcal series had insane amounts of talent every weekend

[@44sammy4]

This is so sick what a badd ass

[@Biffbaker]

That was great!! Every pronoun can agree this lady is awesome!

[@brentpalkovic6079]

PING - Interview Jack Barbacovi before it's tooooo late. Have the likes of Johnny O / Jim Holley / Donnie Hanson / Eric Kehoe -ETC - and "Mercedes" ! sit in on the Interview. Mr. Barbacovi is a wealth of 60's - 70's - 80's - 90's - 2000's knowledge and Industry life and History with the CORE element of MOTOCROSS.

[@scottdries1106]

I still say she’s hands down the fastest woman to ever ride motocross. I was a nobody racing the amateur nationals, we were all blown away at how fast, and tough she really was. Great respect for her

[@motocarib925]

great show, try to get S Palmer on sometime

[@keithsawitskas2437]

I worked with Derek in the 90's. Had a chance to ride with Mercedes. Very humbeling. Very fast.

[@kirkbenke5553]

David you should do a interview with Nancy Payne Schirk who was the first female motocross champion and also the first woman to go overseas and race for Maico, I have contact information if you need to contact her and I'm life long friends with Jim Holley

[@DavidPingree_WTMG101]

Please send info

[@timothykelly5588]

c'mon ping you have a way to do this; a spinal tap/Forrest Gump type parody documentary of the history of MX with sight gags and cameos from famous figures in the sport...Jeff Ward and his mom...go with it

[@jerryanker2289]

George Holland and Kehoe

[@jerryanker2289]

Kawasaki kids, Paul Denis and Sam Storer

[@jerryanker2289]

Chris Heisser

[@billpalko8777]

ping love your show but when you mention someone by just their first name the people who didnt live in socal have no idea who it is

[@chrislance6503]

Hi Mercedes!, I’m stoked to have been banging bars with you in the early 80s🏁🏁 125 intermediate. Best of times early in American Moto. Factory Suzuki I loved your gear and Simpson helmets! I think you let me try your helmet at saddleback🤙🏽💪🏼🫶🏼

[@mercedesgonzalez9]

The 125 intermediate days are some of my favorite from my career! Thank you for sharing!