Ups & Downs
Ups & Downs
UP: To Team Obsolete founder Rob lannucci, for treating roadracing fans to a rolling history lesson. To help celebrate Laguna Seca Raceway’s 40th anniversary, vintage exhibition races were added to the recent AMA Superbike Series round. Highlight of the event was a parade featuring such notable pairings as Jim Redman aboard the legendary Honda 250 Six, Don Vesco on the ex-Giacomo Agostini MV Agusta 500/3, David Aldana on the ex-Dick Mann BSA Rocket III, Yvon Duhamel on the ex-Renzo Pasolini Benelli 350 Four and Dave Roper on the ex-Rod Coleman AJS 7R3. They’re all depicted in the photo above, but you had to be there to hear the sound!
DOWN: To the Minnesota Institute of Public Health, for its tasteless motorcycle safety campaign. While we here at CW certainly can appreciate the importance of wearing a helmet and leathers, the Institute’s print ads-created by the Martin/Williams advertising agency-left a foul taste in our mouths. One ad refers to the open road as a “tattoo remover,” another suggests roadrash victims “begin exciting new career in traveling side show as Jimmy, The Skinless Wonderboy,” and yet another depicts a package of ground beef with a label that reads, “100% USDA Motorcycle Rider.” Nice imagery, huh?
UP: To ex-MXer Jeff Ward, for flat-out gettin’ the job done. The seven-time AMA champ qualified seventh for this year’s Indianapolis 500, then went on to lead 49 of the final 59 laps before dropping to third overall after a late fuel stop. The performance was good for Rookie of the Year honors and a paycheck totaling a cool $413,000.
Not bad for a guy who a month before the race was, in his own words, “out of work, going door-to-door looking for a ride.” Way to go, Wardy!
