THREE-TIME 500cc ROAD RACE WORLD CHAMPION WAYNE RAINEY
P66
Interview
THE RIVALRY WITH
KEVIN SCHWANTZ
"It was pretty real. I don't think you
can fake that. I remember when we
both went to Europe and the first
race was at Suzuka, 1988. I didn't
know how I was going to do, and
I'm sure he was thinking the same,
but Kevin ended up winning the first
race. I think I ended up sixth. For me,
I was thinking sixth place is not so
bad. But Kevin won the race. Being
in the world championship and see-
1984 SOUTH AFRICAN 250cc—
THE FIRST GP
"Apartheid was still going on in South Africa, so the
whole culture down there in South Africa was like some-
thing I had never seen. The racetrack though, it was my
first time at Kyalami. I'll never forget it. The first practice
was in the rain, and we didn't have rain tires mounted.
So, Kenny (Roberts) just said, "It's quit raining, so just
go out there on slicks and just kind of ride around, just
get to know the track. Then if it rains more, come back
in and we'll get you some rain tires on." So, I went out
there and I wobbled around for five laps and then a dry
line started forming. The next thing I know, I'm com-
ing through the pack, passing everybody. I passed the
current World Champion Carlos Lavado. I had come up
on his teammate, and going down the long, downhill
straightaway there, I was just going to go by him. As I
tipped in to pass him, we had a huge downpour and I
ended up falling, and I took Ivan Palazzese out. We both
ended up on our heads in the sand trap. He got up and
come over and he was not very happy with me. So, I
made a name for myself right away."
