IAbove) Scott at Laguna; (Rt. top) Scott's van; (Rt.) with wife Donna; (Below) with son David.
By John Ulrich
S
in ce winning
the
American Motorcyclist Association (AMA)
Grand National Championship in 1975, Gary Scott has
been accused of throwing away
his future by refusing to renew
the Harley-Davidson factory ride
16
that carried him to the championship;
of claiming factory racing bikes out
of spite and meanness ; of maligning
the most respected team manager in
racing; of beating up his ex -mechanic;
of carrying a loaded pistol at all times;
and of participating in an AMA
conspiracy to restart races when he
wasn 't doing as well as he wanted.
Scott isn't surprised that his public
image is murky at best. Among the
published accusations and speculations
surfacing after every race he
participated in , readersfind precious
few quotes from Gary Scott. " If I had
just based my opinion of Gary Scott on
th e articles that I have read, I would
think that Gary Scott was a culprit, "
adm its 24-year·old Scott. "Some of it is
out . and out lies. Of cou rse, the
iournalists ca n't alwa ys get ahold of
me , Usually the stories come out a
little different than it actually
happened . Maybe that's because most
of the magazines' advertising comes
from manufacturers and because ' spicing up the story makes it sound
better. But when you get right down to
it , I'm not doing anything that's crazy
or out of place at all for trying to be a
professional racer. "
The way privateer Scott tells it,
every controversial thing he did.
reported accurately or not, was done
with one thing in mind - being
competitive , and ultimately , of
winning back the Number One plate
he first earned riding for the HarleyDavidson factory .
" I' m not doing anything t hat's
crazy ... fo r trying t o b e a
prof essio nal racer."
Riding without factory backing.
Scott almost pulled it off. He came
within 22 points of beating Jay
Springsteen - a young HareleyDavidson factory racer - for the
National Championship, and finished
the 1976 season ranked second in the
standings. He also beat long-time riva l
and Yamaha factory rider Kenny
Roberts , who was Number One in
1974 and 1973, and who finished 1976
third .
" I made more money riding for the
factory in 1975 : ' says Scott, "a nd I
knew I'd make less money and have t 'l
