Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

said, "It's a big expense to get over here. You have to ship bikes, and really have to have factory support. So it must be that the factories don't want to send them over here. I don't know why , but all those guys are factory sponsored and if the factory wanted to send them , they would be here. You could get some riders who will come if they get some start money from the AMA or because they want to see America . But it seems that the factories have lost interest in sending those guys over here. That's kinda bad for everybody. There are a few guys like Gaston Rahier who are racing elsewhere but that isn't the reason they're not coming here . Probably a lot of the reason is the in the 500cc class Suzuki dominates with Roger and Gerrit. They are always winning and so people like Maico and KTM figure that Roger is going to win anyway so why go through the expense to have their guys get beat? Heikki will never come because he likes his vacation time too much. The top two riders this year in. the . 250s are Russians, so you know they will never be sent over here for a long stay. so that limits the 250 field. :ou actua lly run out of top riders. " "T he overall has escaped me since '75 when I was capable ofwinning one. " This year the small factory of Ossa has picked up American rider Marty Moates to campaign in the 250 GPs . In view of the fact that Brad had been with a European manufacturer (Husqvarna) for the Grands Prix I asked him to comment on Moates' performance in Europe. "I 'sa w Marty at a few races. . He is doing pretty good , especially for his first year on theGPs . He's got some fifths and sixths in some heats that I've read about. He was at one International race thatI was at and he looked fast! He would be doing a lot better but he breaks down all the time, his bike is a -p ilel Every time I've seen him his bike has been blowing up, but he is getting some great experience ," said Brad, - Brad. Lori and Lia pose for a family portrait in a ~arn enough in winning it - you can see that by the support they (AMA) give the teams, compared to the support the Six-Days receive. They spend a lot of money, send all kinds of AMA guys over. organize (l.S.D,T,) tours, everything: But for the ' m otocr oss guys they don't do anytiling , The motocross program is the one that is making the AMA money. But they don't spend anything on the motocross teams or effort or try to get the guys together to go and get them uniforms, they are just not interested." • Brad continued, "If they took the fastest guys and they thought I was one of them, fine I would like to go . 'But if they had three slow guys and one fast guy it would be worthless to go. They should have a meeting with the top riders and discuss who would be the fastest in both classes and go for it." The AMA has organized a ,tour for the 52nd International Six -Days Trials . No such plan is available at this time. nor has there been in the past. for the Motocross and Trophee des Nations, The Six -Days 'r id e rs are perhaps the most underpublicized group competing under the jurisdiction of the AMA. In no ~ay should this one time a year Six -Days event be overlooked, but neither should the motocross effort; suffer 'while' competing against other countriesl Brad, and Jim Pomeroy have offered their help and experience concerning the Motocross and "N o one likes to train bu t' if you have a goa l it makes it a lot easier. " 16 Trophee des Nations to the AMA in the past years but the advice of the racers who have spent time in Europe competing in the Grands Prix was ignored. The only country that could possibly beat the best Americans would be the Belgium Team, No other country has the talent, in depth . that the United States has. It's about time we showed the world exactly how far American motocross has come, Back on the home front , on September 25 the Trans-AMA Series will start in Ohio. Brad has a lways raced these event in the off-season from Europe. Last year the ' only fast Europeans participating in the series were Roger DeCoster. ~ear their ranch. Gerrit Wolsink and Graham Noyce. From the first Inter·AMA races held in the U,S. the European .racer interest has dropped steadily. Is this because they have elected to race elsewhere or because it isn't as easy to beat the Americans anymore? If there were no Europeans the series would be -another National. • "They are good races but it's just like all the motocross over here. except the Super Series the rider entries are dropping down and the spectators are losing interest," said Brad of -the Trans-AMA, "The AMA will not pay any start money to anybody. It seems that the series is dropping interest and nobody gives a damn • anymore. Factories are putting a few guys in the support class. that's the only thing that really shows that someone is still trying to sell some bikes from the Trans·AMA, Other than that it looks like the series will die out. Say Roger and Gerrit didn't , come. There would be no Tr;lns·AMA. "I heard that the AMA is going to try and get 10 Europeans over this year and pay them some money to keep the series alive. The AMA is almost waiting too late if that's what they want to do." Brad continued. "The American public still wants to see people who they don't know , now that the Americans are getting good and pretty fast they want to see the Americans beat them . So they want some guys over here ·for us to beat! If nobody is here, there is no excitement and nobody attends the races. The Trans-AMAs are really low budget, and they don't do any adyertising . compared to the st adium races , Those guys (stadium race promoters) spend so much on advertising, that's why they get such big crowds. The other promoters are kinda taking it easy thinking because they have a Trans·AMA there will be, a million people there. But it doesn't work like that. "I finished second last year in the Trans·AMA, but . that .~as because 'of, the ' new point system. I didn'twin any races, I just finished them all in the top five places, So I made a litt le money, nothing to speak of, b ut the Trans-AMA is a money making thing if you win the races, If you won half of the races you'd make some money. There are a lot of • contingencies and if you win you get it all , The contingency money alone pays almost as much as winning the Superbowl. " Regarding the European .pa rt icip a tion . Brad In the future for Brad is the ongoing quest of the World Championship. As long as lie improves his goal will remain the same. " If I get to the point where I start going backwards in my progression toward the top , then I'll stop racing," says Brad. "I'm not go ing to hang on and keep trying and trying when I see that it might not work out. When I see that I'm not going any farther forward I'll stop and re-evaluate my future. But for now I know that I can win and the future will take care of its self. Last year I broke down a lot, and I felt that I should have been third in the world , I felt I rode good enough to in fact be third, Everybody has problems so I'll forget last year, but this year will be different ." After spending three days with Brad I was totally impressed with the professionalism of Lackey, the racer . Brad the father was a different side that not many people know about. His family,(wife Lori and one-year-old daughter Lia) "is entirely the most important thing in my life" says Brad. "T he demands of the Grands Prix have been tremendous onmywife:" "T he demands of the Grands Prix on my wife have been tremendous, and she has been such a ' help in my career. For Lori to travel all over Europe in the motorhome taking care of Lia in a different country every week really takes . love, But she , has stood behind me and supported me throughout my career. She has made it possible for me to devote my energy towards the World Championship and has not demanded time and attention when she .deserves it yery m uch. That is why I need this time off the GP circuit .. Most people take seeing their wife for wanted but for me it is a treat. With the addition of Lia the Lackey family is looki ng pretty ~ good , don't you think?" asked Lackey turning the questioner for a change. Brad Lackey is a quiet person. rfull of conviction and desire to better the sport of motocross . Nobody's joy was greater than Brad's over the fact that he was the first American to win a 500cc Grand ·Prix. The pride involved was enough to declare July 3 an official flag day.' , With three Grands Prix remaining don't be. surprised to see Brad Lackey'. racer, husband and father on top of the victory stand wearing the red, white and blue of Team Honda.and a cowboy hat made in the good old U .S .A . •

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