Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126397
be one, but he turned it down. Later he did accept one of the three regional spots and went on to be voted "Referee of the Year" three straight times . The votes could only be cast by the Pro riders themselves. The award finally became so automatic and such a foregone conclusion to this man that the AMA quietly dropped it and no other award ever replaced it. Over the past two decades , without a doubt , this official has been involved in more professional races th an any other person. Many times a single season would find him as part of more than . 40 events, National and nonNational. I think the thing that sticks out most in my mind is that this person was the type of official that the mold should be . Few if any major problems happened , races were run off on time and in a professional manner, and most of all , he earned respect from the riders that the decisions would be best for all concerned. Year in and year out problems follow certain officials and yet others, a few, run off event after event with no major controversial decisions. Who but a race referee has more decisions to make in a limited amount of time? Racing is a sport of ballyhoo and promotion . A sport of fanfare , applause , ego and b'!th raw and , refined talent. It's a sport like most others where the fans like to boo and yell at the officials, but seldom do the same to a contestant, no matter what the infraction may be . This man probably got his share, especially during the last 10 years when he was the ch ief official. I can think of several occasions where a rider put up '! squawk and the fans roared . But I can not think of a single time when the rider did not come up later and agree , or at least accept the decisions. That's called good leadership, I think. This now -retired official has been the referee of at -least four events ' that either decided or had a profound impact on who would win the Grand National title. Again , no problems. But like a racer, there comes a time in each official's life when the newness , the fun, the thrill and most of all , the challenge, is gone. GOd knows , no official is in the race game for the money . When it's all gone, or at least most of it , it's time to look in other directions . We all do at some time along the way . So the guy that has done it all in the official's booth and in the infield called it quits after the final National in 1978. He never told any of us he was going to so we could call on the crowd to come forth with a well deserved ovation. It's been a long and good road on two wheels from a small country town in Minnesota to being ranked as the number one official of professional races . Chub Kellam has a few trophies, a few plaques and a lot of good friends and memories from his 20 years as an official > A lot of riders and numerous tuners owe him a lot for re-asons known only to them. I have known Chub for 40 years, ridden bikes with him for 30 years, worked races with him for 20 . I don't think he ever said a bad word about anybody or anything during all that , time. Good luck Chub in your "Retirement." Good officials are hard to find but you have given them the' blueprint as to what it 'really is all about. -. Roxy Rockwood 5