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/126421
.Joe aadMerl Zappa: Makiag MX a family affair By Tom Mueller If anyone will· ever be called the father and mother of motocross, Joe and Mert Zappa ought to be the ones. Not in the sense that they. founded the sport·, (although they have been involved since its infancy), but in regard to the literal meaning of father and mother. 22 The lappas have been known to befriend all types of motocrouers, &om the little boy down the Itrect who's low on IDOIIe)' and talent to the megabuclr. go-fut factory riders. "It'. hard to picture lappa'. ~ shop as a priority HOp m Atlanta" to many of the faaory teams and riden. The building has no name on the top of it, nor a number on the door. But the faa remains that at times the shop will be filled with as many as a dozen factory machines from the four big Japanese companies. " Granted, many riden were fint drawn to lappa's business because of his expenise with frame and suspension modifications, not to mention his knowledge of moton and overall racing maintenance. That. however. is not the main reason they keep retur· ning. Mol riden sift their bike a 1arge amount of attention, but what human being can refuse a good bome cooked ~ and a family.tyle conYer' sation on the front porch afterwards? Such is the lappa ha.pitality which is extended to any and all who wish to accept it. "When Boll (Hannah) was here for the National, he stayed'" at our house for two weeks and ~ve his hotel room to John Savitlkl," Men lappa recalled,"Hannah said he liked it here because he had to wash his face and brush his teeth in the bath tub'''(The lappa are remodeling their house and the bathroom sif\k hasn't been inHailed yet.) "When there's a race near Atlanta. we get calls for everyone. As a matter of fact, Hannah's real estate agent even called here for him once," Men said. The Zappas feel responsibility towards the riden they befriend. and are also offended when someone goes a,,,inst ~ "adopted" sons. "It makes me mad when some people say that Bob (Hannah) isn't friendly towards his fans. When I was taking Bob home from the Atlanta National, it was easy to lee that he was in pain. Our own personal doaor treated Hannah'. hand, because he had called ahead and laid 'Momma, make me a doctor's appoinunent: I know he wasn't taking any medication. Yet on the way out about IS kids HOPpeel us for Bob'. autograph. He took the time to .ign his name for, every one of them, " Men laid. Joe lappa may bold up the medumical end of what the lappa'. mean to many of the national riders, but Men puts the finishing touches on the family style auna.pllere around the Zappa home. "I love to cook. When race time at Atlanta comes my table is full. I try to remember what each of the boys especially likes, and cook it for them when they arrive. For instance, John Savitlki'. favorite is cheese potatoes. He really likes them. And of course Hannah and his chicken. When he was here for two weeb I swear he ate at least six pieces of it a day! And Bevo Fone: he could eat a wbole bowl of cheese covered broccoli," Men said. Southern hospitality keeps the Zappas as happy as those who receive It. To panake of such hospitality however, one must accept the lappas for what they are. Opinions on Joe lappa and the way he handles himself and his life are aI soned as the number of JilC?ple one ta1b to. The .toclr.y Italian .. loud and outspoken on any issue he decides to taUt about. To some it is offensive. to othen it demands respect. Joe has his own values about himself and how people feel about him. "A wise man once told me that )'011 can count your friends by the number of enemies you have. The way I ~ it I have a few enemies. The rano is probably 1000 to I, 10 I think I hlIw thousands of friends and a couple of enemies," he related. The aggieuin: nature of Joe lappa comes to the IUlface when he ItanI to recollea the days when his son Marty was a highly IUcceuful local mot~. ·"When we were racing, we were out there to win. There wasn't anything else. One time Many stalled his engine on the line and .taned dead last. He won the moto, and at the end some guy comes up to me and says, 'Mr. Zappa, we know you push your son hard, but it's going too far when you make him start dead last and then make him work that hard to win.' I told the guy to shut up or I'd knock him down. He staned in again, and got out about three words before I put him on the ground. When he feU he ripped my T·shin. and I made him buy me a new one," Joe laid.