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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126483
o 00 0'> ,..-.4 0f 0EEe>\E: Ii LLE Riding with the Good Book By Gary Van Voorhis Photos by Charles Morey and Van Voorhis 10 Winston Pro Series competitor Hank Scott has many sponsors beh ind his qu est for the AMA Grand National Championship. But the on e he has had th e most support from, the one he calls on before and during every race, the one he says is responsible fo r his winning is Jesus Christ . Scott is a born again Christian and professes the inner peace he has from his beliefs is the real reason he led th e points standings at th e halfway po int and no w, after his DuQuoin Mile win on last-minute machinery. Scott 's faith, known within the motorcycle fraternity, went nat ionwide when he said, "T he Lord was riding with me and I can't lose th ere" to ABC s Wide World of Sports crew taping the Spring San Jose Mile . It was his· second win in as many Nationals . . . That became three out offour with the addition ofthe Louinn'Ile Ha If'l e to h zs Mz SanJose and Sacramento Mile wins. Success like that, when the rider is known as a late season starter, caused more than a few people to listen when Scott spoke . The white brick house on a qu iet back street in Findlay, Ohio , wher e Scott lives is unpretentious. There are bikes in the garage and trophies in the house along with racing pictures, but other than that it is pure middle class America: Wife Sue, son Ryan, dog Mindy and cat Miss Kitty. It's been a long seven years since Scott's first National win as a Rookie Expert and there have been plenty of ups and downs along the way, as well asfioe National wins prior to this season. However, one thing was consistent and that was Hank Scott was a scrapper with drive , determination, the will to win and ability to ride less than adequate machinery to the lim it and sometimes beyond to finish and finish well. Otherwise he couldn 't have finished in the Top Ten in every season since putting white and black number plates on his bikes. . If there is one thing that stands. out about Scott this season it is his confidence ~n himself. Th e angry young man zs no long er angry. He believes, that he can wzn everytime he puts a wheel on a track and it is this confidenc e plus his talent that has propelled Scott to th e top ofthe ranks . "I don 't belong to any organized religion; my belief is here, " says Scott tapping his heart. "I read th e Bible every day and / believe that by reading His word / can find th e solution to whatever problem / have. " The Saturday -- or at least a part ofit - betw een th e Winst on Pro Series Santa Fe TT in Hinsdale, Illino is and the Columbus, Ohio Charity N eunes Half Mile was spent in a replenish, repair, relax and refu el stop at Scott 's house. We jo ked, shot th e front page photo and talked. R everend J erry Landry, th e man behind T eam Jesus, was the f irst topic of conversation . I think you'll find there is a different side of Hank Scott and that if it 'sllis will, Scott will be the next Grand National Champion. When did you fint become involve4 Landry? with Team Jesus and R.everend Jerry It wasn't until 1977 that I really started talking to Landry. I guess the first time was in a disco. Everyone else was out getting crazy and Landry and 1 were talking about God. It didn't really sink in then, we just talked a bit. Then I was baptized at DuQuoin in '78 and that's when I turned that 100 mph lap and 1 won the thing. But, I never did ~ve Him , give the Lord , or anything to do with God a second thought. I was just carrying on my own life, you know, my own thing, until this year, when things were going rough and nothing was going right. Down in Florida Landry took me aside and we talked and he got to showing me how I could apply God to my life and that would change things. Evidently, well, you're looking at it. It seems to have given you a great amount of confidence in younelf. Yes. I don't seem to worry about anything anymore. I used to get nervous at the start of a National. but now 1just put it in gear and take off. I gave the problem to Him. I let Him do what He wants. I feel that the results are already finished before the race is even started. Explain that. Oh boy. I don't know how to explain that. Well . 1 think He's got things, good things in store for people that work for Him and bel ieve in Him . All I've done, I haven't really changed. I still like to go out and have a good time. I've had to give up a few things. things th at aren't good for me anyway . All I've done is to apply H im into my life and do what He says. And doggone if I haven't won seven races this year already, three of them being Nationals and I'm leading the point standings. £5 I've never done that and you know me -- you know it just doesn't work that way " I'm just ready to go racing. .., Have you sat down and thought about that - why the turn to religion has helped you? There is no such thing as · religion, Religion is all man-made. Different. or" sects . Protestant, Catholic, whatever that's just all man-made don't belong. I'm ideas. 1 nondenominational, I don't believe in any of that. I just go by what the bible says. If you just follow what He says, and talk to Him and believe in Him, He'll take care of you and guide your path straight. And that's all He's done for me. He knows my needs and He knows what He has to do for me . and that's all I do. Then you weren't a religious.person before? 1 had never given God a second thought in my whole life. I've known him a little bit in the last three years , but not like I have th is year. This year I will witness for him, because I know he's there. Before the main event on the San Jose Mile they asked me if 1 was going to win. 1 said that if it's God 's will it's going to be done .- and I went out and won the ma in event. Do you think you'll be able to keep it up all season as well as you've been doing so far? I'm ready to . If it's His will. If he's got it in store for me, then it's going to happen and there's nothing anybody will be abl e to do about it. If He 's got it in store for me, Number One, Eklund won't have a chance. Nobody will have a chance. I meanthey might be close to me and stuff, but if it's