Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

stuff like that because that was what we were doing with me and it would be easy to do a couple of other riders. We signed up Kidd and Filice. At the same time we staned talking to Men Lawwill about his involvement with the new Yamaha and Men had a research and development pro· gram with Yamaha. We decided it would be to both our benefits to put our program with its two riders in with his research and development program, with a couple of sponsors and make a racing team. And that's what it boiled down to - me and Men had something to offer each other so we went together and now have a racing team. We don't exactly know what it's going to be called yet, we don't know exactly who the sponsors are going to be, and what not. So we signed Mike and Jimmy not only through our management, International Riders, Inc., but we also signed them on our team to race for us. "By running a team, next year or the year after if I want to come back arid ride a motorcycle I know z't will be competitive. " At Laguna Seca. Kenny Roberts carried his front wheel to e record I8ttIng 29th Netionel Victory. Audience with The King, Book 2 Kenny ~oberts IO.oks at 1981. By Dale Brown Photos by Mark Kariya, Charles Morey and Brown 6 It's hard to say who most wants Kenny Roberts to return to U.S. Grand National dirt track competition - U.S. fans who only see King Kenny rarely, or KR's competition on the 500cc World Road Racing Championship circuit. While Roberts has signed with Yamaha to return to Europe and seek his fourth World Championship, he will also figure in the AMA Grand National ChampionshIp! Winston Pro Series. Roberts and Mert Lawwill have established their own racing team, with Mike Kidd andJimmy Filice riding the new Yamaha 750 V-twin. Is this a stepping stone for Roberts' eventual return to U.S. competition? What does the best 500cc road racer in the world todayforsee in I981? In a recent telephone interview, we asked . .. The first question we wanted to ask you is about your new racing team with Jimmy Filice, Mike Kidd and Mert Lawwill. How did you come to find yourself involved with a U.S. racing effort? It started with helping Mike Kidd and Jimmy Filice. We got into something last year when I hired Gary Howard to manage my affairs. We thought that we could help a couple of Ameri· can riders this year, as far as financing, sponsors, investments, tax breaks, and Do you have thespoDIOrs lined up or do you know who any of them will be yet? We are lining up outside sponsors now, talking to them. We got into this thing really late. We didn't think we'd be running a racing team; we thought that we'd be helping a few riders. As it turned out now we're involved in a whole racing team. My feelings on the racing team were somewhat in the future - if I want to come back to race in America it would be very difficult for me to come back and start a whole new effort to race one year in American dirt track, win the American Championship again, then retire. It's very difficult to do in one year with the amount of development that we would need. So this way, by running a team, next year or the year after if I want to come back and ride a motor· cycle I know it will be competitive. This year we got in really late and to find any major sponsors is going to be tough. "They're gonna have to make some rule changes here pretty soon, otherwise, boy, z't's going to be gn·m. " Do you think you'll be able to pick up support from your traditional sponsors, such as Goodyear? Well we don't know that yet. With the holidays and things we just can't seem to get anything done. Are we going to see you on the dirt at Houston? I don't know that yet. I'd like to be in Houston but we'll have to wait and see. Turning to the other side of the Atlantic, how are the chances for your fourth title? Have you ridden the new bikes or seen them?

• Cover