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/126532
!Top lett. top and above rlghtl Randy Mamola's Laguna Saca appearance Included w_rlng the winner's wrMth. giant wheellas down the front atrIIlght In practice. and a champagne shower with MI.. Winston lynn Griffis and announcer Bruce Renders. left) Mamola at work In Europe. CAbo'" 24 "I went·there (Europe) in '79, and I surpriaed a lot of people by running behind Kork Ballington when he was 250 and 550cc World Champion. Then I really surpriaed people when halfway through that season I got to ride a standard Suzuki and I finished second in two of the 500cc Grand Prix. I raced a total of five out of the 15 that year, and I finished eighth in the world championship, so I surpriaed a hell of a lot of people. ' "It surprised me too, but after I did those two secondllaces I knew I could win. In my min it got to the point where I wasn't looking up to the Kennys and Barrys anymore. I was up there riding with them. Then, all of a sudden, I knew I could beat them." The fIrSt time Randy beat them all was on Belgium's Zolder race track the because I'm always concentrating on following year. "It was definitely a marker in the calendar of my life. But the racing. But once I get a break, like a weekend off, I'll go home. I would it was funny. When you win a grand prix, the pressure is over for that week· just as soon go home for five days as sit end, but you still have to go to the one in Europe. I'm used to the California weather, and I'm not used to the next weelr. I guess what I'm doing is crummy weather over there. At home racing for the points, and not for the ' I can do a lot of water skiing, and later glory. You get up on the winner's circle in the year, if it mows someplace, I'll and you're happy and everything, but go snow skiing. .. _ because you're racing for the points, you start worrying about the next race The "crummy" weather in Eur~ from Monday on... gave Mamola his fint taste of racing In Between races, Mamola tries to the rain. "Ridi~ in the rain is really caravan to the next one in hiS motor· tough to learn. Riding in dry conditions you can push it to the limit because home, usually in the company of Kenny you can feel the tires on the ground. Roberts and other friends. "We try to When the ground is wet it's different follow each other from race"'to race. because you can't tell which is the It's not bad. We'll stop alongside the road and have a sandWIch, or if there~s good pavement where you can get tractime, we'll go sightleeing. When I'm tion and which is the bad pavement, traveling from race to race it's not bad •• WItek' Yba clltl't TeaJly'push it. You don't know your limit on braking and so forth. ,It definitely takes a lot more concentration. ft • Riding in 'the rain, living on the road, racing with the best. It's Randy's life now. What does the future hold? "Well, things are working out really well with Suzuki. The only thing is that we are based in Europe and there's no way we are going to ~ around it. All the other riden get to go home after each grand prix because they live there, but that's the only thi~ that bothen me. I'm going to continue with it. I'm happy with it, I'm malting a good living, and hopefully I can get the world championship." BT the third' weekend in August, we1 know if Randy's hope comes true *c.mryeat'.a. t •••• J... f ••• &. I..