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]11(,.
111 search of a factory rl
e
By Tom Kolnowski
Call it progression. Moving through the
ranks. A steady rise to the top. Motocrosser
Alan King, 23, could rightfully wear anyone
of those descriptions. At the age of 18, he was
20
already a successful graduate
of the "Michigan Mafia" school
of motocros!! - a select group
of Michigan racers that domi-
nated competition at the Amateur
level - and. he wa~ told he "had to
turn professIOnal SlDce there was no
competition left for him in Michigan." He did.
After a year on the National circuit, King had adapted well and
secured factory support from Maico.
The following season, 1981, saw King
often running in the top five in the
500cc National class. In 1982, King
managed to land a full factory sponsorship package with Team Suzuki, and
was retained as a team member
through 1983. However, for 1984
Suzuki trimmed its racing program
and King was left without any sort of
factory backing.
Enter California-based Team
Tamm, a racing team that King describes as "the next best thing to a
factory ride, but it's still not a factory
ride." King consequently signed with
Team Tamm for '84, but very much
wants to return to the life of the true
"factory" rider.
"Suzuki was watching me closely
toward the end of the 1981 season,"
King began, "and after talking to
them, they said there was a good
chance of a factory ride coming my
way, The week after I talked to them,
I went out and dislocated my wrist,
and I thought my chances of getting
the ride had completely gone away.
But Suzuki said if my wrist healed, I
had a ride. We negotiated a contract
and I signed for one year-my wrist
was in good shape.
"The first three months with Suzuki
were the worst three months in my
life riding-wise. I had ridden Maicos
for three years and I couldn't get used
to the works Suzuki in the Supercross
races. Things started coming together
once we got to the outdoor Nationals.
I led a lot of motos (in the 500cc
class), but it seemed that no matter
how hard I tried I couldn't get the feel
of the bike. I ended up losing the
500cc ti tie by 10 points - I had a
DNF at Washougal (Washington)
just before the end ofthe season when
I was running third. If I wouldn't
have fallen there, it would've been
enough to win the title."
While the title was out of his grasp,
