Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

IN BY SCOTTTAPES THE ROUSSEAU nitially, nobody in the press box at Daytona Municipal Stadium p,aid too much attention to Richmond, Virginia's John Nickens m when he crossed the finish line first in the ,final semi to qualify for the main event at the seasonopening Daytona Short Track. Aside from the fact that the.19-year-old put together a brilliant drive to shoot past Jason Fletcher off the final turn and clinch a berth in the final, there wasn't much to talk about, at least no more than usual, until I, perhaps in a lapse of my own professional judgment turned to AMA communications manager Larry Lawrence and asked the following question: "So, how big of a deal should we make this thing, Larry?" I said. "What do you mean?" Lawrence replied. "You'd better check to be sure, but I think Nickens is the first African-American rider ever to qualify for a Grand National main event." With that, Lawrence suddenly perked up, told me he'd check it out, and quickly disappeared. He returned shortly to announce to me and everyone in the press box that, indeed, John Nickens m was the first African-American to qualify for a Grand National main event. Lawrence was pleased and rightly so. It was both a historic moment for the AMA Grand National Championship Series and the type of insider information that a commurucationsman of his high caliber can put to good use. But that didn't help me much, really, because I was still caught in a selfinduced moral/philosophical dilemma over whether or not to make a "big deal" over the fact that Nickens was an African-American. It's not that 1 didn't think Nickens ,was deserving of the honor. Certainly he was, and history has shown (me, anyway) that the public is apt to celebrate the pioneering efforts of African-Americans in what could easily be viewed as a "white-dominated" world of motorsports. Heck, I mean, right off the top of my head I can remember the first African-American supercross rider to make an AMA supercross main. It was Andy Jefferson. I know the name of the first African-American stock car driver ever to qualify for a NASCAR Grand National (pre-Winston Cup) stock ca,r event. It was Wendell Scott (they even made a movie about him, "Greased I Lightning", starring Richard Pryor). Willy T. Ribbs was the first African-American ever to qualify for the Indianapolis 500. These' things ~tand out in my mind, and maybe in the minds of other motorsports fans as well. They are all, no doubt, historic occasions. So what was my problem? Well, I guess part of the problem was John Nickens III, motorcycle racer perhaps that I don't know who the first Nickens continued his motorcycle Mexican-American was ever to qualify racing hobby on the quarter mile at for a Grand National main event, or the Slade's Raceway in Surrey County, Virfirst Jewish-American, or you,name it. I ginia, piloting an RM80 before graduatguess I never really cared' and, besides, ing to a YZ250. He had fun, to be sure, no big deal was ever made of those but in the back of his mind, dirt track accomplishments if in fact th.ey even was still. number one. took place. Then of course there is the "I always wanted to get back to dirt whole black/white thing. I'd be lying if track racing, but I had no place to ride," I refused to admit that I ever told a jo\e Nickens says. "Then we went to Timothat involved race or religion, but then nium, Maryland, to the indoor, and so would most people. In fact, I'm of the that's when I started gomg again. I was opinion that "political correctness" is 13:' part of the problem and not part of the From there, Nickens continued to' solution as it has only served to shove develop, racing against the region's people into the closet of dishonesty. young hot shoes like Mike Hacker and Hey, I've seen it on the other side too.. Paul Lynch. The Expert license came Ever watched.HBO's Def Comedy Jam? when he'd earned enough advancement They make fun of us too... points, just like them. I don't know The other side, them and us... Honabout you, but that sounds like common estly, see how easily the lines start getground to me. ting drawn? Nickens says he has since spent a lot' So maybe it was my conscience that of time riding with and studying the posed the questi(:m, does motorsports, style of Grand National contender Will like so many other sports, necessarily Davis, the irony there being that Nickneed to make room for the type of racial ens rides with more balls than finesse at labeling that appears to run so rampant this point in his career. Davis just rides in society today? Does Nickens need to with more finesse. . be recognized as the first African-Amer'Tm working-on that (smoothness) ican to make the Grand National grade? part," Nickens admits. I wonder, because he sure didn't He is working on it with a shoestring make his climb into professional dirt budget that is again typical, and pertrack motorcycle racing any differently haps even smaller than that of many upthan anyone else I've ever heard about. and-coming privateers. It is reliant upon His story is rather typical of the breed. family income and the help of a few Nickens' father, John Jr., raced dirt Richmond-area bike shops. track in Surrey County, Virginia, before . "Departure Bike Works helps us as his son was even born, and got him into much as they can, but they have their the sport when little John was just 5 own drag race team," Nickens says. years old. ' "Pro Class Cycles helps us too. K&N "We used to race at the Richmond gave us some filters last year, and White Fairgrounds," Nickens remembers. Brothers and AFAM give us discounts"Then that closed down, so we went every little bit helps." drag racing for a few years." More common ground. 30 YEARS AGO... MAY 18, 1967 Triumph-mounted Eddie Mulder...CN conducted interviews with promoter J.e. Agajanian and road racer Buddy Parriott. ance Wei! was on the cover of CN dazzling the European road racing fans with his "phenomenal style." ...Buddy Parriott won the Open . Class on a Yamaha at an ACA National Road Race at Willow Springs Raceway in California. Ron Grant won the 100 and 250cc classes, Steve McLaughlin won the 125cc class, Anthony Herbold won the 350cc class, Dale Alexander won the Open class, David Damron won the 200cc Lightweight Production class, and James Deehan won the 250cc Heavyweight Production class... Dan Haaby took his BSA to the win in an Expert Half Mile at Ascot Park in California, over Harley-Davidson-mounted Mel Lacher and Sammy Tanner on a BSA...Skip Van Leeuwen won a IT on a Triumph at Ascot Park in California over Norton-mounted Dave Palmer and L 20 YEARS AGO... MAY 11,1977 ive-time World Motocross Champion Roger DeCoster graced the cover of CN and was featured in an interview inside entitled: "World Champion: Roger DeCoster Part 1: "Motocross was my reason for living..." ...Honda's Marty Smith won the AMA 250cc National Motocross in SouthwiCk, Massachusetts, over Honda teammate Jim Pomeroy and Suzuki's Tony DiStefano in second and third, respectively. Mike Guerra won the 125cc Support class on a Husky, followed by James Meehan on a Suzuki and Mark Manchester on a Yamaha... CN tested a .1977 CR125 F motacrosser modified by Ron Frias of Anaheim, California...Road racer Randy Cleek and Bel-Ray Oil representative Kurt Kiefer were killed in an auto accident following round two of the AGV Helmets World Cup race in Imola, Italy. Kenny Roberts won the race over Steve Baker and Giacomo Agostini, all riding Yamahas ... Baker carne back to win round three of the series in Marseilles, France, 2-weeks later over Roberts and Philippe Coulon ... CN spoke with motocrosser Ted Mondale, san of Vice President Walter Mondale. 10 YEARS AGO... MAY 13, 1987 othman Honda's Wayne Gardner was on the cover after winning round two of the 500cc World Championship in Jerez, Spain. Yamaha's Eddie Lawson finished second and Ron R In the meantime, Nickens spends his days working in the body shop at Richmond Ford, and his nights dreaming of the time when he wlll catch the break that will see him competing on the Grand National circuit full-time aboard a twin. He is devoting a lot of energy to that dream. "I'm going to try my hardest," Nickens says. "Hopefully the AMA five-year plan will help out. I think a lot of people love dirt track, but they go to road races because they can see more brands:' To listen to 'him talk, you can quickly see that Nickens comes from the same mold as the rest of his competitors, His feelings about his chosen profession are tlle same as theirs, as is his motivation. "I just love motorcycles," Nickens says. "And there's something about dirt track that I really love - the speed, sliding sideways - it's fun." Still more common ground. Label him what you want, but he is a racer. In this world, that's what counts. So suffice it to say that John Nickens III did in fact make history as the first African-American rider ever to make an AMA Grand National final. Cycle News ran his photo on page 19 of its Daytona Short Track coverage. It was the type of fair and accurate coverage that this newspaper has consistently produced over the years. And my conscience is clear. Nickens, in full knowledge that this column was going to run, helped me with that. It is with that in mind, as well as his love for . the sport, his personal dedication and his desire to succeed just like any racer that I will never again refer to Nickens as such at least until he wins a Grand National. He is proud of his recent accomplishment, and he will be deserving of the honor if and when the time comes. Instead, the next time I see him at a Grand National event (l hope I do), and the next time that he does well or crashes or does something newsworthy, then I will likely refer to him in the same manner that I refer to the rest of the riders, and in the alternative, as I have corne to know him from our conversations - as John Nickens m, the talented, hard-charging motorcycle racer who also happens to be an incredibly polite young man. Because when you get right down to it, once he has his helmet on, he is just another racer, And that's when it really hits me. If we all just left our helmets on, the world might be a better place to live. CN Haslam took third on a Honda...Doug Chandler barely edged out Ricky Graham and Bubba Shobert in a photo finish to win the San Jose Mile in California. Shobert ended up second and Graham slid into third...Team Kawasaki's Jeff Ward won the 250cc Supercross in Phoenix, Arizona, followed by Team Honda's Rick Johnson and teammate Ron Lechien..Suzuki's Donny Schmit won the 125cc class, with Willie Surratt and Kyle Lewis in second and third, respectively ... Honda privateer Paul Krause surprised many by winning round four of the AMA National Hare & Hound series in Plaster City, California, by 30 seconds over defending champ Dan Smith on a four-stroke Husky in second. Mike Baker tqok third overall and first 250cc Expert...Ron Naylor won the AMA National Hare Scrambles in Redding, California. CN

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