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/128215
in England. She's 11 years old now, and I thought about how I want to be around when she gets married. The last thing that I wanted was for her to read in some tabloid about how I was laid to rest and the reason for that was because of alcohol." With the help of Preston, Moran entered a men's rehabilitation program last summer and stayed secluded there for several months. He says that he has come out of it with a different outlook on life, and he is ready to get back to doing what he always did best: racing motorcycles. "I was in denial for so long, and I'm not a machine," Moran said. "I have feelings, too. I realized that I still wanted to make a difference somehow. Also, I know what this is going to sound like, but I did find God along the way. I know that without God, I wouldn't be here today. That's about all I want to say about it because I'm no Bible thumper, but if people want to talk to me about it one on one, then I'm more than willing to." Of course, the sport has changed considerably since Moran left it. Back in 1991, there were no laydown engine or leading-link forks. And Moran's only experience on one of the newer machines was less than pleasant, as he recalls. "A long time ago, Billy Hamill and myself and my brother [Shawn Moran] were out at the EI Mirage dry lake one morning - drinking Jim Beam [rolls eyes] - and those who know my racing style know that I like to try to drift the bike in sort of a two-wheel drift, kind of like a four-wheel drift in sports car racing. So I tried that with this laydown and the new front end that they've been using these days. I went irrto..the first corner, the bike went right, I went left, and that was it When I quit racing in '92, it was still all upright motors nd. the regular forks. That stuff wasn't broke, so I don't know why they had to fix it. I mean, I'm not Mr. Technology. When I first started, I would strip down an engine, and I'd put it back together, and I always had extra parts left over. To me, that just meant there was excess weight in there. So maybe if people see me winning on an upright again, they'll want to switch back," Moran said. "Even if 1 don't win, I'm going to have fun, though. I can't wait. I really can't wait. One thing I do know for sure from watching the guys ride is that the outside is still there at Costa Mesa. Nobody is riding the middle of the track or the outside. That's good for me, because if I ever had to pay my bills by getting good starts, I would have gone broke right away (laughs). I didn't rely on good starts to make my livelihood in Europe." Moran's goal is to become a National Champion again, just so that he could keep the number one plate stateside, like he did when he turned away from the big European money to promote his National titles to American speedway fans when he was number one in 1983 and '84. "Having the National Champion go overseas is like having the winner of the Super Bowl or the World Series move to another country for the next season," Moran said. "I was just fortunate to be able to capitalize on staying here. STP, which was a very good sponsor, allowed me to stay home, which meant that I got to ride at my favorite track every week - Costa Mesa. And it was just nice to be home with my friends, racing them five nights a week. It was neat. Bring back the '80s I People can even party. I just won't party the same way that I used to. "I just know that my happiest times were always when I was at the races," Moran said. "It was just neat meeting people, especially if they had never been to speedway before, and having good hard races and good clean races. You know what I mean. You mentioned Ricky Graham, a good rider, a hard rider, but he was fair on the track." Moran said he is more encouraged by the fact that he'll get the shot to race against many of his old pals, some of them like him, American speedway icons, such as Bobby Schwartz, Mike Faria, Shawn McConnell and Brad Oxley. "That's great," Moran said. "And you know, it's not the end of the world when those guys don't win the scratch main event or the handicap main event. Just being out there and doing it every week is what keeps you young at heart. Those guys may look older on the outside, but as long as you're young on the inside, that's what really counts." Moran said he is especially looking forward to meeting up with another of the sport's top showmen, himself the beneficiary of a strong comeback in recent years, John Cook. "I'm looking forward to racing with Cookie, and I won't need to use a 22-inch tire to win like he did at the U.S. Nationals either (laughs)! But that's Cookie for you. I can't wait to race him. It will be fun." And then, just as we finished the interview, Moran said something to me that sort of proved how long as he been gone, how devastating the effects of his old lifestyle really were. "You know what would really be cool," Moran said, "is if Ricky Graham reads this. Maybe he'd like to come out and ride speedway with us." It was a poignant moment, and it deserved a respon·se. In my 10 years as a Cycle News reporter, I can't remember ever responding to the subject of an interview when that interview was not meant to be a q uestion/answer session. "Ricky Graham passed away, Kelly," I had to tell him. "He was the most naturally gifted flat-track racer the sport has ever known, but he was an alcoholrc, and he died under mysterious circumstances in a house fire in 1997. No one will ever know for sure, but a lot of people elieve that alcohol was a factor in his death. It was a tragic deal because everyone was really looking forward to seeing Ricky come back in full force that year." ;;; ; PM ;;4 It was interesting to study the change in Moran's face as he was confronted with the news. The smile vanished, and he sat silent for several seconds. The glimpse in this, a rather introspective mirror, was clearly one that he did not care to see, because although he may not be willing to boast about himself, Kelly Moran knows that in terms of sheer talent, he used to be to speedway what Ricky Graham was to flat-track racing. Their two life stories could practically parallel each other. .. All the talent in the world can only buy so many second chances. Here's to hoping that "The Jelly Man" gets just one more. Epilogue: As this interview was being prepared, we received word that Kelly Moran has cut a deal with Jason Bonsignore Racing to start racing speedway in New York, at Champion Speedway in Owego and Action Park East in Greene. Moran is working on procuring sponsorship deals, and he cut his first serious laps since] 992 on an upright speedway bike in a test session at Champion Speedway on Saturday, May 3. "ObViously, 1 was a bit nervous, you know," Moran said via telephone. "I was excited, and 1didn't want to look like an idiot. 1 fell four times, but then 1 tried one of those new {leading link] front ends, and it worked for me. Then Jason and 1 agreed that I should try a laydown, and now I love it! Every time I ride, I'm getting more confidence. Jason has been sLave-driving me {laughs], but for someone to be positive about me with all the negativity surrounding my name, for him to give me this opportunity, you can't measure how much 1 appreciate it. I'm loving this, and 1 can't thank him enough. I want to pay him back by showing him and everyone else that the Jelly Man was absent, but only for a while. Now he's back." Moran said that supporters and well wishers can contact him via the following: Jason Bonsignore Racing 2]52 Edgemire Dr. Rochester, New York ]46]2 E-mai.l: kabons64@hotmail.com .. cycle n ... _ S • MAY 21,2003 43