nally embraced the three-quarter
version, his competition was
wearing full-faced headgear.
Regardless of his choice in
helmets, fans throughout Europe
lined the streets to (closely)
cheer on Paso as he garnered his
six career Grand Prix victories.
"Remember," says Sergio
Rastelli, president of the Renzo
Pasolini Motoclub in Rimini,
"until 1970, motorcycle grand
prix racing took place on circuits
that were laid out in cities. It al
-
lowed the spectators to get very
close to the racers."
"Unfortunately," he adds, "it
was also very unsafe."
Pasolini's first venture to the
USA came in late 1972. His
sponsor, the Aermacchi fac
-
tory, was now under the wing
of the Harley-Davidson Motor
Company and Race Team Dick
O'Brien wanted to add Pasolini
to his powerhouse lineup of Cal
Rayborn and newly crowned
Grand National Champion Mark
Brelsford.
"We had shipped an XR750 to
Europe for Pasolini to ride, get
accustomed to, make adjust
-
ments and such," recalls Peter
Zylstra, a former racer turned
draftsman for Harley-Davidson.
"It was one of the new alumi
-
num barrel models that had the
new three-piece crankshaft. A
vast improvement over the old
iron-barrel models."
"It was a very big deal back
then to make such a major
decision," adds assistant racing
engineer Clyde Denzer. "Dick
O'Brien wouldn't have taken it
lightly. But he was a master
at recognizing both talent and
personalities."
"Dick bled orange and black,"
Denzer elaborated. "If you were
riding for Harley-Davidson, he
expected you to carry yourself
well. He believed that the racers
were his business card from the
CNIIARCHIVES
P136
Thousands attended the
funeral for Pasolini after his
crash in Monza, which also
took the life of Saarinen.
