IN
THE
WIND
P32
LEGENDARY ROAD RACER
SKIP VAN LEEUWEN PASSES
S
kip Van Leeuwen, one of
the best Tourist Trophy
riders in the history of AMA rac-
ing, passed away Wednesday,
June 21. He was 78.
"The American Motorcyclist
Association extends heartfelt
condolences to the Van Leeu-
wen family and to all of Skip's
friends inside and outside the
motorcycling community," said
AMA President and CEO Rob
Dingman.
Mr. Van Leeuwen was induct-
ed into the AMA Motorcycle
Hall of Fame in 1999.
Mr. Van Leeuwen dominated
AMA TT competition in the mid-
1960s, winning four nationals
on the small dirt-track circuits
that feature a jump and left- and
right-hand turns. He won AMA
national TT races in Houston (in
the Astrodome), Castle Rock,
Washington, and at his home
track of Ascot Park in Gardena,
Calif. He also won numerous
West Coast regional champion-
ships during his racing career.
After retiring from racing in the
early 1970s, Mr. Van Leeuwen
went on to launch a successful
motorcycle accessories business.
After high school, Mr. Van
Leeuwen and childhood friend
Dick Hammer bought Triumph
650s and began frequenting
local speedways. Both would go
on to become nationally known
racers.
While TT racing was his
specialty, Mr. Van Leeuwen was
also a road racer. His best AMA
national finish on a road course
was fourth at Carlsbad, Califor-
nia in 1967.
By the early 1970s, Mr. Van
Leeuwen was concentrating
more on his business interests
and retired from racing in 1972.
His business, Van Leeuwen
Enterprises, evolved over the
years to become one of the
largest motorcycle accessory
companies in the country. CN
AMA Hall of
Famer Skip Van
Leeuwen passed
away June 21.
PHOTOGRAPHY
COURTESY
AMA
THALL
OF
FAME
