MEET THE AMA HALL OF FAME MOTOCROSS INDUCTEES FOR 2010:
The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) is pleased to announce the motocross members of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Class of 2010:
MITCH PAYTON
Pro Circuit’s Mitch Payton.
“In AMA Pro Motocross and Supercross, one team is perhaps more synonymous with winning than any other, Pro Circuit, and the motive force behind that team is one of the industry’s most driven individuals, Mitch Payton,” said Jack Penton, incoming AMA director of operations and a Hall of Famer himself. “Payton is an architect of not only championship teams, but champions, having developed some of this sport’s greatest racers.”
Payton’s parents, James and Norma Payton, introduced him and his brother, James Jr., to motorcycling at a young age. By the time he was 10, Payton was competing in family enduros and a few years later was racing competitively in AMA District 37. In 1977, at the age of 17, Payton was one of the district’s top desert racers and won the 125 class in that discipline. Unfortunately, the next year Payton’s racing career was cut short by injury.
Instead of allowing discouragement to turn him away from motorcycling, Payton focused his efforts on the business side of the sport. At 18, he bought and ran a local Husqvarna shop. His skill and reputation as a motocross tuner grew, and his parts were being used by some of the biggest motocross teams of the mid-1980s. Then, in 1991, Honda asked Payton to run its 125 Supercross and motocross team. Payton accepted, and over the next 19 years, racing other brands as well, his teams won more championships than any other.
Tom White is chairman of the Hall of Fame Motocross/Supercross committee, and the company he founded, White Brothers, was one of the first distributors of Payton’s products. “I’ve known Mitch from when he was racing to when he was starting his company,” White said. “It is one of my proudest moments to see somebody who overcame what some might see as a major disability and not only build the best motorcycles, but to be able to pick the riders and bring them up to a level of performance that makes them better than they ever thought they could be. Mitch Payton is absolutely what the Hall of Fame is about — recognizing the people who have made the best and most lasting contributions to motorcycling.”
Payton, an AMA Life Member, said that he’s honored by his induction into the Hall of Fame. But, he said, he recognizes the legends he looked up to in his youth are the true heroes of the sport.
“I look around the industry, and there are a few guys I hold in real regard,” Payton said. “One is Malcolm Smith. When I was a kid, we’d go to Malcolm’s shop, and I was the 10-year-old punk who would bother the guys at the counter for stickers and sit on all the bikes. Another is Roger DeCoster. Those guys are just awesome. So, to be in the same Hall of Fame, for that honor, I’m really proud about that,” Payton continued. “It’s there forever. It means that anyone looking back on history years from now will see what you’ve done.”
EYVIND BOYESEN
Eyvind Boyesen.
The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) is pleased to announce the eighth member of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Class of 2010: Eyvind Boyesen, one of the most accomplished two-stroke engine tuners in motorsports. Boyesen, whose skills in the garage translated into success in the marketplace, will be among the legends of motorcycling honored at the 2010 induction ceremony at the Red Rock Resort in Las Vegas on Nov. 19.
“Eyvind developed many of his innovations in an era of great change in performance off-road motorcycling, and in the process joined other AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famers in becoming a household name in the sport,” said AMA Director of Operations and Hall of Famer Jack Penton. “Both everyday riders and national champions alike used Boyesen’s products over the years, and many more will in years to come.”
Eyvind.
Although Boyesen Engineering has long since branched into other areas of innovation, off-road racers in the 1970s through the 1990s knew Boyesen products through marketing of the company’s aftermarket performance reeds. Boyesen’s reeds set the standard as one of the leading aftermarket replacement parts of the two-stroke era, and often were one of the first modifications racers made to a new machine.
“Growing up on the local scrambles and motocross tracks in eastern Pennsylvania during the early 1970s, racers knew one thing: If you wanted a power advantage over your competitors, you needed a Boyesen Power Reed,” said Douglas Strange, chair of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Ambassadors & Industry committee and an honorary member of the Antique Motorcycle Club of America. “It was like a magic elixir that would put your bike on the box. Boyesen Engineering’s reputation continued to grow as his business expanded, and every racer’s toolbox had a Boyesen sticker on the lid. Now, nearly 40 years later, I’m still impressed with Eyvind Boyesen’s commitment to the sport and industry, and his insight to solve problems and bring these new products to the marketplace.”
Boyesen founded Boyesen Engineering in 1972 in Lenhartsville, Pa., and built a worldwide reputation as a two-stroke engine expert. In addition to his reed-valve innovations, Boyesen is also known for a special porting technique that has been used in motorcycle, snowmobile and watercraft two-stroke engines. He also has refined methods of water pump design and developed enhanced accelerator pump operation used in four-stroke carburetion. Boyesen holds more than 40 patents for the aftermarket motorcycle industry, and his company continues to thrive today.
“To be honest I was rather surprised at hearing the news of the induction,” Boyesen said. “I immediately thought, ‘Who would have nominated me?’ I will say that my career has been balanced by my ability to do what I truly love. To this day I will always remember the first time I saw a motorcycle. It was magical. As many that have achieved any level of success (big or small), I am very fortunate to be able to contribute to this sport and industry.”
JOHN & RITA GREGORY
John Gregory today.
The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) is pleased to announce the fifth and sixth members of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Class of 2010: John and Rita Gregory. The Gregorys, whose industry-leading JT Racing USA created innovative motocross gear for two decades, will be among the legends of motorcycling honored at the 2010 induction ceremony at the Red Rock Resort in Las Vegas this Nov. 19.
“John and Rita began selling MX socks out of the back of their car at California motocross tracks,” said AMA Director of Operations and Hall of Famer Jack Penton. “From that humble beginning, they built JT Racing into the dominant force in motocross apparel in the country and influenced MX apparel makers who followed.”
Under the Gregorys’ leadership, JT Racing sponsored just about every big-name motocrosser of the 1970s and ’80s, including AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famers Joel Robert, Roger DeCoster, Marty Smith, Ricky Johnson, David Bailey, Bob Hannah, Johnny O’Mara, and Jeff Ward. They brought revolutionary nylon MX pants to the United States, created a variety of innovative products including jerseys, pants and chest protectors, and were masters of marketing in the creation of their global business.
Hall of Famer Broc Glover, one of the leading racers in American motocross and one of JT’s sponsored riders, is a member of the Hall of Fame Motocross/Supercross committee that recommended the Gregorys.
“They changed how motocross riding gear was manufactured and marketed,” Glover said. “They brought style to the sport and sponsored powerhouse riders. They were the industry leaders, and set the benchmark for other apparel companies. JT is the company that others judged themselves against.
“The Gregorys brought in the first vented clothing. Their ideas were innovative,” Glover continued. “For me, on a personal level, I wore a set of pink gear. There was the DayGlo that David Bailey wore, the ALS helmet. They designed the V1000 and V2000 chest protectors, nylon pants and synthetic gloves?they were innovative. They had a lot of cool stuff.”
John and Rita Gregory said they are thrilled to be named to the Hall of Fame. “I had a lot fun doing that,” John said. “I met a lot of nice people, saw a lot of nice places, and I had a great crew. It wasn’t just Rita and me. It was a bunch of other incredible people, too.”
Said Rita: “I must say that I am very honored to be included in this as a woman in the industry, and I would very much like to thank all of those who felt me worthy of this nomination.”
John fondly recalls working with the riders to sell JT Racing products. “We probably owe nearly all of our success to our riders,” John said. “I have to give them a lot of the credit. I told (then-Yamaha factory rider) Hannah I had a big overstock problem with yellow and blue pants. Yamaha colors were yellow, black and white. He wore the yellow and blue pants at a Supercross on a Saturday night. By Wednesday we didn’t have any in stock.”
AMA HALL OF FAME
The Class of 2010 will officially be inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame this Nov. 19 as part of the AMA Legends & Champions Weekend. In addition to the induction ceremony, the weekend includes the 2010 AMA Concours d’Elegance on Saturday, Nov. 20, featuring some of the country’s most impressive original and restored classic motorcycles. The AMA Racing Championship Banquet closes out the weekend on Sunday, Nov. 21, where AMA Racing amateur champions of all ages will be recognized for their 2010 accomplishments. The event will be held at the Las Vegas Red Rock Resort, a world-class spa, hotel and casino, featuring a range of entertainment, dining and family-friendly attractions.
More information about the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame can be found at www.MotorcycleMuseum.org
Comments are closed.