FIRST PERSON/OPINION
Vie e-mail:
At an age when most motorcycle racers would be hanging up their helmets, Mike Monroe was just putting his on. In 1979, well into his mid-30s, he started road racing a small four-cylinder Honda. In 1980, Mike put together a deal with Merry and Perry Bushong of BMW of Fort Worth with help from Butler and Smith to endurance race a BMW R65. Typically Monroe: No one in their right mind would consider actually racing the marque, long known for its sedate touring qualities, but rarely seen on modern racetracks.
For the next two years, Monroe’s team raced at road race tracks across Texas and Oklahoma in grueling contests that lasted from four to 12 hours. They raced against bikes that were decades more advanced, with riders a decade or more younger. And won. Twice. The 1980 and 1981 WERA South Central Region/CRRC Lightweight Superbike Endurance Championships.
In the post-race pits of the last race in 1981, three young riders from the team that finished second in points for the season came over to congratulate Monroe’s team. One of them wondered out loud, “How’d those old guys beat us on that old crock of a bike?” Waving a bottle of cheap champagne, Monroe replied, “It is not so amazing that the dog quotes Shakespeare, but that he can speak at all!”
His full name was Michael Morris Monroe; most knew him either as MONroe or M3. And M3 was his call sign in the Air Force in Viet Nam.
M3 died Thursday, August 14 of a heart attack. Memorial services were held at First Presbyterian Church in Fort Worth on August 20.
He was survived by his wife, Sally, in Fort Worth and by his father Morris in Kingfisher, Oklahoma. He was 61.
I mourn the loss of a teammate and of a true friend of over 30 years. Please raise a glass or cup in his memory.
Photo at http://home.ix.netcom.com/~bdickey1/id1.html
A contribution to the Action Fund in Mike’s memory is on its way.
Bob Dickey
Fort Worth, Texas