SONOMA, Calif. (May 3, 2011) Race fans will be treated to some two-wheel history during the West Coast Moto Jam with the all-new Legends in Sonoma program. Infineon Raceway will honor some of racing’s biggest stars throughout the 2011 Big O Tires Racing Season, and the program kicks off May 11-15.
Infineon Raceway will honor legends Brad Lackey, Rich Oliver and Scott Russell during the West Coast Moto Jam. The legends will be featured during an autograph session on Saturday at 10:30 a.m., as well as a Track Talk Q&A session on Sunday at 11 a.m. in the Wine Country Winner’s Circle. The racers will also be honored during pre-race ceremonies on Sunday.
Here’s a glimpse at the racing legends you’ll see in Sonoma during the West Coast’s biggest motorcycle weekend of the year:
Brad Lackey
Brad Lackey, a native of Berkeley, was one of America’s pioneering motocross racers of the 1970s and ’80s. In 1972, Lackey won the AMA 500cc National Motocross championship, and in 1982 he became the first American to win the 500cc World Motocross Championship. During his career, Lackey rode for CZ, Suzuki and Honda, but he is most remembered for winning his AMA title with Kawasaki. Lackey was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1999. This weekend, Lackey will organize the AHRMA Nor-Cal Classic at Infineon Raceway, which will take place over the hills behind Turn 7.
Rich Oliver
Rich Oliver, who was inducted into the Infineon Raceway Wall of Fame in 2006, is a five-time AMA 250 Grand Prix national champion and the only AMA rider in history to win a feature race four consecutive years at Infineon Raceway (1994-’97). Moreover, he won the Grand Prix title a fifth time in Sonoma in 2003 before eventually retiring from AMA competition. Oliver currently serves as owner and chief instructor of Rich Oliver’s Mystery School and enjoys creating one-of-a-kind artwork. You’ll hear Oliver this weekend as part of the track announcing team, and his artwork will be on display during the weekend-long Motorcycle Art Show.
Scott Russell
Also known as Mr. Daytona, Scott Russell is a former AMA SuperBike Champion (1992) and World Superbike Champion (1993), who has won the Daytona 200 a record five times (1992, ’94, ’95, ’97 and ’98). Russell is also the all-time leader in 750cc AMA Supersport wins, and he was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2005. His only victory in Sonoma came in the Superstock class in 1989. Russell currently serves as the lead motorcycle analyst on SPEED and can be heard on all AMA Pro Road Racing broadcasts.
The West Coast Moto Jam will feature five days of two-wheel excitement, headlined by the AMA Pro Road Racing Championship. The weekend will also feature Supermoto USA, flat track, AHRMA National Motocross and TTXGP electric motorcycles. For more information about the West Coast Moto Jam or to purchase tickets, call 800-870-RACE (7223) or visit www.infineonraceway.com/ama.